‘A horse who made dreams come true’: farewell to Carl Hester’s Olympic medallist

The 2016 Olympic ride of Carl Hester, Nip Tuck, has died aged 19.

Nip Tuck was owned by Carl Hester and Jane de la Mare, at whose home he has lived since his retirement at the end of 2019. Jane shared the news that on Monday 25 September, Nip Tuck, known as Barney, was put down after “a short, sudden illness”.

“Carl and I are heartbroken,” Jane said.

Carl bought Barney from the Netherlands as a yearling, and although he was always a sharp and nervous horse, he flourished under Carl’s training and guidance to become a stalwart of the British dressage team, winning three team silver medals.

The Don Ruto x Animo gelding made his team debut in 2014 at the World Equestrian Games, where he “did his best grand prix of his life at the time”, according to Carl, and helped the team win silver. 

More medals followed for Barney: European team silver in 2015, and Olympic team silver at the Rio Games in 2016, where he and Carl competed alongside Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro, Spencer Wilton on Super Nova II and Fiona Bigwood on Atterupgaards Orthilia.

In 2017, Carl and Barney led Britain to a fourth-placed finish at the European Championships in Gothenburg, finishing fourth individually in the freestyle. The same year, the pair took third at the World Cup Final in Omaha, USA.

In 2019, Barney was crowned British national champion; Carl described that victory as “the icing on the cake” for the horse who had given him “everything”. The gelding’s final competitive appearance was at the Liverpool International Horse Show at the end of that year, where he won with 83.06%, a fitting end to an illustrious career. 

Carl Hester: ‘Nip Tuck had the kindest heart’

Carl described Barney as “the kindest heart and a horse who made dreams come true”, adding, “we will miss you always Barney”.

In her tribute to Barney, Jane said, “At the moment, it’s hard to remember the good times and adventures the three of us had but, to be honest, silver medals, red rosettes and trophies can’t replace the faithful, trusting and loving friend Barney was – although he sometimes frightened the life out of me! He loved Carl and would do anything for him even if it wasn’t easy or scary, which made us love him even more.

“I am devastated but comforted that on his last day I took him out onto some green grass and with the sun shining he laid down and told me it was OK and that it was time for him to go. As ever, the perfect gentle giant, our unicorn, who now has his wings.

“I will be forever grateful to Barney who taught me that if you are kind, willing to try and have a big heart then anything is possible.”

Tributes have also poured in for Barney from across the dressage community.

Grand prix rider Katie Bailey, who competed Barney as a young horse during her time working for Carl, shared a memory of the two of them winning an advanced medium regional title, adding “Barney taught me more than I could have asked for.”

“What a great life he had,” said Olympic and European champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, while Charlotte Dujardin added, “Rest in peace sweet Barney”.

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