Mette Dahl and Daytona Platinum In For the Win at 2026 CDI Hickstead

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2026 CDI Hickstead

-- Text British Dressage, edited by Eurodressage - Photo © Spidge

For British youth team rider Mette Dahl the 2026 CDI Hickstead proved a show-stopping event as she dominated the Young Rider competition with her two horses Daytona Platinum and Fidelio van het Bloemenhof. Both horses were competed at international Grand Prix level by her parents, Olympians Fiona Bigwood and Anders Dahl, and have now stepped into the schoolmaster role for Mette.

Debut on Daytona

Aboard Fiona Bigwood’s 15-year old Oldenburg stallion Daytona Platinum (by Dante Weltino x Charon), the pair won the Team and Individual competition, scoring 69.804% and 72.794% respectively.

Mum Fiona acquired Daytona Platinum a decade ago in 2016 after the horse placed sixth with Lukas Fischer at the 2016 Bundeschampionat. She debuted the horse at international Grand Prix level in March 2020 at the CDI Keysoe. Two years later they returned for a more intense campaign of CDI showing between March 2022 and July 2024. Mette debuted the massive powerhouse in the U.K. in January 2026 at young riders level at Vale View.

Fiona on Daytona at the 2023 CDIO Compiegne

Reflecting on their winning performance at the CDI Hickstead Mette commented “I only started riding him in September last year but our partnership is growing and getting better with each ride. We have only done Vale View earlier this year, so I was really pleased with him and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season with him”.

Loyal Fidelio

Alongside Daytona Platinum Mette also competed her long-time partner, 17-year old SBS bred Fidelio van het Bloemenhof (by Fidertanz x Jazz ), which her father Anders rode for Team Denmark at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam. Mette took over the ride in 2024 and the pair has competed for Britain at the 2024 European Junior Championships in Opglabbeek and 2025 European Young Riders Championships in Kronberg.

In Hickstead Mette and Fidelio finished third in both the Team and Individual competition on 68.775% and 67.010%.

“It was the first time he [Fidelio] had been out since Europeans last year, so he was certainly feeling very spritely," said Mette. "It’s a really good feeling that he’s still got so much energy and enthusiasm at this stage in his career”.

Family Affair

The CDI Hickstead was a whole family success for the Bigwood-Dahl trio, with Mette winning in the CDIYR, Father Anders Dahl winning the Premier League national Grand Prix classes, and mum Fiona Bigwood dominating in the CDI3* and national Young Horse classes.

When asked what Hickstead meant to her, Mette simply said “It was really special to be back competing at Hickstead. Because we are only based down the road, I have grown up watching my parents winning here over the years so for me to go there and win is really just a dream come true”.

Graham Twice Second

On both days Myles Graham riding Daniel Sherriff and Linsey Roberts’ 12-year old British Hanoverian gelding Fred Astaire WD (by Fiderbach - Benvenuto) finished second behind Mette in the Young Rider Team and Individual Tests, scoring two consistent results of 69.314% and 69.804%.

On the third day, Myles finished third in the Freestyle competition with a final score of 66.450%.

The Young Rider Freestyle was won by Flora Hayes and Alison Hayes’ 12-year old KWPN bred Jamais Noubliez (by Nourejev) with 67.983% and Belgian CDI debutant Emma van Damme finishing second on 9-year old Dutch warmblood Maykel (by Apache) with 67.725%.