Team manager Philip Surl is playing up the importance of the FEI Nations Cup Eventing series after Great Britain clinched the 2013 crown.
Britain took the Nations Cup ahead of Germany following the final competition in the Netherlands, on the merit of the team’s combined performances through the series.
They led heading to Boekelo where second place, after a similar finish at Aachen and third places at Houghton Hall, Montelibretti and Waregem, gave Britain the overall win.
Izzy Taylor, who represented Britain at the European Eventing Championships earlier this year, was among the four riders chosen to contest the final Nations Cup competition.
Laura Collett, Kitty King and Gemma Tattersall completed the squad with team manager Surl admitting there will be great consequences to the win.
“Through this series we have been able to expose 19 of our horses and 14 riders to the atmosphere and team pressure you come to expect from a championship competition environment,” he said.
“It has been very useful to give future talent this experience and it is a fantastic boost to the squad that we have been able to support them through UK Sport and National Lottery funding.
“I think the series adds a great new dimension to the international calendar and it is starting to become a valid and desirable challenge for riders; I hope it continues to grow in success.”
© Sportsbeat 2013