British Olympic dressage team for Tokyo Games confirmed

The British Olympic dressage team for the Tokyo Games has been revealed.

The three riders selected for the team are:

• Charlotte Dujardin with Renai Hart, Carl Hester and her own Gio, groom Alan Davies
• Carl Hester with Sandra Biddlecombe, Charlotte Dujardin, Lady Anne Evans and his own En Vogue, groom Lucy Scudamore
• Charlotte (Lottie) Fry with Van Olst Horses and her own Everdale, groom Steven Caley

The travelling alternate is:

• Gareth Hughes with Judy Firmston-Williams and his own Sintano Van Hof Olympia, groom Steph Hughes

The Olympic dressage competition begins with the grand prix for all competitors on Saturday 24 and Sunday, 25 July. The grand prix will serve as a team qualifier for the grand prix special, which takes place on Tuesday, 27 July and decides the team medals. It also acts as an individual qualifier for the grand prix freestyle, which takes place on Wednesday, 28 July, and determines the individual medals.

The British Olympic dressage team features Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, who rode on the British medal-winning teams in London 2012 and Rio 2016. This will be an Olympic debut for every horse on the list – and a championship debut for every horse.

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British Olympic dressage team: more about the riders

Charlotte Dujardin is the reigning Olympic champion, having won individual gold in 2012 and 2016 with Valegro. She will attempt to defend her title with the 10-year-old Apache x Tango gelding Gio, who made his grand prix debut in 2020, rather than the more experienced 12-year-old Fidermark mare Mount St John Freestyle.

Carl Hester has ridden at five previous Olympics, and was a member of the 2012 gold medal-winning dressage team at the London Olympics, as well as winning silver in Rio. He has ridden on the British team at every senior championship since 2009, but this will be a first championship for the 12-year-old Jazz son En Vogue.

Lottie Fry, daughter of the late British Olympian Laura Fry, made a successful senior championships debut in 2019 at the European Championships, having been crowned under-25 European champion the year before that, both with Dark Legend. In Tokyo she will ride the the 12-year-old Lord Leatherdale stallion Everdale, at what will be the horse’s first championship, as well as Lottie’s first Olympics.

Gareth Hughes made a successful international grand prix debut with the 11-year-old Sandro Hit son Sintano Van Hof Olympia earlier this year. Gareth was the best performing Brit at the 2019 Europeans with Classic Briolinca, who sadly had to be withdrawn from Olympic contention due to injury. Tokyo will be Gareth’s first Olympics, and Sintano’s first championship.

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