British grand prix rider Nikki Barker (née Crisp) finished 12th overall at the LeMieux National Grand Prix Championships, with just 11 weeks to go until she gives birth. Nikki revealed that she and husband Will are expecting a baby girl in early March.
Her pregnancy has not been keeping Nikki out of the saddle; she piloted her 12-year-old Spielberg stallion Durable – known as Danny – to 11th place in the grand prix at Hartpury, scoring 69.14%, and then 13th in the freestyle a day later on 71.9%. Their total score across the two days meant they took 12th position in the overall championship.
Carl Hester has landed a new career best score, riding En Vogue to 86.48% in the freestyle at the LeMieux National Grand Prix Championships. The pair finished third in the class and third in the overall national championship, behind Charlotte Dujardin on Mount St John Freestyle and Gio.
Carl’s dressage career spans more than 30 years, and his previous best score was 85.02% with Nip Tuck, at the Lyon World Cup qualifier in 2016, where they finished second to Isabell Werth. He came close to breaking his own record with Hawtins Delicato at Olympia 2019, posting 84.47% there, but newer ride En Vogue, who is owned by Charlotte Dujardin, is the horse who has lifted him to new heights.
Charlotte Dujardin scores 90% for the first time since Valegro Charlotte Dujardin and Mount St John Freestyle at Hartpury. Credit: KEVIN SPARROW
Charlotte Dujardin breaks the 90% barrier for the first time since taking individual gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016
Charlotte Dujardin has posted her first plus-90% score since her days with Valegro, at the LeMieux National Grand Prix Championships at Hartpury.
Charlotte was riding her current top horse, the 11-year-old Fidermark mare Mount St John Freestyle, owned by Emma Blundell. The pair posted 90.2% – their personal best as a partnership – to win the grand prix freestyle and secure their place as 2020 British national champions.