Meet Lewis Robertson-Carrier: 7 things you need to know about Britain’s new national dressage champion

Lewis Robertson-Carrier and his more than a-decade-long partner, Diego V (Spielberg x Welt Hit II) were crowned national dressage champions at the 2024 LeMieux National Dressage Championships, after scoring a personal best in the grand prix.

It was a whirlwind week for Lewis, who was riding down the centre line just over a week after tying the know with his now-wife Olivia (Liv) Robertson-Carrier.

We catch up with Lewis to find out about his career so far…

1. He doesn’t come from a horsey background

“I got into dressage a bit randomly, my family aren’t horsey but there was a local riding school back in Norfolk where I grew up and a girl from school went there so I also began riding there,” Lewis says on episode 151 of The Horse & Hound podcast.

“Then suddenly one day my mum said ‘Why don’t we get a pony?’ and it all started from there.”

Lewis describes that first pony – Bella – as “a real firecracker”.

“In hindsight, she probably wasn’t the right pony for me to have,” he laughs. “We’d hack and she’d bomb off at a million miles an hour across stubble fields. She very much taught me how to stay on and how to be an all-round rider.”

2. He’s come up through the levels with Diego 

Lewis got Diego 12 years ago, when he was 15 years old and Diego just four. He was found for sale at Dan Greenwood’s yard by his trainer at the time, Diana Fisher, who was acting on a tip-off from Carl Hester.

They debuted together in 2013 at Keysoe scoring 73.45% in the novice restricted section. From there they debuted together at every level from medium to grand prix.

“When I had Diego back then my aim was just to keep going through the levels, I wasn’t thinking about grand prix,” Lewis says. “At first, it was just to go from novice to elementary, and then to young riders, then under-25s, and now grand prix.

“It shows with time, effort and a lot of luck it all pays off and I’ve been incredibly lucky with Diego.”

Judge Isobel Wessels tells H&H that what was most impressive about the combination was their journey together.

“You don’t get many horses going from young riders to under-25s to senior grand prix and I hope their example inspires others to follow in their footsteps,” she says.

3. Diego had his characterful moments growing up

“Diego was my first horse, so he was big compared to the ponies that I was used to,” Lewis explains.

“At the time he was an energetic character who was always trying to get into mischief whether in the field, stable or under saddle. He was mostly fun to ride, but he could be very challenging.”

In fact, one such challenging moment left Lewis needing a trip to A&E and some stitches back in 2013.

“We’ve definitely had some ups and downs over the years, but he has continued to progress up through the levels and he’s a horse that never ceases to surprise me.”

4. They won their first national title together in 2015

Their first national title was at the 2015 winter championships at elementary on 68.23%. 

The Horse & Hound show report from that day by Alice Collins reads: “Lewis Carrier is going places. His fierce ambition and steely competitiveness are cloaked in a soft, polite manner.”

At the time Lewis was a working pupil at the Eilbergs’, whom he sought out during his Easter break from Hartpury College. “He’s got feel, and guided in the right way, he’s got a good shot for the future,” Micheal Eilberg predicted at the time.

“Micheal’s taught me so much about refining my skills, not only as a rider, but also a person going from being a kid to a young adult,” says Lewis.

5. He’s worked with some of the top professionals in the country

Lewis worked for the Eilberg family for over four years, starting as an apprentice before transitioning into more of a riding role. During that time he got to ride several top horses like Woodlander Farouche and brought Diego up to young rider level.

He then went on to work for Anna Ross for just under a year before setting up by himself.

“I think you need to gain a lot of experience before you jump into doing it yourself,” he says. “A lot of people – certainly myself – want to branch off on their own and you don’t realise that you need all of that experience you gain from working at professional yards, being in the environment and watching and learning.

“Because as soon as you step out into the big wide world, it’s pretty scary and if you don’t have that experience behind you it’s really, really difficult.”

He now trains with Carl Hester and Kyra Kyrklund, and also schools some of Harry Meade’s event horses on the flat.

6. But his career could have gone in a very different direction

“I used to do a lot of acting throughout my school years,” Lewis told Horse & Hound in 2021.

“I had a couple of auditions for roles in movies and was offered the role of Oliver Twist in London’s West End as a child. When I left school, I had to decide if I was going to go to drama school in London, or do dressage.

“That was when we found Diego, so that led me down the equestrian route. I do think my acting background gives me confidence in the ring – when it is you and your horse competing in front of judges and crowds, it is like being on stage, but I don’t really get nervous competing.”

7. Lewis and Liv’s first date was at the National Championships

“Our first date after meeting at a show in Hagen was here at the nationals,” Liv explains. “I’d come up to work and Lewis was in the inter II and as usual he didn’t have a groom so I stayed for the day to help out – and that was like our first proper day together.

“So, it’s special for us there and then we got married on the same day we met there three years later.”

To read our exclusive interview with Lewis Robertson-Carrier in full, pick up next week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from 3 October.

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