Wednesday, 27 August 2025
After a prolonged period of sunny weather in the Alps, the opening day of the FEI Dressage European Championships 2025 in Crozet took place under cloud-leaden skies with brief sunshine blasts. It’s the first time France has hosted the competition and the selected venue of Jiva Hill Stables sits nestled in the foothills of Mont Blanc, giving a stunning backdrop for Europe’s elite dressage competitors.
The British Equestrian dressage team, in partnership with Agria, arrived in Crozet with high hopes of defending the European title they claimed in Reisenbeck just two years ago. Carl Hester and Lottie Fry were part of that gold medal team and this time they’re joined by Becky Moody and Andrew Gould, both competing in their first senior European Championships. With three of the quartet currently featuring in the world’s top five-ranked riders, the form required for a podium finish is certainly there.
Twenty-five years ago, a sport-obsessed lad from London made his European championship debut for Great Britain in the Young Rider Dressage European Championships. Today, that same individual, Andrew Gould, had his first showing in a British senior team. His partner for the prestigious occasion was Indigro, owned by Max and Tatiana Skillman – the same horse with whom he so dutifully took the role of travelling reserve at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. By the prolific stallion Negro, the 12-year-old stallion has really progressed with Andrew over the last 18 months and the duo were ready to take on the pathfinder role and get the British campaign underway.
Drawn 13th of the 14 teams, Britain was ideally placed in the running order and the late start meant Andrew had a good feel for how the judges, today led by Denmark’s Hans-Christian Matthiesen in the C position, were scoring. Andrew and ‘Indi’ entered the arena and started with a reasonable halt, before moving off and into the first extended trot across the diagonal. Normally a big, powerful mover, Indi didn’t quite look as we’re accustomed to seeing and, after the half pass movements which followed, the bell rang for elimination. Hans-Christian explained his position to the Andrew and patted Indi, before the pair walked from the arena. While not the start the team wanted, Indi’s welfare was everyone’s primary concern. Team vets Andre Buthe and Alice Croxford accompanied Indi back to the stables to do a full inspection and ensure he was comfortable.
Andrew commented: “Indigro warmed up well, but just didn’t feel quite his usual, forward self in the arena today. While this is a huge disappointment, Indigro is my top priority and I fully support the judges’ decision. I’d like to thank the team vets and the rest of our support team here in Crozet for the care they’ve given him, especially my brilliant groom, Nat Campbell, who dotes on Indi and has looked after him impeccably this week.”
British Equestrian’s World Class Programme Performance Director Helen Nicholls stated: “While this is obviously devastating for Andrew, who is making his senior championship debut here in Crozet, and owners Tatiana and Max Skillman, horse wellbeing is the number one priority for all of us. We fully support the ground jury and the role they play in identifying any concerns regarding equine welfare.”
“Our team vets will give Indigro a thorough examination to ensure his immediate comfort and work with Andrew's home team on a more thorough investigation to have him back to full health. I have full confidence that Andrew and Indigro’s time to shine and show their talents on the world stage will come in the future.”
Second up for the Brits was top Yorkshire-based duo Becky Moody and Jagerbomb in their eagerly awaited senior European Championship debut. Since their meteoric rise to the top at last year’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the duo has gained a legion of fans from across the globe, who avidly follow along for the next instalment of ‘Bomb’s Blog’, where their adventures are creatively described through the equine star’s eyes.
In addition, Bomb’s story of the ugly duckling who became a swan resonates with many. Becky didn’t really rate the plain bay gelding she bred when he was a youngster and made moves to sell him because she didn’t see his star potential, but sister Hannah convinced her to have faith. The Dante Weltino-sired 11-year-old has since repaid that belief 10 times over by becoming one of the most exciting horses on the Grand Prix circuit for Becky and co-owner Jo Cooper.
With Andrew’s elimination, there was suddenly additional pressure on Becky, but her vast experience, super-cool brain and outright competitiveness made her the ideal person for the challenge. She entered in canter to a good halt – which is something the pair have struggled with in the past due to Bomb’s eagerness to get going – and sailed across the diagonal in a pleasing extended trot. Relaxed and flowing half-passes left and right followed, with ‘Bomb’ showing lovely self-carriage and easy, regular passage movements. The walk tour was pleasing with good stretch and outline, showing the overtrack that the judges require. It was then on to canter and their two-time changes were sublime – nine forward changes of leg, every other stride flowing effortlessly. The marks were looking good, level-pegging with the leader, Germany’s Katharina Hemmer.
Then they were across the diagonal in extended canter – usually a party piece for them, with Bomb’s enormous stride – but, out of nowhere, he put in a flying change. It was well executed, but expensive, as sadly not required! Becky was quick to recover and expertly rode the tricky zig-zag which followed, but a small error crept in. On to the one-time flying changes, which were expressive and fluent, as were the pirouettes which came next for marks in eights and nines. Becky really crafted a final extended trot to earn every mark and the final centre line was also well ridden to a final, still halt.
Becky gave a generous neck scratch for her tall partner as a smile beamed across her face. The final score was 74.829% – not quite enough to topple the German leader, but it did secure second spot for her individually, as well as for Britain in the team stakes.
“We've had a little bit of a phase of him being very hot, not standing still and not walking, so we've worked very hard on that – and we did those things, so yay!” exclaimed Becky.
“But, unfortunately, I think that did just mean that we didn't have the same ‘hotness’ that sometimes helps us out with certain things. Then, it was maybe my mistake in the zigzag – I don't know what I was counting. I thought I was six [strides], but it would appear I wasn't.
“And the extended cancer was a real shame. It felt very secure, he felt really good and bold, and then whether something just caught his eye or he lost his balance, I'm not sure. That was a shame and I'm disappointed that I had those errors because it should have been better,” she lamented.
But never one to dwell, Becky was full of praise for her partner and is already planning her Grand Prix Special test on Friday; “I'm still super-pleased with the bits that we've been working on and the fact that those were better. I'm going to take the positives and the things that were good, then go away and think about how I can improve the things that weren't so good.”
Members of the press corps asked her if she felt more pressure following Andrew’s elimination and she was quick to reply; “No, I'm just so sad for him [Andrew]. It was just such an unfortunate thing to happen and, obviously, we just have to focus on getting the horse right for him. He's a good mate and he's a really good guy that's worked super-hard. So, for this to happen is just so disappointing. We have a job to do now, the three of us, so we will just do our very best and see what we can do.”
Day one standings
In the team competition, the best scoring test from each nation gives a top five of:
Becky and Jagerbomb currently sit in second place behind Germany’s Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH.
Tomorrow sees another day of Grand Prix action, culminating in the awarding of the team medals.
The all-important times for tomorrow are:
With that concluded, it’ll be the turn of the individual competition, for which the Grand Prix also acts as a qualifier. The top 30 combinations will ride their Grand Prix Special test on Friday, hoping for a shot at the podium. From there, the 18 best-place pairings will progress to the grand finale – the Grand Prix Freestyle – which takes place on Sunday after a rest day.
You can watch all the action live on FEI.TV, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV, with a subscription. All the start lists and results are available via World Sport Timing, and everything you need to know about the British squad and how the competition will progress is on our online Dressage Hub.