Olympic Fever: Valegro's Golden Run

We look back at great Olympic equestrian moments...

1. Valegro's double triumph

Great Britain wasn’t short of home heroes when hosting the London 2012 Olympic Games. Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Chris Hoy were some of the stars at the Olympic Stadium and velodrome, but the stand-out performers at Greenwich Park were undoubtedly Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro.

Prior to the Olympic Games, Dujardin and Valegro were little known outside of equestrian sport.

They were part of the British team which won Team gold at the previous year’s European Championships, but individually they didn’t medal.

Heading to London

Valegro posted his first 80-plus score at the end of 2011, winning the Grand Prix at London Olympia that December.

But Great Britain had never won a gold medal in 100 years of Olympic Dressage competitions. If they were going to win in London, many would have expected multiple World medallists Laura Bechtolsheimer & Mistral Hojris and Carl Hester & Uthopia to lead the way.

Dujardin and Valegro laid down an immediate marker at Greenwich Park. They set a new Olympic record of 83.784% in the first round and then played a central role in securing Team gold!

Two days later, on August 9, 2012, they scored a phenomenal 90.089% to win Individual gold with a routine accompanied by the iconic British sounds of Land of Hope and Glory, The Great Escape and the chimes of Big Ben. To the delight of a vociferous sell-out 20,000 crowd, Dujardin and Valegro scored 12 tens!

Brilliant in Brazil

Valegro and Dujardin were unstoppable after London, dominating at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and the European Championships in both 2013 and 2015. They triumphed at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in both 2014 and 2015, and set a stunning World record of 94.3% at Olympia in late 2015.

In 2016 it was time to return to the Olympic arena for the now 14yo Valegro. However, this time the Britons would have to produce their best not in nearby London but on the other side of the world in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. They would also face stiff opposition from Isabell Werth and the emerging Weihegold.

There would be no repeat of Great Britain’s Team success, with Valegro and Dujardin having to settle for silver in Rio. Werth and Weihegold propelled the Germans to that prize on this occasion.

But could the British stars retain their Individual title?

Werth and Weihegold scored a huge 89.071, while compatriots Kristina Broring-Sprehe and Desperados hit 87.142.

In the sizzling heat of Brazil, Valegro and Charlotte swapped their ode to Britain for a Samba-infused soundtrack. While Dujardin admitted to nerves, the pair achieved an Olympic record score of 93.857% -- not too far behind their own World record!

Dujardin said: “We set the world record at 94 so I knew it was possible, but to come and do it again here at the Olympics is quite special. Today was magic, in London there was no pressure to take gold but today I was nervous because I felt the expectation to deliver. But trotting around the arena before the start, Blueberry (Valegro) felt so good it just put a smile on my face and I knew it was going to be okay!”

It was Valegro’s final ever competitive appearance. While some mourned his retirement, this incredible horse departed at the top of his game on the biggest stage of all.

Can Charlotte Dujardin add to her medal collection this summer? Follow FEI.org for all the latest as we build up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games…