Charlotte Dujardin will be making her international show debut on rising star Gio at the 2020 CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch.
Gio is a 9-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Gio (by Apache x Tango), which Charlotte co-owns with Renai Hart.
The Olympian discovered the chestnut gelding as a 5-year old at a clinic in California.
The pair won the 2019 British Championships at Intermediaire II level. Charlotte showcased Gio in full Grand Prix mode at a clinic at the 2019 CDI-W London, before making their national GP debut in Addington on 11 January 2020, where they scored 79.56% in a class with three judges.
The horse has not yet competed in a CDI at any level.
Gio has been tipped as Dujardin's secret weapon for the Tokyo Olympics. Rumour has it that she could potentially go for an "Isabell Werth strategy", i.e. keep one super star for the World Cup circuit (Weihegold - Mount St. John Freestyle) and ride the other at the Olympics (Bella Rose - Gio). However, it will only be logical that the best scoring and most fit horse will end up going to Tokyo.
All with depend on how well Gio scores in the international arena. That will be revealed soon at the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch, where she'll compete Gio in the 3* tour. That Grand Prix is on Friday 13 March 2020.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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