Great Britian’s reigning Olympic Champion, Ben Maher, tops a stellar list of entries for the CSI5* Show Jumping at the 2023 edition of the London International Horse Show, where he will go head-to-head with the individual silver medallist from Tokyo and team World Champion, Peder Fredricson and the 2023 FEI European Champion, Steve Guerdat.
The CSI5* Show Jumping will take place from Friday 15 – Monday 18 December, culminating with The London Grand Prix, and will feature some of the best horse and rider combinations in the world. Looking ahead to the competition, Show Director Simon Brooks-Ward, said: “The calibre of the Show Jumping at London International Horse Show is second-to-none and we are very lucky to have become accustomed to such top-level sport. 2023 is shaping up to be as strong as ever, with many of the world’s top show jumpers heading to London.”
Maher – the current World No. 2 – has an impressive resumé at the London International Horse Show, with two Grand Prix victories and a Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Qualifier win under his belt. Compatriots Scott Brash and Harry Charles are sure to be hot on his heels, having both also won the Show’s two most prestigious competitions, with Brash claiming his second Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Qualifier victory at last year’s Show aboard Hello Jefferson.
Charles, who is ranked the World No. 1 Under-25 rider, will head to London in top form, following a successful show in Stuttgart recently, with two wins and two seconds to his name. The London International Horse Show Ambassador will be joined by his sister, Sienna Charles, who will be making her debut in the international classes at the Show. The 21-year-old has made a seamless transition to the senior ranks, representing Great Britain on FEI Nations Cup teams and winning multiple five-star classes in 2023, including in Dublin and Brussels.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the oldest rider in the field will be London International Horse Show legend, John Whitaker, who will be returning to ExCeL London at the age of 68, exactly 25 years after he first won the FEI Jumping World CupTM Qualifier at the Show. He will be joined by his son, Robert Whitaker, who earlier this year had a historic victory in the Longines King George V Gold Cup.
Last year’s Leading Rider of the Show, Jodie Hall McAteer will be looking to return to her 2022 form, and with recent victories including the Leading Showjumper of the Year Grand Prix at the Horse of the Year Show in October, Hall McAteer is set to be one to watch. Another looking to put in a good performance will Joe Stockdale, who also experienced success at the Horse of the Year Show, earning the Leading Rider of the Show. Tim Gredley, a member of Great Britain’s European Championship team this summer, and Lily Attwood, whose 2023 highlights include being part of the team at the FEI Jumping Nations CupTM Final in Barcelona, round off the competitive British contingent.
Switzerland will have a strong representation at the show, with the World No. 4 and 5 – Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat – both travelling to London. Guerdat, the individual gold medallist from the 2023 FEI European Championships, has maintained top form throughout the year, with his most recent victory at Lyon earlier this month. Similarly, Fuchs – who won the FEI World CupTM Final in 2022 – has had a stellar year, including a famous win in the Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows in September. Fuchs and Guerdat will be joined by their FEI European Championship teammate, Edouard Schmitz.
Of the German riders heading to London, both Daniel Deusser and Marcus Ehning have won the London International Horse Show Grand Prix in previous years and will have their sights set on reclaiming the title. Ehning, who earlier this year won the prestigious Grand Prix at Aachen, was victorious at the Show in 2022 and will be looking to return to winning ways. Deusser on the other hand will be looking to go one better than in 2022, when he finished second behind Brash in the Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Qualifier at the Show.
Swedish rider, Peder Fredricson followed-up his Tokyo Olympic team gold and individual silver, with team gold at the 2022 World Championships. Fredricson will be joined at the London International Horse Show by fellow Swede, Rolf- Göran Bengtsson, himself part of the team to win a gold medal at the 2023 FEI European Championships. Jur Vrieling was part of the Dutch team who claimed silver behind Sweden at the World Championships in Herning and will head to London with compatriot, Johnny Pals.
Julien Epaillard will head the French contingent travelling to London. The World No. 7 has won two major Grand Prix in November – in Prague and Lyon – so will head to London as one of the favourites. Belgium will be represented by Gregory Wathelet – winner of the Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Qualifier at Lyon – and Olivier Philippaerts, with Max Kühner from Austria, also joining the highly competitive field.
A complete list of entries for the CSI5* Show Jumping at the London International Horse Show 2023 is available here.
