...at FEI Eventing European Championship for Ponies

Team France take the Gold Medal. Emilie Aunac and Uriel De Tassine; Noa Pelle and Gin Gt La Templerie; Louane Achard and Hold Up Graviere; Lou Cravedi and Celeste Du Montier. Pôle Européen du Cheval, at the FEI European Championships for Ponies 2026 - Eventing - Le Mans (FRA). © FEI/Libby Law

France completed a golden double at the FEI Eventing European Championship for Ponies in Le Mans (FRA), where Noa Pelle claimed the individual title and the hosts successfully defended team gold. Ireland's Anna Radford and Italy's Isabella Giovannoni completed the individual podium, while Ireland and Germany secured the remaining team medals, with both titles decided by the final rider.

A field of 44 combinations lined up in Le Mans as part of the multi-discipline FEI European Championships for Ponies. Saturday's influential Cross-Country, designed by Paris 2024 Olympic course designer Pierre Le Goupil (FRA), proved the defining phase of the competition, reshaping both the individual and team standings. Overnight Dressage leader Lea Brügger (SUI) dropped out of medal contention as Noa Pelle moved into the lead ahead of Sunday's Jumping finale.

Pressure until the final round

Pelle had a 3.9-penalty advantage into the final phase, but the title remained far from secure. Riding before the Frenchman, Anna Radford and Essenar Double Dutch produced a faultless Jumping round to finish on 34.7 penalties and heap the pressure on the home rider. With no rail in hand, Pelle entered the arena knowing a single mistake would hand the European title to the Irish rider and turn team gold into silver. Instead, he and Gin GT La Templerie answered with a composed clear round to secure gold on 30.8 penalties and spark celebrations among the home crowd.

"I came here to gain experience. I didn't think I could win an individual medal because I haven't been competing at this level for very long. We were well prepared throughout the season with the federation training camps and the preparation camp before the European Championships,” said Pelle.

Behind the leading pair, Isabella Giovannoni produced one of the championship's standout performances. Riding Clonberne Leedy, the Italian climbed from 26th after Dressage to ninth after Cross-Country before sealing the bronze medal with another clear Jumping round.

"Dressage is not our strongest discipline, but I was really happy with my score. I just wanted to keep my score, so I really attacked the Cross-Country, and it felt really good. Today was really nice as well,” Giovannoni commented on her bronze.

Radford also enjoyed a remarkable championship, improving from ninth after Dressage to silver, while overnight third Anna von Helldorff saw her medal hopes disappear after four rails in the final phase.

Team title stays with France

The team championship proved equally dramatic. France's quartet of Noa Pelle, Louane Achard, Emilie Aunac and Lou Cravedi were the only team to bring all four combinations through Cross-Country, allowing them to discard a score in the final phase.

Ireland, represented by Anna Radford, Lillymai Walsh, Tadgh O'Haire and Kitty Cullen, nevertheless kept the contest alive despite counting only three riders until Pelle's closing clear secured the hosts' successful defence of the European title on 120.5 penalties.

Ireland finished on 123.8 to take silver, while Germany's quartet of Lea Brügger, Charlotte Eilers, Anna von Helldorff and Justus Hayessen claimed bronze on 144.2. Italy placed fourth ahead of Great Britain and Belgium.

Pierre Le Goupil's demanding Cross-Country track ultimately proved decisive, producing significant changes to both leaderboards before the final day. Rather than being concentrated at one or two fences, faults were spread throughout the course, rewarding consistent performances across the entire track. Sunday's Jumping phase still demanded accuracy under pressure, with only eight of the 33 combinations completing the championship with faultless rounds. All five top finishers were among those to jump clear.

France's latest golden double underlined the nation's remarkable depth in pony Eventing. After completing the same feat on home soil in 2025, the hosts repeated it one year later with an entirely new team.

"This was a transition year, so we were hoping for a medal. None of these riders had much experience at this level. A European Championship is another level,” said Chef d'Equipe of France, Gilles Audrain.

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