Triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher will lead the British squad seeking a Hickstead hat-trick next week when they bid to win the Agria Nations Cup for the third consecutive year.
Ben, who is the current world number two, was a part of the winning teams in both 2023 and 2024 and this time he will ride Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Enjeu De Grisien.
Robert Whitaker has been named with Caroline and Stephen Blatchford’s stallion Vermento for the second year running.
Completing the squad are US-based Jessica Mendoza aboard her own Summerhouse, Georgia Tame on the B.E. Stud’s BE Golden Lynx, and Adrian Whiteway with Deborah Cox’s 12-year old stallion Chacco Volo.
The latter two riders are making their Hickstead Nations Cup debut.
‘We want to retain it’
The British leg of the Nations Cup takes place on the Friday of the Agria Royal International Horse Show (22-27 July) at the All England Jumping Course in Sussex.
British chef d’equipe Di Lampard will announce the final team of four the day before, on Thursday 24 July, after the running order is drawn.
To win this year would top off a trio of victories that is nearly 30 years in the making — the last time the Brits won the Edward Prince of Wales trophy three times in a row dates back to 1995-1997.
Di, who has been on the winning Nations Cup team at Hickstead herself as a rider and has led the team to victory as chef d’equipe for the past two years, is ready for the challenge.
“We’re so looking forward to the Agria Nations Cup. We always want to win at Hickstead and especially want to retain it for the third time,” she said.
Stiff competition
Team GB will be up against some stiff competition, with teams from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UAE all hoping to raise the cup.
The UAE team is competing in the Nations Cup of Great Britain for the first time.
“Excitement is definitely building,” said Hickstead Director Lizzie Bunn.
“We hope lots of showjumping fans will come down to the showground to cheer on the Brits — we’ll be handing out union flags before the class, so hopefully the stands will be a sea of red, white and blue.”
Ladies day
This year Hickstead’s famously sartorial Ladies Day has been rebranded ‘Style Saturday’, with stiff competition to find the best-dressed male and female visitors to the show.
Big prizes on offer include spa breaks, wine tastings and beautiful flower bouquets.
Other attractions include a hoedown with live country music and rodeo (mechanised bronchos only) on Thursday night, and the Hobby Horse Derby, which gives younger visitors the opportunity to tackle Hickstead’s famous planks on foot.
Tickets are on sale now.
Main image of Robert Whitaker and Vermento © Boots and Hooves Photography
