Aachen baptism for Billington

Geoff Billington could earn himself a place on the European Championship team if he and It's Otto go well at the Aachen Horse Show, which begins this morning. He joins John and Michael Whitaker, Nick Skelton and Warren Clarke in the British squad.

Billington has not competed at the German show before. "I've waited a long time to find a horse that's good enough," he said of It's Otto and, having shown splendid form at Hickstead, he feels confident to tackle the famed Aachen fences for the first time.

It will also be a crucial test for Everest Welham, the horse John Whitaker expects to ride in Friday's Nations Cup. Welham jumped two clear rounds at Hickstead when competing in a Nations Cup for the first time, and could be Whitaker's mount for the European Championships.