British Olympic Team Rider Harry Charles Injured at Aachen

An untimely fall has put a wrench in Olympic hopeful Harry Charles’s pre-Paris training.

The newly-minted 25-year-old rider, who was named to his second Olympic team last month, suffered a fall on July 5^th at CHIO Aachen. Charles was riding Bandit in the 1.60m CSIO5* RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia when the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion lost a shoe in the middle of a combination.

He consequently stumbled in the landing, unseating his rider, who suffered fractures in his arm and wrist. But it could have been worse. According to Charles, who spoke with World of Show Jumping, “[Bandit] was very clever not to fall upon landing.”

He further added that he was planning to seek a second option about his condition when he returned to England.

Considered one of the most talented young riders on the international stage today, Charles has led the FEI U25 standings for the last two years. As the son of 2012 Olympic Team gold medalist Peter Charles (GBR), Harry has been a regular on the Global Champions Tour for the last five years. He and Sherlock also won the CSI5*-W FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier in La Coruña, Spain in December.

Charles’s breakout victories in the 2021 FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier in London (aboard Stardust), and the London Grand Prix one day later (with Borsato) helped to launch his *5 career.

In just over two weeks, Charles is set to compete in Paris, once again with the 15-year-old Zangersheide gelding, Romeo 88. The pair placed 10th with the British team in Tokyo and 2nd this year to Kent Farrington (USA) in the CSI5* Trophée de Genève at CHI Geneva.

Although Charles has not yet provided an update on his condition on social media, he detailed his excitement at being selected for the British squad on June 26. “The Olympic Games is the pinnacle of many [athletes’] careers—I’m beyond proud to be representing my country…” he wrote.