Statement on the Charles Owen Pony European squad

It is with regret that British Eventing announce a change to the squad selected for the 2016 Charles Owen Pony European Championship following an error in the qualification verification process.

Fifteen year old Pandora Briselden, from Wiltshire, has not met the Minimum Eligibility Requirements on the eight year old gelding, Bramblebrough Eoghan, owned by Mrs Penny Sharpe and Pandora, meaning the combination are not qualified to compete at this year’s Championships.

The error was unfortunately not detected by British Eventing during the entry process to the FEI which resulted in Pandora’s entry being submitted to the FEI without the necessary qualifications.

It has been decided by the BE Charles Owen Pony selectors that a replacement will not be named in Pandora’s place and a squad of five will now contest the Pony European Championships in Denmark from 17th – 21st August 2016.

David Holmes, British Eventing Chief Executive, said;

“We are extremely sad to share this news and cannot begin to understand how disappointed Pandora and her support team must be. We will do our utmost to learn from this situation and improve in this process with the FEI in future.

“We must up-hold our qualification restrictions and apply them and an exception or extension to the process cannot be made. Our heartfelt apologies go out to Pandora and we wish her the very best for the rest of the 2016 eventing season and hope she will be back to contend the Pony Trials and aim for qualification for the 2017 Championships.”

Chairman of Charles Owen Pony Selectors, Gary Parsonage, added;

“Pandora has produced her Pony with such maturity and skill rarely seen at this level and the British Pony Team Selectors have been so impressed with the degree of empathy and talent shown that we are sure it won’t be long before Pandora translates this into some medal winning performances in the near future. Pandora and her family have shown an exemplary attitude during this difficult situation and we apologise for the position that the Briselden family find themselves in. I hope that Pandora can put some of the great character she has shown into producing some more gritty competitions performances soon.”