Zara Tindall among Brits aiming for Nations Cup glory in Aachen

Zara Tindall (née Phillips) is among the British riders heading to the prestigious CIC3* at Aachen (14-17 July), the venue where she won team and individual gold medals at the 2006 World Equestrian Games on Toytown.

Zara will be competing as an individual on Gleadhill House Stud Ltd’s High Kingdom, her 2012 Olympic and 2014 world team silver medallist.

The British team for Aachen’s Nations Cup competition consists of:

• Tina Cook, 45, on Pip Wates, Ailsa Wates and Equine Aqua Trading’s Calvino II
• Laura Collett, 26, on David and Diana Chappell’s Grand Manoeuvre
• Franky Reid-Warrilow, 26, and her own Dolley Whisper
• Nicola Wilson, 39, with Gerry and Mary Kemp and Janine Shewan’s One Two Many

Franky made her Nations Cup debut at Ballindenisk, finishing third individually and contributing to a win for the British team. Laura Collett is a regular representing Britain in Nations Cups and was third individually at Aachen in 2012 on Rayef.

Tina and Nicola are both experienced championship competitors and were long-listed for the British team for Rio with the horses they take to Aachen. Tina was fifth at Aachen in 2013 with Miners Frolic, while Nicola has ridden there several times, her best result being seventh in 2008 on Opposition Buzz.

The British team has won two of the four legs of the Nations Cup so far this year and carry a 55-point advantage over Germany in the nine-event series.

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More eventing news:

The Nations Cup at Aachen is generally considered the most prestigious of the series and many riders use it as final preparation for championships. The brilliant German team will be running there this year ahead of Rio. Britain often fields several more experienced riders in its Aachen team, while using up-and-coming stars for the other Nations Cups in the season.

This weekend (8-10 July) Jodie Amos, Rosalind Canter, Justine Dutton and Ben Way will be representing Britain at the first eventing Nations Cup outside Europe at The Plains in Virginia, USA.

The British teams are supported by the lottery-funded World Class programme.

Full report from The Plains in next week’s H&H (out 14 July); full report from Aachen the following week (issue dated 21 July).

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.