King Edward won double WC gold in 2022, has won two World Cup sub-competitions this season and is currently the world's best show jumping horse.
But for him, the World Cup final in April, what the equestrian world sees as an indoor WC, is the big goal of the year.
The competitions he does after that are part of the bigger and even longer plan leading up to the 2024 Olympics - and that does not include the EC in Milan 2023.
- After the World Cup final, he will get some rest and then he will do some outdoor competitions that I will pick, then he will start loading for a longer goal in 2024, says world number one Henrik von Eckermann to SVT Sport.
And it is also largely with the Olympic Games in mind that Henrik von Eckermann chooses to match Iliana against the EC.
- She has such great potential and if something were to happen to King Edward, she could step into Paris, then it is incredibly important to have a championship as experience, says Henrik von Eckermann.
What does national team captain Henrik Ankarcrona say that there will be no King Edward at this year's EC?
- We have a great relationship so there is no problem with that, says von Eckermann.
The EC in Milan is decided between August and September.