Great Britain Announces Show Jumping Team for Rio Olympic Games

Ben Maher & Tic Tac

The British Olympic Association has today, July 5th, 2016, announced the 12 athletes that will compete for Team GB across the three equestrian disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. For the list of eventing and dressage athletes, go here.

There is plenty of Olympic Games pedigree in the Jumping team, with London 2012 gold medallists Nick Skelton and Ben Maher returning on Big Star and Tic Tac respectively – Rio 2016 being Skelton’s seventh Games, and his second on Big Star.

Los Angeles 1984 jumping team silver medallist John Whitaker, who’s set to feature in his sixth Olympic Games, will compete on Ornellaia while younger brother Michael, who heads to his fifth Olympics – who also won silver at LA 1984 – will compete aboard Cassionato.

Show jumper Nick Skelton said;“I’m very happy. Hopefully we can do as good a job as we did in London. I’m delighted to have been selected; the horse is jumping well and is in good form, and let’s just hope we can do a good job.”

Great Britain’s confirmed Show Jumping Team for Rio 2016 is as follows:

Ben Maher MBE, age 33, based Hertfordshire, with Jane Forbes Clark and his own Tic Tac

Nick Skelton OBE, age 58, based Warwickshire, with Beverley Widdowson’s Big Star

John Whitaker MBE, age 60, based West Yorkshire, with Team Harmony Management Co Ltd’s Ornellaia

Michael Whitaker, age 56, based Nottinghamshire, with Beverley Widdowson’s Cassionato

Travelling reserve: Jessica Mendoza, age 20, hometown Wiltshire, with Sarah Mendoza’s Spirit T