End of era for dressage's finest

Dujardin eyes more gold medals after 'irreplaceable' Valegro retires

The greatest partnership in dressage comes to an emotional end on Wednesday when Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro compete for the final time together.

The evening will not, however, be the end of the love story that has captivated millions around the world since the pair won individual and team gold at their home 2012 London Olympics.

"I don't think there will ever be a horse that can replace Valegro," Dujardin, 31, said after leading the 14-year-old gelding out for the cameras at London International Horse Show at Olympia.

Charlotte Dujardin of Britain, riding Valegro, performs during the dressage individual grand prix freestyle at the Rio Olympic Games in Brazil in August. Tony Gentile / Reuters

"But I do have some really nice up-and-coming horses as well behind him.

"I look at it that it's sad but it's not the end of Valegro. He's still going to be seen; just not competing. It's the start of another chapter."

Dujardin and Valegro won everything in dressage, where horse and rider perform a highly trained routine choreographed to music.

At the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August, Dujardin retained her individual Olympic title while also taking a team silver.

Her fiance Dean Golding, in the crowd, wore a shirt with the words "Can we get married now?" printed on it, but he is still waiting for a date.

"I've done so many interviews about my wedding it's put me off," she joked.

"One day I'm going to do it. I'm just going to nip away and have the smallest, secret wedding that nobody knows about."

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is already on her radar, and Dujardin has several promising rides, with Mount St John Freestyle exciting those in the know.

Valegro can look forward to a pampered new life, cantering in the fields and making celebrity appearances.

"He's just somebody that has been a friend always," said Dujardin.

"Going to competitions and not having him there, that will be the hardest thing.

"But he's still at the stables. If I want to ride him, I can. He's always going to be there.

"I'm going to go off and do demonstrations around the world with him. I've always got that to look forward to, so it's not the end of him."

Dujardin recalled her first reaction to the horse that would transform her life.

Valegro was four years old and being ridden by co-owner and British team member Carl Hester. Dujardin was instantly smitten.

"I guess it's like when you get a boyfriend or a girlfriend and you kind of know that person's for you. I like really fast horses, I like really sensitive horses, and he was all those things," she said.

"It's like sitting in a Ferrari and going 'Yes, I love that power'. That's what he's like. He has so much power, so much ability and his trainability is incredible.

"I just remember getting on him, loving it and thinking he's the perfect horse.

"We read each other. He knows when I'm a little bit tense and he can reassure me and I can do it for him."

Hester, who rejected huge sums for the horse after the London Games, promised to keep Valegro active as a global ambassador for the sport, and several tours are already in the planning stages.

"He can't breed because he's a gelding and he would just turn into a great, fat lard if you turned him out in a field because he is an eater. He definitely is an eater," he said.

"That goes a little bit with his personality because he's so chilled and laid back.

"Wherever you put him, he's just like: 'I'm eating'. He's got to be kept ridden to maintain fitness and suppleness. He won't be just doing nothing."