Carl Hester on Tokyo 2020 dressage: ‘Riders, let the judges do their job’

Carl Hester MBE, an Olympic gold medallist and multi-medallist at European and World Championships, reflects on the judging in Tokyo and thanks those who have been instrumental in helping British riders win medals...

THE new format for the dressage event at the Tokyo Olympics meant that the grand prix test, instead of contributing to the team medals, determined the starting order for the grand prix special and qualification for the individual final. Combined with there being only three riders and no drop score, the competition was “game on” from the get-go.

The excitement of the build-up for the special was palpable, you could feel it in the air. My only problem with it was, had there been a stadium full of spectators, would they have been able to sit there in the heat and humidity for an hour while the intermediate team placings and the starting order for the final group were worked out? A loo-break is fine but…

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Article written by: Carl Hester