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Double gold medallist and new world number one eventer Tom McEwen is already daring to dream about an Olympic title hat-trick in Los Angeles.
The dust is still settling on a regal British team performance at Chateau de Versailles when McEwen, Laura Collett and Ros Canter comfortably retained the Olympic team crown won in Tokyo three years previously.
And after two magic Mondays – gold medal one week, top of world rankings the next – 33-year-old McEwen admits that 2028 has flashed through his mind.
If Britain triumph again four years from now, it would see them emulate Australia – eventing team gold medallists in 1992, 1996 and 2000 – as the only nations to triumph at three successive Olympics.
“It is a goal, for sure,” McEwen told the PA news agency. “That is the dream.
“When I finished the last Olympics in Tokyo, my goal was to try and go one better and get gold and gold. I had an opportunity, and it was obviously a great performance by ‘Dubs’ (McEwen’s ride JL Dublin).”
McEwen has two team gold and an individual silver from Tokyo and Paris, putting him high on the list of Olympic achievers among British equestrian athletes.
And while he is now back in the day job, riding five horses at the Hartpury International Horse Trials in Gloucestershire including the aptly-named Maestro, it was not before he gained another accolade.
“The world number one ranking has never really been catalogued in my brain,” he added.
“When I was growing up, it was always the likes of William Fox-Pitt and Andrew Nicholson, and then more recently Oliver Townend, Tim Price and Ros Canter.
“I am delighted. It is something I never thought I would be able to call myself. I really wasn’t expecting it.
“Becoming world number one is incredibly exciting, but it is not all down to me, it is down to my incredible team at home who have done all the hard work throughout the winter and this summer, all the long journeys and early mornings.
“I genuinely couldn’t do it without them or my owners and sponsors. It is a team effort that goes into something so special.”
McEwen, Canter and Townend comprise an all-British top three, while Collett, reigning world champion Yasmin Ingham and Wills Oakden are seventh, ninth and 10th, underlining extraordinary strength in depth.
“For me, the most amount of pressure was trying to get into the team (for Paris), and then when you were there you were there to do a job,” McEwen said.
I might be there on the field of play, so to speak, but there are 1,000 hours that go in behind the scenes without anyone ever noticing
“I felt very comfortable when I was there. It was fun.
“We are not football, a mainstream sport, so it doesn’t come every day. I might be there on the field of play, so to speak, but there are 1,000 hours that go in behind the scenes without anyone ever noticing.
“It’s those days in February, when you are hacking out in the pouring, sideways rain, and you are really kind of questioning some of your life goals.
“But those are all the things that make that little bit of difference when it comes to performance-time like now.
“It was super-important that we managed to get medals across all three disciplines (eventing, dressage and jumping).
“The jumpers have now got gold in the last four Olympics, whether team or individual, and the strength in depth in all the teams is phenomenal.
“Everyone loves a story and they love success, and hopefully we can continue bringing success and the stories will come along the way. These animals are incredible, very special, and I think our sport is one of the best out there.”
