Great Britain led from start to finish to claim victory in the final leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series at Boekelo (NED) this week. The team finished on a total of 97.0 penalties, well ahead of France on 122.4, with Belgium taking third on 128.0. The host nation, the Netherlands, placed seventh on 216.8 in a competitive field of eight nations.
The overall Series title went to team Germany, who topped the leaderboard with 400 points, narrowly edging out France on 390. Great Britain secured third overall with 340, adding to their earlier win on home soil at Bicton in May.
Team GB bounced back in style after their disappointing showing at the recent Agria FEI Eventing European Championship at Blenheim Palace (GBR). Their Boekelo win marked their second FEI Eventing Nations Cup leg victory of the season. The British team featured Laura Collett (Count Onyx), Caroline Harris (Cooley Mosstown), Tom Jackson (United 36) and Yasmin Ingham (Gypsie du Loir) – a blend of championship experience and exciting young horses.
Chef d’Équipe Philip Surl was full of praise for his athletes and highlighted why Boekelo is such a special fixture on the calendar.
“Boekelo is a very special and unique leg of the Series. It’s not only the final leg, it’s the culmination of the whole thing. The amount of spectators and the attention it gets makes it a unique experience – for younger horses with experienced riders, and younger riders on older horses. It always feels like a championship.”
Surl also underlined the developmental value of this event. “A lot of them are on very young horses, doing their first long format. It’s a great opportunity to see what they have, and this leg always helps them learn and grow. It may be a four-star long by name, but every year it has a real championship feel. Horses that come here often go on to compete at the very top.”
Surl was also full of praise for the cross-country course, designed by Adrian Ditcham, and the rare dry conditions.
“It’s been lovely to be at a dry Boekelo – that’s not always the case! After last year’s mud, this is probably the driest it’s been for a while. Adrian has really put his mark on the course after four or five years here. The problems were well spread, the footing was excellent, and the presentation of the fences was beautiful. We mustn’t forget the build team – what they do here is uniquely beautiful. It was a true Boekelo test, and the good ground made the time look more achievable than usual.”
He also couldn’t resist mentioning Boekelo’s famously festive atmosphere. “Whenever I arrive on Wednesday morning, there are always some interesting sights after the Tuesday night party! It has that ‘end of school term’ feel. The sponsors are incredible, and the atmosphere out on course is like nowhere else. The public really embrace it – the whole package is unique and special.”
Reflecting on the broader FEI Eventing Nations Cup programme, Surl said the rotation of athletes and horses across the season plays a crucial role in British team development.
“We take different combinations to each leg. Some of these horses will now head to another four-star long, perhaps Badminton next spring. And of course, next year we have the small matter of a World Championship in Aachen. It might be too soon for some of these horses, but we hope to see many of them continue progressing. Events like this are fantastic for their education.”
The individual leaderboard saw major changes on the final day. Belgium’s Lara De Liedekerke-Meier emerged as the overall winner of the Series, riding Kiarado d’Arville. Clear Jumping rounds proved hard to come by, making precision all the more valuable.
Two British athletes finished inside the top six, with Caroline Harris the best of the bunch, placing fourth aboard her promising nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse, Cooley Mosstown.
Reigning European Champion Laura Collett had led the Dressage phase with her new ride Count Onyx, and the pair held onto pole position after a superb cross-country round. However, a light rub at the triple bar in the Jumping cost them four faults and dropped them to sixth place.
Despite the slip, Collett was upbeat about her new partnership. “I’m over the moon with Count Onyx. It’s still very early days, and the Jumping has been his weakness, so I’m actually chuffed with how he jumped today. It was a great team performance from everyone on exciting young horses. And I still get goosebumps when they introduce me as European Champion over the loudspeakers.”
That concludes the 2025 FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series, which spanned six legs across Europe. The Series will return next spring, continuing to serve as both a showcase of top team competition and an invaluable stepping stone for horses and athletes aiming for future championship glory.
Full results here.
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