KITTY KING, who helped Team GB to a famous FEI Nations Cup series victory at Boekolo in the Netherlands last year, has again been chosen to be part of the squad which hopes to defend the title in 2014.

King, 31, from Lower Stanton St Quintin in Wiltshire, is one of 18 riders to make the long list.

Last year, Kitty rode her top horse Zidante in the early stages of the event and Persimmon in the final round when Zidante was sidelined with injury.

Zidante is now back in full training and available for selection.

The squad comprises a range of ages and experience, as British Eventing maintains ‘the primary objective is to give riders who do not have a depth of senior team experience the opportunity to compete in a team environment’.

Team manager Philip Surl and eventing performance manager Yogi Breisner would love to repeat last year’s success when GB pipped the favourites Germany into second place by a single point.

Local riders are well represented on the squad. Laura Collett, who has recently moved from Membury to Lambourn and is herself back in top form following a serious injury last year, is included as is Badminton’s Harry Meade, who is currently recovering from surgery on a broken right elbow.

Meade, who celebrated the birth of his second child, Charlie, last month, has only recently started riding again.

Also chosen on the squad are the up-and-coming David Doel (20) from Chippenham and Tom McEwen (22) from Badgerstown on the outskirts of Swindon.

There are also places for both Nick Gauntlett (35), from Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire, and Cirencester’s Nicky Roncoroni (31).

A team of four, plus one reserve, will be selected for each of the six Nations Cup competitions which kick off in May. The venues and dates have yet to be announced.