Gareth Hughes marked his return to the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships in style, blowing the competition out of the water in Magic prix st georges (PSG) gold riding the talented 10-year-old stallion Morricone III to score 74.51%.

He and the Millennium son were almost four per cent clear of Claire Abel and her own GF Sezuki with 70.59%, while Bryony Goodwin and David and Serena Pincus’ Sheepcote Just Daisy earned third place with 70.54%.

Morricone III, owned by Flamboyant Dressage Stud, is relatively new to the level but produced a mistake-free test to see off the competition.

“This is a particularly difficult arena to ride in; everything is so close,” Gareth said. “He was quite nervous going in, but he tried hard not to make a mistake. And he didn’t.

“He really stayed with me and has that good balance of high-quality collection and extension. So, with a mistake-free test, we got some great marks.”

This is still a relatively new partnership, and Gareth said there’s much more to come from Morricone.

“I see no reason why he’s not going to be a star of the future. I’m hoping next year we’ll be ready for grand prix. He shows all the attributes we want, and when they look like he does, it helps.”

Having spent a couple of years “regrouping”, Gareth has a string full of talent and promise.

“I had Mowgli-Olympia MC come out at grand prix at Hartpury a couple of weeks ago – he’s only nine,” he said.

“I have Lufada MVL at grand prix too, and Morricone now, who’s snapping at their heels.

“We were trying to work out how long it’s been since I last competed at the winters. I remember it was at Solihull, so it must have been about 20 years.

“So, here’s me thinking I was going to slow down and I’ve nearly got a stronger set of horses than ever.”

Equi-Trek elementary silver: “We’ve evolved together”

Sophie Lee-Amies rode a clear round on the D’Avie daughter River Rise Ooo LaLa in the Equi-Trek elementary silver to top the podium with 72.68%.

Next in line was Imogen Swann on Podrick Van Den Overwinning with 71.16%, while Ellen Glover and Morricone’s Love MFS came third with 70.25%.

“I’ve never won anything like this before,” an overjoyed Sophie told H&H. “We came third at the summer nationals at novice but this is our biggest achievement so far.”

Sophie works for Sadie Smith, based at the yard of Sarah-Tyler Evans, who bred “Ola”.

“I never thought I’d be lucky enough to have a horse like her,” Sophie said. “But, due to the kindness of Sarah and my parents, we managed to get the funds together, and we were able to buy her.”

Sophie added that that when the partnership began around two years ago, she and Ola were “quite green”.

“We’ve evolved together,” she said. “We’ve both been nervous, and she does get a bit scared coming into big arenas like this, but today she was much more confident.

“Every time we go out, we gain confidence as a partnership.”

Sophie trains with Sadie, who won the Baileys Horse Feeds novice freestyle gold earlier in the day, and said she is “really lucky” to have Sadie’s support.

“She comes to all the shows with me and helps me warm up; she was there at the warm-up today, even though she had to get on a horse straight after.

“She’s always incredibly supportive. I’m really lucky to have her as a mentor.”

Winter Petplan Area Festival Championships: “He’s a show horse who got too good at dressage”

Freya Baldwin and nine-year-old gelding Hoghton Maverick are new to PSG, but took on the challenge to win their first championship sash.

Freya and “William” scored 68.48%, followed by Jenna Roddy and 14-year-old Tim with 67.5%. Jennifer Harkness and her mare Inouk came third with 66.96%.

“He only did his first PSG in December, so we didn’t expect this,” Freya said.

“I’ve had him since he was three and backed him myself. He was a show horse as a four- and five-year-old, but then he got a bit good at dressage.”

Freya said that before she owned William, she had ridden up to medium level, and the pair had moved up the levels together in a snaffle.

“He’s quite sensitive in his mouth and never strong,” she explained. “He’s in the softest, rubber snaffle you could possibly imagine.”

Although she didn’t feel the test was perfect, Freya, who trains with Hayley Colwell and Becky Moody, was “over the moon” with the result.

“Obviously, there are still things to work on; we’re still a bit green,” she said. “But I’m so pleased. He’s a good boy who works hard, and we have grand prix as our long-term aim.”

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DV Stenkjers Nadonna, the horse with whom Gareth Hughes made his championship debut, has died aged 28.

Jane Brewin and Kevin Sparrow’s Donnerschlag mare helped Britain to team bronze at the 2013 European Championships in Herning and team silver at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen, forming a key part of a resurgent British dressage squad in the years following the London Olympics.

“She might have been small in stature – she wasn’t a big mare – but she had a huge personality and a huge heart,” Gareth said. “She was a real fighter for you in the arena.”

DV Stenkjers Nadonna was not always destined for Gareth. Roland Tong had first competed her, and later Pippa Fisher took her to grand prix. Jane had moved the chestnut powerhouse to Gareth’s yard, where Roland continued to ride her for a period, and after Pippa’s stint, Nadonna found herself without a regular rider.

“I literally started riding her because Jane didn’t have anyone to exercise her,” Gareth said. “It wasn’t like we said, ‘Right, we’re going for teams.’ It was always one step at a time.

“You never really know what you’ve got until they’re at grand prix – and even then, you don’t know until they’ve done a few.

“She had a real talent for collection. So much expression and power in a small frame – she never felt small to ride. She filled the arena.”

Their first championship came with barely any warning; originally named reserve for Herning, Gareth received the call just 20 hours before the horses were due to leave for Denmark: he was on the team.

“It was my first team, her first team. We were just thrown in at the deep end,” Gareth said.

A challenging championship debut

Herning was a baptism of fire. DV Stenkjers Nadonna, sensitive to atmosphere, took fright in the first halt and remained unsettled. The pair finished on 60.87%. But Britain won team bronze, and Gareth handled the day with perspective.

“It was yin and yang,” he said at the time. “Collectively, it was the best day of my career – I had a medal. Individually, it was tough.”

A year later in Caen, things were different. Nadonna rose to the occasion, but there were still some heart-in-mouth moments.

Nadonna again threatened to spin in the first halt, trending just above 50%, before Gareth quietly gathered her together and began clawing back the marks.

She finished on 69.71%, producing a relaxed, ground-covering walk – “worlds apart” from Herning – and holding her nerve when it mattered.

“She was delicate and as nervous going down the centre line as at the Europeans, but this time she was able to hold it together and listen,” Gareth said. “She has such strength of character – she was great in that huge arena.”

A special partnership with her owner

Throughout her championship career, Nadonna remained very much Jane’s horse in every sense.

Jane rode Nadonna every weekend, travelling down from London to spend time with her. Only in the fortnight before a major competition would Gareth take over completely.

“Jane would ride her Saturday and Sunday, just enjoy her,” he said. “Then two weeks before a big show, I’d say, ‘Right, I need her now,’ and I’d ride her through until the championship. That was the routine for her whole career.”

When Nadonna retired in 2015, she had outstripped every early expectation.

“When we started, we didn’t expect we’d end up at a Europeans or a World Championships,” Gareth said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for what she’s given us. She outdid all our expectations, and each step forward was very special.”

DV Stenkjers Nadonna’s life in retirement

After she retired, she returned home to Buckinghamshire, later moving to Headmore Stud, where she became a firm but much-loved herd matriarch – happily bossing the youngsters and enjoying a steady supply of carrots.

A two-time championship medallist, talented and at times gloriously temperamental, Nadonna’s legacy is woven into a defining chapter of British dressage history. Those who watched her in Caen will remember riding every stride with Gareth – willing her down the centre line, on the edge of their seats, scarcely daring to breathe.

“She’ll certainly never be forgotten,” Gareth added.

Jane and Kevin told H&H: “We would like to thank Gareth , Roland Tong and Pippa Fisher for competing her, and everybody who made her life as joyous as possible.”

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You can guarantee that every equestrian has, at some point during a competition, had that sinking feeling when something hasn’t gone to plan. Poles fall, unexpected run-outs can happen, or not nailing a still square halt can lose valuable marks. If this means missing out on a top placing, or a win, this can result in a long drive home thinking of the “what ifs” and a shattered competitive mindset.

Riders know more than most that things don’t always follow the script – and while one unfortunate result might be put down to an unlucky day and brushed off, when these start to become regular occurrences it can soon become disheartening.

Consultant clinical psychologist with Changing Minds Dr Duncan Law, who has worked with top sports athletes, explains that when people are driven in sport, losing can be emotionally difficult.

“That’s not what you go into the sport to do,” he says. “But it depends on what you define as losing. For some it might not be about whether you’re on the podium or not. It might be your view that you’re competing against yourself rather than against other people. If that’s your drive, then that’s easier to manage.

“However, if you perceive loss as failure, then there will usually be a negative emotional response. At its extremes, the negative emotional response can become intolerable and you become highly avoidant.

“But if you don’t reflect on the loss, then you can’t learn from what you didn’t get right in the competition and maybe the one before that, leading to thinking you’ve had a losing streak, and you can’t improve.”

And Duncan says the other extreme is where people think too much about the loss.

“They do the learning bit, but carry on worrying about it, rather than using the learning to help them perform better,” he says. “We might call those people overthinkers – they can’t leave it behind and it’s there with them when they start the next competition.

“The ones who do well are those who are between these two extremes – they can manage the emotional pain of loss to reflect and learn in order to focus on what they need to do to perform better in the next event.”

Competitive mindset fluctuations “are normal”

Winning in horse sport is rare – take any top rider’s record and you’ll likely see far more losses than victories, and dressage rider Gareth Hughes says runs of bad luck are common at all levels.

“We put our heart and soul into horses, so when it goes wrong, you can sometimes get into a dark hole,” he says. “We all have days where we have a great ride and think ‘That’s it, I’m off to the next Olympics.’

“And the next day you think, ‘I can’t even canter, it’s too difficult and I don’t know why I’m doing this.’ It’s normal to go through these periods.”

“Confidence comes through getting things right; when you have more bad rides than good, it’s very hard to get your confidence back. And with horses, it’s a sport that you as a rider can get everything right and it still goes wrong – that’s where horses are extremely grounding.

“If you find you’re not doing well all the time, there is a point where you just sort of think, why bother?”

When this happens, Gareth believes taking a step back can be necessary to move forward.

“Step back until you find a place where the confidence comes back, then move forward again. Training horses is like a graph that’s going up and down, but you’re hoping through time, you just get that gentle improvement,” he says, adding that it’s helpful to focus on that improvement, rather than the placing.

“In dressage, if your personal best is 65% and you come out and score 66% and place 15th, that’s still your gold medal. If you’ve been averaging 70% but you win the class on 65%, that’s not an improvement,” he says.

Success, controllables and processes

Dr Chris Beaumont, a senior sports psychologist with Changing Minds who has worked with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, asks people what they define as success.

“Sometimes people can go into competitions without being really clear about what they are trying to achieve,” he says. “Having clarity on your goals and expectations is really important to help the performance.

“Sport is about outcomes, but the thing about outcomes is that they’re not controllable. Often, people allow these uncontrollable things to have a huge impact on their emotions, which can be positive and negative.

“If you win, you get a great high, but when you lose you can have great lows, but those emotions are both connected to an uncontrollable factor.”

To combat this, Chris recommends thinking about the factors you are in control of and to focus on the “three Ps”: preparation, planning and processes.

“I will ask people, ‘Are you really clear on your preparation and what do you need to be as successful as possible? That might be in your training. Then, ‘What’s your plan – are you clear in what you are trying to achieve?’

“Then think about processes; the things that you can do that you’re in control of to give the best chance to be successful. That could be focusing on how you start in a competition, to the various phases.

“If you nail your preparation, be clear on your plans and understand your processes, you set yourself up in the best position for success.”

Preparation leads to a confident competitive mindset

Event rider Pippa Funnell, who describes herself as an overthinker and has been open about confidence issues during her career, places a huge emphasis on preparation.

“What gives me the most confidence is trusting my system, and that system is leaving no stone unturned,” she says. “For example, I know my horses all at some stage have experience of running in the wet ground, because I don’t want to go into a big three-day where the going is tough and I think this horse has never experienced this.

“During a competition you don’t want to be going, ‘I wish I’d done that in the preparation.’ If you know that’s covered, then you can go in with so much more confidence.

“But there are also situations where you have to turn things into a positive. I had a fall and had a plaster on my leg for two-and-a-half weeks before the first Badminton that Supreme Rock won. I had completely the wrong preparation, but you have to turn things into a positive rather than dwell, my positive was that I was going into Badminton well rested.”

But Pippa says it’s human nature to lose confidence at some stage.

“You can lose your confidence in many ways. It might not be from a bad result or a fall, it might be that you’ve had an injury and you’re riding in pain, or you’ve had a run of horses with soundness issues, and you lose confidence in the way you ride them,” she explains.

“When I’ve lost confidence, which I have many times, I’ve fallen into the trap of losing belief in my judgement. It can be easy to ask lots of people for advice and you go away from trying to work it out for yourself.

“But I’ve found huge strength in analysing why something’s gone wrong, or it’s consistently going wrong, and very often that links back to somewhere in your training or the basics.”

Australian five-star event rider turned coach, Paul Tapner, enjoyed plenty of highs during his competition career, but he experienced his share of challenges. He believes a common factor among successful riders is having resilience.

“Anybody who is successful has this in bucketloads,” he says. “You might only remember a famous rider for all their successes, but statistically they’ll have been more unsuccessful.

“One example is jockey AP McCoy. He might have been the most winning rider for how ever many years, but if you look at it from the other perspective, he was also the rider of the most losers in as many years. It doesn’t matter how successful you are, you have to have that resilience to be able to look at it positively.”

Paul says being adaptable to different situations is key to overcoming hurdles.

“I would start on plan A, but normally end up at plan Z by the end of every season,” he says. “I have many stories where things haven’t gone to plan, but it can make you stronger, if you’re willing to learn from it.

“There’s a famous saying: ‘The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over but expecting different results.’ You have to be willing to constantly assess and tweak what you’re doing to get a little bit better every time.

“It doesn’t need to be massive changes, but don’t be so stubborn that you get stuck in your way of doing something and think that that should get results.”

“No failure, only feedback”

Sports psychology coach Debbie Hill of Ahead For Life, who works with equestrians across disciplines including Olympic dressage rider Abi Lyle, practises a “no failure, only feedback” approach. And when helping riders, one technique she uses is the “mental strength triangle”.

“This triangle is made up of motivation, focus and emotional balance,” Debbie explains. “Motivation is around your values and beliefs; if you believe you’re going to be rubbish or fall off, that’s what’s going to happen. So believe that you are able to do this, because you’ve done the training for it. And the value is that it makes you happy.

“Then if we consider the focus part, that’s knowing what you want to achieve and the process to do it. For example, knowing how you’re going to ride the course, or test, and visioning linking the fences or movements together.

“The emotional balance is about what went on in the past and what’s going to happen in the future. We need to stay in the present and believe that we can do that today, by focusing on that process.”

When feeling nervous, Debbie recommends focusing on your peripheral vision.

“We tend to focus on what’s in front of us and this kick-starts that fight, flight or freeze mechanism. Try allowing your eyes to slide out to the side and think about everything you can see. This helps the body believe that everything is OK,” she says.

Showjumper Jodie Hall McAteer has been working with mindset coach Poppy Blandford for the past four years.

“It’s made a massive difference to my outlook. When I started competing on the Global Champions Tour, I got exposed to the top level very quickly, and it was a new kind of intensity and pressure,” she says. “Getting mindset help gave me the tools I needed to manage that and not to get fixated on the results.

“You can get a bit despondent when things aren’t going your way and if you’re struggling at any point, it’s so important to get help.”

How to deal with the unique mindset demands of showing

Showing exerts different pressures to the Olympic disciplines. In showjumping, for example, an unlucky pole down might be comprehensible in a rider’s head, but not being placed in showing can feel more personal. Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Krissie Ivings of Aspire Rider Confidence & Hypnotherapy – and author of Tame the Chimp, Shoot the Parrot & Silence the Mouse – says that subjective sports can be more challenging.

“It’s one person’s opinion on the day – and it is hard, especially if you think that’s unfair or biased. But there’s no reason to assume it’s deliberate bias just because your type of horse isn’t the one the judges are looking for,” says Dr Krissie.

“If you are going to do showing it’s really important that you don’t link your worth to your results. You need to be able to focus on process and let go of outcomes.

“The process is turning your horse out to the best of your ability, showing off his attributes, making sure they are well schooled for the ride judge – focus on all the different elements that make up what makes a good show horse.

“If you put all the pieces together as well as you possibly can, and you ride as well as you can on the day, then whatever happens happens – if people are better than you on the day, they’re better than you. You can still do really well and not place.

“Letting go of outcomes is even more important in disciplines where it’s subjective as the outcome is someone’s opinion. But it’s also useful to be open to feedback, because judges will have a reason for the decision they make.”

Top showing producer and judge Vikki Smith encourages riders not to focus on the placing or qualification.

“My motto is that I’m really happy with my horses in the yard, I know where they are at in their training and experience and I go to a show with the target that as long as my horse goes well on the day, then the result is an added extra,” she says.

“I had a recent result where one of my horses was second, but I think ‘I still only want to take him home’. As long as you’re happy with your horse that’s all you can do. People can become obsessed with chasing a ticket, and sometimes you’ve got to think, ‘Why did I start riding?’ and remember why they enjoy it.”

Horses will be horses, and when those unfortunate moments do happen in the ring, Vikki says it’s important to remember that it’s likely to have happened at some stage to those watching too.

“We all think that because we’re being judged inside the ring, that we’re being judged outside it too. You’ve got to have quite a thick skin to be involved in showing,” she says, adding a rider’s back-up team is just as important in showing as other disciplines.

“I have a dressage trainer, and I have my mum who is good on the ground and a good critic for me. I think everyone needs some help and backup.”

3 tips for dealing with competition nerves

Box breathing: a relaxation technique. Inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for four, exhale through your mouth for four, hold your breath for four. Then repeat.

Cognitive distraction: using your mind to think about neutral things to keep out negative thoughts at bay. As an example, pick a colour and count how many items of this colour you can see around you.

Progressive muscle relaxation: to help reduce stress and anxiety. Tune into different parts of your body and practise tensing and relaxing your muscles one by one.

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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

On the latest episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, Gareth Hughes shares the highs, setbacks and hard-earned lessons of building a professional riding career – and offers career advice to the next generation of aspiring dressage riders.

When Gareth first arrived in Britain in his early 20s, success in dressage seemed a distant dream. To stay afloat, he clipped horses, showed Arabians, taught lessons – anything he could.

“You think if you work hard, the horses, the success, the money will come,” Gareth says. “But it doesn’t. And it never happens as quickly as you expect.”

Born in the UK but raised in Australia, Gareth returned to Britain without a network or a clear plan.

“I hadn’t grown up here. I didn’t know anyone. I felt like I was going round in circles, not sure if I was even on the right track.”

A defining moment came after a trip home to Australia.

“I’d half-decided to stay there,” he recalls. “But when I got back to the UK, I opened my post – and I’d been put on the World Class Programme. That was the sign. That changed everything.”

Even then, the path wasn’t all plain sailing.

“The reality is, you fail a lot on the way up,” Gareth says. “If you’re pushing for something, it’s normal to feel self-doubt and anxiety. Success doesn’t come from avoiding that. It comes from learning how to carry on through it.”

Dressage career advice: why success takes longer – and harder work – than you think

Today, Gareth sees new pressures on young riders, particularly from social media.

“You only see the good stuff,” he says. “You don’t see the early mornings, the setbacks, the days you want to quit. It’s easy to think everyone else has it sorted – and that you’re failing if you don’t.”

In reality, he says, progress is slow and messy – and that’s perfectly normal.

“You don’t earn a living from competing. You earn it through the work at home: the coaching, the yard work, the everyday graft. That’s what pays your bills.”

Now, Gareth’s daughter Ruby is forging her own career, but even with support, Gareth and his wife Rebecca have stressed the same values: patience, graft, and building horses from scratch.

“We can’t afford to go out and buy the ready-made horses,” Gareth says. “Ruby’s had to learn to train her own. And honestly, that’s better. It teaches you what really matters.”

His advice to young riders?

“Find a yard. Muck in. Work hard. Take every opportunity. If you love it enough, you’ll find a way. It’s not glamorous – but that’s what makes it real.”

And if you’re still waiting for that breakthrough?

“I didn’t really get going until I was 27, 28,” Gareth says. “I was into my 30s before anything big happened. You don’t need to have it all by 22. Just keep showing up. That’s the secret.”

To hear Gareth Hughes’ full interview – including his career advice for aspiring dressage riders and thoughts on the pressures of social media – listen to episode 164 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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On our 164th episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is supported by Agria this month, we hear from Gareth Hughes, who is one of Britain’s top dressage riders, with countless championship appearances to his name. Gareth speaks to Horse & Hound dressage editor Oscar Williams about the all-new FEI dressage working group, tips for new riders starting out, and how the world of dressage has shifted over the years. We hope you enjoy listening.

Episode 164 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is supported by Agria this month, is now live.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

• View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

On this episode, we hear from Gareth Hughes, who is one of Britain’s top dressage riders, with countless championship appearances to his name.

Gareth speaks to Horse & Hound dressage editor Oscar Williams about the all-new FEI dressage working group, tips for new riders starting out, and how the world of dressage has shifted over the years.

• We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 164

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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

Medal-winning British rider Gareth Hughes has been named in a group tasked with reviewing the current state of dressage – and developing an action plan to take it forward.

Gareth, who was on the team that won European gold in 2023, and world silver in 2022, with Classic Briolinca, joins others with a “wealth of expertise, to address challenges and opportunities facing the sport today”.

“The FEI has created a dedicated working group tasked with developing a comprehensive strategic action plan for dressage, aimed at establishing a clear vision, realigning objectives, and creating actionable plans to enhance dressage at all levels,” an FEI spokesperson said.

The group will be chaired by George Williams, former president of the US Dressage Federation, US Equestrian youth dressage coach and high performance and pathway development advisor.

Joining George and Gareth will be former Olympic, world and European champion Monica Theodorescu, the first woman to be Germany’s national dressage coach, Raphael Saleh, who was president of the ground jury at the Paris Olympics, and six-time Olympian Kyra Kyrklund, who is vice-president of the International Dressage Riders Club.

The final two members are Klaus Roeser, chair of the German equestrian federation’s dressage committee and European Equestrian Federation board member, and Lise Berg, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen’s department of veterinary clinical sciences.

“Dressage should be built on balanced, ethical training resulting in freedom of movement, ease in transitions and harmony between horse and rider, with no place for tension or resistance,” said FEI dressage director Ronan Murphy.

“Our focus now is to embed these principles in the FEI rule book and ensure they are applied consistently in training and competition, always putting horse welfare first. The working group’s task is to turn these ideals into everyday practices, prioritising the wellbeing of horses as we move forward with future proposals and format changes.”

Mr Murphy said the group members were carefully selected for their expertise, and “profound understanding of dressage”.

“This diverse group represents a cross-section of the community, ensuring a broad range of perspectives,” he said. “Their collective knowledge and vision will be instrumental in shaping a strategic plan that not only addresses the current challenges in the sport but also ensures the wellbeing of our horses, incorporates stakeholder feedback, and positions dressage for long-term success.”

One of the group’s first jobs will be to “carry out a comprehensive review of the current state of dressage”. Members will consider feedback from stakeholders ahead of and during a stakeholders’ meeting on 1 October last year, and sort suggestions into “well-defined focus areas for targeted action”.

“Central to their efforts will be prioritising equine ethics and wellbeing, with the equine ethics and wellbeing action plan serving as a guiding framework for key initiatives,” the spokesperson said.

“Additionally, the group will work on creating a repository of relevant scientific research, consulting with veterinary experts to create an accessible information resource for stakeholders. To further enhance the sport’s integrity, the working group will propose future rule revisions, with immediate attention on partial updates for 2025 and the 2026 full rules revision for dressage.”

The group will report “regularly” to the FEI board and dressage technical committee and stakeholder groups. Members will make a presentation to the FEI sports forum on 31 March.

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Gareth Hughes and his team have paid tribute to their superstar Classic Briolinca, who has died at the age of 18.

The Trento B mare, owned by Julia Hornig and Gareth and Rebecca Hughes, suffered complications related to colic last week and could not be saved. She had retired in May, on her 18th birthday.

She and Gareth were on the team that won silver at the 2022 World Championships, and European gold a year later, and achieved wins and top placings across Europe.

“She was an out-and-out princess,” Gareth told H&H. “She was a supermodel, she’d wake up in the mornings with her mane, forelock and tail all perfect.

“She knew who she was and where her place was in the yard. She was a beautiful face to see every day, and she was part of the family. It’s been tough for everyone.”

Classic Briolinca as a young horse

Briolinca arrived as a three-year-old; Julia and Rebecca spotted her in the Netherlands and brought her home.

“I knew she was good; she looked like she wanted to be a grand prix horse from when she was a youngster,” Gareth said. “She wasn’t the biggest mover but she found collection so easy. Her highlight as a grand prix horse was the technical lines; the really hard collected ones.

“We always knew she was special but you never really know because what makes them is their heart and their try. There’s a big difference between training a horse to grand prix and having a grand prix horse.”

Gareth said Briolinca had her quirks at the start, and suffered from nerves for a while.

“But when I went down that centre line, I knew she had my back and I had hers,” he said. “I remember Compiegne in 2019, that was when she really stepped up to being a world-class dressage horse. She got a really high score and won the special; that was when I thought she’d stepped up to the big time, and she became one of the main team horses of British dressage.”

Gareth and Briolinca were in the team that summer for the Europeans in Rotterdam, and he remembers being called up from the warm-up to the arena for his test.

“When we got to the gate, there was a hold-up of about 15 seconds, which doesn’t sound long but is a long time when you’re ready to go in,” he said. “There was no where to go but she stood like a rock. I had a plan of how I was going to go in but she just went in, and I picked up canter and thought ‘We’re good’. I knew at that point we’d be fine, and she was ‘Ok, this is important now’.

“This is what these horses do, step up and give you something extra. You’d go to a local competition to run through the grand prix and she’d be ‘I’ll go through the motions but this isn’t exciting; where are the people?’ then they step up when it’s really important – and when they do, time stops.”

A highlight in the World Championships 2022 freestyle test

Gareth picked his freestyle at the 2022 worlds, when they scored a personal best to finish fifth with a beautiful test, as a highlight.

“She had an amazing career with so many highlights but that freestyle was probably the best test we ever did,” he said. “You don’t have these moments in a championship very often but I remember coming round to my last line and having time to look at the crowd – it was a foot-perfect test, right to the music, and she felt unbelievable.

“If you’re lucky enough to have a ride like that at a championship and can enjoy it and have time to take it in, it’s the most amazing feeling. That’s what we live for. That’s a real partnership and when all those years of hard work come to fruition.”

Gareth paid tribute to Julia for her support on Briolinca’s long journey, and all the other people who loved her.

“She was a horse people fell in love with, who people wanted to meet when they came here,” he said. “It’s always sad, but she wasn’t just special to us, she was special to people who had met her and watched her compete – when you lose a horse like that, there’s a big hole.”

Classic Briolinca had her own “private PA”

Gareth also said Briolinca had her own “private PA”, in his groom Steph Sharples who looked after her all the way through.

Steph told H&H the horse she first met was a sassy youngster.

“We weren’t friends at first!” she said. “It was a bit ‘New place, new people, and I’ll decide if I like you or not’. But it didn’t take us long to become friends, and when you got her love and trust, it was even more special, as she almost let you into her gang, so to speak.

“We did everything together, went everywhere together. I couldn’t go out in the field to catch another horse without her whinnying : ‘Excuse me please, you’re supposed to come to me!’”

Steph said it is very special to be part of a horse’s journey from the start to representing their country, and winning medals, at the very top level. And she also picked Herning 2022 as a particular highlight.

“It was so emotional and I was so, so proud of her,” she said. “She could get a bit lit up with a crowd and at the end of her grand prix, the crowd started clapping on her last centre line, so she got a bit excited and didn’t do the final halt. But then to see her go in the special, and the freestyle when she tried her little heart out – it made me so proud to see her give her heart to Gareth, and that melted my heart.”

Steph said Herning was also memorable as “the world could see how special she was”.

“It gives me goosebumps now,” she said. “She and Gareth had such a beautiful partnership; seeing them in the arena, it was so harmonious; what dressage should be.

“She’s left a big hole, for a lot of people, but for me, it’s that my best friend is gone. That’s what she was.”

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“Some people have a family car. We have a family horse,” said Rebecca Hughes after her husband Gareth Hughes piloted the remarkable Classic Goldstrike to Kudos grand prix freestyle victory at the 2024 National Dressage Championships.

Gareth and Goldstrike came out on top of a close three-way battle, scoring 74.95% to just keep their noses in front of yesterday’s LeMieux grand prix winner Lewis Carrier, second today with 74.85%, and Laura Tomlinson on Soegaards Bon Royal, who finished on 74.6%.

And it was a heartwarming victory indeed – the 11-year-old Tango x Krack C gelding is ridden and competed by all three members of the Hughes family, who own him with Julia Hornig. This season he was reserve ride for Gareth’s 17-year-old daughter Ruby at the junior Europeans, while also competing at grand prix with both Gareth and Rebecca throughout the year.

“He’s a real trier. He has to step up to different levels for all of us, but he loves coming out to shows,” said Gareth, who was second in yesterday’s National Dressage Championships grand prix behind Lewis Carrier and Diego V.

“He tried so hard yesterday and today, and he couldn’t have done any better in these two tests. He’s not a horse with any real highlights, but he also doesn’t have any weaknesses. It’s my job to ride a mistake-free test, and especially in a situation like today when the pressure is on, if they look to me to help them round and we finish mistake-free than I’ve done my job. Then it’s up to the judges.”

And the judges were certainly fans of the pair’s Greatest Showman freestyle routine, showering them with eights for the pirouettes, changes, choreography and harmony. It’s an old programme Gareth dug out of the archives after the freestyle that earned him fifth at the World Dressage Championships with now-retired team horse Classic Briolinca proved a touch too tough for Goldstrike at Windsor earlier this year.

“This one’s technically a bit easier and gave him a bit more time to get his head around things. Through it all I thought he tried really hard – things like going from extended canter into pirouettes and then straight into tempis isn’t what he’s used to,” said Gareth. “I was happy with the whole test.”

Goldstrike may have earned himself a national title at top level, but Gareth is being realistic when it comes to considering him as a potential team horse.

“He’s a good horse, but probably not one we’ll target for teams,” Gareth confirmed. “You never know – it depends on what the team is – but I’m staying realistic and just seeing what happens.”

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Gareth Hughes has announced the retirement of his European team gold and World team silver medal-winning ride Classic Briolinca (Trento B x Royal Dance) on her 18th birthday.

Classic Briolinca has been one of Great Britain’s top-performing horses in the modern era, winning numerous international titles, and always impressed judges with her ease of going and her proficiency in the highly technical movements, such as the piaffe-passage and the pirouettes.

“It hasn’t been an easy decision especially as it’s an Olympic year, but we wanted to do the best by our amazing mare and retire her at the top of the sport,” said Gareth and Rebecca Hughes in a statement.

“A special thank you to our friend and amazing owner Julia Hornig who has been nothing but supportive since we found Briolinca as a three-year-old, a very special thank you to Steph Sharples who has given her life to ourselves and Briolinca throughout her career.”

Steph, who has groomed for Gareth for more than 20 years, told H&H: “I’ve been with her since her first young horse class to helping win medals at championships. It’s been quite a journey, and it actually makes me quite emotional – thinking about certain shows brings back such special memories and gives me goosebumps.

“She’s always wanted all the fuss and attention, she’s such a lovable character, she always makes me feel like she needs me, and she’s become my best friend over the years. We’ve gone everywhere and done everything together.

“She gives you the love back, so as much love as I give her she repays it, which has turned us both a bit soft – she definitely knows how to get more out of me than anyone else.

“And the fact that she’s not competing any more doesn’t change anything, she’ll still get exactly the same amount of care from me, she’ll be pampered and looked after, she’ll still get fed first and have her pick of the treats because she is such a fantastic horse.”

Gareth said he will take with him both the highs and lows with Briolinca.

“As a young horse, she was always trying to be more than she was capable of being at the time, so we really took our time with her in the beginning, giving her time to mature,” he said.

“I remember her doing her first prix st georges, and she felt like a grand prix horse in the making. When we finally got to grand prix, she was quite quirky and we didn’t always have the easiest rides – I had to retire from the freestyle at the nationals one year because she got freaked out by a flag.

“Compiègne [2019] was our breakthrough, where we won the Nations Cup and the special. That was huge and it felt like she’d really stepped up to the big time. Then the Europeans that year is when I think she established herself as one of the top horses in the world.”

Gareth said it is a disappointment for him that Briolinca never got to compete at an Olympic Games. “I call it a disappointment but how can I be disappointed with her and what she’s given me?” he added. “I would have loved to have given her an Olympics. It’s not about me, I think she as a horse deserved to be an Olympic horse, she was good enough, the timing was just always a bit off.”

With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, Gareth admits it was difficult to relinquish that Olympic dream, but above all else he wanted to do right by a horse who has given him so much.

“It’s been hard because she still feels brilliant but I think it’s just one year too far and with the Olympics being a team of three, we already have an extremely strong team,” he said.

“I want to finish her on a high, I’d rather make that decision now and let her be remembered for the amazing mare that she was.”

Although Briolinca will be retiring from top-level competition she will remain in work as a schoolmistress. “She makes it very clear when she’s feeling good, she goes out and squeals and has a little buck,” Gareth said.

“Then if she has days where she’s feeling a little older we back off, but she still enjoys her work and I wanted to retire her while she still felt like that.”

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Gareth Hughes and the 13-year-old gelding Classic Goldstrike (Tango x Krack C) were winners of The Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage grand prix on the first day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show (1 May), scoring 71.95% – but that’s only the latest accolade in what has been a varied, and impressive, career for the much-loved Goldstrike.

Goldstike has been co-owned by Gareth and Rebecca Hughes alongside Julia Hornig since he was a three-year-old. He’s been competed by both Gareth and Rebecca and also by their daughter Ruby – who made her grand prix debut on Goldstike when she was only 15.

“He’s the family horse,” explained Rebecca. “I produced him up to inter II, so he had all the grand prix work in him but he needed a bit of polish at it so I asked Gareth to ride a couple of grand prix tests on him.”

Gareth and Goldstrike made their grand prix debut together at Onley Equestrian Centre in April 2022, scoring 67.71% to win. The following year Gareth and Goldstrike made their international debut at Addington CDI and Ruby also began riding him in junior and young rider classes.

“Ruby was competing a horse called World Exclusive at young riders at the time and we decided to run Goldstrike as a junior horse just so she had a backup,” added Rebecca. “They did two shows together and got selected for the junior dressage European Championships – but that was never the plan!”

Classic Goldstrike: “We call him Forrest Gump… he always tries his best”

Goldstrike was no stranger to Ruby, she’d been having lessons on the lunge with him since she was 10-years-old. Ruby – who also represented Britain at the senior European Vaulting Championships in 2019 – even begun vaulting on Goldstike.

Together they went on to be part of Britain’s bronze-medal-winning junior European Championships team in Kronberg, Germany (2023). As a pony rider, Ruby had twice represented Britain at the European Championships, but this was their championship debut at junior level, with the combination scoring 70.45% to place 17th individually.

Their grand prix debut came in December, with the combination scoring 66.63% to come second. In doing so, Ruby became one of the youngest-ever riders to compete at grand prix.

What makes that achievement even more remarkable is that although Goldstrike is obviously very adaptable, he wasn’t a veteran campaigner or experienced schoolmaster – at the time he had less than 10 starts at grand prix.

Ruby and Goldstrike were in action just a week before Goldstrike’s Windsor win, scoring 68.33% in a junior test at Addington Premier League.

“Ruby, Rebecca and I have all done grand prix tests on him now,” said Gareth. “Ruby rode him at Addington last weekend, then I brought him here having not competed him since December. We had no expectations but he always steps up and surprises us – we call him Forrest Gump.

“He’s an amazing little horse. He was one of the horses who has never been one of our top horses, he’s always been a backup. But as backup, he’s now popping to the top and he’s turned into a more successful horse than we ever imagined.

“He always starts with a bit of a groan but he grows as the test goes on and always tries his best.”

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Gareth Hughes and Richard Davison hosted the “Dressage Unwrapped” masterclass at the London International Horse Show 2023, sharing exercises and tips on how to introduce the more advanced dressage movements into your horse’s training.

They were joined in the New Horizon Plastics London Arena by their demo riders: Gareth’s daughter and grand prix rider, 16-year-old Ruby Hughes and Classic Flamboyant, as well as Yasmin Ingham aboard her eventing World Championships-winning ride Banzai Du Loir.

1. Advanced dressage training tips: how to introduce flying changes

Before working on the flying changes both Gareth and Richard spent time working on the quality of the canter with their riders. The changes are all about the canter and your ability to adjust and balance it, Gareth explained.

Richard had Yasmin work on counting her canter strides between markers and then changing the canter, adding or removing a stride.

“You don’t need an arena to do this, when you’re out hacking just pick two markers, like a fencepost, and do the same thing,” Richard said.

When introducing single flying changes he had Yasmin ride a serpentine down the arena, changing over the centre line. To start with, Banzai was quite reactive to the leg, so the two were working on making her aids as subtle as possible.

“If a horse reacts and makes a mistake in change, don’t punish him,” said Gareth. “They’ve offered a reaction and that’s what we want.”

With a reactive horse like Banzai, Richard described how he wouldn’t ride a change on every loop of the serpentine. Instead, on some loops, he would keep counter canter.

“This prevents horses from anticipating the change and helps to keep them on your aids,” he said.

2. How to work on the zig-zag and count your tempis

Once the canter was established, Gareth took Ruby through an exercise that lays the foundation for the canter zig-zag in the grand prix.

On the long sides of the arena, he had Ruby ride a half-pass for four strides, ride straight for four strides, change, then straight into four half-pass strides back to the track, change, and finishing on another four straight strides before the corner.

That can seem like a lot of counting, but Gareth explained how important it is to be disciplined with counting your strides at this point – and getting it right – because the grand prix zig-zag is such a demanding movement that requires precision.

If it helps, you can have someone on the ground count your strides for you, as Gareth was doing for Ruby.

That same applies for tempi changes, for which Gareth had another tip.

“If we’re riding three-time changes, I won’t count ‘one, two, three; one, two, three,’ – instead I’d count ‘one, two, three; two, two, three; three, two, three,’ and so on,” he said.

The first number always indicates how many changes the rider has made. With precision again in mind, Gareth wants his riders to get into the habit early of riding a set number of changes, even in training.

3. Ride the shoulder-in forwards

Richard explained how the trot and canter should be adjustable during lateral work. He had Yasmin ride transitions within the pace in both shoulder-in and travers – at times extending the stride and at other times bringing it back.

“From the side, you shouldn’t be able to tell the horse is in shoulder-in or travers, the quality of the trot should look the same,” he said.

When people start to introduce lateral work they tend to bring the horses back too much. In contrast, Richard had Yasmin riding some medium trot strides in shoulder-in, which you wouldn’t find in an eventing dressage test, but riding these movements in training teaches the horse to maintain the impulsion when lateral work is introduced.

4. “Change one thing at a time”

When working on the canter pirouette, Gareth started by asking Ruby to ride travers along the long side, making sure to keep the impulsion in the canter, before bringing the same exercise onto a circle around him. Ruby started by bringing the circle smaller, until it was around eight metres, still in travers. Gareth then asked her to gradually collect until the canter resembled a pirouette-canter.

“Training the pirouettes is like us going into the gym and squatting, it’s very demanding of the horse and you can’t ride it every day,” Gareth said.

To exit the travers on the eight-metre circle, Gareth first asked Ruby to ride straight, and then forward. This sequential pattern – riding straight and then forward – changing one thing at a time, is important because horses remember patterns explained Gareth.

“If Ruby had asked for both straightness and forwardness at the same time, the next time she asked the horse to go straight, she would also go forward,” he said.

The same rule applies to training sessions more broadly, with Gareth describing how he won’t just take his advanced horses through all the higher-level movements in a single session.

Rather, he might work on changes one day and then piaffe-passage the next before giving the horse a rest or taking them hacking.

He will also return to the advanced dressage training tips and exercises he shared here to focus on perfecting the foundations.

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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

Gareth Hughes reflected on realising his dreams and shared sage words of advice to younger riders following his grand prix special performance aboard Classic Briolinca at the European Dressage Championships.

Gareth and the 17-year-old mare, whom he owns with his wife Rebecca Hughes, their daughter Ruby, and Julia Hornig, were part of the gold medal-winning British team at the Europeans. It is Gareth’s first gold medal and a moment he described as “a fairytale”.

Watch Gareth Hughes talk after the grand prix special at the European Dressage Championships

“If I retired now, I’d be happy,” said Gareth. “I have a medal of every colour now!

“When I was young, my ambition was to ride dressage, then ride in tails, then at grand prix, then to ride on the team. To be part of this team, that’s something special.

“To get on a team is so hard. To come away with gold at a Euros in Germany, these are things I read about as a kid. I never thought it would happen. It’s a fairytale.”

With those childhood dreams in mind, Gareth shared the advice he would give to younger people making their way in the sport.

“Social media makes things look very easy. People forget the hard things that you put in behind the scenes,” he said.

“This bit we do at the end is just the cherry – it’s not even the icing. And if you want it – luckily you can do it from 18 until you can’t get on horse anymore – I didn’t get into dressage until my late twenties.

“Don’t take so much notice of what happens with all the sparkly bits on social media, and just graft. If you’re good enough, cream always rises to the top.”

Good horsemanship, of course, is at the centre of his ethos.

“With horsemanship, part of the skill is in the training and horsemanship at home,” he said.

“Usain Bolt didn’t go out and run 100m every day as fast as he could. Don’t do too much at home. Don’t train for the public, train for yourself. You’ve got to develop a bond and strength with your horse.

“Michael Phelps once said that training is like putting deposits in the bank. So the more you put in the bank, the more you can then take out in the arena.”

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Gareth Hughes produced a heartwarming performance in the grand prix special at the European Dressage Championships today, riding his beloved bay mare Classic Briolinca.

The pair, who helped Britain achieve team gold yesterday, scored 74.65% – a little way off the highest marks they’ve achieved in previous specials, but Gareth said afterwards that “it was one of the best tests she has done”.

And it was a lovely test – a wonderful display of true horsemanship, sympathetic riding and a horse-and-rider partnership that goes far deeper than what you can see during a 10-minute ride in the arena.

The best parts were stellar. The 17-year-old Trento B mare was bouncier and a little more active in her rhythmic passage than in her grand prix, and their final piaffe in particular was super. Her changes were ruler-straight, balanced and even, and the pirouettes were a joy to watch.

“I really liked those canter pirouettes,” admitted Gareth.

“She tried her heart out in there. It’s boiling in the arena, like a cauldron with no air, but she was really focused. We had one little blip going into one piaffe but she doesn’t take things like that through to the other movements. She’s a true professional.

“If I retired now I’d be happy.”

European Dressage Championships special: personal bests and top prospects

Although Gareth’s test took him temporarily into the lead, he and Briolinca were edged out of the top spot by some of the superb performances that followed. The special is emerging as a tight contest with 2% covering second to eighth places at this stage.

Frederic Wandres’ ride Bluetooth OLD required swift attention from the farrier to replace a lost shoe just before his test, but promptly entered the ring – albeit at a later time – and claimed the lead with just over of 77%.

Meanwhile The Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens returned from knee surgery earlier this year to achieve a personal best of 75.96% in the special with Indian Rock.

Emmelie rode this 10-year-old stallion’s sire, Apache, on Dutch championship teams before his untimely death, and now she is bringing his talented son through the ranks.

She explained that she made some changes in the special after finishing 13th in the grand prix with 74.56%.

“I wanted to do some things differently; I was happy with the feeling but I had him too collected, so today I tried to go more forward and that worked out well. The beginning especially felt good, but I had a mistake in the tempi changes again,” she said.

But Emmelie is really just happy to be here after suffering a serious knee injury in a fall while riding another horse at the KWPN stallion show in February this year.

“My knee is still recovering,” she said. “I am more than excited just to be here.”

Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen sits second with Vayron, having put 75.21% on the board, just fractionally short of their personal best in this test.

This imposing Vitalis son is 12, but is only in his first season at top level.

“It felt really nice, though a little bit green still and we still have to fine-tune it,” said Daniel. “But I’m so happy because he really let me ride and steer today. I could actually push him a bit and say let’s do a bit more, whereas in the grand prix I just had to survive and get through without big mistakes for the team score.

“I believe this horse has over 80% in him; he has all the quality in the world,” added Daniel. “This is his first five-star show and he has been amazing. He has so much potential, but is missing some strength. But he is only been doing grand prix for 10 months.”

The last three British riders will also ride the special this afternoon with Lottie Fry and Glamourdale on at 4pm (3pm UK time), Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep at 4.20pm (3.20pm UK time), and Carl Hester and Fame going at 4.30pm (3.30pm UK time).

You may also be interested in…

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European dressage action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

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

Britain have won team gold at the European Dressage Championships in Riesenbeck, Germany, their first team gold medal at a championship since the London 2012 Olympics.

With Gareth Hughes (Classic Briolinca), Carl Hester (Fame) and Charlotte Dujardin (Imhotep) all laying down super scores for the team, it fell to reigning world champions Lottie Fry and Glamourdale to seal the deal as the last members of the British team to ride the grand prix. She duly delivered the goods with a personal best score of 81.26%.

“To win team gold is so, so special as the four of us have been on so many teams together now, so to finally get the gold with these teammates is a really special feeling,” said Lottie, who rode alongside Carl, Charlotte and Gareth at the 2019 and 2021 Europeans, as well as at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I knew Glamourdale was capable of helping us win gold, but we need four of us on the team and four amazing horses.”

British chef d’equipe Caroline Griffiths echoed Lottie’s comments: “This team have been building towards this; when you see the riding and the tests they all produce, it’s phenomenal.”

Having led the European Dressage Championships team standings overnight, gold was Britain’s to lose at this point. Home side Germany had been hot on their heels throughout the competition, and their final rider was none other than the reigning Olympic and European champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with TSF Dalera BB.

Jessica and Dalera produced a magical performance, full of grace and harmony, and dispelling any doubts regarding the 16-year-old mare’s age by laying down a grand prix personal best of 84.61%. It piled the pressure onto Britain’s Lottie Fry, who needed 78.71% for Britain to grab the gold.

But if there is any combination in the world who thrive on pressure, it’s Lottie and Glamourdale. Lottie said afterwards that the 12-year-old stallion was “feeling on fire today”, and they rode a bold, powerful test, with huge highlights among the canter work in particular, and showing improvement in many areas compared to last year. Distractions from outside the ring appeared to slightly divert Glammy’s attention once or twice, however, and they had a blip in their final piaffe on the centre line, leaving British supporters biting their fingernails as they awaited the score.

When it arrived, it wasn’t as high as Jessica’s – nor Charlotte Dujardin’s superlative round with Imhotep earlier in the day. But, at 81.26%, it was another personal best in this test for Lottie and Glammy, and crucially, it was enough to clinch the gold for Britain on 242.22.

Britain have only missed a championship medal on two occasions since they rose to golden glory at the London Olympics, 11 years ago. But the gold had eluded them. Now, however, they’re back on top.

European Dressage Championships: team standings

The last time Germany relinquished the European championship title was in 2015 and, quite remarkably, have only failed to win European gold on four previous occasions since 1965. This year, though, the quartet of Isabell Werth (DSP Quantaz), Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (TSF Dalera BB), Frederic Wandres (Bluetooth OLD) and Matthias Rath (Thiago GS) must settle for silver, on a total score of 239.674.

Claiming the bronze medal were last year’s world gold medallists, Denmark. The Danish side of Daniel Bachmann Andersen (Vayron), Andreas Helgstrand (Jovian), Nanna Skodborg Merrald (Blue Hors Zepter) and Carina Cassøe Krüth (Heiline’s Danciera) fielded a combination of experienced combinations and younger, less established horses, and all look exciting for the future.

Just missing a medal in fourth were Sweden, helped up the leaderboard by anchorman Patrik Kittel’s plus-75% test with Touchdown late in the day, while the Netherlands finished fifth.

Below the podium, another battle was unfolding, as teams fought for the coveted remaining Olympic qualification spots. By this afternoon it had become a four-way contest between Austria, Portugal, Spain and Belgium, but a slightly disappointing ride from Portugal’s final rider, Maria Caetano, sealed the deal, and Austria, Spain and Belgium take qualification for Paris 2024.

You may be interested in…

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‘Disappointed with the mark but happy with my mare; she deserved more’: Gareth Hughes makes solid start for Britain at dressage Europeans

Who will win medals at the 2023 European Dressage Championships?

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European dressage action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

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

Gareth Hughes has kickstarted the British campaign in the European Dressage Championships grand prix, becoming the first of the team to lay down a score.

Gareth and the 17-year-old mare Classic Briolinca posted 74.57% to go into second place on the leaderboard at this early stage of the competition.

Gareth rode a correct, pleasing test with Briolinca. He said afterwards it was one of the better tests he has produced with the Trento B daughter. The mare is owned by Gareth, his wife Rebecca and daughter Ruby, and Julia Hornig, and has been with Gareth since she was a three-year-old.

Their test was mistake-free, fluent and highly harmonious, with the highlights being the pirouettes – which scored nines – and the piaffe-passage work, which is always one of this lovely mare’s strengths.

“I’m slightly disappointed with the mark, but I’m so happy with my mare. I thought she deserved a bit more,” said Gareth.

“There are two things I always aim for: to go mistake-free and to try to be a nice rider. I’m sure I could ask more and get more marks, but I think it’s important to show that nice picture and the harmony. I liked the feeling I had through the test, and I liked the feeling I had when I finished.”

Briolinca sometimes struggles to maintain her halts in the arena, especially in a big atmosphere, but today Gareth achieved two good halts. Although their third and final one was very brief, Gareth explained that he had taken action to help Briolinca achieve it amidst the applause that would accompany their final salute.

“We always have our best rides in the arena – Briolinca always steps up,” he said. “When we did the arena familiarisation yesterday she spun around – she’s quirky like that, and she lacks patience sometimes. So I had an idea of how I would do our last halt today, and I put in some walk steps, so it wasn’t as direct, but I halted. She can be sensitive, and she remembers the applause from previous tests – she has a very long memory!”

European Dressage Championships grand prix: Germany begin their attack

Gareth and Briolinca slot into second on the leaderboard, behind Germany’s Matthias Rath and Thiago GS, who snuck slightly ahead on 74.85%. This is Matthias’ first team appearance since the 2015 Europeans, when he rode this 10-year-old stallions’s sire, the legendary Totilas.

Their test was highly expressive, with bold extensions, but Thiago lacked some relaxation, and straightness in the changes.

Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen currently holds third position with Vayron, a 12-year-old Vitalis son making his championship debut, and scoring 74.15%.

Carl Hester and Fame will be the next British pair in action, entering the Riesenbeck arena at 4.24pm this afternoon (3.24pm UK time). Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep will compete tomorrow at 12.24pm (11.24am UK time), with Lottie Fry the final British rider, competing with Glamourdale at 4.15pm on Thursday (3.15pm UK time).

You may also be interested in…

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European dressage action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

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

The competition at the European Dressage Championships at Riesenbeck, Germany, is about to commence in earnest. But we’ve already had the first slice of the action, in the form of the European Dressage Championships trot-up, to whet the appetite for the excitement ahead.

It’s not quite as flamboyant as a Badminton or Burghley – team members have to adhere to their own dress code rather than go wild in turquoise suits. But you know you want a glimpse of all the British pairs and to see which teams had the smartest outfits…

The Brits

Carl Hester, Charlotte Dujardin, Gareth Hughes and Lottie Fry make up the British quartet. The Brits were dressed simply, in navy down jackets or gilets, navy chinos and brown suede boots. All wore helmets and gloves to present the British horses, too.

Charlotte Dujardin and 10-year-old Imhotep, gearing up for his second championship after last year’s worlds. Charlotte added a patriotic flourish with her Union Jack helmet.

Lottie Fry’s world champion ride, the Lord Leatherdale stallion Glamourdale, is led by Van Olst Horses’ Niek Haarlink, while Lottie watches on (right).

Carl Hester arrives at his 22nd championship, this time partnering the Bigwood family’s 13-year-old Fame, a new ride for Carl this year.

Gareth Hughes presents his 17-year-old mare Classic Briolinca, by Trento B, at their third major championship together.

European Dressage Championships trot-up photos

The one they all have to beat: reigning Olympic and European champions Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB. Jessica, representing the home nation Germany, wore the team navy suit with cream scarf, while the 16-year-old Easy Game mare Dalera sported a browband in the German flag colours.

For Ireland: a dash of emerald with a glittery helmet and silk scarf, worn by Abi Lyle, presenting Farrell.

It’s a sporty look for the Danish team, who will be vying for medals with hotshot Heiline’s Danciera and Carina Cassøe Krüth among the talented quartet.

Also for Denmark, Andreas Helgstrand brought forward his popular breeding stallion Jovian – who definitely looked to be enjoying the party.

Belgium were dressed very similarly to Denmark, with red tops and blue trousers. Here is the wonderful partnership of business manager Charlotte Defalque and 17-year-old Vivaldi stallion Botticelli. They have competed on junior, young rider, under-25 and senior teams together.

The Danish warmblood mare Cyprus Ophelia will make history as the mount of the first ever Cypriot rider to compete at a European Dressage Championships: Gabrielle H-Kiefer (not pictured). They are the first combination down the centre line in the grand prix on Wednesday (6 September). 

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Carl Hester: ‘The most exciting British championship team since Valegro’

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European dressage action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

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

The European Dressage Championships times are out for the grand prix, which takes place on Wednesday, 6 September, and Thursday, 7 September.

Having passed the trot-up earlier this morning, the British horses and riders will be in action as they hope to go one better than their European silver in 2021.

European Dressage Championships grand prix times: the Brits

• Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca: 12.33pm on Wednesday (11.33am UK time)
• Carl Hester and Fame: 4.24pm on Wednesday (3.24pm UK time)
• Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep: 12.24pm on Thursday (11.24am UK time)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale: 4.15pm on Thursday (3.15pm UK time)

Grand prix times for other major contenders

• Matthias Rath (GER) and Thiago GS: 12.15pm on Wednesday (11.15am UK time)
• Daniel Bachmann Andersen (DEN) and Vayron: 12.24pm on Wednesday (11.24am UK time)
• Isabell Werth (GER) and DSP Quantaz: 4.06pm on Wednesday (3.06pm UK time)
• Andreas Helgstrand (DEN) and Jovian: 4.15pm on Wednesday (3.15pm UK time)
• Frederic Wandres (GER) and Bluetooth OLD: 11.57am on Thursday (10.57am UK time)
• Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN) and Heiline’s Danciera: 12.15pm on Thursday (11.15am UK time)
• Therese Nilshagen (SWE) and Dante Weltino OLD: 12.33pm on Thursday (11.33am UK time)
• Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) and TSF Dalera BB: 3.57pm on Thursday (2.57pm UK time)
• Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN) and Blue Hors Zepter: 4.06pm on Thursday (3.06pm UK time)
• Patrik Kittel (SWE) on Touchdown: 4.33pm on Thursday (3.33pm UK time)
• Emmelie Scholtens (NED) on Indian Rock: 4.42pm on Thursday (3.42pm UK time)

The very first combination into the arena on Wednesday morning will be Gabriele H.-Kiefer and Cyprus Ophelia at 9.39am (8.39am UK time), competing as individuals for Cyprus. She will be followed by the first of the team riders, Yvonne Österholm riding Ironman H for Finland.

The grand prix solely decides the team medals, with the top three scores from each team to count. The grand prix also acts as a qualifier for the grand prix special, which takes place on Friday, 8 September, and from which the first set of individual medals are decided. The top 30 combinations from the grand prix will qualify to compete in the special.

• Full list of start times [PDF download]

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European dressage action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

You may also be interested in…

How to watch the European Dressage Championships 2023

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Glamourdale v Dalera: who will come out on top in European Championships showdown?

Brits ready for action at the European Dressage Championships – but two horses to be held overnight after trot-up

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

A strong German side poses a significant challenge, but Britain head to Riesenbeck with their best chance in years of grabbing gold, says H&H’s dressage editor Polly Bryan

The last time Britain won a team gold medal at a dressage championship was the London Olympics in 2012. Since then, British teams have collected five silvers and three bronzes, but gold has eluded them. Until this year’s European Dressage Championships, perhaps.

Carl Hester, Charlotte Dujardin, Lottie Fry and Gareth Hughes brought home silver from the last European Dressage Championships, in 2021, and the same quartet will head to Riesenbeck, Germany, quietly determined to go one better this time.

All four ride different horses this year, and what horses they are – without a doubt some of the best in the world. Glamourdale, Lottie Fry’s reigning world champion, is expected to lead the pack as in 2022, with the benefit of another year’s strength and experience.

Charlotte Dujardin’s precocious Imhotep and Gareth Hughes’ trusty Classic Briolinca are proven performers, who are in the form of their lives this season.

And while Carl Hester’s ride of just eight months, Fame, will be competing at his first championship, this is Carl’s 22nd. If anyone can guide a horse through his championship debut to bring out his best when it matters, it’s Carl.

But make no mistake: while Britain are highly capable of winning gold, they will have to surpass a formidable German home side to reach the top of the podium.

Last year’s German team was somewhat depleted by the absence of reigning Olympic and European champion, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. But Jessica and her stellar mare, TSF Dalera BB, are now back in the game and have lost none of the mastery that led Germany to gold in 2021.

The long-awaited showdown between Glamourdale and Dalera is set to be a thriller. One a mighty, testosterone-fuelled powerhouse, the other the epitome of elegance – each will meet their match in Riesenbeck.

Jessica will be flanked by the ever-imposing Isabell Werth, plus Frederic Wandres and Matthias Rath, drafted in from the reserve bench to replace the withdrawn Sönke Rothenberger. Buoyed by home support and a will to maintain their European record of success, Germany will be gunning for gold.

While the Germans have regained their biggest hitter, current world champions Denmark have lost their 2022 golden girl this year. But the Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour-shaped hole in the Danish team has been somewhat filled by the emergence of Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter as one of the world’s most impressive combinations in 2023.

With the experienced Carina Cassøe Krüth, Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Andreas Helgstrand alongside, you can expect to see Denmark back on the podium.

Don’t discount the other Scandinavian powerhouse, although Sweden’s chances of a medal have definitely been dampened by the late withdrawal of team stalwarts Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.

The Netherlands, too, have been dealt a blow that could close the door to the podium. With both her world individual bronze medallist Hermes NOP and now Hartsuijker injured, Dinja van Liere is without a Europeans ride. But the dynamic Indian Rock is back in action after rider Emmelie Scholtens’ knee surgery, and could cause a stir.

• Check out all the teams for the European Dressage Championships

European Dressage Championships: individual favourites

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl 

The world number one and reigning Olympic and European champion with TSF Dalera BB (right), Germany’s Jessica is a hot favourite for individual gold medals – if she can beat Lottie Fry and Glamourdale. Dalera, now 16 and seemingly all the better for her six-month break while Jessica welcomed baby Ella Marie, oozes grace and quality, with swoon-worthy piaffe-passage and no signs that she is feeling her age.

Lottie Fry

Reigning world champions Lottie and Glamourdale could add more gold medals to their record in Riesenbeck. The black stallion is more secure in his work than when breaking the 90% barrier last summer, and both he and Lottie relish big atmospheres so can be expected to bring their best. But this will be the first time since early 2021 that Glamourdale has faced TSF Dalera BB, who will make he and Lottie work hard for gold.

Charlotte Dujardin

Imhotep was still new to top level when scoring three top-10 finishes in Herning last year, and he has matured impressively since. He and Charlotte are on superb form: unbeaten internationally on British soil, with a hat-trick of top-three finishes at CHIO Aachen. Will prove a huge asset to Britain, and a serious contender for individual medals as well.

Carina Cassøe Krüth 

Carina dazzled at the Tokyo Olympics, and then again at the World Championships with the delightful black mare, Heiline’s Danciera (above). This Danish pair have real harmony and are a pleasure to watch dancing together. Get ready to sing alongto their Whitney Houston freestyle – and don’t be surprised to see them well in the mix for medals.

Isabell Werth 

THhe queen of German dressage can never be overlooked, especially now DSP Quantaz (below) is settling into his role as successor to superstar mares Bella Rose and Weihegold OLD. He and Isabell were pipped to bronze in the special at the worlds last year and while they would certainly have to be on tip-top form to clinch a podium position in this company, only a fool would bet against Isabell making it happen.

Nanna Skodborg Merrald

The imposing chestnut gelding Blue Hors Zepter (above right) has competed at this level with three top riders – Daniel Bachmann Andersen, Patrik Kittel and Nanna. And it’s with Nanna that the 15-year-old gelding, who is by Nanna’s Olympic ride Blue Hors Zack, has reached his peak. They’re now Denmark’s highest-ranked pair, and with freestyle scores approaching 90% they’ll definitely be individual podium contenders.

Frederic Wandres

The 13-year-old Bordeaux son Bluetooth OLD (below) has been given the green light for this championship ahead of Frederic’s seasoned performer, Duke Of Britain FRH, and that’s saying something. Bluetooth’s scores have been on an upward trajectory for the past 12 months and with a plus-84% freestyle in Aachen, he looks well capable of finishing among the top few.

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Could you be Horse & Hound’s next dressage editor?

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European dressage action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

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

The British team for the European Dressage Championships has been revealed by British Equestrian and the British Dressage selectors.

The same four riders who took silver at the 2021 Europeans will travel to Riesenbeck, Germany, on 5-10 September, bidding to go one better this year.

Chief British Dressage selector Judy Harvey said: “Quite simply, this is the ‘dream team’. We have possibly one of the strongest teams we have ever sent to an FEI European Championship. All four riders are medallists, and their horses are a fabulous blend of talent and proven ability. I am very excited to see how they fare; not only is it a strong team but they will all be in the mix for individual medals too.”

The four riders who will make up the British team for the European Dressage Championships 2023 are as follows:

Charlotte Dujardin with 10-year-old gelding Imhotep

Owner: Carl Hester and Coral Ingham

Breeder: Tineke Huizing (NED)

Breeding: by Everdale, out of Della D’Ottie, by Vivaldi

Groom: Francesca Gorni

Carl Hester with 13-year-old stallion Fame

Owner: Fiona, Penny and Mette Bigwood and Anders Dahl

Breeder: VOF Gerritsen (NED)

Breeding: by Bordeaux out of Bonaventura, by Rhodium

Groom: Lucy Scudamore

Carl Hester with 14-year-old gelding En Vogue (direct reserve)

Owner: Sandra Biddlecombe, Charlotte Dujardin, Lady Anne Evans and Carl Hester

Breeder: A van der Goor (NED)

Breeding: by Jazz out of Nicarla, by Contango

Gareth Hughes with 17-year-old mare Classic Briolinca

Owner: Julia Hornig, Rebecca, Gareth and Ruby Hughes

Breeder: Febr van der Steen (NED)

Breeding: by Trento B out of Trolinca, by Royal Dance

Groom: Steph Sharples

Lottie Fry with 11-year-old stallion Glamourdale 

Owner: Van Olst Horses

Breeder: J Rodenburg (NED)

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale out of Thuja, by Negro

Groom: Richard Hauwaerts

Lottie Fry with 14-year-old stallion Everdale (direct reserve)

Owner: Van Olst Horses

Breeder: P Kluytmans (NED)

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale out of Aliska K, by Negro

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale are the reigning world champions, and each currently lie second in their respective world rankings, behind Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB.

Lottie and Glamourdale were joined on the British team by Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep, and Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca at the the World Dressage Championships last year, where they won silver.

The Europeans will be a first major championship for Carl Hester’s ride Fame, who he has only been riding since the beginning of this year. This will, however, be Carl’s 11th European Championships.

Two reserve combinations have also been announced, and they are:

Andrew Gould with 10-year-old stallion Indigro

Owner: Tatiana Skillman

Breeder: J Deenan (NED)

Breeding: by Negro out of Pralina, by Jazz

Becky Moody with nine-year-old gelding Jagerbomb

Owner: Becky Moody

Breeder: Becky Moody (GBR)

Breeding: by Dante Weltino out of Udysee, by Jazz

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Defending champions list four combinations for European Dressage Championships

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Eight horse and rider combinations have been announced as the British entries for the European Dressage Championships in September.

Among the longlist of British nominated entries for the Europeans are Olympic and world gold medallists, as well as two pairs for whom the Europeans would be their first senior team appearance, if selected.

A team of four, plus two non-travelling reserves, will be selected on or before 15 August, for the Europeans in Riesenbeck, Germany, on 5-10 September.

The British entries for the European Dressage Championships are:

Charlotte Dujardin with 10-year-old gelding Imhotep

Owner: Carl Hester and Coral Ingham

Breeder: Tineke Huizing (NED)

Breeding: by Everdale, out of Della D’Ottie, by Vivaldi

Lottie Fry with 13-year-old stallion Everdale 

Owner: Van Olst Horses

Breeder: P Kluytmans (NED)

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale out of Aliska K, by Negro

Lottie Fry with 11-year-old stallion Glamourdale 

Owner: Van Olst Horses

Breeder: J Rodenburg (NED)

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale out of Thuja, by Negro

Lottie Fry with 12-year-old gelding Lars Van De Hoenderheide (direct reserve)

Owner: Van Olst Horses

Breeder: Jan Slips (BEL)

Breeding: by Negro out of Taaika, by Layout

Andrew Gould with 10-year-old stallion Indigro

Owner: Tatiana Skillman

Breeder: J Deenen (NED)

Breeding: by Negro out of Pralina, by Jazz

Carl Hester with 14-year-old gelding En Vogue

Owner: Sandra Biddlecome, Charlotte Dujardin, Lady Anne Evans and Carl Hester

Breeder: A Van der Goor (NED)

Breeding: by Jazz out of Nicarla, by Contango

Carl Hester with 13-year-old stallion Fame

Owner: Fiona, Penny and Mette Bigwood and Anders Dahl

Breeder: VOF Gerritsen (NED)

Breeding: by Bordeaux out of Bonaventura, by Rhodium

Gareth Hughes with 17-year-old mare Classic Briolinca

Owner: Julia Hornig, Rebecca, Gareth and Ruby Hughes

Breeder: Febr van der Steen (NED)

Breeding: by Trento B out of Trolinca, by Royal Dance

Becky Moody with nine-year-old gelding Jagerbomb

Owner: Becky Moody

Breeder: Becky Moody (GBR)

Breeding: by Dante Weltino out of Udysee, by Jazz

Two other reserve combinations have also announced:

Lewis Carrier with 15-year-old gelding Diego VOwner: Andrew, Helen and Lewis CarrierBreeder: E Janssen (NED)Breeding: by Spielberg out of Syrida A, by Welt Hit II

Emile Faurie with 12-year-old mare BellevueOwner: Diana Rose and Emile FaurieBreeder: H Heinen (GER)Breeding: by Bordeaux out of Bermuda, by Brentano II

Grooms for each horse have not yet been confirmed but will be included in the final team announcement in August.

Three of the silver medal-winning team from last year’s World Championships are among the nominated entries: Lottie Fry on Glamourdale, Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep and Gareth Hughes on Classic Briolinca.

All three riders who won bronze for Britain at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 – Lottie, Charlotte and Carl Hester – also feature on the longlist, along with two horses from that team: Everdale and En Vogue.

But for two of the long-listed riders – Andrew Gould with Indigro and Becky Moody with her home-bred Jagerbomb – a call-up for the team would mean making their debut at a major senior championship.

Selection decisions are subject to riders and horses maintaining form and fitness, and the list of entries may be amended at any time before 4 August. The team of four will be revealed on or before 15 August.

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Want to get that winning edge between the boards? We find out the secrets behind top dressage riders’ successes

1. Gareth Hughes (above)

“Watch riders that you admire and have an image in your mind of how you want you and your horse to look. An impression in your mind helps when you are riding on your own, as it gives you something to work on. Learning ‘feel’ is also important as it means you can make corrections without someone having to tell you.”

2. Alice Oppenheimer

“Always take your time in the initial warm up phase to ensure that your horse is physically and mentally ready to work before you start the ‘work’ phase of your session. I like to feel that they are working in front of my leg and forwards to the contact before asking for anything more demanding.”

3. Dan Greenwood

“Make time to look at your horse and assess him properly every other week. Either get someone else to sit on so you can take a look and get some feedback, or lunge him. Is he moving freely and equally? Especially in the winter, it’s too easy to take rugs off, tack up and get on and go. You’ll then have a clear picture in your head of what your horse needs to work on.”

4. Isobel Wessels

“Improve the contact. As a judge, I see people lose marks because of the contact all the time. It’s something that affects every single movement and if you have the contact better, your horse will be nicer to ride and the picture will look more correct, earning you more marks. Spend some time during the winter months really improving the contact through lots of transitions, so that you have the horse really in front of you, taking the bridle from behind.”

5. Spencer Wilton

“At home, I spend a lot of time achieving the ‘perfect’ feeling underneath me, but at a show, a limited warm up time means it’s not always possible to create that feeling before you go in the ring. The art of good training is knowing how much time to spend on waiting for that perfect moment and teaching yourself and the horse what to do when the moment isn’t perfect. That way, you have all bases covered.”

6. Lara Butler

“Training a horse is like teaching a young child — they don’t know the difference between right and wrong, so it is our job to guide them in the right direction. Always make it fun for the horse and let them know you are pleased with what they are doing, as they will try a lot harder for you.”

7. Judy Harvey

“During the winter months, make allowances for the weather and any time off your horse might have. Don’t have too high expectations and expect your horse to get straight back to the stage you left off in your last session. He needs more time to supple up in the winter and expend any excess energy from being stabled more, so allow for this when you start a session.”

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Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester are just two of the big names among the entries for Wellington CDI3* next week (8-11 June). There are 21 British riders entered for this international, now in its third year and occupying a key spot in the dressage calendar and selection process for the European Dressage Championships in September.

Charlotte will ride her 2022 team horse, the 10-year-old Everdale son Imhotep, in the pair’s second international competition since Charlotte gave birth to her daughter Isabella in March. She is now aiming “Pete” for the Europeans, which will take place in Riesenbeck, Germany.

Carl will bring forward both his grand prix rides, his Olympic medallist En Vogue, for whom this will be a first international since March 2022, and his newer ride Fame, who won the grand prix and special at Hickstead CDI3* in May.

Carl is campaigning both horses towards selection for the European Dressage Championships, and told H&H recently that he “wouldn’t mind which he took” to the Europeans, if selected.

“It would be a shame to leave the other one at home as they both deserve it,” he said.

Wellington CDI3* entries: Olympians and up-and-comers

Other top names among the Wellington CDI3* entries include Fame’s owner and previous rider Fiona Bigwood, who will compete the 12-year-old Dante Weltino son Daytona Platinum.

Completing the collection of four Olympians heading to Wellington is Laura Tomlinson, who is entered on the 13-year-old Bordeaux mare DSP Rose Of Bavaria and the 13-year-old Vivaldi son Fallatijn.

Gareth Hughes is set to ride his top mare, the 17-year-old Classic Briolinca, who played a key role in helping secure Britain’s silver medal at last year’s World Dressage Championships. The pair were second behind Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep at Windsor CDI4* last month.

Alongside the more experienced combinations all gunning to impress the team selectors will be an exciting array of up-and-coming grand prix riders, and younger horses who are still new to top level. Look out for Alex Harrison, making his first international appearance in almost two years riding the 12-year-old mare MSJ Top Secret at her first CDI.

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb will also be in action; Becky and the hugely promising nine-year-old gelding won the grand prix freestyle on their CDI3* debut at Hickstead in May.

Annabella Pidgley is also due to ride her mother Sarah’s Vamos Amigos, the 10-year-old Vitalis son who won team gold and individual silver at the 2022 World Championships with Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour, then went to the Pidgleys for Annabella to take over the ride this year. The pair won the grand prix freestyle on their international debut together in March this year, and scored top-10 placings as part of the British Nations Cup team at Compiegne CDIO5* in May.

Wellington CDI3* will get under way with the grand prix on Friday, 9 June, followed by the grand prix special and the freestyle on Saturday, 10 June.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

World silver medallists Gareth Hughes and Richard Davison are among the top dressage riders who have been announced as part of the line-up for the Defender CDI4* at Royal Windsor Horse Show next month (10-11 May). This is the first time international dressage has featured at Royal Windsor since 2019, and it is the highest-level dressage show to be held on British soil in 2023.

Gareth is set to bring his top mare, the 17-year-old Classic Briolinca, with whom he was a member of the silver-medal winning British team at the 2022 World Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark, also finishing fifth individually in the freestyle.

Gareth’s 2022 teammate Richard Davison is also Windsor-bound, with his championship horse, the 17-year-old Lingh gelding Bubblingh.

Olympic gold medallist Laura Tomlinson will join the field with the 13-year-old Vivaldi son Fallatijn, fresh from scoring a personal best in the freestyle at Hagen CDI4*, Germany, last week. Emile Faurie will also be in action at Windsor, aboard his London International Horse Show ride Bellevue, while Louise Bell will bring forward the experienced Into The Blue, Hayley Watson-Greaves will ride the evergreen Rubins Nite and Dan Watson will pilot Butterfly IV.

Making his Windsor debut will be up-and-coming British grand prix rider Lewis Carrier, who will ride his long-term partner and youth championship horse Diego.

Windsor dressage: notable absentees

For the first time in the history of international dressage competition at Royal Windsor, neither Carl Hester nor Charlotte Dujardin will feature in the line-up.

Charlotte, who rode Erlentanz to victory the last time Windsor hosted a CDI, in 2019, recently welcomed her first child, a daughter, and is enjoying a period away from competing. Meanwhile, twice Windsor winner Carl has opted to campaign his new grand prix ride, Fame, at the Hickstead CDI3* later the same week instead, and told H&H that he is allowing a little more time to bring his top horse, Olympic and European medallist En Vogue, back up to peak fitness.

“Vogue will start his international campaign at Wellington CDI in June,” he said.

Riders representing Ireland, China and Germany will complete the Royal Windsor dressage line-up for 2023. British-based Irish team rider Abi Lyle will make her Windsor debut aboard 12-year-old Farrell, with Kevin Acres (Ganesh) and Anne-Marie Rawlins (Etoile) in action for Ireland too.

Sarah Rao will ride Alfranco for China and Germany’s Kathleen Kröncke will present San Royal 3.

The grand prix takes place on Wednesday, 10 May, with a limited audience, and the grand prix freestyle will be on Thursday, 11 May.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

The seven-year-old Glamourdale son Lestingdale VS has moved to be trained by top British grand prix rider Gareth Hughes.

Zoe Kirkpatrick’s stallion has been ridden by Elly Darling, who competed him up to elementary level. As Elly gave birth to a daughter, Esmerelda, this month, Lestingdale has relocated to be based with world silver medallist Gareth Hughes in Warwickshire.

“He arrived a few days ago,” Gareth told H&H.

“I’ve been teaching Zoe and Elly on ‘Loki’ for the past couple of years and they’ve done a great job. He recently came home to Zoe’s Heartbreaker stud, and when she mentioned that she wanted some help to take him forward in his career this year, I said I had just had a stable come free.”

A graded stallion, Loki is by Lottie Fry’s world championship gold medallist Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) and out of C’Est Fury, a KWPN mare by Sorento. He and Elly have competed successfully to elementary level, with scores up to 78.55%, and also won the four-year-old NEXGEN championship in 2020.

“If Loki and I are a good fit after this trial period, we’ll look at doing some medium and advanced medium this year, with a plan to move up next year,” said Gareth. “For now we are just taking it easy and taking time for me to get to know him.

“It’s interesting to see what of Glamourdale is in him. He’s a big, strong horse and very athletic, and gives me a nice feel so far. His basic paces are very good, with a lovely canter and he looks like Glamourdale too – black and manly, with that Glamourdale face.”

While Loki is in training with Gareth, he will not be standing at stud, confirmed Zoe.

“We have already been inundated with enquiries for this season, however only have a limited amount of frozen doses available on a first-come, first-served basis,” she said.

To date Lestingdale has produced 34 AES-registered offspring, with the oldest born in 2021.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Britain’s Lottie Fry and Glamourdale brought the house down as they claimed a euphoric victory at the London International Horse Show, in the dressage World Cup qualifier, supported by Horse & Hound.

Performing their “Best of British” freestyle routine that won them individual gold at the World Dressage Championships in August, the pair produced a new personal best score of 90.99%. Glamourdale was on top form as he danced in front of the adoring crowds, competing on British soil for the first time.

“It felt absolutely amazing in there and Glamourdale was on fire. It’s the perfect ending to this year for him, and it was an honour to ride in front of that crowd,” said Lottie, who was last year’s runner-up at LIHS aboard Dark Legend.

“There’s still a lot more to come from him; he’s growing in strength all the time.”

Gareth Hughes also achieved a superb personal best on Classic Briolinca, again riding the freestyle programme he debuted at the worlds in August with this delightful 16-year-old Trento B mare.

This is the first time Gareth has brought Briolinca to the London International Horse Show, and the pair produced a flawless display to their Madonna medley to score 84.59%.

“She has always found atmosphere really difficult. But she felt so good after the worlds, and she is 16 now so I thought it was now or never,” he explained.

“She’s so good. She tries so hard never to make a mistake, so I really trust her on all the lines. She’s just amazing and she’s getting better and better. I just wish she was 12!”

Germany’s Ingrid Klimke finished third on her first visit to the LIHS, riding the Fidertanz stallion Franziskus to a score of 83.17%.

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The London International Horse Show dressage freestyle times have been released ahead of the FEI World Cup qualifier tomorrow, Friday, 16 December, supported by Horse & Hound.

All eyes will be on the grand prix winner and reigning world champions, Britain’s Lottie Fry and the 11-year-old Lord Leatherdale stallion Glamourdale. Having already produced a stunning personal best of 84.03% in the short grand prix, Lottie and Glamourdale will take to the ExCeL arena at 10pm to perform the freestyle routine that earned them 90.65% and individual gold at the World Dressage Championships this year.

Second in the grand prix with another personal best score was Britain’s Gareth Hughes, riding Classic Briolinca. They are set to ride their freestyle at 9.40pm on Friday night.

London Horse Show freestyle times for British riders

• Emile Faurie and Bellevue: 9.20pm
• Richard Davison and Bubblingh: 9.30pm
• Andrew Gould and Indigro: 7.55pm
• Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca: 9.40pm
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale: 10pm

Other top contenders’ freestyle times

• Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Dream Boy (NED): 9.50pm
• Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus FRH (GER): 10.10pm
• Helen Langehanenberg and Annabelle (GER): 10.20pm

Check out the full list of London Horse Show dressage freestyle times.

The grand prix freestyle forms the World Cup qualifier at this London leg of the 2022/2023 series. It is the feature class of the Friday evening performance at the LIHS, which also features the Christmas Pudding stakes showjumping, small dog agility and a display by the Le Régiment de Cavalerie de la Garde Républicaine.

This is the second year at which the show has been held in its new home of the ExCeL Centre, having previously been held at the iconic London Olympia venue. The winner of last year’s grand prix freestyle at LIHS was Charlotte Dujardin riding Gio; the pair scored 89.04%.

Keep up to date with all of the action from London International, including breaking news and behind the scenes insight from each day of the show, with no limit on how much you can read, from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Join now

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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

Lottie Fry won the opening grand prix class of the London Horse Show dressage competition this afternoon by more than 5% on her world champion, Glamourdale.

The British pair scored 84.03% in the FEI World Cup short grand prix, supported by Horse & Hound. Their impressive test brimmed with controlled power as Van Olst Horses’ black stallion showed off throughout his virtually flawless performance.

“He had a bit of a holiday after the dressage World Championships and suddenly became even more popular for breeding, so he’s been busy with that,” said Lottie.

“Then the last month or so we started to play around with the work again. A couple of weeks ago we realised how well he was going at home and thought how amazing it would be to bring him to London – and that’s how we ended up coming.”

Lottie said she is still “living on a cloud” and her success this year – double individual gold plus team silver at the World Championships in Herning – hasn’t really sunk in.

“I guess there probably was quite a lot of pressure coming here, considering how well the World Championships went, but I know he loves these atmospheres and the arena here is incredible,” she said.

“There was a lot of excitement about coming to show him in England for the first time and we both loved it. When he goes in there he lifts up and gives more and I’ve not had that feeling since Herning – it’s an incredible feeling.”

Gareth Hughes made it a British one-two when he piloted his world team silver medallist Classic Briolinca to second on 78.26%. The 16-year-old mare belongs to Gareth, his wife Rebecca and daughter Ruby, plus Julia Hornig.

“I thought I did a good job until Lottie rode in!” joked Gareth. “I’ve been doing this a long time and what Lottie’s achieved, what Charlotte [Dujardin] has achieved – those two are going to be the centre of our team for years to come.

“This was my mare’s first indoor show – she holds a lot of nerve, but she’s getting older, so we thought as she feels really good we’d come here. I’m really proud of her efforts here today.”

Germany’s Ingrid Klimke – who combines riding in eventing and dressage at championship level – finished third on her London Horse Show dressage debut with Wilhelm Holkenbrink’s Franziskus FRH, scoring 75.42%.

“He was really listening and very fresh,” said Ingrid, who was kicking herself for doing 13 one tempi changes instead of 11. “That was a big mistake from me – I wasn’t sure if I was missing one and then I did too many, but he did lovely pirouettes, a super zigzag, nice two-time changes, so there were many good points.”

Ingrid said she was glad she had arrived early, on Tuesday, to give the 14-year-old stallion time to soak up the atmosphere, but she still had to sit a big leap as she warmed down after her test.

“He’s full of himself! I’m really looking forward to tomorrow night,” said the German star, who is riding to pop music in the freestyle. “I hope it will get everyone dancing in their chairs, it’s really refreshing and fun.”

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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

The London Horse Show dressage times, for the grand prix part of the FEI World Cup qualifier supported by Horse & Hound, have been released ahead of tomorrow’s action (Thursday, 15 December).

The 15 competitors are split into two judging blocks, with eight in the first and seven in the second. The class is seeded so the higher-ranked competitors, who are likely to score better, are mostly in the second half of the draw, which starts at 3.52pm after a short break.

London Horse Show dressage times for British riders in the grand prix

• Emile Faurie and Bellevue: 2.25pm
• Richard Davison and Bubblingh: 2.34pm
• Andrew Gould and Indigro: 3.10pm
• Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca: 4.19pm
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale: 4.37pm

Other top contenders’ times

• Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Dream Boy (NED): 3.01pm
• Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus FRH (GER): 4.10pm
• Helen Langehanenberg and Annabelle (GER): 4.28pm

Full times

• Check out the full list of times

The dressage grand prix is the feature class of Thursday afternoon’s performance at the London Horse Show at ExCeL, with the puissance forming the feature class on Thursday evening. The under-25 jumping class, the Dressage Unwrapped masterclass, dog agility and extreme driving are also on the programme for tomorrow’s opening day of the show.

For the dressage competitors, the class tomorrow – in which competitors ride the FEI short grand prix test – is followed by the freestyle on Friday (16 December), which determines the final placings for this leg of the dressage World Cup.

British fans will be particularly pleased to have a chance to see world champions Lottie Fry and Glamourdale compete on home soil. Lottie is based in the Netherlands and while she has competed at this show before, it will be Glamourdale’s first appearance in Britain.

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The dressage World Cup qualifier at the London International Horse Show, supported by Horse & Hound, is always a thrilling showdown of top class dressage, dusted with Christmas magic. This year looks to be as exciting as ever, with a truly world-class line-up descending on London’s ExCeL.

With Netherlands-based Brit Lottie Fry opting to bring her 2022 world champion ride, Glamourdale, to make his debut appearance on British soil, she has become the odds-on favourite to walk away with the win in the freestyle on Friday night (16 December). Glamourdale has not competed since winning double individual gold for Britain at the World Dressage Championships in August, but is on super form at home, hence Lottie’s decision to substitute him for her original entry, Everdale.

If Glamourdale were to replicate his 90.65% freestyle from the worlds, it would be the highest mark seen at LIHS, except for the world record scores achieved by Totilas (2009) and Valegro (2013, 2014).

A born showman, Glamourdale is unlikely to be fazed by the electric atmosphere at LIHS, and he and Lottie are sure to receive a rapturous welcome by British crowds, many of whom will be seeing the world champions in the flesh for the first time. Their “Best of British” soundtrack, created by Joost Peters, should go down a storm, too. Make no mistake, Lottie and Glamourdale will be going for glory.

Giving the world champions a run for their money, however, will be the British pair who pulled out a fabulous fifth in the freestyle at the World Championships this summer: Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca. They’ll be keen to show off their popular “Madonna” routine on home soil, and have shown they are well capable of scoring in the mid-80s with it. Beating Glamourdale at his best may be an ambitious target, but expect Gareth and Briolinca to finish in the top three.

There’s a small but strong German contingent crossing the Channel for LIHS this year, in the form of Helen Langehanenburg and Ingrid Klimke. Olympic eventer Indrid is riding a fruitful dressage wave this year, with team bronze at the World Dressage Championships and victory at the Stuttgart World Cup qualifier in November. She brings forward the stallion behind that success, the 10-year-old Fidertanz son Franziskus FRH, who is going from strength to strength. The pair posted 83.44% at Stuttgart, and there’s everything to suggest their upward trajectory can continue in London.

Helen Langehanenburg is another with big scores on her record with the 14-year-old Holsteiner Annabelle 110. They’ve breached the 80% barrier numerous times, including on their last outing, to the World Cup leg in Madrid. Somewhat surprisingly, this will be Olympic silver medallist Helen’s first trip to LIHS, so she’ll be determined to make an impact.

On the other hand, Hans Peter Minderhoud counts five competitive appearances at LIHS, amongst them several top-three finishes and a grand prix win in 2018. He brings forward that same ride, Glock’s Dream Boy, for 2022, his first time at the show’s new home of ExCeL.

This will be the 14-year-old Vivaldi stallion’s first international show since February, having sustained an injury earlier in the year that ruled him out of selection for the summer’s world championships. If he returns on the same form he has shown in previous years, he and Hans Peter will be ones to to be reckoned with.

Never to be underestimated are Richard Davison and Bubblingh, another member of this year’s British world championship team to be in action at LIHS. The pair have a good track record at this show, their best result having come in 2021 when they finished fourth in the freestyle.

London Horse Show dressage debutants to watch

Keep your eye on LIHS newcomers Andrew Gould and Indigro, who have made quite the impact on the British grand prix circuit this season, their first together and the nine-year-old Negro stallion’s first at top level. London will be their biggest challenge yet but they will definitely be ones to watch.

Also a new face, albeit partnered by highly experienced team rider Emile Faurie, is that of Bellevue. Owned by Diana Rose, the 11-year-old Bordeaux mare has completed just a handful of grands prix in the short time since they teamed up at this level, but with strong scores so far and a fifth placing on their international debut at Kronenburg CDI earlier this month.

British-based Irish team rider Abi Lyle is also making her LIHS debut, riding her world championships partner Giraldo. This is another pair who haven’t been out since August, but while they probably won’t finish at the sharp end, expect them to put in a determined, respectable performance, and have a lot of fun while doing so.

London Horse Show: H&H dressage editor’s prediction

The winner from the past two London Horse Shows – Charlotte Dujardin – may not be in action this year, being eight months pregnant, but I’m confident we’ll see a British winner this year in Lottie Fry. She and Glamourdale are set to bring the house down, and will be a real treat to watch performing their spectacular freestyle at the ExCeL.

For me, second place will be a tussle between Gareth Hughes and Ingrid Klimke, but I think that Gareth and Briolinca’s experience and composure will edge it, handing them the runner-up spot and Ingrid and Franziskus in third. But it’s all to play for…

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The 2022 London International Horse Show dressage entries have been revealed, and Britain’s Lottie Fry will start as one of the favourites to win the World Cup qualifier (15-16 December), as part of a high quality line-up at ExCeL London.

Netherlands-based Lottie Fry, who won double individual gold and team silver for Britain at the World Dressage Championships in August aboard Glamourdale, has opted to bring her Tokyo Olympics and European championship medallist Everdale to London International.

She and Everdale last competed at this event, then held at Olympia, in 2019, where they finished third behind Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester. This year, Lottie and the Lord Leatherdale x Negro stallion will be strong challengers for the win; the pair are on stellar form, achieving an 84.34% freestyle win on their last international outing to Ermelo CDI3* in September.

“I am so excited to be returning to the London International Horse Show,” said Lottie. “I love competing in front of my home crowd, it is always so special, and the atmosphere is incredible. It will be the best way to end an amazing year.”

They won’t have it easy though, with two more of Lottie’s silver medal-winning teammates from this year’s world championships among the London Horse Show dressage entries. Gareth Hughes will bring forward his top mare Classic Briolinca, with whom he finished fifth individually in the freestyle at the worlds, on over 84%. The hugely experienced Richard Davison is also set to compete at ExCeL London, with his home-bred Lingh gelding Bubblingh.

Also entered for Britain are Andrew Gould with the exciting nine-year-old Negro stallion Indigro and Emile Faurie with the 11-year-old Bordeaux mare Bellevue.

The British riders will be pushed all the way by two top German combinations: Olympic eventer and World Dressage Championships team bronze medallist Ingrid Klimke will bring the Fidertanz stallion Franziskus, with whom she won the World Cup qualifier in Stuttgart earlier this month.

Helen Langehanenberg will also represent Germany riding Annabelle 110 – another combination well capable of scoring over 80%.

Other top international riders entered include the Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud riding his very successful championship team horse Glock’s Dream Boy, France’s Morgan Barbançon (Bolero) and Australia’s Simone Pearce (Fiderdance). Ireland will be represented by London Horse Show first-timers Abi Lyle and Giraldo.

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A proposal to make double bridles and spurs optional at grand prix level in international dressage has sparked debate.

Last month, the International Dressage Riders Club (IDRC) and International Dressage Trainers Club (IDTC) published a joint letter to the FEI and the FEI’s independent Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission opposing the proposal – stating “neither the double bridle nor spurs represent a welfare risk to horses” and there are already “sufficient controls” to ensure against misuse.

The discussion arose after the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission – established in June – held a consultation and submitted a number of recommendations to the FEI in August for “internal discussion”, including the possibility of making double bridles optional in grand prix dressage – and spurs optional in all FEI disciplines.

The IDRC and IDTC said opposition to the double bridle comes from a “lack of understanding” regarding how and why it is used.

“Yes, the misuse of the double can lead to force and injury, this is true with the snaffle or any other bit, or even a hackamore. For this reason there are restrictions on exactly which bits can be used, for example length of shank or size of port,” the letter states, adding that proper use of a double bridle demonstrates “the ultimate in expertise”.

“There is close scrutiny of the horse at the end of any test. Any indication of injury results in elimination. This is a powerful incentive to ensure riders are judicious in their use of the reins.”

The letter adds that proper use of double bridles – and spurs – allow riders to give refined aids, and making these optional would have “no positive impact on horse welfare”.

“While it might be tempting to make these items optional as a ‘peace offering’ to critics in the hope that they will be satisfied, that approach is incorrect and naive. But more importantly, giving in to unwarranted or ignorant criticism is practically and ethically wrong,” it read.

• Read the IDRC and IDRT letter in full

In response to the letter, the FEI told H&H it is “firmly committed” to horse welfare and ensuring good governance standards, and it was the FEI’s duty to “keep an open mind” and seek meaningful solutions to recurring problems through dialogue and consultation.

The FEI spokesman said the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission’s recommendations have been shared with the technical committees for their feedback and an interim report will be presented at the General Assembly next month.

“These proposals are part of an ongoing consultation process. We take note of the concerns expressed by the IDRC and IDTC, which will be brought to the attention of the board and the equine ethics and wellbeing commission.”

World and European medallist Gareth Hughes told H&H he understands both arguments and said he trains all his horses in snaffles and doubles.

“Nice riding is nice riding whether you do it in a snaffle or a double,” he said. “That’s what we should be more fixed on; riding that produces horses nicely, and how the sport moves forward in terms of what the judges are looking for in the arena that stops other sorts of riding coming into the sport – and promotes that harmonious side to it. When you ride like that, it really doesn’t matter if you have a snaffle or a double on.”

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H that it was “curious” why the proposal should be controversial.

“Surely it is how the horse performs that is of most relevance, rather than the bitting or other accessories used? Double bridles can be a useful tool, but they are also a powerful tool, and it seems right to give riders the choice,” he said.

“A constant mantra for the sport must be around challenging the status quo, including questioning our practices. Some might ask, why make this change? We’d ask, why wouldn’t you?”

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British rider Gareth Hughes is a familiar name in the world of dressage. After all, he was the British team alternate at the Tokyo Olympics, won European team silver in 2021 and world team silver a year later, as well as being crowned British national champion in 2022.

But read on find out a few things about him you may not have known…

1. Gareth Hughes almost didn’t become a dressage rider

Although Gareth was born in the UK, he grew up in Australia, near Brisbane. As a teenager he mostly showed Arabian horses and did western riding, though he admits he always had an obsession with dressage.

“I can still crack a stock whip, cook a Barbie and say ‘g’day’,” he confirms. “If I hadn’t been a dressage rider I’d have become a reiner — when I first came back to Britain I was umming and aahing about which route to go down.”

2. He came close to riding for Australia

He’s now one of Britain’s top riders and trainers, and won team medals at the European Championships in 2013 and World Equestrian Games in 2014, but during the early years of his dressage career he intended to ride for Australia.

“I have a British passport, but I grew up in Australia and it felt like home,” explains Gareth, who admits he was asked to switch nationalities again before London 2012. “But although I had residency there, I never took out Australian citizenship. I would have had to move back there to get an Australian passport, but by then my business was already established over here, so I couldn’t.”

3. He still considers himself a ‘closet cowboy’

“I’ve still got a western hat and I like to dress up as a cowboy,” laughs Gareth. “I went to the world rodeo championships in Vegas a few years ago with friends and we properly cowboy-ed it up!

“I still think that one day maybe I will go back to doing that. But dressage is what I do right now and I love it.”

4. Individual medals have never been his aim

While proud to have ridden on a number of teams for Britain, and always keen to help bring home team medals from championships, Gareth reveals that individual medals have never been his target.

“I have no ambition for individual medals, because I never thought I was good enough, to be honest,” he says. “All I’ve wanted is to have a horse who is world-class, mostly to prove to myself that I can do it.”

5. He’s in high demand as a trainer

As well as a rider, Gareth is also a successful and sought-after trainer, and has been to championships under various flags in a coaching role. Among his many roles, he has been dressage trainer for the Australian event team, and a technical advisor for the Swiss dressage team.

6. He considers himself an introvert

“If I was in a band I’d be the bass guitarist, not the lead singer,” reasons Gareth, who compares the dynamics of a championship team to that of a band. “I’m quite introverted and I actually hate talking in public, and riding in public, but my job requires it.”

7. Mowing the lawn makes him happy

Medals and money are not what drives Gareth.

“I’m not money orientated and I feel very fulfilled: I have a beautiful daughter who I’m very proud of, a nice property — I love coming home and driving through the gates into our place. I love mowing the lawn!” he reveals.

8. He has plenty of interests outside horses

Just as spending time with home with his family always puts a smile on Gareth’s face, he also enjoys a number of activities that have nothing to do with horses, from playing guitar – something he took up during lockdown – to getting out and about on his Harley Davidson motorbike.

9. He takes an interest in other sports — including reining

“I watch a lot of other sports and I admire other sportsmen’s attitudes, such as Roger Federer and Andy Murray in tennis, and Michael Phelps in swimming,” says Gareth, who adds that he also follows the sport of reining. “For sportspeople the biggest thing is to have respect for your sport and for the people within your sport.”

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“That, up to now, has been the one that got away,” declared Gareth Hughes after being crowned LeMieux British National Dressage Champion with his own and Judy Firmston-Williams’ Sintano Van Hof Olympia at the 2022 LeMieux National Dressage Championships.

The LeMieux British National Dressage title was awarded to the highest total for the Kudos grand prix freestyle and the LeMieux grand prix and following a slightly tense test in Saturday’s grand prix, Gareth, last to go, had to score over 77.08% to take the crown. He grabbed it with both hands as ‘Piglet’ put in a breathtaking display to score 79.88% to win the freestyle as well.

“Close arenas like this are not easy for him as he can be quite nervy but it was all or nothing today,” said Gareth. “I used Classic Briolinca’s World Championship music which is by far the hardest test he’s ever done. It’s one tight line after the other, particularly the trot half pass into passage half pass into piaffe pirouette and back to passage, if anything was going to catch him out it was going to be that but if I was going to ask that question if not here then when?”

He certainly did ask every question of the 12-year-old Sandro Hit/Silvano N gelding, finishing the final centre line single handed into the salute which surprised daughter Ruby to remark: “Since when had my dad gone one-handed?!”

It certainly topped off what has been a magical year for the Warwickshire-based rider.

“I’ve been pretty lucky in my career and filled every ambition, World and European Championships but this is the one I missed out on so it’s very special.”

What perhaps made it even more special was that it was Judy’s birthday.

“It is totally the best birthday present I’ve ever had, in fact it’s all a bit overwhelming,” she said. “I’d always wanted a grand prix horse and he was my big gamble. This, today, wasn’t on my bucket list until recently but boy did he tick it off in style.”

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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On day two of the 2022 LeMieux National Dressage Championships, Team Hughes’ groom Angharad Harries and Jack Brown impressed the judges to win the BETTALIFE National Dressage Championships novice gold title with a total of 73.74%.

The upstanding eight-year-old gelding, who stands at 19hh, was not originally destined for a career between the white boards; he was purchased as a vaulting horse for Olympian Gareth Hughes’ daughter, Ruby, who vaulted for Britain before turning her focus to dressage.

“When Ruby stopped vaulting he needed another job,” said a delighted Angharad, who has worked for Team Hughes for seven years. “This is only his fourth show of the year; he did two shows to qualify for regionals before heading to the regional finals, and now he’s won the National Dressage Championships novice gold title here at Somerford.”

Angharad has been riding Jack Brown for two years.

“As he’s so big we’ve taken things very, very slowly,” she continued. “We’re really excited about what he could possibly do in the future.

“He’s a really adaptable horse and he tries hard for me. His canter work was brilliant today and he picked up some nines for his counter canter. His transitions were easy to ride, too, and he really focused in the arena.”

Angharad will now aim Jack Brown for the elementary at regionals over winter.

In second was Danni Morgan steering Oh My VH who scored 73.22%, while third position went to Tom Goode and Frankie PS on 72.96%.

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The first of the three British riders to compete in the Blue Hors World Dressage Championships freestyle this evening (10 August) was Gareth Hughes who, with the 16-year-old mare Classic Briolinca, scored a personal best of 84.04%. This was enough to put them into the lead at the halfway stage of the World Dressage Championships results.

Gareth and Classic Briolinca performed their freestyle to a Madonna medley.

“We thought that music would suit her and that‘s actually the first time I’ve ridden through the whole floor plan,” Gareth explained after his test. “To go into an arena like that was really different but it was a lot of fun. I probably looked quite serious, but I was actually smiling.

“This is only our third competition this year, because we’ve just been building her up for this show. She’s 16 and I want another couple of years out of her, so we’ve been very careful.”

Gareth was quite emotional relaying his thoughts on his test this evening and how this mare, who he owns alongside his wife Rebecca and daughter Ruby, has performed throughout these championships.

“She’s come out and she amazes me – she’s just stunning and she’s got so much heart. She holds a lot of tension but now she’s experienced, she knows her lines now and when she goes on those lines, she tries so hard not to make a mistake.”

The highlights in Classic Briolinca’s work were her piaffe, passage and pirouettes and she looked to be really trying for Gareth.

“That’s a pretty special arena and how often do you get to ride in front of that many people, who are such an enthusiastic crowd – the size and scope of it, it’s amazing. I mean, these are dreams,” he said. “I think we can still go even better, but I just love her. We’ll aim for the Europeans next year and then the Paris Olympics. Briolinca has done more than I could ever have dreamed.”

Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Touchdown hold second place on 83.68% in the World Dressage Championships results, while fellow Swede, Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino OLD are in third on 83.05%.

The two remaining British riders, Charlotte Dujardin and Lottie Fry, are due to start their freestyle performances at 9pm and 9.30pm BST respectively.

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The Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships times have been released for the grand prix freestyle, from which the second set of individual medals will be awarded.

The top 15 riders from the grand prix special are eligible to ride the freestyle, and all three British riders who were in action on Monday have gone through – including newly-crowned individual world champion Lottie Fry. Here’s when you can catch the Brits in action in the freestyle:

• Gareth Hughes on Classic Briolinca: 9pm local time (8pm BST)
• Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep: 10pm local time on Sunday (9pm BST)
• Lottie Fry on Glamourdale: 10.30pm local time on Sunday (9.30pm BST)

When do the other medal favourites ride?

We can look forward to seeing 15 incredible combinations in action in this freestyle class, but the riders you really must not miss include:

• Germany’s Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz: 10.10pm local time (9.10pm BST)
• Germany’s Benjamin Werndl on Famoso OLD: 10.20pm local time (9.20pm BST)
• The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere on Hermes: 10.40pm local time (9.40pm BST)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Vamos Amigos: 10.50pm local time (9.50pm BST)

When does the World Dressage Championships freestyle begin and end?

The first rider into the ring to ride their freestyle routine will be the Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens riding Indian Rock, due to begin their test at 8pm local time. Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour will close the class with Vamos Amigos, riding at 10.50pm local time as she bids to improve on her individual silver medal from Monday.

Where can I find the full list of World Dressage Championships times?

Check out the full starting order for the freestyle:

• Grand prix freestyle times [PDF download]

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How to watch the World Dressage Championships in Herning: your full guide

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Britain’s Lottie Fry rode the test of her life to be crowned world champion in Herning, topping the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships results in the grand prix special.

Lottie and the phenomenal 11-stallion stallion Glamourdale scored 82.5% to move ahead of the home favourite, Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, and claim the gold medal for Britain. Their score was over 1.5% higher than their previous best in this test, as they rose to the occasion in formidable fashion and scored a plethora of nines and 10s, particularly in the canter work.

This is the first time Britain has had an individual gold medallist at any championship since Valegro won gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016 with Charlotte Dujardin.

“This is an incredible feeling, I have no words right now and I’m probably going to burst into tears at any minute; it’s just unreal,” said Lottie, moments after it was confirmed that she was the new world champion with Van Olst Horses’ fabulous black stallion.

Hopes have been high for Glamourdale eve since he won the seven-year-old title at the World Breeding Championships in 2018, under Lottie. He has been produced steadily through to the top level since, and this week he has truly come of age.

This horse’s canter is something to behold – with the crowd letting out loud gasps of appreciation at various points during the canter tour. But it wasn’t just the canter that earned them the top marks from the seven judges: Lottie and Glamourdale banked a 10 right from the off for their foot perfect entry and square halt. The two-time changes – so huge and scopey they barely fit on the diagonal line – received five 10s; the extended canter earned six 10s.

The pirouettes slightly let the pair down in the grand prix, but Lottie said she hoped she could fix them by the special, and fix them she did, earning eights and even a nine for them today as Glamourdale kept much better balance in both.

On their final centre line, the crowd, who had just about managed to restrain themselves at the end of the pair’s grand prix, could hold back no longer and burst into applause. But this pair are not ones to be fazed – Glamourdale loves the atmosphere, producing even more lift in his last bout of passage, before executing a perfect halt – banking himself a further pair of 10s to help edge them further up the leaderboard.

“To get 82.5% at world champs is what dreams are made of,” said Lottie. “He was incredible, he went in there and just did everything I could ask.

“Everything was better – I didn’t believe it could be better but it was. The changes were bigger than yesterday, the pirouettes were better than yesterday, the piaffes were better than yesterday and he was just so ready for it today. The feeling he gives when he goes in the arena is like no other; he is such a massive showman and he takes me with him in that.

“That extended canter and those changes – it’s just the best feeling in the world when he’s doing that.”

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour had to settle for silver, after scoring 81.32% with the 10-year-old Vamos Amigos, owned by the British Pidgey family, with the Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere and Hermes scooping bronze with 79.4%.

The 2018 world champion, Isabell Werth, was the final rider into the arena, following Lottie, but couldn’t quite get onto the podium, finishing fourth with DSP Quantaz on 79.07%. Her compatriot Benjamin Werndl was fifth, with Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin sixth on Imhotep after scoring 77.52%. In fact, all three Brits in the special finished in the top seven in the World Dressage Championships results, with Gareth Hughes seventh on Classic Briolinca.

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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

Britain’s Gareth Hughes has taken the lead with one horse to go in the third session of the grand prix special, as the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships results continue to roll in.

Gareth and the 16-year-old mare Classic Briolinca – who he co-owns with his wife Rebecca, daughter Ruby and Julia Hornig – put in a neat, rhythmic test. Their only real mistake was a break in the rhythm at the end of one of the extended trots, for which the average marks dropped to 6.1.

“She was great. The other day [in the grand prix on Saturday] we did a really good test, but there was a little bit of tension there, but today she felt really calm and relaxed and I could ride a lot more positively,” said Gareth.

“She doesn’t have huge natural scope to her basic paces, but in all the collected work she’s got such good mechanics and she’s so regular and you can really ride on the marker.

“I feel I can ride nice as well and I think that’s really important these days because even though we want to do as well as we can, I think that nice riding should always be in the forefront of my mind. If I come out and I feel like I’ve ridden nice and we’ve done mistake-free tests, then I don’t care where we finish.”

The highlights of their performance included the passage and first piaffe and the canter pirouettes, for which the marks averaged 8.9 – the crowd applauded as the scores were displayed for these. Although the spectators were starting to clap at the end of the test too, Classic Briolinca managed to hold it together and show a halt, unlike in Saturday’s grand prix.

The pair scored 77.28% to hold second in the World Dressage Championships results at this stage, behind Germany’s Benjamin Werndl and Famoso OLD.

Gareth added: “When I turned the corner and I set her up a particular way, wherever it is, she knows she’s going to lock onto a pirouette and we always smack out six to eight steps and come out and wave at the judge and carry on.

“She’s always done good pirouettes, but they have got better and better and better. But she’s one of those now who in the passage, the tempi changes and the pirouette, she sort of locks onto a rhythm and in the canter piroutte, separates behind and holds the rhythm so each step’s the same and she doesn’t knock herself out. You’re looking for that separation in the hind leg and she does it beautifully.”

Gareth tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in Denmark but still rode in the grand prix and helped Britain to the team silver, which is within the rules. He confirmed today that he has now had two negative tests, the first last night, but is still being cautious.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

The World Dressage Championships times have been released for today’s grand prix special, the first of the individual competitions following an exhilarating team contest.

The top 30 riders from the grand prix qualify for the grand prix special, with three of the British riders who won team silver in Herning yesterday going forward to compete for individual medals. The top 15 combinations from the special will go through to the grand prix freestyle on Wednesday, 10 August, although only three from each nation may contest the freestyle.

The Brits will ride the special at the following times:

• Gareth Hughes on Classic Briolinca: 5.20pm local time (4.20pm BST)
• Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep: 7pm local time on Sunday (6pm BST)
• Lottie Fry on Glamourdale: 7.30pm local time on Sunday (6.30pm BST)

What time do the other medal contenders ride the special?

Don’t miss these combinations, who could all finish near the top of the grand prix special leaderboard:

• The USA’s Adrienne Lyle on Salvino: 4pm local time (3pm BST)
• Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on Touchdown: 5.30pm local time (4.30pm BST)
• The USA’s Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper: 5.40pm local time (4.40pm BST)
• Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Marshall-Bell: 6pm local time (5pm BST)
• Germany’s Frederic Wandres on Duke Of Britain FRH: 6.30pm local time (5.30pm BST)
• Denmark’s Carina Cassøe Krüth on Heiline’s Danciera: 6.40pm local time (5.40pm BST)
• The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere on Hermes: 7.18pm local time (6.18pm BST)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Vamos Amigos: 7.20pm local time (6.20pm BST)
• Germany’s Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz: 7.40pm local time (6.40pm BST)

When does the World Dressage Championships grand prix start and finish?

The first rider into the arena for the grand prix special in Herning is José Antomio Garcia Mena riding Divina Royal for Spain, and they go at 1.30pm (12.30pm BST). The reigning world champion in the special, Isabell Werth, will be the final rider to compete tonight, on DSP Quantaz, and she will begin her ride at 7.40pm local time.

Check out the full list of World Dressage Championships times:

• Grand prix special times [PDF download]

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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

Great Britain have won team silver in the World Dressage Championships results, behind home team Denmark, who beat the Brits to the gold medal by just 1.2 points. The 2018 world champions Germany have claimed bronze, 3.43 points behind the British team.

It was nail-biting stuff as the final rotation of top riders took to the Stuttari Ask stadium in Herning, Denmark, and it was Britain’s Lottie Fry who really laid the pressure on the last few, with a sensational test on the 11-year-old championship first-timer Glamourdale, owned by Van Olst Horses. Lottie and Glammy wowed crowds and judges alike to score a personal best of 80.84%, charging to the top of the leaderboard and making Britain the team to beat – 10 years to the day the Britain won gold at the London Olympics in 2012.

“From the second we left the warm-up Glamourdale heard the crowd and he was just ready for it,” said Lottie, adding that her success still hadn’t really sunk in.

But it was Denmark’s darling, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, who was always destined to be the protagonist of this championship, and she duly delivered, producing her own personal best score with the 10-year-old Vamos Amigos, who is owned by the British Pidgley family. The pair were foot perfect for 81.86%, securing the gold medal for Denmark – the country’s first ever dressage team gold.

Cathrine explained that ever since Denmark won the bid to host these World Dressage Championships, the team’s aim has been victory here.

“It means a lot just being in there, and I feel so proud to have Daniel, Nanna [Merrald Rasmussen] and Carina [Cassøe Krüth]as my colleagues. the feeling of being in a team that cool, is very nice,” she said.

The Danish team were the favourites going into the competition, and they lived up to the hype – their strength as a quartet is such that their discard score was Daniel Bachmann Andersen’s super 76.58% on Marshall-Bell.

Britain came to Herning with a lot less certainty surrounding their fortunes, with three horses who were competing on a championship team for the first time. Richard Davison and Bubblingh having got the ball rolling on day one, and Gareth Hughes raising British hopes with a very good grand prix on Classic Briolinca, despite having Covid, but there was a lot of pressure on Charlotte Dujardin and the very green nine-year-old Imhotep, who has completed just three grands prix in his life.

Luckily, Charlotte thrives on pressure, busting out a chunky 77.4%, before Lottie proved just what a cool customer she is as well.

With Cathrine and Lottie’s scores soaring to the top of the World Dressage Championships results, only Germany’s Frederic Wandres and the British-bred Duke Of Britain FRH had a realistic chance of disrupting the top two podium positions. He gave it a great shot on his senior team debut, with the 15-year-old Dimaggio gelding shining in the piaffe-passage, and although his 76.66% wasn’t enough to displace the British team, it was enough to secure Germany a very well-earned bronze.

“To come into the arena as the last German rider was something special,” said Frederic. “I never had that before. And to reach the bronze medal is like a dream come true for me, since I was a small kid.”

Just missing the medals was Sweden, who finished fourth in the World Dressage Championships results. They have however secured qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, along with the top three teams, plus the Netherlands in fifth and the USA in sixth.

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Lottie Fry has delivered a masterclass to take the lead on 80.84% in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships results – springing Britain to the top of the leaderboard.

Lottie and the striking 11-year-old stallion Glamourdale, owned by Van Olst Horses, had the crowd – and the judges – mesmerised from the moment they entered, earning nines for their first halt.

The pair’s test – which earned them a personal best at this level – was decorated with top marks, scoring six 10s for their canter work and earning gasps from the crowd. The first extended trot scored a handful of nines, and three judges awarded 10s for their superb two-time changes. The pirouettes lost a little balance, but they once again delivered in the extended trot, and went on to nail the final line. The crowd got behind them clapping as they made their final passage and piaffe and Lottie could be seen smiling – before their final halt, which scored more 10s.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in, I’m a little bit numb and speechless. I still need to take a look at that scoreboard and check that it’s mine!,” said Lottie. 

“From the second we left the warm-up he heard the crowd and he was just ready for it. He was just taking me and his test felt incredible. There was small moments in the pirouettes which hopefully i can fix for tomorrow [for the grand prix special] for even more marks, but apart from that he was just on fire and loving it.”

Lottie said she and Glamourdale “were in a bubble” as they navigated the test, and when the audience clapping came the Lord Leatherdale son “rose to it”.

“When they started [clapping] it I wasn’t expecting it and then it came, and he came up a little on the poll and he was like ‘Oh wow, there’s people here!’. He loved it. I think I started smiling at that point,” she said. 

Lottie praised Glamourdale’s relaxed attitude to the bustling championships.

“He’s been such a pro. This is the furthest he’s ever travelled, the longest he’s been away in competition. It’s a lot of firsts for him. He’s still only 11, and a stallion, which makes everything more difficult but he’s taken it all in his stride,” she said.

“I think he realises why he’s here, he’s going to be very happy tonight.”

She added she received support from Charlotte Dujardin and Gareth Hughes ahead of her test.

“It’s a great team feeling and lots of support. It couldn’t have been better,” she said, adding the pressure “drives her to be better”.

“I need to do Glamourdale justice because everyone knows he’s amazing, so I have to show that I can let him be amazing. There is a lot of pressure riding him but it’s great. It’s a great team and partnership, and hopefully he loves me as much as I love him.”

The World Dressage Championships is Glamourdale’s first major championship, and he showed promise from an early age winning the seven-year-old title at the World Breeding Championships in 2019.

Britain now stands at the top of the leaderboard with the final riders still to come for the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. Richard Davison and Bubblingh’s 68.85% will be the British drop score. Charlotte Dujardin delivered 77.41% on Imhotep, and Gareth Hughes delivered 75.98% on Classic Briolinca.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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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

The second day of competition is about to get underway at the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark, with the team medals due to be determined.

The Netherlands held the overnight lead, with Germany in silver and Denmark in bronze; Britain currently lie in fifth but there is all to play for, with many of the strongest combinations in the field set to compete today.

Yesterday Richard Davison got the ball rolling for Britain, followed up by a brilliant performance from Gareth Hughes. Today it is the turn of Charlotte Dujardin and Lottie Fry to ride the World Dressage Championships grand prix, and they will ride at the following times:

• Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep: 1.35pm local time (12.35pm BST)
• Lottie Fry on Glamourdale: 6.51pm local time (5.51pm BST)

Two Irish combinations will also be on action today, following disappointment for the team yesterday when Sorrell Klatzko was eliminated in her grand prix test. Catch the remaining Irish riders at the following times:

• Abi Lyle on Giraldo: 12.50pm local time (11.50am BST)
• Anna Merveldt on Esporim: 5.46pm local time (4.46pm BST)

There are plenty more top combinations to look forward to today as well, including:

• Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Marshall-Bell: 3.47pm local time (2.47pm BST)
• Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen on Dante Weltino: 3.56pm local time (2.56pm BST)
• Germany’s Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz: 4.05pm local time (3.05pm BST)
• The USA’s Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper: 4.14pm local time (3.14pm BST)
• The Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens on Indian Rock: 7.09pm local time (6.09pm BST)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Vamos Amigos: 7.18pm local time (6.18pm BST)
• Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on Touchdown: 7.27pm local time (6.27pm BST)
• Germany’s Frederic Wandres on Duke Of Britain FRH: 7.45pm local time (6.45pm BST)
• The USA’s Adrienne Lyle on Salvino: 7.54pm local time (6.54pm BST)

It will be Japan’s Shingo Hayashi who gets the ball rolling aboard Scolari 4, entering the arena at 11am (10am BST). The final rider of the World Dressage Championships grand prix will be the USA’s Adrienne Lyle, who will begin her test on Salvino at 7.54pm (6.54pm BST).

Check out the full list of World Dressage Championships times:

• Times in the order in which the riders go [PDF download]
• Times by team [PDF download]

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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The World Dressage Championships got off to a super start in Herning, Denmark, on Saturday, 6 August, with plenty of excitement and drama on day one of the grand prix.

The Netherlands currently hold the gold medal spot, as the team competition hits the halfway point, with Dinja van Liere heading the leaderboard on plus-78% with the 10-year-old Easy Game son Hermes.

• Find what Dinja had to say about her super test: what she was pleased with and what she would like to improve

Meanwhile, Britain sit in fifth position at this stage of the World Dressage Championships, after a very good test from Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca left them sixth on the leaderboard.

• Hear from Gareth as he chats about his test, and see which movement earned them a flurry of nines

Eventing legend Ingrid Klimke and team debutante Benjamin Werndl each scored a grand prix personal best put defending champions Germany into the silver medal position at this stage.

• Discover what Ingrid had to say about her test – and the difference between dressage and eventing championships

Richard Davison and Bubblingh got the ball rolling for Britain earlier in the day, 20 years after Richard rode Bubblingh’s dam at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez.

• Hear why Richard’s test here in Herning didn’t go quite to plan, and about the bond between the pair

There was great excitement as two Indian riders made World Dressage Championships history today.

• Find out more about the two Indian riders in action in Herning, and what unusual food one of their horses loves to eat

Ireland got off to a positive start with Devon-based Alex Baker making her championship debut on Dutchman.

• Check out what Alex had to say about her test, and what she was especially pleased with.

However, Ireland were dealt a blow later in the day as Sorrell Klatzko was eliminated close to the start of her test with Turbo

• Find out why Sorrell was sadly eliminated in the grand prix and what she had to say about it afterwards

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

The Netherlands hold the gold medal position in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships results at the end of the first day of competition in Herning, Denmark. With two riders from each team still to go, Germany are sitting in the silver medal spot, while home side Denmark are in bronze.

Sweden are holding fourth place going into the second day of grand prix, with Great Britain very close behind in fifth. Spain are currently sixth, ahead of Portugal in seventh and the USA in eighth.

The Netherlands’ second rider of the day, Dinja van Liere, pulled out all the stops on the 10-year-old Easy Game stallion Hermes, scoring 78.84% to shoot straight to the top of the leaderboard in the World Dressage Championships results.

“I was very pleased with the test; there were some things that could go better, so I want to do even better, but I’m very happy,” said Dinja. “It’s not a difficult arena but it’s really big and with the wind today, I was happy that he was fully focused.”

Just behind Dinja in second place is Germany’s Benjamin Werndl with Famoso OLD, on a mark of 77%. This is a personal best for Benjamin, the brother of reigning Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who is missing from the German team this year as she is shortly due to give birth to her second child.

Benjamin explained that since competing Famoso at CHIO Aachen in July, he has been working on developing the connection, which paid off today, as he made his championship team debut for Germany.

“It’s an honour to ride for Germany. There are big footsteps left by the riders before us, but it’s always new and it’s sport and everything can happen,” he said.

“Jessica and I have worked together for so many years now; when she won Olympic gold it was also my medal, and it feels the same the other way round for her now I am in the team.”

Denmark’s second rider Carina Cassøe Krüth boosted the home side’s chances as she laid down another great score to add to teammate Nanna Merrald Rasmussen’s super result earlier in the day. Carina rode the 11-year-old Fürstenball mare Heiline’s Danciera to 76.86% and reported that the mare gave her one of the best feelings ever in the arena.

Denmark are the hot favourites for the gold medal here in Herning, especially since their team victory in Aachen last month, and Carina said that she has been feeling the pressure in the run-up to the World Dressage Championships.

“In the past couple of months, every time I would open my Instagram or my Facebook, there had been a photo of our team from Aachen, saying, ‘Can the Danes win?’ Pressure can be difficult, but yes there is pressure, but also, we can only do our best. So if we give the best version of ourselves that will have to be enough,” she said.

Juliette Ramel and the experienced Buriel KH laid down 76.16% for Sweden, enough for fifth place in the individual standings at the moment. Her mark squeezed Britain’s Gareth Hughes into sixth, after his super test with Classic Briolinca that earned them 75.98%. This followed Britain’s first rider of the day: Richard Davison and Bubblingh.

The grand prix continues tomorrow, when the team medals are decided, and currently there are five teams in serious contention for a place on the podium, Britain among them. Charlotte Dujardin will be the first British rider into the ring tomorrow on Imhotep, competing at 1.35pm local time (12.35pm BST), with Lottie Fry on Glamourdale taking the anchor spot for the team, riding at 6.51pm local time (5.51pm BST).

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Gareth Hughes has kept Britain’s medal hopes alive after posting 75.98% in the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships results on the opening grand prix day.

Gareth and the 16-year-old mare Classic Briolinca, who he co-owns with his wife Rebecca, daughter Ruby and Julia Hornig, were the second British pair to compete, following Richard Davison’s earlier performance with Bubblingh.

Gareth’s test was a delight to watch, with the pirouettes a real highlight scoring four nines. However the pair lost marks in the final halt when Classic Briolinca became unsettled as the enthusiastic crowd clapped them down the centre line, resulting in threes and fives for the last movement. Despite this, their score was enough to put them into second place at the time – with competition still to come from the Netherlands and Denmark on the final session of the first day of the grand prix.

“She was good wasn’t she?,” said a delighted Gareth following his test.

“She was good in the working in and she got a little tense going into the arena and I could feel it, she sort of bubbled away. A couple of years ago that would have worked against us, but she really tried to hold it together I think.

“All the hard stuff she did so well – it’s a pity about the easy things, the last halt with everybody clapping. The judge at C just shook his head, there’s nothing you can do. But what do I say about her? She’s amazing.”

Gareth said the experienced mare knows exactly what she’s doing in the grand prix.

“When you do the half pass, piaffe and passage lines, down the centre lines for the pirouettes, she just locks on. I can just sit there and she holds it, it’s lovely,” he said.

“The tempis is like a metronome, so if I have to forgive her for not halting at the end, then I can at least give that to her.”

Gareth was the best performing British rider at the 2019 European Championships with Classic Briolinca.

“I think people didn’t expect her to quite do what she did [at the Europeans]. In 2020 unfortunately with Covid we lost that year, and with a horse this age, it’s not great but it happens,” he said.

“She’s come back here and she’s proved she’s a world-class horse. She’s laid it out again. She’s 16 but she doesn’t have a lot of miles, there is more teams in her.”

Gareth has high hopes for his teammates Charlotte Dujardin and Lottie Fry, who take to the stage tomorrow (7 August).

“Richard went in this morning and did a great job. Our job is to come here, we know what we can get, and we try and lay down those scores,” he said.

“I wanted to come here and thought if I can go mistake free, I can get around that 76%, so I feel like I’ve laid my score down and I’m really proud of that. Charlotte and Lottie are so experienced, they’ll go down and lay down their scores.

“It’s a new team; young horses, young and old riders. It’s wide open, so if those girls go and do their jobs – which they can do in their sleep – us boys have just got to go in on the first day and lay down some good scores, and let the girls come home and take it away for us.”

Under the World Dressage Championships format, the team medals will be decided solely on the results of the grand prix, with the three best scores per team to count. The grand prix will also serve as an individual qualifier through to the grand prix special on Monday, 8 August.

You might also be interested in:

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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

The Brits proved they are on mega form ahead of the World Dressage Championships action beginning tomorrow (Saturday, 6 August), as they took to the Herning stadium this evening for arena familiarisation.

The British contingent of Richard Davison (Bubblingh), Charlotte Dujardin (Imhotep), Gareth Hughes (Classic Briolinca) and Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) enjoyed a short training session in the vast Stuttari Ask stadium at the World Dressage Championships venue in Herning, Denmark, with all four horses looking stunning in the evening sun.

Lottie only spent a brief time in the arena with the 11-year-old Glamourdale, supported by trainer Anne Van Olst, before giving the Lord Leatherdale stallion a long, leisurely walk around the edge on a long rein.

Briolinca looked relaxed and happy between the boards, with Gareth easing her through some relaxed lateral and piaffe work, while Charlotte had Imhotep looking very impressive as they practised some of the grand prix lines with support from Carl Hester.

Richard and Bubblingh were the last British pair to come into the arena, with the 16-year-old Lingh gelding eyeing his surroundings a little warily as he entered, but proceeding to look very impressive as Richard put him through his paces.

“The horses and the humans are on very good form,” confirmed British chef d’equipe Caroline Griffith. “I’m delighted as a chef to see the horses as they are; the grooms have done a great job and the support team are amazing. We arrived here with everything set up for the horses and the humans; what more can you ask?

“The horses all travelled well,” she added. “They’re all looking absolutely super and the riders are really happy with the way they are going. They were super well behaved at the trot-up, and we had lots of compliments from people around – people come out to watch the British because, arguably, we are the best at producing these top horses.”

On the World Dressage Championships times and the order in which the four British riders will start, Caroline added: “We talked to the riders and it is a collaborative decision as to how things like that happen because that’s the way we bring out the best in each of them. We’re ready for the battle.”

The World Dressage Championships gets underway tomorrow with the grand prix, which will decide the team medals. The grand prix also acts as an individual qualifier for the grand prix special on Monday, 8 August. The grand prix freestyle takes place on Wednesday, 10 August.

You may also be interested in…

World Dressage Championships times released – find out when the Brits will ride for team medals

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‘A championship team is like a band’: Gareth Hughes on team dynamics and why the fourth rider is so important

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

The World Dressage Championships times have been released for the grand prix, which takes place on Saturday, 6 August and Sunday, 7 August in Herning, Denmark.

Britain has been drawn 13th out of the 19 teams taking part, and will field two riders on the Saturday and two on the Sunday. Under the World Dressage Championships format, the team medals will be decided solely on the results of the grand prix, with the three best scores per team to count. The grand prix will also serve as an individual qualifier through to the grand prix special on Monday, 8 August.

World Dressage Championships times: what time do the Brits ride?

• Richard Davison on Bubblingh: 1.08pm local time on Saturday (12.08pm BST)
• Gareth Hughes on Classic Briolinca: 7pm local time on Saturday (6pm BST)
• Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep: 1.35pm local time on Sunday (12.35pm BST)
• Lottie Fry on Glamourdale: 6.51pm local time on Sunday (5.51pm BST)

What time do the other favourites ride in the grand prix?

Don’t miss this combinations, who could all finish near the top of the grand prix leaderboard:

• The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere on Hermes: 7.18pm local time on Saturday (6.18pm BST)
• Denmark’s Carina Cassøe Krüth on Heiline’s Danciera: 7.27pm local time on Saturday (6.27pm BST)
• Sweden’s Juliette Ramel on Buriel KH: 7.36pm local time on Saturday (6.36pm BST)
• Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Marshall-Bell: 3.47pm local time on Sunday (2.47pm BST)
• Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen on Dante Weltino: 3.56pm local time on Sunday (2.56pm BST)
• Germany’s Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz: 4.05pm local time on Sunday (3.05pm BST)
• The USA’s Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper: 4.14pm local time on Sunday (3.14pm BST)
• The Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens on Indian Rock: 7.09pm local time on Sunday (6.09pm BST)
• Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Vamos Amigos: 7.18pm local time on Sunday (6.18pm BST)
• Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on Touchdown: 7.27pm local time on Sunday (6.27pm BST)
• Germany’s Frederic Wandres on Duke Of Britain FRH: 7.45pm local time on Sunday (6.45pm BST)
• The USA’s Adrienne Lyle on Salvino: 7.54pm local time on Sunday (6.54pm BST)

When does the World Dressage Championships grand prix start and finish?

The first rider into the arena for the grand prix in Herning is Switzerland’s Gilles Ngovan riding Zigzag, who goes at 11am (10am BST) on Saturday. The first day of action is rounded off by the USA’s Ashley Holzer and Valentine, who enter the ring at 7.54pm (6.54pm BST).

On day two, it will be Japan’s Shingo Hayashi who gets the ball rolling aboard Scolari 4, entering the arena at 11am (10am BST). The final rider of the World Dressage Championships grand prix will be the USA’s Adrienne Lyle, who will begin her test on Salvino at 7.54pm (6.54pm BST) on Sunday.

Check out the full list of World Dressage Championships times:

• Times in the order in which the riders go [PDF download]
• Times by team [PDF download]

You may also be interested in…

How to watch the World Dressage Championships in Herning: your full guide

A bluffer’s guide to dressage at the 2022 World Championships in Herning

British contingent on top form at the World Dressage Championships trot-up

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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

The World Dressage Championships trot-up took place in Herning, Denmark, this morning and there was delight among the British camp as all four team horses were accepted.

The first horse out for Britain was Richard Davison’s ride Bubblingh (below), the 16-year-old Lingh x Picandt gelding who is owned by Richard and Gwendolyn Sontheim.

A smooth run for Bubblingh was followed by Imhotep, the ride of Charlotte Dujardin, who presented the gelding while wearing her team helmet as usual. The nine-year-old is by Everdale x Vivaldi and is owned by Carl Hester and Coral Ingham.

Glamourdale (below) was the third horse to trot up for Britain. The 11-year-old Lord Leatherdale x Negro stallion is the ride of Lottie Fry, but was trotted up by Van Olst Horses’ Niek Haarlink, and was accepted without hitch.

The final British horse to be presented was Classic Briolinca (below), the 16-year-old mare who is the ride of Gareth Hughes. Briolinca is owned by Gareth, his wife Rebecca and daughter Ruby, and Julia Hornig.

Following a short moment of suspense as the team awaited the verdict on Briolinca, the British quartet were all declared fit to compete.

All 94 dressage horses were accepted at the World Dressage Championships trot-up. However, one of the three New Zealand team horses, Jax Johnson, was not shown. The team still has the opportunity to present the 12-year-old gelding, the ride of Gaylene Lennard, at a re-inspection on Saturday morning.

The competition gets under way tomorrow (Saturday, 6 August), with the first day of the grand prix, which serves as team competition.

The grand prix continues on Sunday, 7 August, after which the team medals will be awarded.

The first set of individual medals are up for grabs on Monday, 8 August, when the top 30 combinations from the grand prix compete in the grand prix special. From here, the top 15 qualify for the freestyle on Wednesday, 10 August, when the second set of individual medals are awarded.

You may also be interested in…

A bluffer’s guide to dressage at the 2022 World Championships in Herning

How to watch the World Dressage Championships in Herning: your full guide

‘He won’t want to hold my hand’: Lottie Fry on prepping Glamourdale for Herning and the food she eats before she competes

‘A championship team is like a band’: Gareth Hughes on team dynamics and why the fourth rider is so important

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

What a week for horse sport! The team dressage World Championships herald the start of the season’s major senior championships, it’s the Festival of British Eventing and so much more…

1. Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships (team), Herning, Denmark

Dates: 6-7 August

More info: event website

How to watch: full coverage on ClipMyHorse.TV

Get the H&H lowdown: we will be producing extensive web coverage of the team dressage World Championships so bookmark our Herning World Championships hub page. Our full magazine report of all the action will be in 11 August issue of Horse & Hound magazine. On the podcast, our preview episode is live now (28 July episode) and we will review the action on 11 August episode.

Why we’re excited about it: the dressage team World Championships kicks off 10 days of top-class sporting action in Herning. The British squad (Richard Davison on Bubblingh, Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep, Lottie Fry on Glamourdale and Gareth Hughes on Classic Briolinca) have a good chance of bringing home some nice shiny medals and we’ll be cheering them on all the way.

2. Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing, Gatcombe, Glos

Dates: 5-7 August

More info: event website

How to watch: live cross-country shown on Horse & Country – more info

Get the H&H lowdown: we’ll be creating plenty of web coverage from the Festival of British Eventing, reviewing the event on the podcast episode released on 11 August and running a full report in the magazine dated 11 August.

Why we’re excited about it: “Big Gatcombe” is back after three years away due to Covid-19. The British open championships tends to be a small but competitive class, while the country’s rising stars fight it out in the British novice and intermediate championships, plus there’s plenty more going on besides.

3. British Showjumping National Championships, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

Dates: 2-7 August

More info: bsnationalchampionships.co.uk

How to watch: ClipMyHorse.TV

Get the H&H lowdown: full coverage in next week’s magazine, in the shops Thursday 11 August.

Why we’re excited about it: it’s time for this country’s leading national riders to shine over six days of competitive championships, with a coveted Horse of the Year Show wild card also up for grabs.

4. Pony European Championships, Strzegom, Poland

Dates: 3-7 August

More info: event website

How to watch: ClipMyHorse.TV

Get theH&H lowdown: report in 11 August issue of the magazine.

Why we’re excited about it: Brits will fight for medals in dressage, showjumping and eventing. In the showjumping, the squad consists of Tilly Bamford (Lapislazuli), Poppy Deakin (Armene Du Costlig), Sophie Evans (Oscar Van De Beekerheide), Tabitha Kyle (Gangnam Style II) and Izabella Rogers (Queen Star), in the dressage Britain fields Mette Dahl (George Clooney BS), Sofia Games (Next Black Magic), Lauren Geraghty (WS Jackson) and Ruby Hughes (Hilkens Showgirl), while in the eventing, Britain’s representatives are Lucy Baguley (Glencarrig Dolphin), Charlotte Cooke (Liscannor Tulira), Ella Howard (Midnight Mist III), Erin Jennings (Night Fury), Pippa Royle (Midnight Engagement) and Phoebe Sykes (Ive Dun Talking).

5. NPS summer championships, Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire

Dates: 2-4 August

More info: nationalponysociety.com

Get the H&H lowdown: full report in 11 August issue of H&H.

Why we’re excited about it: a three-day championship show with something for everyone. Competitors and their ponies can compete in prestigious finals and open classes over the duration. Highlights include the Picton novice final, the British Isles supreme ridden final and the Price Family supreme in-hand qualifier. As well as packed day schedules, there are also two evening performances, one dedicated solely to junior riders.

6. Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, Ascot Racecourse

Date: 6 August

More info: event website

How to watch: you will be able to watch all of the action on ITV Racing.

Why we’re excited about it: a unique fixture in the global racing calendar, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup sees some of the world’s top jockeys compete in a different competition format as they join forces to try and win the Shergar Cup. Find out whether Great Britain and Ireland, Europe, Rest of the World or the Ladies’ team will lift the trophy after a thrilling eight-race contest before rounding off the day with live music after racing. This year’s concert will be headlined by Grammy Award-winning Clean Bandit, plus lots more besides. Don’t miss this great (and slightly different to usual format) of Flat racing action, with some of the sport’s best horses and jockeys going head-to-head in their teams.

You might also be interested in:

Olympic gold medallists Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class plus past winners head entries for British open at Gatcombe

‘We knew she was special’: why Joe Stockdale is keeping father Tim’s dream alive with world championship selection

‘He won’t want to hold my hand’: Lottie Fry on prepping Glamourdale for Herning and the food she eats before she competes

The Horse & Hound Podcast 113: Lottie Fry | Herning World Championships preview | Festival of Hunting review

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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

The British team has been announced for the dressage World Championships in Herning, Denmark, in August.

British Equestrian and the British Dressage selectors have confirmed the four horse and rider combinations, plus reserves, that will form the list of definite entries. Their selection is subject to each rider and horse maintaining form and fitness ahead of the World Championships.

The British team for the dressage World Championships, which run 5-14 August, is as follows:

Richard Davison with 16-year-old gelding Bubblingh

Owner: Richard Davison and Gwendolyn Sontheim

Breeder: Richard Davison (GBR)

Breeding: by Lingh, out of Ballaseyr Royale/Matajo by Picandt

Groom: Heidi Troniseck

Charlotte Dujardin with nine-year-old gelding Imhotep

Owner: Carl Hester and Coral Ingham

Breeder: Tineke Huizing (NED)

Breeding: by Everdale, out of Della D’Ottie, by Vivaldi

Groom: Alan Davies

Lottie Fry with 11-year-old stallion Glamourdale

Owner: Van Olst Horses

Breeder: Joop Rodenburg (NED)

Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of Thuja, by Negro

Groom: Richard Neale

Lottie has also been selected with 13-year-old stallion Everdale as a direct reserve

Owner: Van Olst HorsesBreeder: Piet Kluytmans (NED)Breeding: by Lord Leatherdale, out of Aliska K, by Negro

Gareth Hughes with 16-year-old mare Classic Briolinca

Owner: Gareth Hughes, his wife Rebecca and daughter Ruby, and Julia Hornig

Breeder: Febr van der Steen (NED)

Breeding: by Trento B, out of Trolinca, by Royal Dance

Groom: Steph Sharples

Gareth Hughes has also been selected as a direct reserve with 12-year-old gelding Sintano Van Hof Olympia

Owner: Gareth Hughes and Judy Firmston-WilliamsBreeder: Iris and Henk Poettgens (NED)Breeding: by Sandro Hit, out of P.Siltana Van Hof Olympia, by Silvano

Two reserve combinations have also been announced, listed in order of preference:

Laura Tomlinson with 12-year-old gelding Fallatijn

Owner: Laura Tomlinson and her mother Ursula Bechtolsheimer

Breeder: J.G. Damen (NED)

Breeding: by Vivaldi, out of Utraginia Van Kairos, by Cabochon

Susan Pape with 13-year-old stallion Harmony’s Eclectisch

Owner: Susan Pape and Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation

Breeder: Fam Andeweg (NED)

Breeding: by Zenon, out of Tiranja, by Olivi

Although Charlotte, Lottie and Gareth represented Britain at the last two European Championships, and were also on the British squad at the Tokyo Olympics, this is the first British dressage team since 2008 not to feature Carl Hester, whose top horse En Vogue had to be withdrawn from the selection process earlier this year owing to lameness.

Meanwhile, this will be Richard’s first championship appearance for Britain in a decade, the last having been in 2012, as an individual at the London Olympics. The home-bred Bubblingh, who is out of Richard’s Athens Olympics and 2022 World Equestrian Games ride Ballaseyr Royale, will make his championships debut in Herning.

The dressage World Championships will also be a championship debut for Charlotte Dujardin’s ride Imhotep and Lottie Fry’s ride Glamourdale, with Charlotte having ridden Gio on the British team in 2021, and Lottie having had Everdale as her top ride last year.

Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca were the best performing British pair at the 2019 European Championships, before the mare took 18 months out of competition.

You may also be interested in…

British riders selected for para dressage World Championships team

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Denmark eyes historic gold as home side revealed for dressage World Championships

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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