Text © World of Showjumping

Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly (Cap Kennedy x L’Arc de Triomphe Bois Margot), Harry Charles and Romeo 88 (Contact vd Heffinck x Orlando), as well as Scott Brash and Jefferson (Cooper van de Heffink x Irco Mena), were crowned Olympic team champions in Versailles on Friday, after completing the final on a score of only two penalties. Delivering three incredibly solid rounds, with only a single time penalty from both pathfinder Ben Maher as well as anchor Scott Brash, and a clear from Harry Charles – the youngest on the team – the British boys were unbeatable in this extremely exciting final that had the spectators at the edge of their seats until the very last fence was jumped. Maher and Brash were also on the team that won the Olympic gold in London in 2012, back then together with Harry Charles’ father Peter. 

“It is great to be a part of the team,” Brash said after anchoring the Brits to the win. “We all played a part and there is such a massive team behind us; the grooms, vets, farriers, physios, owners and sponsors. It is incredible when it is a team medal, everyone feels so involved and so together. Obviously, London was incredible for us, being at home, but this is amazing – getting back up there to take gold again twelve years on, in an unbelievable setting in Versailles. It is an absolutely amazing venue; the facilities have been fantastic for the horses. I am absolutely delighted.”

Just two penalties behind Great Britain, USA took the silver medal after stunning clear rounds from Karl Cook and Caracole de La Roque (Zandor Z x Kannan) as well as anchors McLain Ward and Ilex (Baltic VDL x Chin Chin), after pathfinder Laura Kraut had an unfortunate rail down with Baloutinue (Balou du Rouet x Landor S). Host nation France secured the bronze medal when finishing on a score of seven penalties, with Simon Delestre and I Amelusina R 51 (Dexter R x Chin Chin) recording three time penalties, Olivier Perreau posting an epic clear round on his home-bred Dorai d’Aiguilly (Kannan x Toulon), and Julien Epaillard picking up four faults aboard Dubai du Cedre (Baloubet du Rouet x Diamant de Semilly).

Thanks to Santiago Varela and Gregory Bodo – course designers in Versailles – today’s team final was as good as it gets. The fourteen-fence track was first of all breath-taking with the fence-design beautiful, chic and vibrant, so French and Parisian – simply all-over stunning – and furthermore so well built, like only this duo can do it. The time allowed also played its part today, and like yesterday there were a lot of options on the related distances which would play a big part as the competition unfolded. 

Ten nations had qualified for the team final, but only nine came to start as Mexico was forced to watch from the side-line after Carlos Hank Guerreiro had to withdraw Porthos Maestro WH Z (Picasso Z x Ogano Sitte) due to veterinary reasons – leaving nine teams to battle it out for the medals.

The Brits got off to a great start as Ben Maher and the 11-year-old mare Dallas Vegas Batilly picked up only a time penalty after a beautifully executed round, the two also jumped clear in Thursday’s qualifier – the reigning Olympic champion having his mare in super shape for the Olympics. And when Harry Charles and Romeo 88 posted a brilliant clear as the second British pair out, they shot their squad into the lead as the teams’ anchor-riders were preparing for duty.

It was very tight on top though, with France breathing Britain in the neck with their score of three penalties. Simon Delestre and I Amelusina R 51 had made it explode in the arena at the Parc de Versailles when being the first pair to leave all the fences up – only exceeding the time allowed, to add three penalties to their score. And when Olivier Perreau delivered the round of his life with the 11-year-old mare Dorai d’Aiguilly – home bred and produced – he threw his arms up to the sky above, it was the stuff that dreams are made of. With the tribunes filled with French flags, and the home crowds giving Perreau a standing ovation, it was one of those moments that make this sport so incredibly special. “I was really, really concentrated to not make any mistakes and when I realized we were clear, all the emotions came out,” Perreau later explained.

With USA on four faults, Great Britain and France had an incredibly small margin of error to play with, also feeling the pressure from Ireland on a score of five and Netherlands on six. Germany – that dominated Thursday’s qualifier – was sitting 6th on eight faults, followed by Sweden – defending their title from Tokyo – that also had a score of eight. Belgium had collected twelve penalties ahead of the last rotation of riders, and Israel 33. 

The anchor pairs were coming back in reverse order of the result after the two first horse-and-rider combinations, with Israel opting not to return. Belgium – a bronze medallist in Tokyo – had to add another eight faults to their score, finishing on a total of twenty and eventually 8th of the nine teams. It was not to be for reigning champions Sweden either, who had no luck today with a plank at no. 11, the Provence-Champs de Lavande-fence, falling for Henrik von Eckermann, followed by a rail down for both Rolf-Göran Bengtsson and Peder Fredricson – twelve faults when added together. 

Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt however kept pressure on those ahead when delivering another beautiful clear on the phenomenal Zineday (Zinedine x Polydor), leaving his team on a score of eight. Next out, Harrie Smolders rode a fantastic round on Uricas vd Kattevennen (Uriko x San Patrignano Cassini) to only add a time penalty to the Dutch score – totalling the team to seven faults. Ireland’s Cian O’Connor now had some serious pressure on him as he entered the ring with a team total of five penalties on the scoreboard. However, two rails down from Maurice  (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Eros Platiere) and a time fault dropped the Irish down on the result list with a total score of fourteen penalties. 

If a pin dropped somewhere in the Parc de Versailles as McLain Ward and Ilex got underway for the American team, you would have heard it. Carrying a team total of four faults, all the weight was now on Ward’s shoulders. But, Ward has been in this position so many times before, and despite the massive pressure he produced one of his trademark rounds – beautiful, calm and collected as always. When he crossed the finish line clear, the Stars and Stripes zone was going wild in Versailles – USA was secured a medal.

“I know this role, it is a stressful role – but we are experienced and we understand how it is going to be,” Ward said about anchoring the U.S. team. “This was great sport, the level was phenomenal, the test was excellent. You focus on executing your job and when you know your partner underneath you and your team around you of people, not only the riders but everybody behind the scenes that is making all of this happen for us – doing their job a 100% – it definitely gives you the confidence to focus on your job.”

Entering in silver-position, all eyes turned to Julien Epaillard and Dubai du Cedre as last to go for the French. A career-defining moment for Epaillard – who is doing his first Olympics on home soil in Versailles – was waiting. Never one scared of a challenge, Epaillard looked confident as he set off but unfortunately the chestnut mare got a little flat on the oxer at no. 9 clipping the front rail to bring the French to a team total of seven – just in front of the Dutch, due to a combined faster time.

It would all come down to Scott Brash, a man already legendary in the sport for his achievements – this time riding Jefferson, his partner on many important occasions over the last years. Brash could allow himself two time penalties, but not more with the American score like the breath of a dragon in his neck. But, when Brash brings his A game, there are not many better than him – and that was just the case this afternoon in Versailles as the British 38-year-old piloted Jefferson to finish on only a single time penalty, bringing home the gold for Britain against the iconic backdrop of the Chateau de Versailles. USA claimed the silver – just like in Tokyo, and the French the bronze.

“Jefferson was incredible,” Brash said. “The guys put me in an unbelievable position to be able to come in last, knowing I had time faults to play with – it was incredible. Jefferson stayed focused on his job, that’s why I came in a little bit late. We were following the French and he is a sharp horse, so I wanted to stay behind a little bit while the noise was big – to keep him calm and relaxed.”

“It’s a whirlwind of emotions," Brash said about his feelings as he had secured the gold medal as last to go. "I am absolutely delighted, and so proud of Jefferson – I thought he was unbelievable. I feel relief as well as joy. It was an amazing experience and another memory that will live with me forever."

“We have amazing horses, and it comes down to some experience and great riding at the end of the day,” Maher said. “They were two of the best rounds, the hardest rounds, but two of the best rounds I have seen ridden. They were executed perfectly for those horses and at the end of the day it comes down to timing in every sport and bringing it together at the right time and I probably would say that none of us could have done a better job than we did today. It is not that we go home thinking we could have done something better, and that is very rare in our sport. Everything came together and it is just an amazing feeling.”

“Our family has a lot to thank Ben and Scott for, they were on the podium with my dad in London and now I get to share a podium with these guys,” 25-year-old Charles smiled. “I have looked up to them since I was a kid and started to ride and to now win a gold medal alongside them is beyond my dreams. My dad has been such a big part of everything, also this team today, and I would not be sitting here today without him. We nearly even got a tear out of him earlier, so I am going to go back and we are going to celebrate as a family. He kissed Ben apparently!” Charles laughed.

“Me and Ben feel a bit like the old veterans now, which is kind of a nice feeling, actually,” Brash pointed out. “As Harry said, Pete played a massive role even here, it is invaluable having him on our shoulder, giving us advice, going in and out of the ring with what we need to do – just having that mentor there is really good for all of us. Harry is only 25, but he is very experienced already, he rode in Tokyo, did a little warm-up there and then delivered today, so it is amazing to have good young riders coming up in our country and I think the future looks bright.”

While USA yet again came close to the gold, none of the riders were complaining about another silver. For Karl Cook, who was called on to the team Thursday morning from his alternate-position, it was a very special moment. “I was the alternate coming in, but I took it very personally that I need to be prepared because you don’t know when or if you get called,” he said. “So, I took it, we handled everything as if we were showing, we did nothing different. I packed my white breeches and my white shirts and everything yesterday morning – just in case – and when we got the call, it was time to show. I was very grateful we handled it the way we did, so that we didn’t have to get psyched up for or didn’t have to change anything because we acted as if we were competing.”

“Both Laura and I have been particularly blessed,” Ward pointed out. “Laura and myself, we had Beezie Madden for a number of years, Chris Kappler, Kent Farrington, and now you are seeing this younger generation,” – referring to Lucy Davis who was part of the U.S. Olympic team in 2016, Jessica Springsteen in 2021 and now Karl Cook in 2024. “In our country, sport at the Olympics, at this level, is very important and I think what the Olympics represent – it is principles, and it is the very best – it is something that we are really proud of and look at as goals. I think our team-mentality is that this is the pinnacle of the sport, this is what we aim everything towards, not only ourselves but everybody behind us. And we are willing to sacrifice a lot of other events throughout the season to try to be prime at the right moment with the right combinations. That is not to say that sometimes you think you have the recipe right, and you don’t, but I think being able to pull that off a few times builds confidence, and everybody keeps delivering. And that perpetuates, right, it inspires the next generation, and it inspires all the people behind us and around us to keep supporting this pursuit.”

“My horse came through brilliant, as did my team,” Ward said. “But Scott Brash just had a little bit of magic today!”

For the French, it was mission accomplished with a medal on home soil. “We feel very good today. It was the objective today, to have a medal,” Epaillard said. “I think the horses were amazing today, the atmosphere for us was super – with a lot of pressure, but positive pressure. I am very proud of our horses today, and it is good to have a medal in our country. For me it was a little bit pressure today as the last to go, but I am very confident with my mare – I know she can jump everything. I have to ride well though, and I made a small mistake on the wall today; I jumped it a little slowly so the four stride was too long. At this level, you directly pay the bill for little mistakes.”

“Of course, having a medal here in France is something that is never going to happen again and it was a goal for more than a year – to really catch a medal,” Delestre said. “But the match was tough as always in this kind of championship; with so many good horses and riders it is so close, so a medal is something amazing!”