Carl Hester’s Europeans campaign didn’t get off to the best start today when he had a fall from his gelding, Nip Tuck.
Waiter
Carl was cooling off his horse after exercise when a loud crash caused ‘Barney’ to take fright.
“I finished my training and I thought I’m gonna go walk round the big grass field over there with the eventers and have a little chat with them,” he said. “And, being a wimpy dressage horse, when a waiter dropped a tray of glasses in front of me my horse spun round and came down on top of me on the grass, left me flattened on the floor!”
At least he didn’t gallop off though. “He shocked himself so much he didn’t even bother to run off, which was the great news because if he got out in that field I don’t think we would ever have caught him… So you could quite safely say I haven’t had the best start to the week!”
Aachen jinx
The great German showground at Aachen has never been a particularly lucky one for the British star. “We have something to lay to rest here,” he added. “Probably 15 years ago I did my first Aachen and I’ve never done well here – and as everyone knows the only time poor Charlotte has been beaten was in Aachen as well.”
The pair are now determined to make amends. “Both of us have come here very positive and pulled ourselves together and said it absolutely makes no difference that its in Aachen this year, we will do it!”
Can’t be easy
But today has been pretty good for the Brits, who are currently sitting in bronze medal position after day one. Carl competes at 3pm local time, while his protege Charlotte Dujardin is on at 7pm.
Carl also shared his reflections on the long-awaited clash between Charlotte and Valegro and Matthias Rath and Totilas. “It’s what everyone’s been waiting for,” said Carl. “Unfortunately with Totilas’ injuries during the year, these two horses don’t get the chance to come together as the two greatest horses in the world at the moment… They look like they really will have a good head-to-head, and that’s what people have been wanting to see.
“I feel sorry for the two riders, it can’t be easy and it can’t be nice to have to face each other like that in front of everybody, but that’s sport isn’t it? They’ve both had world records, Valegro holds them at the moment, but it was Totilas that first really brought dressage to the world.
“Even people that didn’t understand it could appreciate what this horse is doing for the sport, so it’s great. We all wanted to see him here, it doesn’t matter who really wins – it will be the best one, and I hope they both go well because then we really will know what the judges think, who they like the best,” Hester added.
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