Malin Hansen-Hotopp lies third overnight after the first day of five-star dressage at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event – but she revealed after her test that she didn’t want to ride her horse, Carlitos Quidditch K, when she was first asked to do so.
“A friend of mine bred him and when he was five, she asked me ride him in some young horse classes,” said Malin, who wasn’t keen on the idea as she was busy with her own horses and her three young children.
She did pilot the grey in a few young horse classes – but he wasn’t straightforward.
“He was really grumpy and naughty, bucking all the time, but he was also scopey and loose and did a great job when he was jumping,” she said. “At the time I had a horse who was jumping very badly in the showjumping, so my husband said, ‘You know what? Just buy him if you think that’s a good horse.’”
Carlitos Quidditch K is now 12 years old and owned by Bodil Ipsen.
“I always say he’s Mr Grumpy in the stable, but when you ride him, he’s always giving his best and he’s very sensitive but powerful,” said Malin. “It’s almost always my fail if something’s wrong so it’s really fun to ride him every day.”
Malin describes herself as a semi-professional rider – she also helps run her family’s farm and has three children aged 11, 15 and 17. She piloted Carlitos Quidditch K to victory in the CCI4*-L at Blenheim Horse Trials in 2022 and made her German team debut at last year’s Europeans, landing team silver and 19th individually.
The rider has made one five-star start before, on Monsieur Schnabel at Luhmühlen Horse Trials in 2021, but retired across country.
Malin Hansen-Hotopp explained why she wanted to come to the Kentucky Three-Day Event: “I have a host family in America who I spent time with after school. They are already over 80 and it was my biggest dream to come here because they can join me here. Everything fitted well to come with this horse.”
Malin scored 31.1 in her test yesterday – unusually her higher marks came in her canter and particularly for some of her correct, expressive flying changes, after an early blip on the first centreline. She also scored a nine from Judy Hancock at E for her mid-test halt.
The German rider said: “It was a stupid beginning – he was a little nervous and I rode in and tried to relax and he trotted. I was like, ‘Oh, how could that happen in Kentucky?’ but I took a breath and thought I would just give my best, stay relaxed, ride and try to get every point I can.”
The pair will go cross-country at 2.30pm on Saturday (7.30pm British time).
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