Biography

British rider David Doel (32) made a successful Badminton debut in 2022 finishing 6^th with Galileo Nieuwmoed – his entry this year also. Although entered last year Galileo was withdrawn before the cross country. The combination then placed 9^th in the 5*L at Luhmuhlen and finished 2024 with 3^rd place at Elkton 5*. They have also successfully contested Lexington (8^th) and in 2023 was 2^nd at Burghley.

David is based at the family farm near Lacock in Wiltshire where he runs Reybridge Eventing alongside running the Lacock Dairy ice cream company in partnership with his father.

David has come through the ranks of eventing. He started competing with the Pony Club competing at the PC Championships and rode in his first BE competition in March 2007, when he was just 14.  He was a member of Junior and Young Rider teams winning team gold, silver and bronze as well as an individual bronze at the Junior Europeans in 2011 and that year was selected for the World Development Programme. In 2014 he was selected for his first Nations Cup and at the end of the season was awarded the BE Goldman Cup (awarded to the rider U21 with the most BE points). He joined the senior ranks in 2015 since when he has been a member of several Nations Cup teams. In 2018 David made his 4* debut at Pau completing in 33^rd place with Chap and in 2019 completed Burghley (Shannondale Quest).

He has been supported and trained along the way by his mother Maggie Doel BHSI who evented to advanced level was a member of the British 2* team and then competed to grand prix dressage. David also trains with Adam Kemp and Nick Turner. In 2017 David married showjumper Charlotte Addis.

Galileo Nieuwmoed is a 14-year-old Dutch-bred KWPN registered gelding. He is by the Holstein 5* grand prix jumping sire Carambole out of a mare by Harcos. He was originally produced by Joy Dawes and sent to David to compete in 2018 when David’s long-standing supporter Gillian Jonas stepped in. He placed 15^th in his first 5* at Pau in 2021 was 6^th at Badminton in 2022 and in 2023 was 2^nd at Burghley. At the end of last year his breeder Andre Jurrius collected KWPN event breeder of the year.