![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/ExtendCanterSpec.jpg\")
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It was a sensational Europeans for Carl Hester. Coming out on a relatively unknown young horse, he has firmly established himself as a potential individual gold medal winner at next year\u2019s London Games. As usual, Carl is the journalists\u2019 dream \u2013 witty, insightful and oh so quotable. I caught up with him minutes after his triumph in the Grand Prix\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s funny, two years ago we had a course with Jean Bemelmanns, Uthopia was only young at the time, and Jean said, ‘this could be the new wonder horse\u2026’ I believed it, but it\u2019s very difficult to tell everyone you\u2019ve got a new wonder horse, because if there\u2019s a black wonder horse now, it\u2019s called Totilas. It\u2019s amazing when it comes right isn\u2019t it? I still think I am more emotional about Charlotte and Valegro because I think that is so special, she is so young. I\u2019m glad that before I die I\u2019ve made a decent score, but for me to see Charlotte come through, that for me, was just as pleasant.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the score of ten from all judges? <\/p>\n <\/p>\n You\u2019ve had some pretty amazing horses over the years, but is this the highlight? <\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cI thought for a minute that there must be a dog in the arena, or a bird had landed, everyone was laughing. I didn\u2019t know I had seven 10s.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/CarlCantBelieveIt.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCarl can’t believe the seven 10s, it was a Championship at the time when seven judges were used and every judge gave the extended trot a 10. Everyone in the crowd, which was\u00a0<\/em>largely Dutch and a full house, gave a collective ‘aah’ of approval which was quite a\u00a0loud noise as it was a big crowd.\u00a0<\/i><\/h1>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/StandingOvation.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCarl and Uthopia receive a standing ovation from the Riders’ stand – you can see Edward Gal, Hans Peter Minderhoud – wearing their orange jackets, Patrik Kittel and then Lyndal Oatley\u00a0taking a photo.<\/em><\/h1>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/CoverUthopiaExtend1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/UthopiaAirBorne.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u201cI’ve trained Uthopia from four years old. He was the first horse I looked at on a buying trip, and that was the problem. I was going to Holland for two days, and the first horse I see is this small one. I rode him and he felt huge. No one can believe what he feels like to sit on. He is sixteen hands but he is massive to sit on.”<\/h1>\n
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<\/p>\nWas that the best test you\u2019ve ridden on him?
\n<\/em>\u201cThat test actually felt more controlled than it has ever felt before. I thought in Hickstead, he was almost wildly flamboyant whereas here in Rotterdam, he was so light in my hand. I was a bit worried, \u2018god is that self-carriage or isn\u2019t it?\u2019 he was like a little fairy sitting up there, that feels alright, I hope it looks alright. He is so nice to ride, I don\u2019t know what the piaffe looked like, it felt a bit slower, he was just very relaxed. He has that incredible temperament, he walks on a long rein when you\u2019ve done, and builds up when you pick him up. I don\u2019t think there is a better temperament for dressage really than that horse.\u201d<\/h1>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/Extend.jpg\")
<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u201cAbsolutely. The horse I loved to ride as much was Escapado, but I was much younger, much more inexperienced and I didn\u2019t know how to deal with a much hotter horse \u2013 it took a lot more knowledge than I had. This is just a pleasure, I can\u2019t believe he is only ten years old, he does it like he\u2019s an old man. He used to be different as a young horse, he\u2019d go into the arena and get so big and bouncy, and he was a bit backward, so we didn\u2019t compete him much, this is only his sixth Grand Prix \u2013 it\u2019s still a bit of a learning curve. I am still finding out how to warm him up, I had him out twice today, I don\u2019t normally do that but when you see everyone coming up here in the morning, you panic that you are not doing the same thing\u2026 go get him I want to ride.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/UthopiaCoverBestOne.jpg\")
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/CarlMedala.jpg\" "\\"CarlMedala\\"")