Carl Hester dominates Spanish Sunshine Tour with Uthopia

European dressage medalist Carl Hester continues to wow judges and spectators on the Spanish Sunshine Tour with Irish eventing Olympian Sasha Stewart’s Uthopia.

The pair scored a whopping 75.29% in the horse’s second ever grand prix special on Sunday.

Carl and the nine-year-old dark bay stallion by Metall picked up 73.02% in the previous day’s grand prix, having won both classes at the level on his big tour debut the previous week.

“He’s just nine, but so exciting,” said Carl. “I’ve got a horse that I can score nines on again!”

These impressive marks in the horse’s first year at the level follow the sale of Carl’s European team silver medallist, Donald McTaggart’s Liebling II, to Canadian team rider Cheryl Miesner.

As well as Uthopia, Carl has Ann Corey’s Dolendo and Anni MacDonald-Hall’s Rosso to campaign for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky this September.

Carl’s stable jockey Charlotte Dujardin has also been cleaning up in Spain — winning every prix st georges riding Carl and Roly Luard’s Valegro in his first season at small tour.

See Horse&Hound 18 March for report and pictures from the first week of the Spanish Sunshine Tour

Get training tips from Carl Hester

Would you like to find out how Carl Hester successfully trains horse after horse to grand prix success? Pick up a copy of Carl’s latest book Real Life Dressage for an insight into Carl’s training system from novice to grand prix in the H&H Shop for just £17.95, saving £2 on the recommended price

.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now