Gould helps GB to European dressage bronze

The British Dressage Young Rider team successfully delivered a team bronze at the FEI European Championships in St Margarethen, Austria.

India Durman-Mills with Verity Saul’s Escade, Pulborough star Oliver Gould with Amanda Towle’s Virtue, Isobel Lickley with Rob Lickley’s Nymphenburg’s First Ampere and Hermione Tottman with Niki Tottman’s Exquisite produced four secure performances to take the third step on the podium behind winning nation Germany and silver medallists the Netherlands.

For Gould, that meant he had followed in the footsteps of his successful father Andrew Gould, who also achieved an FEI European Championship team bronze medal at Young Rider level in 2000.

The 20-year-old rider produced three personal best score tests at both his first overseas international appearance and first FEI European Championships.

His results leave him as Britain’s top performer in the Young Rider competition across the week.

Gould Jnr commented: “What an incredible week competing at St Margarethen for the Young Rider European Championships.

"Virtue was really on top form, he travelled through five countries in four days, took in the atmosphere like a pro and helped me every stride – finishing every test with a smile and a fist pump.”

The competition saw 15 countries field teams from age 18-21 years old.

Gould posted a PB score of 70.059%. In the individual competitions out of 65 competitors, he scored another two PBs with a score of 72.059% in the individual test gaining fifth place and 75.090% in the freestyle gaining a seventh place.

He started riding at the age of seven but aged 13, he gave up horse riding and it wasn't until Covid that he started riding again at the age of 17.

Gould snr is still a professional dressage rider and is attending this year's Paris Olympics as part of the GB team. He himself had great success as an U21 rider.