A Gold Medal for a Golden performance. Rachel Proudley is the 2025 Young Rider European Champion!
Sunday 13 July 2025
It was an incredible afternoon for British Showjumping at the Youth European Championships as Rachel Proudley claimed the Young Rider Individual Gold title, adding to the Team Bronze she helped secure earlier in the week.
Eighty-two young riders initially set out to compete for the three coveted medals on offer, tackling tough courses throughout the week. Twenty-seven riders returned for the individual final, facing the added pressure of jumping the 1.50m track twice.
Rachel Proudley and HK Horses’ Quality Street jumped clear rounds every day leading up to the final. They carried just 0.7 penalty points from the initial day’s speed leg, finishing fourth, and delivered double clears in the team competition to move into gold medal position heading into the final day. But it was close: only 0.39 penalty points separated the top three riders, meaning a single error could knock any of them off the podium.
The pressure intensified as all three leaders jumped clear in the first round of the Individual Final, maintaining their positions on the leaderboard. A break for a complete rebuild of the course and a subsequent course walk only added to the tension, with several riders sitting less than four faults behind the provisional medallists.
In the bronze medal position, Belgium’s Mathieu Guery posted another clear round to guarantee himself a place on the podium. He was soon joined by France’s Eden Leprevost Blinlebreton, who also jumped clear, securing at least the silver medal.
With Gold on the line, Rachel needed a clear round aboard Quality Street—there was no margin for error. Remaining impressively composed, she delivered yet another foot-perfect round on the 14-year-old mare, producing a masterclass championship performance to win Gold on her European Championship debut.
For the second consecutive year, Great Britain takes home the Young Rider European Individual title, with Rachel following in the footsteps of Olli Fletcher and Hello William, who claimed the title in 2024.
Talking about her victory, a delighted Rachel said: “It’s an absolutely incredible feeling! Quality Street is just a phenomenal horse, she performed incredibly all week, coming out feeling great each day and never dropping a single pole! We had a brilliant result with the team on Friday, and to come to our first European Championship and take home the gold is just unbelievable. It’s been such a fun and supportive atmosphere all week, we’ve had the best time.
“I can’t thank HK Horses, Richard Howley & Morgan Kent, enough - not only for the amazing horsepower behind me but for all the support from the team in and out of the ring - there’s no way I’d be here without them! A final thank you to Sam Bray for keeping Quality Street looking and feeling world-class all week,” added Rachel.
Remarking about Rachel's success, Clare Whitaker added: "Rachel and Quality Street were superb all week. There was no room for error especially in the final round so the pressure on but you couldn't tell - they were just brilliant!"
Olivia Sponer and Jennifer Sponer’s Bingo Du Chateau also featured in the Young Rider Individual final for Great Britain, moving up the placings with a well-executed double clear to finish ninth overall.
FEI Jumping European Championships for Young Riders Individual
Riesenbeck, Germany – 13 July 2025
1st Rachel Proudley (GBR) & Quality Street – 0.7/0/0/0/0
2nd Eden Leprevost Blinlebreon (FRA) & Barbie de la Roque Z – 0.93/0/0/0/0
3rd Mathieu Guery (BEL) & Time-Breaker S Z – 1.09/0/0/0/0
Image: Riesenbeck International
