{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}
Trending:

British riders top all Olympic world rankings

Martha Terry Martha Terry

    • Great Britain heads the world rankings in all 3 Olympic disciplines simultaneously for the first time. Eventer William Fox-Pitt joins showjumper Scott Brash and dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin at the top of their respective sports. William last held the number 1 spot in 2010.

    William’s win at last weekend’s Rolex Kentucky CCI4* (24-27 April) lifted him 16 points above New Zealander Andrew Nicholson, who had headed the rankings since claiming team bronze at the London 2012 Olympics.

    “It’s a fantastic feeling to be back as world number 1,” said William. “The world rankings are currently dominated by British riders… which shows our National Lottery and World Class Performance Programme is working.”

    Showjumping is in particularly good health leading up the FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games, with Ben Maher vying with Scott for the top spot.

    There is just 1 other eventing Brit in the top 20 (Nicola Wilson). Meanwhile, the US has 3 in the top 10.

    But British eventers will be out in force at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials next week (8-11 May) to collect valuable FEI points.

    William will be defending not just his number 1 ranking, but also his leading position in the FEI Classics series combining the world’s 6 CCI4*s. He has 3 horses entered — Cool Mountain, Parklane Hawk and Chilli Morning, although he will have to choose which 2 to compete.

    Do you think William can add Badminton to his Kentucky win and set up a potential Rolex Grand Slam? H&H’s official betting partner, Paddy Power, has him as 4-1 favourite currently ahead of Andrew Nicholson on 11/2, with Vittoria Panizzon and Sir Mark Todd both on 7/1

    Sign up for a new Paddy Power account today, bet £5 on Badminton and get a free £20 bet. Place your Badminton bet now

    Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout major shows like London International 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

    Martha Terry
    Martha Terry

    H&H features editor
    Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
    Martha Terry

    You may like...