WEST Littleton rider Harry Meade has been called into the Great Britain squad for the forthcoming World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, at the end of the month.

Meade joins Nicola Wilson in the squad following the withdrawal of Pippa Funnell (Billy Beware) and Izzy Taylor (Allercombe Ellie).

World Class Development Squad member Meade will be making his first senior squad appearance on Wild Lone and said: “I am delighted to be selected to represent Britain at this year’s WEG. It has been a lifelong aim to ride on the senior team, so I am obviously really excited about the opportunity.

“It has been a rollercoaster of a year for me and my support team. Whilst incapacitated over the winter (he shattered both his elbows following a fall across country in 2013) the thought of competing at WEG this year couldn’t have been further from my mind.

“I really feel for both Izzy and Pippa who must be so disappointed - it’s never nice to gain from a situation where others miss out.

Referring to 13 year old Irish-bred bay gelding Wild Lone, on whom he finished third at this year's Badminton Horse Trials, Meade added: “Alf is a wonderful and reliable horse. We bought him from a hunter-dealer yard as a four year old but he has gone on to exceed all expectations by completing five CCI4* events and now being selected for the squad.

“I am thrilled for his owner, Charlotte Opperman, who has been a great supporter of me and my wife Rosie, and for our support team who work so hard to make it all happen.

“I am also extremely grateful to my sponsors as well as the UK Sport Lottery funding in their support of the British team. We are now all really looking forward to going to WEG, we’ll give it our best shot.”

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