‘My writer was almost falling off her chair with the scores’: Isobel Wessels on judging Valegro

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top international dressage judge Isobel Wessels
Masterclass Training, Isobel Wessels, 15th October 2012, Transitions
(Image credit: Paul Quagliana)

Isobel Wessels, is an international dressage rider, trainer and five-star judge, and on an episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast she talked about some of her fondest judging memories.

“There have been so many highlights, but one of the most amazing experiences I had was in Hagen in 2012, where Valegro and Charlotte [Dujardin] reached an enormous score in the grand prix special and I was the judge at C,” she explains. “It was the most amazing test and the fact that it then became a world record is just a bit mind-blowing really. My writer was almost falling off her chair with the scores I was giving. The atmosphere was incredible and it was the most amazing feeling.”

Gemma Redrup
Gemma Redrup
Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.