British Olympic Dressage Team For Tokyo 2020

Charlotte Dujardin

Double Olympic Champion, Charlotte Dujardin once again joins the squad for Tokyo 2020.

Based with team-mate, Carl Hester, at their yard in Newent, Gloustershire, Charlotte coaches, trains horses and competes to Grand Prix (GP) level. Famously known for her Olympic performances with ride Valegro, she has become a household name for many.

Stemming from a showing background, dressage is where Charlotte’s heart and talents truly flourish. Charlotte’s most notable achievements are her Olympic title, earning individual gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, as well as team gold and silver in the 2012 and 2016 Games, respectively.

However, Charlotte also has many other titles under her belt. She has represented Britian four times at European Championships, winning gold, silver and bronze team medals. In 2014, she was crowned World Champion at the World `equestrian games, also taking back-to-back World Cup titles into 2015.

Both the Sunday Times and SkySports have titled her Sportwoman of the Year. Charlotte has also been nominated for Sport Personality of the Year, finishing fourth.

Gio

Gio, a.k.a Pumpkin, is a 10-year-old, chestnut gelding, owned by Charlotte Durjardin, Carl Hester, and Renai Hart.

Offspring of Apache, Charlotte spotted Pumpkin whilst teaching a clinic in the autumn of 2016. The, then five-year-old, caught the Olympic rider’s eye with a “amazing expression on his face, a really cheeky look”, as well as being “small and cute”.

Charlotte trialled Pumpkin the very next day. Nobody apart from Pumpkin current rider had sat on him, due to him being hot and sensitive. However, Charlotte reported that the Olympic star-to-be was really good with the crowd.

Pumpkin arrived with Charlotte in the UK, around Halloween time – hence the stable name. Since, Pumpkin has proved his worth, consistently placing with high scores.

In 2017, at the beginning of his career with Charlotte, the combination was scoring in the high seventies. Progressing up to GP level, the pair won their international debut, in the GP freestyle at Keysoe CDI.

Pumpkin and Charlotte’s current career best together is 81.93.

Charlotte Fry

Charlotte Fry, known as Lottie, is the youngest member on the dressage squad and making her Olympic debut.

From Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Lottie is now based in Den Hout, the Netherlands, after taking advice from experienced team-mated, Carl Hester.

Lottie has dressage running throught her blood as the daughter of late Olpyiman and European silver medalist, Laura Fry, who passed away in 2012 after a battle with breast cancer. Lottie says that her mother is her greatest inspiration, and the reason she got into the sport.

Lottie is known for making big moves to achieve her potential. In 2019, Instead of completing her term in under-25 ranks, Lottie opted to move up to senior GP level. She and Dark Legend were selected for the British team and competed at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam and helped the finishing in 4^th with a score of 74%.

The young rider has also placed highly in team and as an individual in multiple Europeans over the years.

Lottie also competed successfully on the 2019/2020 World Cup circuit with both Dark Legend and Everdale, her Olympic ride. She went on to finish third behind Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester at Olympia in December 2019.

Everdale

Everdale is a 12-year-old, 17.2hh, black stallion, owned by Charlotte Fry.

Everdale and Lottie have not placed outside of the top ten in FEI competition to-date.

In June 2021, the pair placed 1^st and 2^nd at CDI3* Grand Prix classes in Compiegne, France. Earlier that month, they also secured a first in the GP Special at Exloo, the Netherlands.

Everdale’s personal best dressage score was achieved with Lottie in 2019. They scored 82.62 on the Olympia stage to come third.

Carl Hester

Carl Hester MBE is one of Britain’s most successful dressage riders. He is an Olympic gold medallist and multi-medallist at European and world championships. He is also the holder of 68 national dressage titles, and was crowned British national champion in 2019.

Destined for greatness, just 18 months after taking up dressage, Carl became national young rider champion.

In 1989, Carl started riding for the Bechtolsheimers. In his three and a half years with them, Carl went to the World Championships in 1990, the European Championships in 1991, and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Carl credits the Bechtolsheimers for setting him on his path to international success.

A top trainer as well as a competitor, Carl Hester is the mentor of the double Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin and part owner of the dressage wonderhorse Valegro.

Carl has successfully trained numerous horses up to grand prix level dressage during his career. For example, Eurpeoan and Olympic gold medallist, Uthopia. Also, Nip Tuck, World Equestrain Games, European, and Olympic silver medallist.

En Vogue

En Vogue is a 12-year-old, 17hh, dark bay gelding.

Originally team-mate, Charlotte Dujardin’s ride, Carl took over the gelding in the spring of 2020.

The move seems to suit with the combination not placing outside of the top ten together so far. Plus, in the October of 2020, the pair made their international debut at Keysoe CDI, finishing third in the GP special.

En Vogue has made a good impression on both Carl and the judges. His relaxed nature means he is “happy to oblige” to changes in routine and is very adaptable. This translates well onto the field, already picking up 10’s from judges at GP level, including scores for pirouettes and half-pass.

En Vogue current personal best dressage score is 83.73% with Carl Hester.

Gareth Hughes

Gareth Hughes is one of Britain’s top international grand prix dressage riders, as both a European and world team medallist .

Based in Southam, Warwickshire, Gareth first rode on a senior team for Britain in 2013, winning European bronze, alongside Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Michael Eilberg.

The following year, Gareth was once again selected for the British team, and were part of the quartet who took home team silver from the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen. Then, in 2019, Gareth rose the ranks to become the best performing British rider at the European Championships in Rotterdam.

Gareth is also a highly respected coach, and has worked as advisor to the Swiss national team, and dressage trainer to the Australian event team.

Sintano Van Hof Olympia

Sintano Van Hof Olympia is a 11-year-old, 16.3hh, bay gelding, owen by Gareth Hughes.

Winning over 50% of his FEI entires, Sintano Van Hof Olympia has also been placing in the top five consistently over the past 12 months, at FEI GP level.

Most recently, the combination placed placed 1^st at Wellington, Heckfield International in the FEI GP Special with a score of 75.3%.

British Olympic Dressage Team For Tokyo 2020