Friday, November 14, 2025
An Olympic team champion and a rising star in the world of show jumping, Harry Charles has been competing at the highest level of equestrian sports since he was a child. But behind the successes, there are also moments that define a career. His spectacular fall in Wellington, considered “probably the worst of his life”, was a real turning point. A few weeks later, he joined Team Seaver and made safety an essential pillar of his athletic philosophy.
At 26, Harry Charles, the 2024 Olympic team champion, has established himself as one of the most promising talents of his generation. Although he comes from a family with deep roots in sports, he has nevertheless developed his own perspective, particularly on one crucial issue: safety.
"Safety has always been a key part of my philosophy."
Watching his two sisters suffer serious falls when they were younger, Harry learned early on the importance of protecting himself. They were equipped with airbags long before he was and have always encouraged him to take the plunge.
Earlier this year, during the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Harry experienced a moment that could have ended his career.
His horse, Lissino, approached a two-stride vertical-oxer combination, but upon landing on the first obstacle, the horse decided to jump after just one stride. The fall was violent, unexpected, and terrifying.
Harry would later say:
"That was probably the worst fall of my career. I made it out okay, but I still don't know how. I was incredibly lucky."
Miraculously, there were no serious injuries. A few torn muscles in my back, but above all, a powerful psychological shock: the realization that everything can change in an instant, even when you’re doing everything right.
After the fall, one thing became clear to him: it was time to take better care of himself.
“That was really the turning point. I want to keep playing this sport for another 20 years. I want to stay healthy and live life to the fullest. Why not take every possible precaution?”
While browsing the booths in Wellington, Harry discovered the SAFEFIT airbag by Seaver, which he now uses:
"I'm really happy to see that this airbag works well for me. I'm using it in competitions now, and I love it. It's a real game-changer."
He, who was still hesitant just a few years ago, has now joined the movement led by many international riders, such as Henrik von Eckermann:
to make airbags more common, more accepted, and more mainstream at the highest levels of the sport.
And above all, to inspire future generations:
“If top-level riders do it, it inspires amateurs as well. It’s an investment for life.”
Beyond his own accident, Harry is concerned about the safety of the sport as a whole. His comments on two-stride vertical-oxer combinations received overwhelming support, with more than 400 testimonials received, some of which described serious accidents.
His message is clear:
Protecting riders and horses must become a top priority.
By joining Team Seaver, Harry Charles chose to turn a setback into a strength.
His story reminds us of a fundamental truth: safety isn’t just a detail—it’s an essential pillar for sustaining performance at the highest level and continuing to live out one’s passion to the fullest.
