Hester heartbreak as he misses out on third Olympic medal

Monday 15 August 2016

There was disappointment for Sark-born dressage rider Carl Hester at the Rio Olympics today.

He was bidding to become the most decorated Channel Islander, but missed out on a medal, finishing in 7th place in the individual competition.

He’s already won two medals: team gold at the London Olympics in 2012, and a team Silver on Friday.

Going into today’s competition Hester tweeted: “A well earned day off yesterday for Barney means today he is fit, fresh and ready for the Kur tomorrow!” Barney is Nip Tuck's stable name.

Despite not making it on to the podium there was some consolation for Hester. Britain’s Charlotte Dujardain took Gold on Valegro, which is owned by Hester and stabled at his yard in Newent, Gloucestshire.

If Hester had been successful his medal haul would have taken him ahead of fellow dressage rider, Jersey-born, Simon Laurens. He also has two medals:  a gold in the team dressage, and a silver in the individual freestyle grade III event at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.

Only one other Channel Islander has won an Olympic medal. That was Guernsey-born athlete Percy Hodge who picked up gold in the 3,000m steeplechase in the 1920 summer Olympics in Antwerp.

Hester went to his first Olympics almost a quarter of a century ago. In Barcelona 1992, he was 25-years-old, and his website says he “was the youngest British rider to ever compete in an Olympic Games.”