Carl Hester smashes British grand prix record

Another British dressage record was broken yesterday (Wednesday 2 May) when Carl Hester scored a massive 83.298% to win the grand prix at Addington Manor Premier League show.

He was riding the 11-year-old Metall/Inspekteur stallion Uthopia.

Carl also filled second place aboard Fiona Bigwood’s Wie Weltmeyer gelding Wie Alantico – whom he is riding during Fiona’s preganancy – scoring 73.54%.

Third place went to Gareth Hughes on Jane Brewin’s mare DV Stenkers Nadonna, who scored 70.28%.

But it was Carl’s night as he and “Uti” broke the previous British record of 82.93%, held by Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris since Olympia’s FEI World Cup class in 2010.

“It was just such a pleasure to be riding him again and to see him so excited to be back,” said Carl.

Utophia had to withdraw from Hagen CDI at the weekend after he lost a shoe in the field, but he was back on form, scoring highly, including his first ever 10 for piaffe.

The pair’s unassailable lead was despite some loss of balance in the extended trot work.

“There were two rhythm mistakes in the extended trot,” added Carl. “All the judges gave him a seven for it – but as he’s got so much power the rest of the time, he’s just coming down from a 10. He was so excited he was very onward bound in the rest of his work!”

Carl also won a prix st georges and an intermediate I on Aram Gregory’s Douglas IV, beating his own prot ©g ©e Charlotte Dujardin and Don Archie in the latter.

For a full report see the 10 May issue of H&H out next week

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