Silver and Bronze for Carl and Laura

The Grand Prix Special produced two medals for Great Britain, after superb performances from Carl Hester and Laura Bechtolsheimer.

Carl with Uthopia took the Silver with 81.682%; Laura with Mistral Hojris (Alf) was just behind in Bronze after scoring 79.256%.

Carl commented: “I was completely focussed. We had to do as big as extensions as possible because I knew where we could pick up the marks; again with the passage as high as I could. He made a couple of mistakes - of all the tests to do it in, it was just one of those things. In the tempis [onetime changes] he just lost a bit of rhythm, I felt like I tripped in them and couldn't pick up before I hit the other side of the arena. It’s absolutely amazing, I've never won an individual medal before and it just makes up for everything - it's the title I never had”.

Laura commented: “I was having the ride of my life when we started but then he just dropped off a bit, I thought he'd be really wired today after Thursday. I'm absolutely overjoyed with Bronze and to be on the podium with Carl”.

Highs and lows for Emile in the electric atmosphere of the GPS

First to go for the Brits in the grand prix special, Emile Faurie and the 12 year old Dutch bred gelding Elmegardens Marquis produced a test of highs and lows for a score of 68.542%. Classy riding coaxed every mark out of a tricky Max; there were glimpses of exceptional talent particularly in the trot work but the buzz of the arena obviously affected the horse, his exuberance throwing away marks at vital moments of the test.

Emile commented “The atmosphere is electric in there so I’m really proud he kept his cool and stayed with me. He executed all the movements and showed moments of brilliance but the walk and halts were very expensive. I’m a bit disappointed as there’s so much more to come; next year will be his year!”

What a day for British dressage

The end of the second day of team competition in Rotterdam and all our riders are happily clutching their gold medals... yippee! Yes Carl, Charlotte, Laura and Emile you have done us proud! Words cannot do justice to the amazing performances each of you have put in over the last two days. Wow!

This is a historic day, the first dressage gold ever for GB!  To do it by such a margin - 12 points clear of the Germans - and to break so many records and personal bests along the way is just sublime!  I am a very happy PD!!

A good day in the office by anyone’s standard and testament to the hard work of a whole team of people both here and at home. During yesterday’s celebrations there was a lot of talk about just how far we’ve come as a dressage nation in so short a time... the difference now is we have a system that works and we believe!

 Dr. B, Emile and Carl all regaled stories of Championships as recent as 10 and 20 years ago when selected British riders were simply packed off to the continent to fend for themselves. Hard to believe when we looked around at the assembled party, each with an integral role to play.

Yes we get friendly stick from other nations for the sheer numbers of support staff here adorned in blue Toggi team shirts but it’s a team that makes all the difference and the Brits the envy of the world... what enables US to make this possible is our World Class Programme and the Lottery funding provided through UK Sport. I’ll say no more other than to thank each and every member of the team for their contribution; our chef d’equipe, owners, grooms, physios, farriers, vets and everyone else who play their part in ensuring our operation runs with military precision... and deliver!

I think the enormity of yesterday’s achievements will take a little while to sink in. What we might rather forget is a certain farrier’s singing from last night after losing a bet with a certain Miss Dujardin...!  Proof you can take a man out of Wales but....!

So today provides a welcome down day for the horses and riders and a chance for us all to catch our breath and prepare for the Special tomorrow. There is plenty of work still to do, who knows what the rest of the week will bring.

Laura Bechtolsheimer ensures team GB takes gold in style

Laura Bechtolsheimer had a difficult Mistral Hojris on her hands as pressure mounted in the Kralingse Bos arena. It took all Laura’s considerable skill to guide the 17hh Danish bred gelding round the grand prix course for 77.280%. It was still enough to guarantee a historic British team gold medal with a record breaking score of 238.678.

““He was very flighty in there and too bothered by the noise which pushed him over the edge. I felt like a small blonde girl on a big ginger horse rather than the harmonious picture we usually go for!” Laura joked. “All arenas are different, some they like more than others, especially Alf [Mistral Hojris] who’s very sensitive to noise. I went to Aachen this year to practice in this sort of closed in arena – he didn’t like it there either!”

“Of course you want to perform up to the levels you know you’re capable of, but still I don’t think I can be too upset, this is still fairly indescribable.”

Carl Hester and Uthopia produce pure magic

Carl Hester produced a breathtakingly beautiful grand prix test with the 10 year old Uthopia, causing the crowd to gasp and murmur with excitement as he put the horse he co-owns with Sasha Stewart through its amazing paces. There where whoops and cheers before he had even nailed his halt, everyone aware they were witnessing something very special. The score of 82.568%, another personal best, confirmed it, catapulting them into the lead and leaving him and his pupil, Charlotte Dujardin sitting in first and second at the top of the scoreboard.

Commenting on his test Carl said:

“We got 10’s for our last extended trot, I didn’t know what was going on, everyone was  laughing and I thought there must be a dog in the arena! At Hickstead he was wildly flamboyant, here he felt more relaxed and in better self carriage, it was an incredible feeling! He’s only small – 16hh - but he feels massive to ride. This is a dream and even more fantastic because we’ve had the horse since he was a four year old. Sasha Stewart who I part own the horse with has ridden him too, he’s a family pet whose turned into a superstar.

I’m almost more emotional about Charlotte to be honest as she’s come to it so young but it’s all very pleasurable and at least I’ve managed to produce a decent score before I’m too old!

Jean Bemelmans saw this horse as an eight year old and said I had the next wonder horse. I believed it but it’s very difficult to tell everyone else you have the new Totilas in your stable! Anyone with a black horse is making the same claims!”