Big Star, the stallion, has suffered an injury – a sprained fetlock. British rider Nick Skelton wants to avoid any risk, so is resting his legendary horse for six weeks, meaning he will not jump at Geneva, nor at London-Olympia the week after. The reigning Olympic champion still dreams of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping: “That's still my ultimate goal with Big Star. I'm hoping to start my winning run next July at Aachen (where Big Star won the Rolex Grand Prix in 2013) and to sew it up in December 2017 at Geneva”, he concludes with a smile. The organisers of CHI Geneva are of course very sad to see the Olympic pairing withdraw, but understand that the wellbeing of the horse comes first and acknowledge this sensible and reasonable decision. Nick's Olympic team-mate and long-term friend, Michael Whitaker, will replace him. So Great Britain will have a line-up of three riders: Scott Brash – looking for a double in the Grand Slam, Robert Whitaker and his uncle Michael.
Big Star, the stallion, has suffered an injury – a sprained fetlock. British rider Nick Skelton wants to avoid any risk, so is resting his legendary horse for six weeks, meaning he will not jump at Geneva, nor at London-Olympia the week after. The reigning Olympic champion still dreams of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping: “That's still my ultimate goal with Big Star. I'm hoping to start my winning run next July at Aachen (where Big Star won the Rolex Grand Prix in 2013) and to sew it up in December 2017 at Geneva”, he concludes with a smile. The organisers of CHI Geneva are of course very sad to see the Olympic pairing withdraw, but understand that the wellbeing of the horse comes first and acknowledge this sensible and reasonable decision. Nick's Olympic team-mate and long-term friend, Michael Whitaker, will replace him. So Great Britain will have a line-up of three riders: Scott Brash – looking for a double in the Grand Slam, Robert Whitaker and his uncle Michael.