Carl Hester and his beautiful stallion Uthopia were outstanding in the Grand Prix today. With exceptional expression and a world class performance, they scored 80.872% which was 1.5 % more than second placed Adelinde Cornelissen and 2,5% more than Charlotte Dujardin, 3rd place.
This was Hester's and Uthopia's biggest win so far and Hester said during the press conference: "I think that Uthopia can go all the way. He is capable of so much, he has excellent gaits, he is athletic and so flexible, but the best of all is his head. He is such a fantastic cool horse!"
For nearly fifty years Hickstead has been synonymous with world class show jumping. For the last Twenty years it has also provided the backdrop for world class dressage which has helped to drive the success of the sport in Great Britain. The inclusion for the last Three years into the World Dressage Masters project has created a Quantum leap in standards, including world record scores from the wonder horse Totilas and stunning performances from riders such as Laura Bechtolheimers and Adelinde Cornelisen.
Adelinde rode Parzival really well, with the great scores 79.298%. "Parzival felt really good, and I am happy with our ride, but tomorrow I will ride even more!"
Charlotte Dujardin, with her Valegro, was surprisingly good and got 78.225% which was more than enough for a third place, and more than 6% over number four, Emma Hindle.
Charlotte was smiling wide and expressed pure happiness about her horse: "Valegro is fantastic. We both are young and inexperienced, but we have a fantastic chance to learn together, and this here was a fantastic learning experience!".
Head judge Stephen Clarke commented that what the audience saw here in Hickstead was pure pleasure and real world class. "It was a pleasure to judge this. Horses like these three that we saw here, are of absolute world class."
Carl and Adelinde are riding in tomorrow's Kür, while Charlotte is choosing to ride the GP Special. Adelinde, who won the WDM Hickstead last year, said as last words: "I love Hickstead, it is such a great venue, and the spirit here is outstanding!"
Photo © Paul Harding
Related Link
Scores 2011 CDI Hickstead