Big Star to return to competition at Windsor

Big Star is set to return to competition at Royal Windsor Horse Show next week (14 – 18 May 2014).

Suspensory injury

Nick Skelton’s London 2012 team gold medal winning horse has been out of action since he was injured last August.

Prior to the incident the pair had been on unstoppable form, with wins at CSIO Rome Grand Prix in May, CHIO Aachen Grand Prix in June and the FEI Nations Cup in Dublin in August.

Nick was also on target to claim the €1million Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping, after winning the Grand Prix in Aachen. But a suspensory injury meant they missed out on the Spruce Meadows Masters in September, and Big Star been on light work ever since.

Back in action

“I took him to Florida for the winter to recuperate and he jumped some small classes,” said Nick. “I’m hopefully trying to get him ready for the World Equestrian Games. That would be his aim.”

Nick is also hoping to compete Big Star at the Global Champions Tour in Hamburg at the end of May. The last time the pair took part in the big-money series they were pipped to the post by Ben Maher in a thrilling jump-off in the centre of London.

“Bringing Big Star to Windsor would be a good preparation for him but I will only do so if he is 100 percent fit,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting back in action with him, the last nine months have been a bit quiet to say the least!”

Big names

Nick will be competing against London 2012 teammate Peter Charles, as well his partner US rider Laura Kraut, who is based at Nick’s yard in Yorkshire during the summer months.

Other big names entered for Windsor’s first CSI3* show are reigning World Champion Philippe Le Jeune from Belgium, and Saudi Arabia’s Abdulla Al Sharbatly, who won team bronze at London 2012 and individual silver at the World Equestrian Games in 2010.