There’s no doubt the British trio start as favourites in the Paris Olympics eventing competition, with the pressure piling on after team gold at the Tokyo Olympics and numerous star combinations left at home following a fierce selection battle.
Team GB perhaps field the only squad with four riders who all have individual medal chances, and the Brits will still merit the favourite rank should Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir get a pre-competition call-up from the alternate spot.
Once the eventing action starts at the Paris Olympics, we must hope Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo), Laura Collett (London 52) and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) all stay fit and in the race, as a team that has to carry penalties for a substitution is unlikely to take the gold.
Therein lies the danger – there is so much jeopardy in the three-to-a-team, all-to-count Olympic format. A momentary slip or a minor injury could drop a nation from leaders to nowhere in a second.
Germany, led by double Olympic champion Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH – who, at 16, is running out of chances to cap his brilliant career with an individual gold – should provide Britain’s greatest challenge. Olympic debutant Christoph Wahler is very able with Carjatan S.
Other Olympic eventing team medal contenders
Behind Germany, there are seven nations at the forefront of the fight – on paper, New Zealand, the USA and France hold the edge, with Switzerland, Australia, Japan and Ireland the next group to watch.
The grit and experience of Tim Price and Jonelle Price leads me to predict the Kiwis will take bronze, but they were beaten by the US at the worlds in 2022 – and let’s not forget the British team went home empty-handed that time. The US’s selection decision in bringing the inexperienced but potentially brilliant HSH Blake and Caroline Pamukcu feels like a bold push for medals rather than reliable mediocrity.
As is typical, France’s pairs have been under the radar this year, but in Nicolas Touzaint (Diabolo Menthe), Stéphane Landois (Chaman Dumontceau) and Karim Laghouag (Triton Fontaine) they have three riders who can be in the top 10.
Finally, if you want to back an outsider for an Olympic eventing team medal, I’d go for Belgium.
British fans can have high hopes, but anything can happen in Paris and none of the 16 teams can be ruled out of medal contention.
H&H’s eventing editor’s Olympic podium
To read Horse & Hound’s full 16-page Paris Olympic preview, pick up a copy of the magazine in shops from Thursday 18 July, or order a single copy online for delivery by post. Horse & Hound’s full 19-page Olympic form guide, featuring exclusive insight into every combinations competing in Paris, will be on sale from Thursday 25 July ahead of competition starting on Saturday 27 July.
You may also be interested in:
How to watch eventing at the Paris Olympics live from around the world
Paris Olympic eventing teams: find out who will ride at the Games
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
‘His moment in the spotlight’: meet the 22-year-old Clydesdale boosting Britain’s Olympic campaign
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the Paris Olympics, Royal International, Burghley and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
