Olli Fletcher is crowned European Champion at the FEI Jumping European Championships for Young Riders
Sunday 21 July 2024
.jpg "Olli Fletcher is crowned European Champion at the FEI Jumping European Championships for Young Riders")
Olli Fletcher has won every colour medal during his time through the Youth Championships, but Individual Gold has eluded him, until now. It went to the wire, but Olli remained cool and composed to deliver a vital double clear to deservedly claim Individual Gold at the FEI Jumping European Championships for Young Riders at Peelbergen Equestrian Centre, The Netherlands, with top horse and all-time favourite, Hello William.
“I’ve been coming to the Youth European Championships since I was 12, and to finally take Individual Gold with my best friend is very special,” said Olli. “I want to dedicate this win to my aunt Jenny [Cassan] who is now lying in bed paralysed from an accident – This win is for her.”
Eighty-five young riders originally set out to bid for the three coveted medals on offer over some tough courses on the immaculate turf arena. Twenty-two remained to tackle two rounds over two entirely different 1.50m tracks set by course-designer Bert Vonck with nerve and added pressure just two elements of facing 13 fences twice.
“The courses were fantastic and Hello William has been phenomenal all week, to jump clear in five rounds over 1.50m courses is amazing and all I can ask for. He jumped his heart out and made my job easier. This championship has been the focus for a while and I purposely didn’t jump the three-star Nations Cup at Deauville to save him for this. Luckily, it has paid off,” added Olli.
Olli and Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s Hello William jumped clear rounds every day – on 2.71 penalty points from the initial day’s speed leg after finishing 13th and double clear in the teams to lie in the silver position overnight. But it was close with only 1.50 penalty points separating the first three – a single error could drop any of the three out of a medal place.
Pressure intensified as all three jumped clear in the first round of the Individual to maintain their position on the leaderboard.
“I’ve jumped in quite a few championships now, so I have some experience, but I think this was the first time I’ve ridden cool under pressure,” said Olli.
A break while Bert Vonck built a completely different track and following course-walk only built up the pressure and when Monaco’s Anastasia Nielsen, in the bronze position on Beau Van De Hagenhorst Z, lowered a rail, Ireland’s Francis Derwin – who picked up four faults in the first round of the team competition – leap-frogged up the order with Flexi K.
Super-cool despite the heat, Olli was foot-perfect to supply a masterclass championship round on the 12-year-old Hello William (Waldo Van Dungen x Stakkato) to potentially jump into Gold. It was in the hands of the last to go.
France’s Jules Orsolini – on 1.48 penalty points – had to jump clear on Charlotte 198 to take Gold, there was no room for error. It was all over when the 13-year-old mare tapped out a rail, and the pair dropped down to Bronze behind Francis Derwin.
Olli – who now has nine medals to his name from Children, Junior and Young Rider European Championships – achieved the Individual Gold medal that had eluded him for so long as the only rider to jump clear every round.
“I’m delighted to win the gold medal, but Jules is my best friend, I was sad for him to miss out in the final moments,” said Olli, who is now based at Deauville in France.
The win was a truly emotional one.
“I couldn’t do this without my whole team behind me. Thank you to the Harrises and the Kirkhams for their support through thick and thin, without them this wouldn’t be possible; it was great to have my family around me and groom Emma Chapman, I want to give a shout out to team vet Mark Sinnott and most of all, Mum [Tina] and Dad [Graham],” said Olli.
“Dad has battled through the last year but arrived at the show on Saturday night to be by my side for the Individual. It was also very emotional to hear from my brother Will. He’s been competing at Chard three-star this week but rang me as soon as I won. He was sobbing and crying on the phone so much they had to put him down the order in one class – this is what it means to all of us.”
Very proud father Graham Fletcher has the final say: “It’s a tough old sport and nothing is easy – the standard is up in every direction – but a day, and week, like this one is up there with the best. The courses were tough but fantastically built – you need a three/four-star horse and a good rider to jump them. This has been the best Championships; Peelbergen is a great place to hold it, especially at this time of year with the heat in say, Spain and Italy, the ground and facilities are fantastic and it’s easy to get to.
“Olli really tries, he’s a thinker and a grafter and I’m so pleased it all came together and, I have to say, he was better than I was!”
FEI Jumping European Championships for Young Riders Individual – Peelbergen, The Netherlands – 21 July 2024
1st Olli Fletcher (GBR) & Hello William – 2.71/0/0/0/0
2nd Francis Derwin (IRE) & Flexi K – 0.61/4/0/0/0
3rd Jules Orsolini (FRA) & Charlotte 198 – 1.48/0/0/04
Image: FEI
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