Valegro

Valegro was the dressage wonder horse who, with his rider Charlotte Dujardin, wowed the world, winning title after title and setting new records in all three grand prix tests. He retired from competition after retaining individual Olympic gold at the Rio 2016 Games. He was put down aged 23 on 1 December 2025.

Valegro’s many successes included individual and team gold at the 2012 Olympics; individual gold at the 2016 Olympics; double individual gold medals at both the 2013 and 2015 European Championships; and individual gold at the World Equestrian Games in 2014. At Olympia 2014, he beat his own world record to achieve the highest-ever recorded grand prix freestyle dressage score: 93.4%.

Valegro belonged to Carl Hester, Roly Luard and Anne Barrott, and was bred by Joop and Maartje Hanse. The KWPN gelding lived at Carl Hester’s yard in Gloucestershire since he was a two-year-old, having been born in the Netherlands in 2002. Valegro was by Negro, out of Malifleur (by Gershwin).

Carl’s protégée, Charlotte Dujardin, was given the ride on Valegro as a young horse to bring him on for Carl to ride, but their partnership proved too strong to dissolve. Despite being asked to name their price after the 2012 Olympics, Carl and Roly decided that they wanted to ensure the horse’s future was secure, and Valegro remained at Carl’s for the rest of his days.

Valegro’s official retirement ceremony took place at Olympia 2016, where he produced an outstanding performance of his London 2012 freestyle to a packed house, proving that he was bowing out at the very top of his game. After retiring from competition, he remained in work and continued to entertain his fans with special appearances. He was also immortalised in bronze in the nearby town of Newent.

Valegro’s stable name was Blueberry, and his groom was Alan Davies throughout his competition career. According to Carl, Valegro’s biggest love was always grass. Whilst in competition fitness, he regularly enjoyed a workout on the water treadmill at Hartpury’s Equine Therapy Centre as part of his routine care.