Olympics: Hester finishes third in group and waits to see if it's enough

Tuesday 30 July 2024

Carl Hester’s seventh Olympics has begun.

The dressage competition, being held in the stunning grounds of Versailles, is split over a two day qualifying stage before the individual and team final on Saturday.

The sixty riders have been divided into six groups of ten, with the top two qualifying for the Grand Prix final plus the six other best-scoring riders.

The top ten teams also progress.

Hester’s score of 77.345% this morning meant he finished third in his group, but it is thought likely to be good enough to secure a best-scoring rider spot once the opening stages end tomorrow.

GB are the reigning European team champions, but their Olympic hopes suffered a big hit when star rider Charlotte Dujardin pulled out after a video emerged of her whipping a horse repeatedly and she was provisionally suspended by equestrian’s governing body.

Group A Result:

1 Nanna Skodborg Merrald DEN (Zepter) 78.028% Q

2 Dinja van Liere (Hermes) NED 77.764% Q

3 Carl Hester (Fame) GBR 77.345%

4 Corentin Pottier FRA (Gotilas du Feuillard 70.683%

5 Joao Victor Marcari Oliva BRA (Feel Good VO) 70.093%

6 Justina Vanagaite LTU (Nabab) 69.208%

7 Jayden Brown AUS (Quincy B) 68.991%

8 Naima Moreira CAN Laliberte (Statesman) 68.711%

9 Stefan Lehfellner AUT (Roberto Carlos MT) 68.183%

10 Caroline Chew SGP (Zatchmo) 63.351%

Pictured top: The Olympic rings in the Louvre. Picture by Thea Stark.