Carl Hester: ‘It’s not just riders who are adjusting, but judges too’

Carl Hester on European Dressage Championships successes and the need to balance power and harmony

Although Crozet wasn’t the biggest venue you’d expect for a major championship, what a fantastic job the organisers did for this year’s European Dressage Championships – from the stabling to the healthy, plentiful food. Geneva, a 20-minute drive away, is a stunning city, and our day off after the grand prix was a memorable one of team bonding around the picturesque lake.

Of course, team gold would have been wonderful, but it doesn’t always go to plan. Still, I’m so proud of our riders, horses, grooms and support crew.

The 2025 Europeans were a positive experience, not just for the British team but for dressage as a sport. Before the competition began, there was a comprehensive briefing that all judges, stewards and riders had to attend. I liked this approach – it set the tone of everyone working together to present harmonious, correct riding.

That’s always the goal, but having it laid out clearly for all competitors puts harmony firmly at the forefront.

Importantly, rules were applied consistently. Every noseband was checked with the new measuring device, every piece of tack inspected, and with four stewards in the warm-up and the whole thing videoed, nobody fell foul of uneven enforcement. This kind of transparency should help address the criticism that dressage hasn’t done enough to change.

As has always been the case, there will only ever be a handful of riders able to be brilliant across all the movements. Some nations don’t have the same access to training or polish as the very top, but the positive step is that welfare rules are applied equally, and everyone can enjoy the sport on a fair playing field.

I must mention double gold medallist Justin Verboomen, who is exactly what the sport needs to keep moving in the right direction. His warm-ups are as classical as his tests. When I went to congratulate him, he was so embarrassed that he put his arms over his head and said he couldn’t believe it. What a humble man!

At the grand prix press conference, someone asked why, if the riding here was some of the best ever, scores weren’t as high as at the 2023 Europeans, where we won team gold. The answer, from Danish judge Hans-Christian Matthiesen at C, was that as the sport evolves towards harmony and ease, some riders have to adapt their way of going.

My view is that if more riders rode with less power, judging would be easier.

Very few can combine big power with balance and still make it look effortless. So it’s not just riders who are adjusting, but judges too, if this is truly the way forward – which I believe it is.

The individual finals were thrilling, with the tiniest of margins between Justin and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour. I couldn’t have picked a winner – their tests had very different but equally outstanding highlights. If Belgium can strengthen their wider team, they’ll soon be in contention for medals, which would be a huge boost for their country.

More changing of the guard

This year we’ve lost too many of the greats. Firstly, Tricia Gardiner, with whom I was lucky enough to ride on the 1991 Europeans team.

She became a dear friend to me and was still hacking Valegro at 89. Experiences like that kept Trish going. She marked her 90th birthday with a wonderful garden party on a hot summer’s day, with 40 of us there. Four days later, she passed away unexpectedly. It was a shock, but what a way to go.

Also, Jane Kidd was another giant of British dressage – a pioneer, supporter and long-serving team selector. The phrase, “looks like a flower, stings like a bee”, sums her up. She certainly kept us in line with a rod of iron. Both Trish and Jane will be greatly missed by everyone in the dressage community.

● What changes do you think would help judges and riders strike the bight balance between harmony and power in the arena? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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