Olympic gold medallist Romeo 88 has retired aged 16 to spend a happy retirement with his best friend.
Ann Thompson’s Zangersheide gelding and Harry Charles represented Britain at two Olympics, jumping clear to win team gold last year – and the world team bronze in 2022 that secured our place in Paris. They also came fourth in the 2022 World Cup Final and jumped double clears, and secured podium places, in top grands prix and Nations Cups across the world.
Watch the video“Romeo, thank you for everything,” Harry said. “You changed my life and I’ll for ever be grateful. You were with me all the way and I loved every second.”
“We’re not retiring him for any other reason other than it’s the right thing to do,” Harry’s father Peter told H&H. “He’s perfectly sound; the team vet came last week gave him a full bill of health to compete and we thought it couldn’t get any better.
“Two Olympics, the World Championships, second in the Dublin grand prix, nearly won the World Cup Final – and he’ll never beat what he did last year. What a way to retire him.”
Harry Charles and Romeo 88 at Paris 2024.
Harry took the reins on Romeo in 2021, months before they made their Olympic debut.
“The start wasn’t easy as there were various issues to iron out,” Peter said. “But Romeo soon developed a wonderful partnership with Harry and it didn’t take long to get great results and win.”
Peter added that last year, the decision was made to aim Romeo at the Olympics, where they excelled despite the fact Harry had broken his wrist in a fall three weeks earlier.
“Romeo and Harry with his broken wrist went to Paris in top form,” he said. “What the three-man team achieved with no drop score was incredible. For Romeo and Harry to achieve again the only clear and win gold was the stuff of dreams; it never gets old.
“Romeo 88 was and is an incredible horse because he loved his job and he loved Harry. He always gave Harry 110% because of his trust in his rider. Equally Georgia his groom kept his grumpy attitude in check; nothing for her was ever too much trouble.”
Harry Charles with Romeo 88 at Heathcroft Farm
Romeo will enjoy his retirement with Ann Thompson’s other 2022 World Championship contender Balou De Reventon, whom Harry also rode.
“They’ve been great friends all their lives; they’ll know each other instantly,” Peter said. “He’ll hack around and go in the field, and do exactly what he wants to do.”
Harry thanked Ms Thompson for trusting Romeo to him.
“I hope we did you proud!” he said. “Thank you for the opportunities also with Balou du Reventon and Aralyn Blue, you gave me a chance that many could only dream of.
“Romeo will have the best retirement; it makes me happy that he will leave the sport on the highest of the highs and have the long, healthy retirement he deserves. Thank you will never be enough – happy retirement, my friend.”
Ann added that she told Harry in Tokyo that those Games were practice for Paris.
“Thank you for believing in me,” she said. “I knew Romeo would do whatever you asked of him. That horse loves and trust you, Harry; it is that relationship unlike in any other sport that creates champions. That little extra the horse will give you when you need it comes from the care you give outside the ring.”
- To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
You may also be interested in:
‘Probably the best round of my life’: Harry Charles and Romeo’s fabulous Olympic clear keeps Britain on top
Britain’s brilliant world showjumping bronze as super Swedes take the win
Parties, Paris and plans for LA2028: father and son on their Olympic gold medals
The best job, ‘the time of my life’: meet the British grooms at the European Showjumping Championships
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
