Great Britain’s Olympic Team of Charlotte Dujardin/Valegro, Carl Hester/Nip Tuck, Fiona Bigwood/Orthilia, Spencer Wilton/Super Nova
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July 5, 2016
Great Britain’s Olympic dressage team of Charlotte Dujarin on Valegro, Carl Hester on Nip Tuck, Fiona Bigwood on Orthilia and Spencer Wilton on Super Nova II was announced Tuesday, a month before the start of the Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The team as announced by the British Equestrian Federation to defend the team and individual gold medals won at the Olympics in London in 2012:
—Charlotte Dujardin, 31 (next week), and Valegro, 14-year-old KWPN gelding (Negro x Gerschwin) owned by Carl Hester, Rowena Luard, Anne Barrott. World ranking: 46
Career highlights: Olympic Games 2012 team and individual gold medalist; World Games 2014 team silver, individual and freestyle golds; World Cup 2014 and 2015 winner; European Championships 2011 team gold; 2013 team bronze, individual, freestyle golds; 2015 team silver, individual, freestyle golds; 36 months ranked No. 1 in the world; holder of Grand Prix, Grand Special and Grand Prix Freestyle world record scores.
Charlotte and Valegro have not competed since the European Championships last August but those who saw the horse being worked in Spain earlier this year said the 14-year-old KWPN gelding looked fit and as strong as ever in compiling a record of 45 victories in 56 starts in the past five years and accumulating record scores in the Grand Prix, Special and Freestyle as well as 10 Olympic and championship gold medals. Valegro is entered to compete at the CDI3* Hartpury Dressage Festival in England this weekend and to perform a new freestyle created for the Olympics.
—Carl Hester, 49 years old, and Nip Tuck, 12-year-old KWPN gelding (Don Ruto x Animo) owned by Carl Hester, Jane De La Mare. WR: 10
Career highlights: Olympic Games 1992, 2000, 2004, 2012 team gold; World Games 1990, 2010 team silver, 2014 team silver; European Championships 1991, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009 team silver, 2011 team gold, individual, freestyle silvers; 2013 team bronze, 2015 team silver. World Cup Final 2005.
—Fiona Bigwood, 40 years old, and Orthilia, 11-year-old Oldenburg mare (Gribaldi x Donnerschlag) owned by Penny Bigwood and Neils & Lis Dahl. WR: 14
Career highlights: World Games 2010 team silver; European Championships 1997, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2015 team silver; European Junior Championships 1994; European Young Rider Championships 1994, 1995, 1996.
Spencer Wilton, 43 years old and Super Nova, 13-year-old British-bred Hanoverian gelding (De Niro). owned by Jen Goodman & Spencer Wilton. WR: 65
Career highlights: Nations Cup Rotterdam, Netherlands and Hickstead, England 2015.
Traveling reserve
Lara Griffith, 27 years old, and Rubin al Asad, 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Rubin-Royal x Wanderbursch II) owned by Wilfried and Ursula Bechtolsheimer. WR: 47
Career highlights: Nations Cups Hickstead, England 2013, 2014, Hagen, Germany 2015, Compiègne, France and Rotterdam, Netherlands 2016; European Young Rider Championships 2008, 2009; European Junior Championships 2004, 2006.
