When it comes to celebrating a legendary horse like Valegro, whose 21st birthday it is today (5 July, 2023), where do you start? With so many medals, titles and records, it’s hard to keep track.
So join us as we look back at some of his career highlights in pictures…
1. Small beginnings: Valegro as a foal with his dam Maifleur
2. Charlotte Dujardin and a young Valegro impress at the British Dressage National Championships in 2008
180 , charlotte dujardin , valegro
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)
3. Valegro’s early top hat days: at Addington Area Festival in 2009
Charlotte Dujardin - Valegro
(Image credit: Kevin Sparrow)
4. In action at the British Dressage National Championships in 2010
Charlotte Dujardin (GBR)&Valegro - Bates Saddles Intermediate I Championship - Dressage Deluxe National Dressage Championships 2010, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, United Kingdom - 10 September 2010
(Image credit: Jon Stroud)
5. Delighting the Olympia crowd in 2011
Olympia Wednesday 14 12 2011 charlotte dujardin valegro
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)
6. Gold medal moments: taking centre stage at London 2012
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)
7. The home crowd give the pair a warm welcome in Greenwich Park at the London Olympics
Charlotte Dujardin, Valegro
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)
8. Wowing the Olympia spectators with their freestyle in 2012
Valegro
Dujardin,Charlotte
(Image credit: Trevor Meeks)
9. The medals keep coming: the pair take home individual gold at the Europeans in Denmark in 2013
Charlotte DUJARDIN riding Valegro GBR in the Individual Grand Prix Special in the FEI European Dressage Championship in Herning, Denmark in August 2013
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
10. “I had the ride of my life”: Charlotte and Valegro score 93.975% in an outstanding freestyle performance that sees them set a new world record at Olympia in 2013
Charlotte DUJARDIN (GBR) riding Valegro during the Grand Prix Freestyle at Olympia on 17th December 2013
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
11. Record breakers: the golden duo beat their own world record for the grand prix freestyle, with a score of 94.3% at Olympia in 2014
Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) riding Valegro during Dressage Grand Prix at The London International Horse Show at Olympia in London, UK on 16 December 2014
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
12. The pair bring home the individual gold medal from Rio in 2016
Charlotte Dujardin GBR riding Valegro, during the Grand Prix Freestyle for the individual Dressage competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro near Rio, Brazil on 15th August 2016
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
13. Valegro retires from competition at Olympia in 2016
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro during Valegro retirement ceremony during the Olympia International Horse Show at Olympia, London, UK; on 14 December 2016
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
14. Valegro meeting The late Queen with Carl Hester at Royal Windsor in 2019
Her Majesty The Queen meeting Valegro, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin during the Royal Windsor Horse Show held in the private grounds of Windsor Castle in Berkshire in the UK between on 8th-12th May 2019
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
15. Valegro with Charlotte, her fiancé Dean and baby daughter Isabella in 2023
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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.
