Just eight days after tying the knot with now-wife Olivia Robertson, Lewis was back in the saddle piloting his trusty Diego V to victory at Somerford Park. His personal-best score of 71.97% was enough to edge him in front of Gareth Hughes and Classic Goldstrike, who finished second ahead of Laura Tomlinson and Soegaards Bon Royal in third.
Lewis and Diego’s win today was accompanied by a sense of coming full circle. Having made their National Dressage Championships debut nine years ago at medium, they first contested the grand prix here in 2022, but had to retire mid-test due to lameness. Last year, they made a successful return to the LeMieux arena to claim third, and to win today “felt like the stars aligned”.
“It feels surreal to win – every year you want to be that person – but I’m also just relieved that it went well, because in dressage there are so many ups and downs,” admitted Lewis.
“He felt fresh today, so I had to work to keep him together and make sure he didn’t over boil. Our test wasn’t perfect – he is still getting better – but it was good enough. We’ve got a few little things to work on, but he felt so good and I hope to keep that feeling for the freestyle tomorrow. He really enjoys the freestyle with the music, so it’ll be about making sure he keeps his focus.”
“Diego’s played his part in the wedding happiness”
Lewis and Diego are always an enjoyable pair to watch, with the 16-year-old Spielberg son going in an easy, open frame. They’ve been a partnership for over a decade now and it shows in the harmony that shines through their tests. Today, the extended paces earned them their highest marks, but remarkably, every single movement was enough for a mark of seven and above.
Their performance was especially impressive given Lewis’ attention has been somewhat divided over the past few weeks.
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“The wedding has been a stress but a nice stress, because it’s something we could control, whereas with horses you can only control so much,” added his wife Liv. “And now Diego’s played his part in keeping the wedding happiness carrying on.”
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