‘Big and challenging’: Scott Brash secures Great Britain’s qualification for Olympic showjumping team final

Great Britain’s showjumpers have qualified for Friday’s team medal decider after third line rider Scott Brash (Jefferson) added just four faults to the team tally in Thursday’s qualifier at the Paris 2024 Olympic showjumping.

Pathfinder Ben Maher (Dallas Vegas Batilly) had jumped clear, before Harry Charles and Romeo 88 just added four to the team score, keeping the team firmly in the hunt.

Anchor rider Scott Brash, Olympic team gold medallist from London 2012, and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s 15-year-old Jefferson looked spring heeled as they tackled the opening track, just tapping out a rail at the first element of the triple combination to come home on four faults.

Great Britain’s team total of eight after all three riders had jumped was enough to secure qualification as one of the top 10 teams that progress to Friday’s Olympic showjumping medal decider, where they will all start again on a zero score.

“I’m delighted – very happy to be getting through,” said Scott. “I thought the course was already big and challenging today, so we’ll see what we get tomorrow. But I think we’re all looking forward to it.”

Scott Brash on round one of the Olympic showjumping

“I though Jefferson was amazing, he was fantastic,”said Scott. “He is a more experienced horse, I know him well, but he’s very sharp and he spots everything, like if a bird flies out of bushes, he spots it. So you never really know how he’s going to cope with such a big atmosphere, but he delivered again today and he felt really comfortable once we got in there and focused on his job.

“I think we’re all very happy with our horses, they feel in good shape and seem to be coping with everything well, the heat and the atmosphere and things. So I think we’re all happy ahead of tomorrow.”

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