Gareth Hughes
Name: Gareth Hughes
Location: Warwickshire
Current top rides: Julia Hornig, Rebecca Hughes, Ruby Hughes and his own Classic Briolinca (bay, mare, 16.2hh, 17yrs, Trento B x Royal Dance, Breeder: Febr van der Steen NED
Major achievements:
- Member of the gold medal winning team at the 2023 FEI European Championships, silver medal winning team at the 2021 FEI European Championships and bronze medal winning team at the 2013 FEI European Championships.
- Member of the silver medal winning team at the 2014 and 2022 FEI World Championships.
- Former British National Champion.
Personal Best Scores
Lifetime PB
Grand Prix: 77.674% with Classic Briolinca (2020 CDI Keysoe)
Grand Prix Special: 78.979% with Classic Briolinca (2020 CDI Keysoe)
Grand Prix Freestyle: 84.590% with Classic Briolinca (2022 CDI-W London)
Combination PB (current ride: Classic Briolinca)
Grand Prix: 77.674% with Classic Briolinca (2020 CDI Keysoe)
Grand Prix Special: 78.979% with Classic Briolinca (2020 CDI Keysoe)
Grand Prix Freestyle: 84.590% with Classic Briolinca (2022 CDI-W London)
About Gareth
Gareth was born in Yorkshire yet grew up in Australia where he lived until his early twenties. It was in Australia that he first became interested in horses, but initially it was western riding and showing rather than dressage where his interest lay.
Since he moved back to the UK in 1998 aged 23, Gareth began to become more involved with dressage and began competing. Gareth is based in Warwickshire with his wife and fellow dressage rider, Rebecca Hughes. Their daughter Ruby is following in their equestrian footsteps but is a keen vaulter and had her first call up to the British team in July 2019 for the European Championships in Ermelo.
Gareth got his first British Senior Team call up in 2013 for the European Championships where he was part of the bronze medal team with DV Stenkjers Nadonna. The duo were then selected for WEG in 2014 where they won Team Silver. In early 2015, Donna was retired by her owner Jane Brewin while still fit and well and had a foal in 2016 by De Niro.
Donna was succeeded by Classic Briolinca, who was spotted by Rebecca aged three on a horse buying trip to the Netherlands. With Gareth, Briolinca has been a regular fixture on Championship and Nations Cup teams, contributing to team success as a confident and assured pathfinder.
Gareth was also selected as the travelling reserve for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with Sintano van hof Olympia.
