Carlchen, a German bred horse produced by Stuart Tinney in Australia, has set a new US eventing Advanced dressage record with Phillip Dutton at Pine Top Eventing, Georgia, USA
The dressage score of 15 posted by Phillip and Carlchen, who went on to win the Advanced Division B on a score of 34.2 after adding time penalties on cross country and show jumping, beat the previous USA Advanced record of 17.7 set last year by Tamie Smith riding Mai Baum at Rebecca Farm
The name Carlchen may be familiar to many in Australia. Imported from Germany in 2013 by Stuart and Karen Tinney after Karen found him on a ‘quick trip’ to Germany whilst looking for a show jumping horse for a pupil, Carlchen was campaigned by Stuart up to CCI3* level (now 4*) and sold to the UK in 2016 where he was competed initially by Britain’s Francis Whittington and then Michelle Kenny (IRE).
Stuart Tinney and Carlchen at Wallaby Hill 2014
Carlchen then moved countries again to the USA in 2019 where a minor injury and Covid-19 meant that he and Phillip only contested one international competition in 2020. Now owned by Caroline Moran, the 13-year-old Carlchen is by the show jumping sire Clinton but obviously has a knack for the dressage phase
Phillip says he is ‘very proud’ of Carlchen but thinks there may be even better scores to come
“In dressage, you always feel that you can do things better; I know there’s still some throughness and softness that I can continue to improve, but Carlchen is obviously a huge talent!”
Francis Whittington and Carlchen at Blenheim International 2017
