On the very last day of the FEI Jumping European Championship for the Youth, British rider Oliver Fletcher delivered the performance of his career, securing the Young Riders individual gold medal. The victory marks a true milestone in Fletcher's journey, as he adds to the history of British show jumping with his ninth European Championship appearance and sixth European medal.
Fletcher, riding Hello William, entered the final round of the competition in second position, trailing closely behind France’s Jules Orsolini. With an impeccable, flawless round, Fletcher's outstanding performance guaranteed him a podium finish. The gold medal was confirmed minutes later when Orsolini, who had been in the lead, made an unfortunate fault on the wall, handing the top spot to Fletcher.
"It's an emotional win for me and my family," Fletcher shared. "My father couldn’t be able to be here for a week but he said if I was in a good position, he would have tried to come out. Our farrier back home, Andy, he was amazing, drove him out and they came for the day. It was unbelievable."
Immense gratitude was shown to the owners too, “They are everything, without them I wouldn't be where I am right now, sticking with me through the good and the bad. Hello William is the horse of a lifetime, I will never ride a horse like him again. We had a few bumpy riders along the way, but my god I have never ridden a horse that loves you as much and tries as much for you. Everything is down to the horse, and of course to the owners for sticking by me.”
At his fifth European Championship appearance and in his last year as a young rider, Jules Orsolini secured the silver medal, narrowly missing out on gold. "It's the life of a show rider; sometimes the poles stay up, sometimes they fall. I'm very happy for Ollie and proud of my horse, she jumped really well the whole week. It's her third European Championship in a row and she has improved every year. I am really happy finishing like this," Orsolini remarked.
Fifth European appearance too for Ireland’s Francis Derwin, key member of the Young Riders gold medal-winning team, who continued his clear round streak ending in a bronze medal.
In a noteworthy performance, 2023 Junior Gold Medalist Anastasia Nielsen from Monaco, who decided to move up to compete in the Young Riders category one year ahead of time, narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth.
For Fletcher, this victory is a perfect capstone to his career as a young rider. Looking ahead, he plans to enjoy the moment and is looking forward to what next year, and the senior category, has in store for him.
The final standings for the Young Riders Individual Competition are as follows:
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Oliver Fletcher (GBR) – Hello William: 2.71-0-0-0-0 / 67.05
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Jules Orsolini (FRA) – Charlotte 198: 1.48-0-0-0-4 / 64.76
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Francis Derwin (IRL) – Flexi K: 0.61-4-0-0-0 / 64.83