British Equestrian Interviews
This summer sees the best equestrian athletes in the world descend on the French capital for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) has today (26th June 20204) announced the three squads of riders who will travel to France this summer to represent Team GB in the equestrian competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The squad of four representing dressage offers a mix of experience and young talent with Carl Hester set to compete in his seventh Games while his protégé Charlotte Dujardin will be hoping to become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, should she claim a medal in Paris of any colour. Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Fry will be looking to build on her Tokyo experience and is reigning World Champion, whilst Becky Moody will look to make her Games debut.
Team GB’s eventing team will be looking to defend their Olympic title from Tokyo, a first since 1972, and two members of that squad, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen, have been named in the foursome. Ros Canter, who was the travelling reserve for Tokyo 2020, will be hoping for a first Olympic competition appearance, as will reigning World Champion Yasmin Ingham from the Isle of Man.
Paris 2024 will be a fifth Olympic Games for current Olympic individual jumping champion, Ben Maher, and he is joined by Tokyo 2020 Olympians Scott Brash and Harry Charles. Debutant of the group is Joe Stockdale, whose father Tim represented Team GB at Beijing in 2008.
Rider and horse combinations will be submitted by July 8 to Paris 2024 as part of the Sport Entry process for the Games.
British Equestrian Interviews
Sophie Wells OBE - ParalympicsGB announces para equestrian squad for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Sophie Wells (Grade 5) is another athlete to make her fourth Games appearance in Paris. She took three golds and three silvers across London 2012 and Rio 2016, followed by team gold and individual silver at Tokyo 2020 with new ride Don Cara M.
Wells, who has represented ParalympicsGB at every Paralympic Games, World Championship and European Championship since 2011, said: “I’m thrilled to be selected for Paris 2024 as my fourth Paralympic Games. It still feels surreal when we get to this point. I’ve been so proud of my horse, Don Cara M, throughout his selection campaign this year and am very grateful to his owner, Rowland Kinch. It’s starting to feel much more real now as we head into the final preparations for the Games.”
Full Press Release 18th July 2024
A total of around 220 athletes from 19 sports are expected to make up the British team that will compete in Paris, with further names to be announced by ParalympicsGB in the coming days. At Tokyo 2020, ParalympicsGB won medals across a record breaking 18 different sports – the highest number of any nation ever. ParalympicsGB finished second on the medal table with 124 medals overall, including 41 gold, 38 silver and 45 bronze.
The para equestrian competition will take place from 3–7 September in the scenic grounds of the Château de Versailles, just outside of Paris.