Lara Butler to Leave Van Olst and Return to the U.K.

Dressage

Great Britain

British professional dressage rider Lara Butler is leaving his employer of one year, Van Olst Horses in The Netherlands, to return to the U.K. and go solo.

Lara Griffith

Lara Butler (née Griffith) comes from a horsey family growing up at her parents' livery yard in Buckinghamshire and began on ponies. She started on ponies trained by Dan Greenwood at Emile Faurie’s yard.

Her first "international" horse was Morgi Fortuna, with whom she competed at the 2004 European Junior Riders Championships in Aarhus and where she got better acquainted with British Young Rider team member Laura Bechtolsheimer.

Two year later she rode Veronique Andre De la Porte's Warlock at the 2006 European Junior Riders Championships. This Dutch owned horse took her to Young Riders level. Through her coach of seven years, Emile Faurie, she got the ride on Dawning Hopes, who took her to the 2009 European Young Riders Championships, where they were the best placed British combination.

Assistant Rider for Bechtolsheimer

While studying equine science at Oxford Brookes, Don Benito became her small tour horse and at the same time she began working as an assistant rider for Wilfried and Ursula Bechtolsheimer at Eastington Stud in Gloucestershire. In 2010 she graduated from University and decided on a career with horses.

Lara celebrated her biggest career successes so far on the Bechtolsheimer's Grand Prix horses Rubin al Asad. She broke through as a big tour rider on Laura's Andretti H with whome she became reserve champion at the 2012 British Grand Prix Championships. Aboard Rubin Al Asad she was three times British team reserve: for the 2016 Olympics, 2017 European Championships and 2018 World Equestrian Games. She became the 2018 British Grand Prix Champion.

Griffith married Bill Butler in 2017 and they welcomed their first child, son Jack, in April 2019. Since the retirement of Rubin al Asad, Butler continued her international show career on Grand Prix horse Kristjan and small tour horse Amiek C. Her last competition, both nationally and internationally, were the Aachen Dressage Days in May 2024.

Van Olst in The Netherlands

In November 2024, Lara chose a very different direction in life, relocating her family to The Netherlands, where she joined the riders' team at Van Olst Horses, working for Gert-Jan and Anne van Olst alongside British Olympic medal winner Charlotte Fry.

In the fourteen months that Butler rode for Van Olst,she competed two horses at two CDI's. She showed Grand Prix horse Justin (by Johnson x Sandreo) at the CDI Lier in February 2025 and small tour horse Graaf Leatherdale T (by Lord Leatherdale x Kennedy) at the CDI and CDIO Lier. The latter got sold to the UAE.

Back to Britain

Butler has decided to return to Great Britain and set up her own business in in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, as of March 2026.

"After an incredible chapter in the Netherlands, I’ll be moving back to the UK," Lara stated on her social media. "I’ve had the most brilliant time and learnt an unbelievable amount during my time at Van Olst Horses. I feel incredibly proud to have been a part of such a special team and environment."

To Eurodressage she added exclusively, "I’ve enjoyed my time and learnt a lot. I will miss the team, but family comes 1st and have to do what’s best for them and me… even if it’s a little scary."