Charlie Hutton was born in 1989 and starting riding as an infant being brought up at The Talland School of Equitation. At first he was only interested in jumping and hunting and at the age of 9 he went off riding completely, becoming interested in farming instead.
When he turned 13, his mother — international dressage rider and H&H columnist Pammy Hutton — started paying him a pound each time he rode, just in case he changed his mind and wanted to make riding and teaching his career. This tactic worked, and since 14 he has moved up the ranks from prelim to young riders and is now riding at grand prix level.
He left school after taking his GCSEs to concentrate on riding and teaching exams — he is working towards a BHS fellowship.
Charlie was on the winning Pony Club championship dressage team for three consecutive years and in 2007 finished second individually on Amo — a seven-year-old Danish Warmblood mare.
He took Abira, a now nine-year-old gelding, to the 2006 junior European championships in Stadl Paura, Austria. They were the youngest combination to compete and the second-highest placed team member.
The following year, Charlie and Abira contested the junior championships in Nussloch, Germany, where they were placed 25th individually.
Charlie won team gold and individual silver at the Youth Olympics in Australia at the start of 2009. This was the first time that equestrian sports had been included in the games and the riders were competing on borrowed horses.
Major achievements
- 2009 Youth Olympics: team gold and individual silver
- 2008 young rider European championship team member
- 2007 European junior championship team member
- 2006 European junior championship team member
