Carl Hester and Fame were in top form in the Paris 2024Olympic dressage freestyle producing a spectacular test to score 85.16% – a fraction below Carl’s all-time personal best – to go into the provisional lead with just six combinations left to go.
“That’s possibly the best freestyle I’ve ever done,” said a delighted Carl. “The horse was the best he’s been all week – I’m so proud of how he performed today.”
Fame looked spectacular, so well turned out by his groom Lucy Scudamore, and it was touching to see Gareth Hughes, who has flown out to Paris to help Carl prepare, be the first to congratulate his long-term teammate as he left the arena.
Their floor plan was so technical, with two-time changes on a curve into a double pirouette, steep passage half-passes and two-time into one-time changes.
The extensions, which tripped them up yesterday, were spot on this time around and their piaffe-passage to Mary Hopkin’s Those Were the Days at the end of their test was a masterstroke that got the crowd on their feet clapping along.
“I love this music,” added Carl. “Tom Hunt has done my music for the last few Olympics, I normally just give him a programme and he says ‘I’m going to do this, do you like it?’ whereas this time I thought I want some music that means something to me and is just, you know, fun.
“It was a wonderful ride, he’s not the easiest shape as you can see, I’m trying to ride the whole time with my hand out there to try and get him longer because that’s what I’ve been working on for eight years – but it’s all coming together.”
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Carl’s future was once again a hot topic of discussion.
“Why should I not retire after that?” he laughed, “I’m not sure I could repeat that again!
“There’s two ways of looking at it, either I’m getting better because today was my best day or I should get out now before it all goes downhill. But this feeling that you have for days on end before you compete, I can tell you it’s not easy to live with, for any of us.
“Most mornings at three o’clock you’re lying there with your eyes wide open thinking about if it’s going to be okay – but right now I’m on a real high.”
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale will be the last British combination to go in the freestyle, entering the arena in Versailles at 12.50pm local time (11.50am British time). Becky Moody and Jagerbomb scored 84.36% on their Olympic freestyle debut.
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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).
