Carl Hester and his horse Fame won both the grand prix and freestyle at the Doha CDI5* dressage event, marking a strong start to their 2026 season. The British pair scored 75.85% in the grand prix and 82.98% in the freestyle, earning a €27,000 prize. Hester described the win as a special return to Doha after 11 years.
Carl Hester and his three-time championship partner Fame began their 2026 campaign with a dominant performance at the CHI Al Shaqab in Doha. They topped the CDI5* grand prix with a score of 75.85%, ahead of Sandra Sysojeva and Maxima Bella, who scored 74.28%. In the freestyle, they achieved 82.98%, securing the top prize of €27,000.
The victory held personal significance for Hester, who last competed in Doha 11 years ago. "I haven’t been back in Doha for 11 years," he told Horse & Hound. "To come back after all this time and win is a lovely experience for me. I’ve been doing the sport for 36 years, so every show is a bit of a treasured memory now."
Judges praised Fame's consistent collected work, including canter pirouettes, piaffe, and collected walk in the grand prix, which earned multiple eights. The freestyle highlighted strengths in piaffe, passage, and fluent pirouettes, averaging over eight across five judges. "The horse was really good, he felt lovely," Hester said. "He can be quite sharp, but he was really relaxed today. He was cool, really nice to ride."
This February event kicks off a planned season leading to the summer’s World Championships. "My season starts now," Hester noted. "Every show I do counts. Each score matters." At 16 years old, Fame will have spaced outings, with the next likely in April. Hester appreciated Doha's sunny, relaxed atmosphere after a long winter. "It’s a little bit like watching A Place in the Sun!" he said. "After a long winter, it makes you realise why you want to move abroad."
British success extended to the para classes, where Sara Bates and Tango placed second in the CPEDI3* grade IV freestyle with 68.79%, riding to music from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She finished behind USA’s Kate Shoemaker, the world number one in the grade. Bates called the trip a "dream come true."
