The squad who will represent Great Britain at the 2009 Alltech FEI European Show Jumping Championships, to be held at Windsor from 25 to 31 August 2009 has been announced. The team will be made up of the following members:

Geoff Billington with Patricia Fraser’s 11 year-old bay gelding Rosinus

Peter Charles with Olga White’s 10 year-old bay gelding Pom d’Ami

Ben Maher with his own and Quainton Stud’s 11 year-old bay gelding Robin Hood W

Robert Smith with Sharon Baldwin and Raging Bull’s 11 year-old bay stallion Vangelis S

Tim Stockdale with John Bosher’s 12 year-old grey mare Fresh Direct Corlato

Speaking about their selection, the squad commented:

Geoff Billington: “I am highly delighted to be part of the British squad for this year’s European Championships. I was a member of the British Team when the Championships were held at Hickstead ten years ago, so to make the squad again for the home Championships at Windsor, is absolutely fantastic”.

Peter Charles: “I am delighted, it’s great for my owner Olga White and my sponsor Team Murka, it’s a team effort and to be selected for the European Championships is a great honour. Windsor is a superb venue and for me is just a few minutes drive away so I am hoping for a lot of local support!”.

Ben Maher: “I am thrilled, and really looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd. Windsor is a perfect venue for the Championships and I hope that we will have plenty of supporters there cheering us on”.

Robert Smith: “It’s great that the UK are hosting the European Championships, Windsor is a superb venue and there is something special about jumping in front of a home crowd, it would be great to come away with a medal”.

Tim Stockdale: “Its great news! I love competing at Windsor and I think this is going to be a fantastic Championships. To have such a prestigious competition on home soil is amazing and I am looking forward to being part of it and competing in front of a home crowd”.

Derek Ricketts, Team Manager said: “We are all looking forward to competing on home soil at this year’s European Championships, Windsor is a top class venue and I am sure that we will see some world class show jumping over the five days of competition. All five squad members have had consistent results this year and hopefully horses and riders will be at their peak of fitness for the Championships at the end of the month.”

The British Show Jumping Teams are strongly supported by the UK Sport lottery funded BEF World Class programme.