Medal-winning British dressage rider Emma Hindle has retired from competition after a career that encompassed two Olympic Games, a brace of medals on home soil, and countless more senior team appearances.

Emma, 49, represented Britain at multiple European Championships, at the 2006 World Equestrian Games and the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Her international breakthrough was with Wie Weltmeyer (“Wally”), the stallion with whom she was shortlisted for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and helped Britain to team bronze at the 2003 home Europeans. He would take Emma to her first Games in Athens, and the pair also contested the World Cup final the same year.

Lancet (“Lance”), a former Dutch Olympic team horse, would become Emma’s next great championship campaigner. The pair competed at the 2005, 2007 and 2009 Europeans, winning team silver at Windsor in 2009, and the World Championships in Aachen. They were also the highest-scoring British dressage combination at Beijing, finishing seventh individually and fifth with the team.

“Some of my fondest memories have to be the 2003 European Championships with Wally and the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Lance, but really it was the journey to both that made the outcome so sweet,” she said.

“The joy was the process of getting there and the amazing people and animals that supported me, picked me up when I fell, gave me a shoulder to cry on and pulled me back when I got carried away. I have been so privileged to have had such people and animals in my life – thank you to you all. I am eternally grateful.”

Emma’s career started with lessons at her aunt’s stables as a child and she enjoyed showing and eventing, before finding her passion in pure dressage.

Emma said that representing Great Britain over the years “meant everything”.

“Hearing your anthem play and watching the Union Flag rise – those moments are some of the most precious memories I have in my life,” she said.

Following the passing of her father John Hindle in 2012, Emma stepped back from full-time competition to take on her father’s real estate business and raise her son, Luke.

In 2017, she returned to the international grand prix circuit with Romy del Sol and Diesel S. Inspired by the upcoming Paris Olympics, Emma reignited her top-level ambition in 2023 and acquired Zippo M.I. from Daniel Bachmann Andersen. Emma campaigned him and her other grand prix ride, Rosmarin, internationally until earlier this year.

When asked what’s next, Emma said: “Life is often a process of elimination, and right now it’s easier to say the things I don’t need in my life. You can only appreciate the right now, cherish beautiful memories from the past and dream that you make more in the future.”

She added: “I love the words of Thomas Edison, ‘Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.’ I wish everyone the very best of luck. Dream big and don’t ever give up – if you haven’t failed, you haven’t tried.”

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Emma Hindle has said farewell to her Olympic partner Lancet, who has died aged 24.

The Hanoverian stallion, by Wenzel x Shogun, was a stalwart of the British dressage team for many years and became one of Britain’s most influential and successful dressage horses.

He and Emma were the top British combination at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing seventh individually, and they were on the silver medal-winning team at the 2009 European Championships in front of a home crowd at Windsor.

“Lance” and Emma also competed at the 2005, 2007 and 2009 European Championships as well as the 2006 World Equestrian Games. With his previous rider, the Netherlands’ Imke Schellekens-Bartels, Lance was also on the team that finished fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympics, before he was sold to Emma.

“Lance was the horse that fulfilled all my dreams,” Emma told H&H. “He represented our country over so many years and really was one of life’s great workers.”

Lance was retired from competition aged 18, to a standing ovation at the 2011 Hickstead CDI, where he and Emma scored over 77% to finish third in the grand prix freestyle. He went on to continue his breeding career as a licensed stallion at Emma’s Brookhouse Stud, with his successful offspring including Dutch rider Patrik van der Meer’s European team gold medal-winning ride Uzzo.

“We called him the sleeping crocodile,” said Emma in a tribute to Lance. “He knew his likes and dislikes all too well and he shared his opinions in style with those who challenged him. He didn’t care for many, but those he chose were truly a privileged few.

Article continues below…

Emma Hindle retires her Olympic partner Lancet

Lancet retired from international dressage competition after finishing third in the kür at Hickstead last Sunday, but will continue with

Emma Hindle believes her new horse could win Olympic gold

Emma found Brisbane, a 10-year-old Swedish-bred gelding, in Switzerland, and thinks he could help Team GB to gold at Greenwich

“Even after he retired from competition he always stayed in work in some form — it was what he loved. He was very, very special, and passed on so much knowledge to those who wanted to learn. We all miss him very much.”

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Carl Hester and Uthopia enjoyed a successful visit to the CDI Schindlof in Fritzens, Austria, with a grand prix win on Friday (77.340%) and a second place in the grand prix special on Sunday morning (74.356%).

Despite mistakes in the one tempis and inaccuracies in the pirouettes, Carl was happy with the 11-year-old stallion by Metall.

“This was the first outdoor of the season for us, and only our second show after a fairly long break, so Uthopia was suffering a little from nerves and tension“, Carl told Horse & Hound. “He still gave me a great ride, and the mistakes in the pirouettes were mine.”

Thanks to a win and a second place in the small tour on Dances with Wolves, Hester left Fritzens as the most successful rider of this year’s show.

The grand prix special was won by Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, who rode Delgado to a score of 75.756% despite mistakes in the one tempis and a premature transition into canter out of passage. Nevertheless, according to Ferrer-Salat, this was still “Delgado’s best ride yet”.

Compatriot Juan Manuel Mu ±oz Diaz rode an inspired test on Fuego to snatch third with 73.978%, ahead of a British trio.

Emile Faurie finished just outside the top three with 72.578% on Elmegardens Marquis, followed by Emma Hindle on Diamond Hit (69.800%) and Henriette Andersen on Louis D’Or (68.756%). Italian-based Irish rider Anna Merveldt finished 7th with an impressive ride on Coryolano (68.400%).

In the afternoon’s grand prix k ¼r, Daniel Watson, the only Brit representative competing in the class, scored 64.625%, placing 11th. He rode the 12-year-old stallion Fideramber to music from the Lion King, composed by Thomas Farnon.

The k ¼r was won by Germany’s Dorothee Schneider on Forward Looking (75.625%), in front of Beatriz Ferrer-Salat on her second horse Faberge (71.375%).

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British dressage rider Emma Hindle has given birth to a baby boy.

Luke Hindle was born on Thursday 1 December at 5.38am. Luke is Emma and partner Tobias George’s first baby. He weighed 7lb.

Emma was in labour for two days and ended up having an emergency casesarian. However the pair are doing well and she told H&H’s Sarah Jenkins she now has a “happy and healthy baby boy”.

Emma is now trying to reorganise her stable and is still aiming at the Olympics. She aims to be back in the saddle in March. “We are looking for an international groom to accompany us on our Olympic road,” she added.

Emma competed for team GB at both the Athens and Bejing (Hong Kong) Olympics.

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Olympic dressage star Lancet was retired by an emotional Emma Hindle last Sunday (31 July) at Hickstead.

She retired 18-year-old stallion following his third place in the kür with a score of 77.35%.

Lancet, who will continue his breeding career, helped to spearhead the revival of British dressage and finished in the top 10 of all three classes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong.

Emma said: ”Every great horse deserves to be retired at the top of their game — he’ll now teach people who are helping me out do all the advanced movements.”

British Dressage chief executive Amanda Bond added: “The sport is losing a star, but his talent and ability will hopefully be seen on the international stage again through his offspring.”

Lancet fact file

Age: 18

Sire: Wenzel I

First competed together: 2005

Top results:

• 2007 – Team member at European championships in Turin
• 2008 – Individual seventh place at Beijing Olympics
• 2009 – Team silver and individual eighth place at European Championships at Windsor

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Congratulations to Emma Hindle (pictured) who is 4½ months pregnant with her first child, due in November.

“I will continue to compete at this level as long as I am healthy and happy and it feels right — and of course it’s safe for the baby,” said Emma, 36.

“My mother said women used to stop work for just enough time to have the baby!

“Tobias and I have been planning for a baby for a long time and had more or less given up hope, so it wasn’t scheduled for this moment in time, but it will work out well,” commented Emma, whose primary aim remains the London 2012 Olympics.

This story was first published in Horse & Hound (30 June, 2011)

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Dressage Olympian Emma Hindle has bought the horse she believes will help Britain secure team gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

She found Brisbane, a 10-year-old Swedish-bred gelding, in Switzerland, and he is now settling in at her Brookhouse Stud in Germany.

Two months ago, Emma told Horse & Hound: “Laura Bechtolsheimer has an incredible chance for an individual medal at London 2012, but she can’t get the team gold on her own.

“For Britain to achieve that we need two horses on the squad that are among the top 10 in the world.”

Emma tried to secure the ride on world number one Totilas, but when the horse was sold to Germany and Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff bought the sports rights for stepson Matthias Rath, Emma continued her search for a new megastar.

This morning she called H&H with the news that she has found that horse: “He was scoring 70% at grand prix as an eight-year-old with his previous rider,” she said.

“He’s outstanding. He’s very strong minded and a proper horse both in terms of his build and his temperament.

“He moves beautifully, his pirouettes are incredible — he has no weaknesses. He looks a bit like Wally, even [Emma’s European team medallist Wie Weltmeyer].”

Emma will take her time with the horse in preparation for London.

“Maybe he will be ready for the Europeans this year, but first we have to build a partnership,” she told H&H.

“I also have Lancet back in full work and on top form, so we’ll see.”

Pic courtesy of Brookhouse Stud. H&H advises all riders to wear hats while mounted.

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Dressage stallion Lillenmarkens Arkibal (Archie) — ridden by Kyra Kyrklund and Emma Hindle — has been put to sleep aged 20.

Archie died yesterday, Monday 17 January, at his retirement home.

Archie was one of the Brookhouse Stud’s foundation stallions and qualified with Kyra for the Sydney Olympics in 2000, but was injured.

He then joined stable-mate Wie Weltmeyer in Germany in the autumn of 2000, where the ride was taken over by Emma.

She had many wins and placings with him at grands prix before he was retired to her aunt and uncle’s farm in 2006.

Emma said: “He was not only an amazing horse but such a source of comfort, the kindest, most loving of all the boys.

“He loved his cuddles but hated other male horses.

“His career was blighted by injury but he was and always will remain one of the most talented and wonderful horses I ever had the pleasure to meet.

“He had such a wonderful retirement and was loved and cherished daily. My aunt has taken such good care of him — I am eternally grateful. Yesterday was a terribly sad day for us all.”

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British breeders can view top stallions in a new showcase at Hartpury later this month.

In what is billed as the UK’s biggest stallion event, over 60 graded stallions are scheduled to appear at the one-day breeding spectacular on Saturday 29 January.

British Olympic rider Emma Hindle will present several stallions including Chequille Z pictured above right (Caretano Z x Lavall II) and Wie Weltmeyer (Weltmeyer x Dynamo).

And international riders Maria Eilberg with British-bred Woodlander Rockstar and Spencer Wilton with Zambucca are also set to make an appearance.

British Equestrian Federation head of equine development Jan Rogers said: “We aim to provide visitors with an audio visual experience presenting these stallions at their best. We hope they will go away inspired to look carefully at the mares they are using and breed even better British horses.”

Chair of the lead body for the British Bred Sport Horse and owner of the Woodlander Stud Lynne Crowden added: “Breeders are becoming much more critical of the quality of their mares and have learned what good looks like from the output of the Futurity programmes, where they get the opportunity to see the better young horses and foals.

“This stallion event presents stallions for three disciplines, all in one place. British breeders are starting to believe that we can make our mark with British-bred dressage horses once we can get them under the seats of good riders.”

For more information visit: www.bef.co.uk

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Emma Hindle is joining the growing band of top British dressage riders moving back to the UK.

Former team-mates Fiona Bigwood and Wayne Channon have returned from Germany and Belgium to the south of England — and Emma is now based at her aunt’s yard in Lancashire.

Emma has been based abroad since she was 18 — first in Sweden with Kyra Kyrklund then Germany since 1993. She has ridden on every dressage championship team and competed the stallions from Brookhouse Stud near Frankfurt, which she took over in 2004.

But Emma took herself out of contention for the World Equestrian Games team this year.

She explained: “My mum became very sick at the beginning of the year and so I came home to help.

“For all that you want to be competitive and successful, that pales into insignificance when the ones you love need you.”

Emma ceased competing and began working for her father’s property business. She has three stallions here — Fürstenreich, Diamond Hit and Chequille Z — so is at the yard by five and the office by nine.

Emma plans to find her own yard with an indoor school to base herself for most of the year, returning to her German base of Brookhouse with the stallions for four months each stud season.

“Property is challenging and exhilarating right now,” added Emma. “I plan to work full-time and have six or seven international horses to ride — it’s a new era for me.”

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (26 August, ’10)

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The British dressage team finished third in a closely fought grand prix team competition at Aachen CDIO. The commpetition was won by a strong Dutch squad, with Germany in second place.

Emma Hindle and Lancet achieved the best British score of 70.42%, to be placed 8th individually, with Carl Hester and Liebling II not far behind in 11th on 69.27%. Fiona Bigwood scored 65.872 with Wie Atlantico, while Laura Bechtolsheimer was the unexpected discard score riding Andretti H on 64.085. All four British combinations will go forward to the grand prix special on Saturday.

Team captain Richard Davison said: “Third place in Aachen is another good result for us. Out of the three Nations Cups so far, Great Britain has achived second in Saumur, second in Rotterdam and third in Aachen. When you think that the Aachen result is without our top scoring horse, I have very good grounds to be confident of a medal at the European Championships.

“There is still room for further marks from our team here today. Emma produced another solid performance, Carl has now really got the measure of Liebling and Fiona’s partnership is developing from show to show. Laura is understandably disappointed in her performance and will be looking to bring this back to the 70% level in the Grand Prix Special on Saturday.”

View the complete results at www.chioaachen.de

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British Dressage has announced the four riders who will represent Britain in the Nations Cup at Aachen, Germany (1-5 July).

Emma Hindle and her Olympic hero Lancet top the line-up and Laura Bechtolsheimer accompanies her on Andretti H. The other two slots have gone to Carl Hester riding Leibling and Fiona Bigwood with Wie Atlantico.

Emma, Carl and Fiona made up the second-placed Nations Cup team in Rotterdam, 18-21 June (full report in 2 July issue of Horse & Hound).

Don’t miss H&H’s special interview with our cover star Carl Hester, who talks about how much it means for him to ride for his country in his country

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Read the latest Emma Hindle news

Top dressage rider and European Championship team bronze medallist Emma Hindle was born in Preston on May 19, 1975.

Emma’s first experience of riding came at the age of four when she rode a donkey on the beach and, as a result, began riding regularly at her aunt’s stables.

Emma started out in showing, competing in working hunter classes, and then tried her hand at eventing, before finally focusing on dressage.

By age 12, Emma was under instruction from international dressage judge Stephen Clarke, and by 18 she had moved to Flyinge Stud Sweden to train with dressage rider, Kyra Kyrklund.

Emma represented Britain in the junior European Championships in 1989 and 1990, as well as the young riders European Championships in 1992, 1993 and 1996.

In 1993, when Kyra Kyrklund moved to the UK, Emma moved to Frankfurt in Germany to train with Dutch Olympic dressage medallist Ellen Bontje.

Emma was a member of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2003 European Championships at Hickstead with Wie Weltmeyer, and she finished 7th individually with Lancet at the Beijing Olympics.

Having been based at her own Brookhouse Stud in Germany for a number of years, Emma returned to Britain in 2010 and now divides her time between looking after her new son Luke, competing her international horses, working for her father’s property business and running Brookhouse Stud.

Emma’s purchased the 10-year-old Swedish-bred gelding Brisbane, who she believes has the potential to be an Olympic medal contender, from Switzerland early in 2011. She retired Lancet from competition at Hickstead in August 2011.

Emma Hindle videos

Pictures of Emma Hindle

Anky van Grunsven has made Olympic history by winning three consecutive individual gold medals: in Sydney on Bonfire, in Athens on Salinero and, again, here in the electric atmosphere of Hong Kong, another gold on the same horse.

“I must be the most spoilt rider in the world,” she said.

The Dutch rider’s hugely superior mark of 82.4% for a demanding kur gave her an overall mark of 78.86% and a nearly 2% lead over her old rival, Germany’s Isabell Werth.

The pair have been in hot competition since Isabell won gold in Atlanta in 1996, but this was Anky’s night after Isabell’s enigmatic Satchmo again put in a violent disobedience in the piaffe-pirouette, and thereafter had some tense moments.

Anky said: “After my grand prix special, I thought the gold was gone, but then I realised that the competition was open again and, when Isabell made the mistake again, I knew I didn’t have to take all the risks.”

Germany took bronze too, a first individual medal for Heike Kemme, and the USA’s Steffan Peters just missed out in fourth, despite having the better freestyle.

Emma Hindle finished seventh on a final score of 72.34% after an upbeat and rousing performance, which scored 74.25%, later disclosing to a shocked audience that she had undergone surgery to remove an ovarian tumour in June.

“My team mates made me go for a check up, and it was the British team that got me back, because I couldn’t even walk at one stage. I’m not a good patient!

“So I’m proud of my horse, proud of my team, and proud of my friends.”

Anky van Grusven photo gallery

Emma Hindle photo gallery

Read Horse & Hound’s full report on the individual dressage competition, on sale 28 August ’08

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Isabell Werth brought the individual grand prix special dressage test at the Olympic Games to a dramatic conclusion when Satchmo reversed violently a few steps into a piaffe movement in front of the judges’ boxes.

The error may have cost her the individual gold medal, as before it occurred, she was scoring over 80% and would have established a lead of around 8% more than Anky van Grunsven.

Instead, the pair are now just 0.24pen apart and, knowing Anky’s renowned superiority in the freestyle, Isabell could see the gold medal disappear.

“I really don’t know what happened,” said Isabell, who put a brave front on what must be a devastating moment.

“I was really upset, but I knew I just had to hold it all together. It has cost me about about 8 or 9%.”

Heike Kemmer is in 3rd place for Germany on 72.96%, and many people would like to see her elegant appearances on Bonaparte rewarded with a first individual medal.

America’s Steffen Peters lies fourth on 71.8%, while the failure of some of the big names, such as Nadine Capellman who is only 17th with 67.24 on Elvis, to score higher, has given prominence to 2 new faces.

Russia’s Alexandra Korelova is 5th on her “pink” stallion, the former police horse Balagur, and Mexico’s Bernadette Vincent is 6th on Vincent.

Emma Hindle produced an excellent test, though perhaps not with quite the zest as her outstanding grand prix exhibition 3 nights earlier, and is lying 9th. She will be Britain’s sole representative in the freestyle on Tuesday.

Laura Bechtolsheimer was careful to keep cool before her test this time, only putting on her top hat and tails at the last minute and wearing cooling wristbands, but was disappointed to score only 67.16%, her only real mistake being a “miss” in the piaffe.

“I’m pretty disappointed with my mark — I would have expected around 70% for that — but I’m thrilled that I’ve come back into the ring and pulled off a good performance,” she said.

Olympic dressage photo gallery

Stay in touch with all the news from the dressage competition in Hong Kong on HorseandHound.co.uk

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Germany has won a third Olympic gold medal in Hong Kong, as the dressage team retained its unbeaten record since 1976, chiefly thanks to the supreme performance by anchorwoman Isabell Werth (pictured) whose test was a cheering climax to a hot and steamy evening.

The Netherlands is second, after a brave challenge from Anky van Grunsven, whose Salinero had a few shaky moments.

“A little calm would have been better, but this is Salinero,” shrugged Anky. “I forgot about the team gold medal, when neither of our first two horses were good enough. We had an unfortunate draw.

“I don’t like the new format [of three riders in a team], because you have some teams getting two riders on the first day, and others on the second, and if you have a disaster, the team if out. Let’s hope it’s the last year!”

With many horses performing below-par in 27-degree heat and 81% humidity, such as Jan Brink’s Briar (68.87%) and defending bronze medallist Debbie Macdonald’s Brentina (63%), Britain had a great chance to challenge Denmark for the bronze medal, especially as Emma Hindle was only overtaken by Anky and Isabell.

A medal looked a thrilling reality at the beginning of Laura Bechtolsheimer’s test. She began by scoring 73 and 74% for magnificent work, but Mistral Hojris was getting hot and became difficult to contain.

Laura, who was endearingly honest afterwards about being overwhelmed, lost her way in the piaffe-passage transition, ending up in the wrong place and was forced to do a half-circle to get back on track.

After this, the performance deteriorated to a final score of 65.91%, though, in 24th place, she does make the cut for the individual grand prix special on Saturday and a second chance to show what she undoubtedly can do.

“My hands were full and I lost my bearings,” admitted Laura. “I can’t really explain it. He was going for gold, but I wasn’t really with him.”

Britain thus finished sixth, behind the USA and Sweden, but the final team averages were actually very close, with Britain just 2% off bronze.

Olympic Games dressage photo gallery

Stay in touch with all the dressage action as it happens on HorseandHound.co.uk and in H&H magazine

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Emma Hindle has ridden the test of her life to lie in second place individually at the halfway stage in the Olympic team dressage competition in Hong Kong.

She scored 71.125% on the Thoroughbred stallion Lancet, and is only 1.1% behind Germany’s Heike Kemme on Bonaparte.

Emma’s superb performance, which caused the floodlit arena to erupt, prompted Chris Bartle, Britain’s most successful Olympic dressage rider thus far, to say: “I think my record is in danger. If Emma carries on like this, she’ll go all the way.”

“It’s one of my best ever,” confirmed Germany-based Emma, who wouldn’t be drawn on Britain’s team chances. “Our goal is a medal in 2012; this is a stepping stone.”

Third is Lancet’s former rider, the Netherlands’ Imke Schellekens-Bartles, who scored 70.87% on Sunrise. The mare got her tongue over the bit in the canter half-passes and, according to Imke, “felt a little affected by the heat”.

With two out of the three Dutch riders having performed under expectations — Hans Peter Minderhoud was unfortunate to be drawn first, and scored 69.62% for a seemingly faultless test — Germany, bar a lightening strike or a rider falling off, has gold in the bag already. Tomorrow’s riders, Nadine Capellman and Isabell Werth, are highly unlikely to score below 70%. The Germans are unbeaten in the Olympics since 1972.

“I think the medals are decided already, I’m afraid,” said Imke, a member of the team which at last beat Germany at last year’s Europeans. “We may be lucky to get one at all.”

The Americans also look dangerous, with Courtney King fourth on Mythilus on 70.45%.

And Britain’s chance of a medal relies on Laura Bechtolsheimer, who is under pressure to pull off something special tomorrow, after a below-par start by Jane Gregory on Lucky Star, who scored 63.3% — at least 5% below her usual standard.

“That was disappointing,” said Jane with admirable candour. “It was a combination of me perhaps trying too hard and him not being at his best. He’s a good horse, just not an amazing horse.”

Emma Hindle and Lancet photo gallery

Read Jane’s Olympic diary

Stay in touch with all the Olympic dressage news as it happens on Horseandhound.co.uk, and read H&H’s report, on sale 21 August, ’08

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Twelve years after her last British team appearance, at the Atlanta Olympics, Jane Gregory returns to the limelight as pathfinder for Britain’s dressage squad in Hong Kong when the team contest starts tomorrow at 7.15pm (Hong Kong time).

Jane rides the 16-year-old Danish-bred Lucky Star, on whom she scored a personal best of 72% at Lipica this year. A similar performance will be required under the steamy floodlights of Sha Tin if Britain is to have any chance of getting near the bronze medal.

The experiencd Emma Hindle is second to go on Lancet, and Olympic debutant Laura Bechtolsheimer is anchorwoman on the mighty Mistral Hojris.

Britain has never won an Olympic dressage medal — the best performance is still Chris Bartle’s sixth place on Wily Trout at Los Angeles in 1984.

Predicted rivals for the bronze slot are Denmark, headed by Andreas Helgstrand, this time on Don Schufro, Sweden, fielding the ultra-reliable Jan Brink and Briar, and the reigning bronze medallists, the USA, with everyone’s favourite, Debbie McDonald’s lovely mare Brentina.

Danish team manager Kimi Nielsen said: “We have great team spirit. They enjoy being together and do lots of fun things. We’re one big family.”

Britain is drawn fourth of the 11th teams, while one can’t help but wonder if the Netherlands’ chances of maintaining the momentum they gained in beating Germany at last year’s European Championship has already been scuppered by their being drawn first to go. Germany, the reigning champions, are 10th.

Olympic debutant Hans-Peter Minderhoud on Nadine is first into the arena, followed by Imke Schellekens-Bartels on Sunrise and defending individual champion Anky van Grunsven on Salinero.

Germany is represented by three seasoned Olympic riders, Heiki Kemmer (Bonaparte), Nadine Capellmann (Elvis VA) and Isabell Werth (Satchmo).

There are a record 22 nations entered, and China fields its first Olympic dressage participant, Lina Liu, who trains in Germany.

But under the new format, with only three riders to a team and therefore no luxury of a discount score, plus the levelling experience of extra heat and humidity — night time is almost worse than daytime here — not to mention a highly atmospheric floodlit arena, an especially gripping contest is predicted.

Stay in touch with all the news from the Olympic dressage competition on Horseandhound.co.uk and read H&H’s full report on all the action, on sale 21 August, ’08

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The British Olympic Association (BOA) has selected Laura Bechtolsheimer (pictured right), Emma Hindle and Jane Gregory (nee Bredin) to represent Britain in dressage at the Hong Kong Olympics this August.

Laura will contest her first Olympics riding her own and her father Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer’s Mistral Hojris.

The pair are Britain’s highest-scoring combination, having broken the international grand prix record at Olympia World Cup qualifier last December.

Laura said: “Our whole season has been focused on selection but to have it confirmed still feels surreal, it hasn’t sunk in.

Mistral Hojris is very special and I feel privileged to have a horse like him to take to my first Olympics.”

Team stalwart Emma Hindle partners her own stallion Lancet, with whom she was best of the British at the World Equestrian Games 2006 in Aachen.

Jane Gregory rides her partner Aram’s 16-year-old Lucky Star, whom she has had from a four-year-old. Jane returned to top international competition in the past two years, having last ridden at a major championship on Cupido at Atlanta 1996.

“I am in a state of shock,” she said of her selection. “My goal this year has been to improve my riding and my training. We’ve been enjoying our international success so much and never dared to hope we would be in contention for an Olympic team position.”

Richard Davison, British Team Captain said: “These riders have shown extremely good and consistent results throughout the season and I am confident we have a competitive team.”

The federation is yet to announce Britain’s travelling reserve.

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British dressage rider Emma Hindle kicked off her 2008 Olympic campaign with a grand prix special win at CDI Braunschweig, Germany (7-9 March) scoring 71.68%.

Riding Lancet on his first outing of 2008, Emma also finished third in the grand prix with 70.50%.

“At 15, Lancet is still getting better,” said Emma. “We had some small mistakes in the grand prix, but I rode him better in the special and he responded brilliantly.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (13 March, ’08)

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Germany’s Isabel Werth dominated the 23rd international Stuttgart German Masters show (15-17 November), taking the special on Satchmo and freestyle with Warum Nicht FRH.

Emma Hindle and Lancet led the British challenge. They finished third in the freestyle with 73.8%, improving on their 70.2% fourth position in the grand prix in their first show since the European championships.

Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris finished sixth in the special with 71.8%, moving up from eighth in the grand prix with 70.1%. Laura also rode Douglas Dorsey to finish seventh with 70.3% in the freestyle.

Anna Ross-Davies and Donald McTaggart’s Leibling II finished ninth in both the grand prix and freestyle.

Read H&H’s full report from Stuttgart CDI in tomorrow’s magazine (13 December, ’07)

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British Dressage selectors David Trott and Judy Harvey have chosen the four riders who will represent Great Britain at the European Championships in Turin (29 August-2 September).

They are:

• Carl Hester (Lecantos)
• Emma Hindle (Lancet)
• Fiona Bigwood (Mr G de Lully)
• Laura Bechtolsheimer (Mistral Hojris or Douglas Dorsey)

Britain will nominate a travelling reserve after Hickstead CDIO (25-29 July).

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The British ruled at CDI Stadl Paura, Austria (5-8 April). Emma Hindle scored 73.5% to win at grand prix riding Lancet and then took the special.

Emma was also delighted with Diamond Hit, who was second on his grand prix debut on 69.792%.

Fiona Bigwood headed the grand prix for the kr with Mr G De Lully on 70.125% and stormed the kr itself with 74.6%, scoring nines for his piaffe/passage.

International newcomer Anna Ross-Davies was third in the grand prix on 69.083% with Liebling. They were fourth in the special with 67.52% and are scoring eights for piaffe.

Annas next stop is Saumur for her British team debut.

Read this dressage report in full, plus reports from the cream of dressage shows around Britain, in this Thursday’s Horse & Hound (19 April, ’07)

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British number one ranked dressage rider Emma Hindle took the grand prix special at CDI Braunschweig, Germany last week (8-12 March) on her World Equestrian Games ride, Lancet.

Hindle, who is based in Germany, achieved her best grand prix special score to date with Lancet – an impressive 71.8%.

The show marked the pair’s first outing since the beginning of December. In the grand prix they scored 70.63% to take third position.

“Lancet has been getting better and better and has been giving me a very positive feeling at home,” said Emma who is trained by Kyra Kyrklund and Richard White.

“I was disappointed with the grand prix as I did not get that same feeling and we made a small mistake, but we still earned more than 70%. In the special, I had him a little sharper and it worked a treat.”

Fiona Bigwood, who is also based in Germany, finished third in the grand prix freestyle and sixth in the grand prix with Mr G De Lully.

Read Horse & Hound’s full report from CDI Braunschweig in 22 March magazine

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Britain’s number one ranked dressage combination, Emma Hindle and Lancet, made an impressive spectacle at the Stuttgart CDI in Germany this weekend (16 – 19 November). The pair earned their best scores to date, gaining 71.542% in the grand prix and 74.15% in the grand prix freestyle, finishing second and fifth respectively.

Emma performed a new kür for the first time. Designed with Lancet’s flashy movements in mind, the routine is set to a mix of Madonna music. “The grand prix was super,” she said afterwards, “I rode well and Lancet went well.”

Finnish rider Kyra Kyrklund, who is based in Britain, won both classes with Max. The pair broke the 80% mark in the grand prix freestyle. Nevertheless Hindle was delighted with 13-year-old Lancet’s performance. “In the freestyle, he was on form, but I lost concentration and let him down a little,” she said. “I would give us 10 for our artistic mark and entertainment value and four for the technical score; the audience seemed to have a lot of fun watching it, especially when Lancet did his flying changes to Madonna singing Push Me.”

The pair, who are based in Germany at the Brookhouse Stud will now start working towards their next big competition in Sweden next month. “We will go back to the drawing board for my next freestyle in Stockholm [1-3 December], but at least I know we are on the right track,” she explained.

Another British rider based in Germany, Fiona Bigwood, who only returned to competition last month after a break of nearly a year, also scored well. Bigwood finished fourth in the grand prix on 70.875% riding the 13-year-old 16.1hh Swedish-bred gelding Mr G de Lully.

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Emma Hindle and Chequille Z made an impressive international debut at the inaugural Flyinge CDI in Sweden, reports Sarah Jenkins. Emma was second in the prix st georges with plus-71% on the seven-year-old Holsteiner stallion, despite his lack of mileage. The pair went on to finish third in the intermediaire I.

Manor Farm

Tina Atkins and Swayze II enjoyed a return to form in the grand prix at Manor Farm, Cambridgeshire, reports Ruth Pearce. Tina also took top spot in the prix st georges with 68.5% on Holme Park Karachi. Elaine Hoeg and Academy Award led the advanced 103 on their first attempt at the level.

Kathy Young won the intermediaire I on Eastfield Aristocraat, while polished performances from Sue Carson and Beverley Brightman in the freestyles saw both rewarded with high scores and double wins. Sue took the novice and elementary music on eight-year-old Hulland Showtime. Beverley led the medium and advanced medium music on David and Catherine Witt’s Don Hill.

Patchetts

Surgeon Jenny Gattuso won two classes at Patchetts in Hertfordshire, reports Ruth Pearce. Jenny led the advanced medium 86 on Inishmore II and the novice 21 open section on LA Polar Star.

Riding to the sounds of T-Rex and jazzy music from Jools Holland, farrier Trevor Downham showed a clean pair of heels to the rest in the medium music on Champus. Deborah Collins and her Russian Budenny, Cajrat, headed the grand prix.

Sian Sheridan and the nine-year-old Westphalian, Keystone Rubin, dominated at elementary level with a double success. The pair led the music as well as scoring 76% in the elementary 44.

Frys Dressage

Clive Halsall completed winter qualification on his own and Lady Reay’s Robilac Irresistible by winning the medium qualifier at Frys with the home-bred stallion, reports Jo Prestwich.

Rebecca Lea, who works for Laura Fry, won the elementary with Jamaika, while Mary Leak, a recent convert to dressage, won both the advanced 100 and advanced medium qualifier with Wellington Livingstone. Louise Oldroyd won both the prelim qualifier and the novice with her own British-bred Scandalous.

Read these reports in full, including analysis and pictures, plus reports from Hand Equisport, Wellington Riding, Gordon Dressage Group, Faraway RC, Kingswood EC, Sharsholt College and VLB Dressage in this Thursday’s issue of Horse & Hound (19 October, ’06)

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Emma Hindle and Brookhouse Stud’s chestnut stallion Wie Weltmeyer made a special trip from their base in Germany to prove their worth as the lynchpin of the British team for Athens at the senior selection trial at Addington Manor Premier League.

The partnership performed an effortless test, ridden with total commitment to win on a score of 72.2%, in spite of two mistakes.

“He was really on form today — a star,” said Emma. “However, I took a few too many risks, like in the last trot extension — I asked too much and he lost his footing.

“He is now a very established grand prix horse so I don’t need to train the movements so much, but it is important to keep him mentally happy and gauge the build-up to each show so that he peaks for the competition. He can hold that for five or six days and then I carefully let him down again.”

A compulsory showing of the short-listed combinations in the FEI grand prix test at Addington Premier League was an element of the British Dressage selection procedure for the forthcoming Athens Olympics. As might be expected, the first nine places went to the short-listed combinations but the order must pose some salient questions for the selectors.

Emma and Wie Weltmeyer have already fulfilled the main criteria for selection, which requires good results at international shows under FEI international judges, after a successful winter season abroad culminating in securing a place in the highly competitive World Cup final in Düsseldorf.

Peter Storr and Gambrinus had everything to go for — and they did, coming home in second place. Returning to competition after an almost uninterrupted break following the World Equestrian Games in 2002 due to injury, they repeated their form from The College Premier League show, earning their second place on a score of 70.7%.

Nicola McGivern, riding Active Walero, and current Mercedez-Benz National Champions Richard Davison and Ballaseyr Royale were in third and fourth places respectively with only 0.4% between them.

For Nicola, it was a nightmarish repeat of their last premier league outing, with Walero napping before the start of the test. Tension was evident in the first part of the test, before Walero’s talent and quality shone through for them to hold on to third place.

The new pair on the scene, businessman Wayne Channon and the Ferro stallion Lorenzo, are short-listed for a British team for the first time, and came a commendable fifth. The combination, who looked at ease with each other and confident at the level, produced a flowing, mistake-free test.

Olympic contenders Carl Hester and Escapado were missing from the line-up because Escapado is sidelined with a badly bruised sole, but it is hoped that he will recuperate in time to be in consideration for the team.

Chairman of selectors David Trott said: “The selection is not the closed shop that everyone thinks and the results today have made it a far more open team than people were prepared to consider.

“However, international results carry most weight; Emma has proved herself again and again in this respect. Other combinations will now compete abroad before our final decision, which must be made by the 1 June. Our intention is that Aachen will then be a dress rehearsal for Athens.”

• Read the full report from the Addington Manor Premier League, sponsored by Belstane Marketing, in the current issue of Horse & Hound (13 May 04)

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Emma Hindle made a successful return to the FEI World Cup qualifying series in Neumunster, Germany at the weekend, where she was the highest placed non-German rider in fifth.

Emma and Wie Weltmeyer made a fantastic start to the series, before taking a mid-term break. She now shares equal fourth place in the overall standings with Holland’s Anky van Grunsven on 57 points.

Unsurprisingly, German riders dominated the event with Hubertus Schmidt and Wansuela Suerte taking their second FEI World Cup qualifier of the season.

“I was very happy with Wansuela here”, said Hubertus Schmidt. “She was hot at the beginning but the canter work felt very good and we worked well to the music.”

Hubertus has now almost certainly booked a ticket for April’s FEI World Cup Dressage Final in Dsseldorf, alongside rankings leader Heike Kemmer. This leaves one other place at the final for a German rider, as the rules only allow three riders per nation to compete.

Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff is back in the hunt for that last qualifying position after her lovely mare Wahajama-Unicef showed growing maturity for second place in Neumunster, just half a point over Isabell Werth’s Apache.

Isabell Werth was pleased with Apache’s performance, saying: “There were a few little mistakes, but I am so happy with his development this season. Of course there are things to improve, but I feel he is heading the right way.”

She is in a strong position in third in the overall standings, but with Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff close behind, both ladies must compete in the last qualifier, Indoor Brabant, on 25-28 March to decide which of them goes forward to the final.

The surprise of the competition was newcomer Isabel von Wendorff’s fourth place on Legacy. The local rider on the 11-year-old Holstein gelding she bred and trained herself made the most of her opportunity to ride at this show, especially as she had just one week’s notice.

Twelve starters scored more than 70%, and the winner, on 77.81, was a unanimous verdict but as the sell out crowd produced a huge atmosphere – standing ovations have become the in thing this year – there were no faultless tests.

Judge at ‘H” Volker Moritz said: “It was a very exciting class, but the standard was not as high as we expected. The winner, Wansuela Suerte, can earn 80% when she is really good. She got better, and better as the test went on, but she was tense in the beginning. Wahajama-Unicef did a good job today, it is all coming together.”

Current league standings

1, Heike Kemmer (GER) 72;

2, Hubertus Schmidt (GER) 64;

3, Isabell Werth (GER) 58;

=4, Emma Hindle (GBR) and Anky van Grunsven (NED) 57;

6, Sven Rothenberger (NED) 46;

7, Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff (GER) 41;

8, Edward Gal (NED) 39;

9, Louise Nathhorst (SWE) 37;

10, Nicole Ahlefeldt Laurvig-Lehn (DEN) 35.

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