Carl Hester presents future hope Monet X

For around four months now, Carl Hester has had a new name on his otherwise decimated list of horses: Monet X, a tall black gelding, nine years young, descended from the Dutch stallions Guardian S (by Moorland Bodyguard and thus a Gribaldi grandson) and Bretton Woods.

The gelding was trained by Daniel Bremner, who is also co-owner. Bremner is a former employee at Carl Hester’s stables, where he met and fell in love with his wife. They got married, had two children and now realized that raising them plus training a horse like Monet X was a bit much in the long run. So they approached their former boss and asked Hester if he would like to take over the further training of Monet X.

“I said I can’t promise anything. But if I like him, we’ll give it a go.” Obviously, Monet X has pleased his new rider, as he has been at his stable in Gloucestershire for several weeks now. Their first competition was an Intermédiaire B in Hickstead, which they won with 75.05 percent. Last weekend was their baptism of fire in the premier class.

Grand Prix premiere for Hester and Monet

Carl Hester had chosen the Wellington International Festival of Dressage for the first Grand Prix. Both an international and a national Grand Prix Tour were announced there. The latter was ideal for newbie Monet. He did not disappoint his rider. With a remarkable 74.094 percent in his first Grand Prix, the nine-year-old Monet prevailed against 26 other competitors.

He achieved scores of 7 to 9 in the piaffe, as well as in the traversals. The judges also awarded him an 8 in the passages, with the transitions improving over the course of the test. While the first passage-piaffe-passage was recorded as a 6.0, the three judges awarded 7.5, 8 and 7 for the last one.

On the other hand, they received a 6.5 from all three judges in the strong walk and in the collection, twice 6.5, once 5. Nevertheless, more points would have been possible had the pair not had problems in the first (double-counting) pirouette.

This was the only test the black stallion took this weekend.

And what else in Wellington?

Carl Hester had plenty to do in Wellington even without a second appearance by Monet. He also had the Bordeaux son Fame with him, his Olympic horse from Paris and Crozet’s European Championship partner. With him, he won the international Grand Prix with 78.261 and the freestyle with 85.210 percent.

He also worked as a trainer, including for Fiona Bigwood, who secured second place in the Grand Prix (74.609) and victory in the Special (73.447) in the saddle on her home-bred Donna Bella. Donna Bella is the ten-year-old daughter of the Danish Oldenburg mare Atterupgaards Orthilia, who enabled Bigwood to return to the sport after a serious illness before she was sold to Denmark, where she was still very successful for Blue Hors Stud. Donna Bella’s sire is the French (or Dutch in terms of pedigree) star sire Don Juan de Hus. The mare is being traded as a World Championship option for the British.

Last weekend, Bigwood and Donna Bella prevailed both times against Charlotte Dujardin, who presented the twelve-year-old Oldenburg Brave Heart by Bordeaux. The gelding is a full brother to Sandra Nuxoll’s former Louisdor Prize winner and now successful Swiss rider Bonheur de la Vie. Dujardin took him over last fall from his owner Ellen McCarthy, who had previously presented him at shows herself. Dujardin competed in her first international show with Brave Heart in mid-October following the end of her ban.

Alongside Fiona Bigwood, Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina were riding in Wellington, supported by Carl Hester. They came fourth in the Grand Prix and the Special with 71.435 and 70.893 percent respectively. Read more about the background of the beautiful British rider and her Dante Weltino daughter here.