Carl Hester will make historical past at Paris 2024 by turning into the second British athlete, following Nick Skelton, to compete in seven Olympics. As he tells Horse & Hound, loads has modified since his first in Barcelona in 1992.
“Barcelona appears like so way back, it’s weird,” he says. “These Video games felt like I used to be simply doing a little bit of sport on vacation as a result of the Olympic Village was on a seaside – it was enjoyable and I didn’t have any expectations.
“After all, we have been severe when it got here to the using and wished to do properly, however I didn’t respect what went into the game again then.
“I’d solely been competing at grand prix for simply over two years, and in these days I used to be simply studying to steer my means round a check fairly than the horsemanship behind it and the coaching.”
Carl provides that as Britain’s performances on the large stage have improved the strain has constructed and constructed. He, after all, no longer solely has to take care of himself and his Paris-ride Fame, but additionally assist his teammate Charlotte Dujardin with Imhotep.
“In a means, that’s good as a result of at an Olympics you’ve a lot time to kill serious about competitors,” he explains. “So I’m truly very fortunate that I’ve one thing to give attention to in Charlotte.”
The place Charlotte all the time tries to dam the strain out, I get the sense that Carl takes that strain on for the crew and feels liable for them.
“It’s not nerves, it’s extra angst,” he says. “The strain is totally different now as a result of we’ve been profitable medals and the expectation is excessive on a regular basis.
“We’re an skilled crew and with the horses we’ve received in the meanwhile, we really feel like if we didn’t come house with a medal we’d have misplaced it.
“In these previous couple of weeks I’ve to verify we’re not overtraining and we’re retaining all of it calm however, after all, human nature is that you just need to maintain practising and practising – making an attempt to make every little thing higher. There are such a lot of components concerned and, as all the time, I’m wanting ahead to all of it being over!”
Carl Hester on taking dangers on the Paris Olympics
Carl and Charlotte’s preparations have been nearly good and each Fame and Imhotep – in addition to fellow crew rider Lottie Fry and Glamourdale – look to be peaking on the proper time. However Denmark and Germany additionally look very robust.
Carl expects it to be a detailed battle between the three, and with no drop scores on the Olympics, there’s an added fringe of uncertainty and rigidity.
“It creates an enormous strain as a result of you recognize you possibly can’t afford for something to go fallacious,” Carl provides.
I ask if that modifications his method to how he rides the check.
“It’s very tough for me at this level to alter my means of using. I believe it might be protected to say that I’m not as aggressive because the others as a result of I’m all the time engaged on my concord and making an attempt to make all of it look good.
“I do know I have to take extra dangers. In Tokyo with En Vogue it was exhausting as a result of I wasn’t positive at instances whether or not he would or wouldn’t explode and it was a tough enviornment to trip in, particularly getting into third, realizing that my rating was so essential.
“However now with Fame, I really feel like I’m ready to take extra dangers.”
To learn our unique interview with Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin in full, learn this week’s problem of Horse & Hound journal, in outlets from 18 July.
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