Happiness for Hester
Carl Hester MBE has been awarded one of the highest accolades in the equestrian world, becoming a British Horse Society Honorary Fellow. This award is presented in exceptional circumstances to people who have made an outstanding contribution at the highest level. The award comes at a sad time for Carl, after he recently confirmed he is not behind the purchase of his Olympic gold medal winning ride Uthopia.
Carl expressed how much the reputable award meant to him, in a statement released on his personal Facebook:
“We all have highs and lows, this is a definite high, truly honoured!”
This prestigious title means Carl will be joining an exclusive elite line up, consisting of: Ian Stark, Captain Mark Phillips, Stephen Clarke, Christopher Bartle, Paul Fielder and the late Kenneth Clawson.
Laura Copsey, a press officer for The British Horse Society (BHS), emphasised Carl’s true luminary status as she tells us what distinguished him from the other Equestrian elite: “Carl is outstanding in his field and is one of the key equestrian figures”. Laura went on to say how Carl will be an ambassador and a face of the BHS and will be behind their many pivotal roles such as coaching, education and general awareness of welfare.
Carl, an Olympic gold medallist, was raised on the beautiful channel Island of Sark, where horses are prominent as there are no cars allowed on the Island. Carl, 49 began his equestrian mastery on the back of a donkey, but soon progressed to his first taste of dressage victory after moving to Hampshire, where he won the 1985 Young Dressage Rider Championship. Little did he know that dressage would be the discipline where he would soon become a globally recognised superstar. The real turning point in Carl’s career was when he met Dr Bechtolsheimer, who then took him to the European and World championships and also the Barcelona Olympics. Now after competing at four Olympic Games and becoming the most successful dressage rider in history, he is a far cry from his donkey days.
