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‘I feel confident’: Ben Maher in individual medal contention ahead of Europeans final

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • Despite Great Britain’s team woes at the European Showjumping Championships at the San Siro racecourse in Milan, Italy, (30 August-3 September), there was very good reason to celebrate as British team rider Ben Maher (Faltic HB) has qualified for Sunday’s two-round individual medal decider – and, excitingly, is well within grasp of a medal.

    Jens Fredricson of Sweden currently tops the individual leaderboard with Markan Cosmopolit, closely followed by Steve Guerdat on his super exciting mare Dynamix De Belheme, with Ireland’s Michael Duffy currently in the bronze medal position on another quality mare, Cinca 3.

    Olivier Perreau of France sits fourth with the 10-year-old mare GL Events Dorai D’Aiguilly, with Ben and the Pamela Wright and Charlotte Rossetter-owned Faltic HB (Baltic VDL x Concorde) in fifth.

    But with less than four penalties separating the five riders at the top of the individual leaderboard, even just one fence down will make a huge difference in Sunday’s two-round medal decider and there’s plenty to play for.

    European Showjumping Championships: “We start fresh on Sunday”

    Talking about Friday’s performance with his team world championship bronze medal-winning partner Faltic HB, Ben said: “He jumped incredible again, he gave me a very good feeling over the first couple of lines. I had a little bit of a touch just coming out of the triple, he landed quite steep and that made the third part a bit long. He really tried hard over the final two and that’s very positive for the rest of the week.

    “He just didn’t feel comfortable on the first day, but yesterday [Thursday] and today [Friday], he feels really back on form. With the horses I have, he hasn’t been overjumped – each horse helps the others – and that makes my life easier and enables me to put the horses in at the right time. So I’m very happy I feel confident, so we will keep going.

    “We have a recovery day [on Saturday, 2 September] and then we we start fresh on Sunday.”

    Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European showjumping action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

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    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
    Jennifer Donald

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