Hughes' 2019 British EC Team Ride Briolinca Withdrawn from Olympic Contention

Dressage

Great Britain

Gareth Hughes has withdrawn his number one Grand Prix horse, Briolinca, from British Olympic team contention. The horse is not fit to compete at highest level.

Briolinca is a 15-year old Dutch warmblood mare by Trento B x Royal Dance. She is bred by the Van der Steen brothers in The Netherlands and owned by Hughes in partnership with Julia Hornig.

Gareth and Rebecca Hughes scouted her as a 3-year old. She was first ridden by Rebecca as a youngster, before Gareth took over.

Five Years on the Rise

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 wonderful mare finally found her stride 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.

2019 was Briolinca's best show season, so far. After posting a whopping 77.170% in the Special at the CDIO Compiègne, they undeniably 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%.

Withdrawn from Team Contention

Hughes and Briolinca last competed at the CDI Keysoe in October 2020, where they were third in the Grand Prix (77.764%) and second in the Special (78.979%).

Hughes confirmed today that the mare is not in the running for team selection this year due to an injury.

"Unfortunately due to a minor injury we are not putting Classic Briolinca forward for possible selection for the Tokyo Olympics," Gareth wrote. "This is obviously a big disappointment for both ourselves and co-owner Julia Hornig. We will give Briolinca the time to heal and re group and aim for more success next year."

The British Olympic team selection trials start at the CDI Wellington next week.