British Team Horse Classic Briolinca Passed Away

Dressage

Great Britain

Classic Briolinca, the British team horse which Gareth Hughes rode to multiple team medals, has passed away last week.

Briolinca was an 18-year old Dutch warmblood mare by Trento B out of Trolinca (by Royal Dance x D-Day). She was bred by the Van der Steen brothers in The Netherlands.

Classic Briolinca

Purchased by the Hughes' couple in partnership with business associate and friend Julia Hornig, Briolinca was discovered in The Netherlands as a 3-year old.

She was first ridden by Rebecca as a youngster before Gareth took over. Hughes made his international Grand Prix show debut on Briolinca in 2015 at the CDI Hartpury, where they immediately posted a 71.300%.

The bright bay mare was competed sparingly throughout her years at top level. After Hartpury they also showed at the CDI Perl, but in 2016 only did Roosendaal. They did not pass the vet check at the 2016 CDIO Rotterdam and were out for British Olympic team selection. In 2017 they returned to the arena at the CDIO Compiègne, their first and only international of the year.

In 2018 the elegant mare retrieved form and produced solid scores in the seventy range at Keysoe, Compiegne and Bolesworth. They were short-listed for Team GB for the 2018 World Equestrian Games, but not picked. Hughes, however, did win the 2018 British Grand Prix Champion's title in September that year.

British Team Horse

The years 2019 and 2022 were Briolinca's most successful show seasons.

After posting a whopping 77.170% in the Special at the 2019 CDIO Compiègne, they finally claimed a spot on the British team for the European Championships in Rotterdam, where they exceeded all expectations and became Britain's best scoring pair with an 80.125 and 10th place in the Kur to Music Finals after finished 7th in the Special on 78.085%.

In 2020 did only one CDI in Keysoe (in October) and was not in the race for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to fitness issues.

In 2022 they made a solid international come back at the 2022 CDIO Compiegne and did only one more CDI in Wellington Heckfield to meet the minimum requirement to clinch their spot again on the British team for the 2022 World Championships in Herning, where they got team silver and finished 5th in the Kur to Music. They ended the year with a second place in the World Cup qualifier in London.

Their last season together was in 2023 when Briolinca again did only two shows (Windsor, Wellington) to reclaim her spot on the British team for the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck, where she got team gold and individually were 14th in the Special (74.651%) not making it into the kur this time as fourth scoring British pair.

Retirement

Briolinca's absence from the show ring since the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck made it seem unlikely that Hughes would campaign her for a British Olympic team spot. After not showing at any 2024 CDI's time ran out for Briolinca to prove form and fitness in front of the selectors.

In May of this year, Briolinca was officially retired from sport.

Unfortunately her retirement was rather short. Last week she had a fatal colic attack. Despite all veterinary care she could not be saved.

"We are so sad to have lost her so young. She was the face of the sport in so many ways," co-owner Julia Hornig told Eurodressage.

"We are heartbroken that we lost our beautiful girl Classic Briolinca very suddenly and unexpectedly last week," the Hughes family stated. "She came into our life as a 3yr old and she has taken us on an amazing journey through the years and given us so many precious memories for which we will be forever grateful. Briolinca was one of the best dressage horses in the world but more importantly she was part of our family. We will never forget our beautiful Princess."