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Imhotep, or “Pete” as he’s identified at residence, is Charlotte Dujardin’s “sensible” prime horse, and her first experience since Valegro to interrupt the 90% barrier in worldwide competitors.
By Lottie Fry’s grand prix accomplice Everdale, Imhotep was bred by Tineke Huizing within the Netherlands. He was purchased as a two-year-old by Charlotte’s long-term coach Carl Hester and Coral Ingham after being noticed by dressage rider Henry Boswell.
“He despatched me a video of the horse and I ended up shopping for him from it,” Carl instructed Horse & Hound following Imhotep’s three wins on the Nationwide Championships in 2021. “It’s the one time I’ve purchased a horse from a video and I wouldn’t advocate it, however after I noticed him get off the lorry I used to be joyful!”
The next 12 months – at simply 9 years previous – Imhotep was a part of the British crew that took silver on the World Dressage Championships in 2022 which he adopted in 2023 with a crew gold and particular person bronze medal at the European Dressage Championships.
However regardless of his spectacular and ever-growing medal assortment, it’s not all the time been plain crusing for Imhotep who proved difficult in his early years.
Imhotep’s early years
“Pete was so naughty as a younger horse,” Charlotte says. “I bear in mind him being ridden by Rob Barker as a four-year-old and I’ve by no means in my whole life seen a horse buck like he may. I’d give Rob a gold medal – I do not know how he used to remain on.”
Carl agrees: “He was troublesome to remain on within the younger days. You’ll be able to see it in the best way he strikes, how his entire physique strikes – when Pete used to buck he’d actually go for it.”
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep throughout enviornment familiarisation on the World Dressage Championships 2022
However in line with Carl and Charlotte’s former groom Alan Davies, behind the younger Imhotep’s bravado lay a candy character: “He was all the time the naughty boy of the category when he was youthful. However I found that beneath that exterior, he’s really a really delicate chap.
“After we go away to reveals and he’s in a spot he doesn’t know, the bravado disappears, and he’ll simply stand quietly, normally behind me, and watch what’s occurring.”
Rob competed with Imhotep as a younger horse, taking him to the Nationwide Championships in 2017 as a four-year-old. Carl’s then in-house rider Sadie Smith took over the experience in 2018, taking Imhotep as much as medium degree.
Charlotte started competing him in 2020 and from that time on they went unbeaten on the nationwide degree earlier than making their worldwide debut in Compiègne in 2022 the place they scored 72.8% to return fourth within the grand prix and 76.06% for second within the grand prix particular.
“Pete met his match with Charlotte,” Carl defined in an interview on the The Horse & Hound Podcast. “How his growth and relationship with Charlotte has modified over the previous few years has been an unbelievable pleasure and pleasure for me to observe.”
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep’s worldwide success
Following their worldwide debut at Compiègne, Charlotte and Imhotep gained the grand prix at Wellington CDI3* in June of 2022 – in what was solely their third take a look at ever at this degree – on 77.76% and the particular on 78.36%.
“Since Valegro, Pete is the one who’s given me that feeling of a lot confidence within the enviornment,” Charlotte instructed Horse & Hound on the time.
That efficiency was sufficient to safe the mixture’s place on the British crew for the 2022 World Dressage Championships in Herning alongside Richard Davison (Bubblingh), Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) and Gareth Hughes (Basic Briolinca).
Individually, Imhotep got here fourth within the grand prix on 77.41%, sixth within the particular on 77.52% and tenth in his first-ever freestyle on 83.13%.
Charlotte Dujardin, aboard Imhotep, greeting her daughter Isabella, after successful the grand prix on the Royal Windsor Horse Present.
In 2023, much more success adopted as the mixture gained the grand prix and the freestyle on the Royal Windsor Horse Present on Charlotte’s return to competitors, solely two months after the start of her daughter Isabella.
This was adopted by victories within the grand prix and the particular at Wellington CDI3* earlier than ending as shut runners-up to Olympic champions Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB at CHIO Aachen.
The European Dressage Championships at Riesenbeck confirmed Imhotep’s standing as one of many world’s greatest as he scored private bests of 82.42% within the grand prix and 82.58% within the particular, earlier than claiming the bronze medal on 91.4% within the freestyle – all regardless of Charlotte admitting she nonetheless “had the handbrake on”.
The mix rounded out 2o23 with victories within the grand prix on 81.76% and the freestyle on 89.57% in entrance of a house crowd at The London Worldwide Horse Present.
“I’ve an actual partnership with Pete that I completely love,” mentioned Charlotte following their win in London. “To me, that’s what it’s all about – when you may reassure them, maintain his hand and say it’s OK. He has a lot power and by no means stops – he simply retains going and going and I really like that – it’s me throughout.”
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep at CHIO Aachen 2023.
Carl and Charlotte credit score a lot of Imhotep’s success to him dwelling him out. “He lives outdoors all night time lengthy, with one other horse, just about all 12 months spherical – till we’re flooded,” says Charlotte.
Carl explains, that dwelling outdoors together with his discipline companion Jaguar, helps to maintain Imhotep motivated: “Grass is pure. Individuals are horrified and I do know they don’t imagine me typically after they come to the yard and see horses in a discipline, collectively.
“I do know it doesn’t swimsuit each horse. Valegro couldn’t dwell out 24 hours a day as a result of he’s too fats, and likes meals – he couldn’t be a kind of horses. However for some horses like Vogue and Imhotep, the extra extremely strung horses, it’s an excellent manner of conserving them.”
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Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Future
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