Gio, the plucky chestnut Great Britain’s dressage superstar Charlotte Dujardin rode to team and individual dressage bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics, will now have a teenager in the saddle.
According to Horse & Hound, Pumpkin, as he is known, has been sold to Annabella Pidgley, 16, whose late father, Tony, was a big supporter of equestrian sport in Britain before his death last year. Pumpkin, a 10-year-old son of Apache, was spotted five years ago by Charlotte in a California clinic.
Charlotte and Pumpkin competing in the Tokyo Games.
“It is always such a hard thing to let go of animals that we see as our family,” Charlotte is quoted as saying, but she noted it is a fact of life that sales must sometimes be made in order to keep going. She owned the Dutchbred gelding with her mentor, Carl Hester, and Renai Hart. After the Olympics, she rode Pumpkin to team silver and individual bronze at the European Dressage Championships.
Annabella, who trains with Charlotte and Danish star Cathrine Dufour, won double individual silver at the junior European Championships this year on Sultan Des Paluds.
“Annabella is one of the most promising riders in our country, and works so hard to develop herself and her horses, whilst giving them nothing but five star care,”said Charlotte, who is glad that her training gig with Annabella will keep Pumpkin in her life
Annabella commented: “To say this is a huge privilege for me is an understatement, and I know this is such an honor for me to take the reins of such an iconic little horse. I can only say that under the training of both Cathrine Dufour and Charlotte, I will work every day to do my best by him, bond with him and keep him in the manner he is used to.”