Gareth Hughes sets personal best after training on our Sound Track surface

We’re thrilled to announce that last month, our talented Equestrian Surfaces ambassador, Gareth Hughes, achieved a superb personal best at the London International Horse Show 2022.

After months of training on our very own Sound Track surface, Hughes came in second place at the dressage World Cup qualifier.

Riding on the 16-year-old Trento B mare, Classic Briolinca, Hughes gave a flawless performance to a Madonna medley, scoring a fantastic 84.59%. This was the first time that Hughes had brought Briolinca to the London International Show, and the results were stunning.

“She has always found busy atmospheres really difficult, but she felt so good after the World Cup qualifier. She is 16 now, so I thought it was now or never,” he explained. “She’s so good. She tries so hard never to make a mistake, so I really trust her on all the lines. She’s just so amazing, and she’s getting better and better. I just wish she was only 12 years old, instead of 16!” 

The London International Horse Show is the only UK show to host all three FEI World Cup Qualifiers in Dressage, Show Jumping and Driving – and was held on the 15th – 19th of December 2022 at ExCeL in the historic Royal Docks area of London. 

In preparation for the show, Hughes utilised training on our Sound Track surface. As our most recently-developed synthetic riding surface, Sound Track comprises two grades of quality silica sand, blended alongside synthetic stabilising fibres, making it ideal for supporting fast movements and providing security in turns. 

Over the years, Sound Track has become renowned for promoting soundness in horses, due to the elite degree of comfort, shock absorption, support and energy support it provides. 

We caught up with Hughes to see how he found training on the synthetic surface and what role Sound Track played in his training…

“I’ve spent months training Briolinca up on Equestrian Surface’s Sound Track surface, and what a difference it makes compared to previous surfaces I’ve trained on!” said Gareth. “Not only does the surface work optimally in all weather conditions, but it provides a great deal of stability and support, making it feel amazing to ride on. I certainly wouldn’t look elsewhere for a surface now, and it has really helped give myself and Briolinca a competitive edge!”

“It’s an incredible honour to hear how much Gareth has enjoyed training his lovely Briolinca on our surface. We take a great deal of pride in ensuring that each and every one of our surfaces is suitable for the very best in the game, and this recent news is a testament to that!” explains Equestrian Surfaces managing director, James Harper.

Find out more about our Sound Track surface here or get in touch with our team on 01282 834 970.