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In memoriam: Mistral Hørjis and Andretti H

Tuesday, 25 March 2025

At the grand age of 30 and having spent 11 years enjoying retirement together, Laura Tomlinson has said a final farewell to stable stars Andretti H and former British dressage team stalwart, Mistral Hørjis. Both horses have been instrumental in Britain’s rise to the top of dressage’s elite.

Andretti H (Aarking xx x Cavalier), known to his friends as Andy, was a loyal, talented and loved member of the Bechtolsheimer family for 17 years. Andy joined Laura in 2008 when her first senior Grand Prix ride Douglas Dorsey retired. The then 13-year old had been introduced to Grand Prix level and competed by Italian rider Anna Campanella, who rode him at the 2006 World Equestrian Games and the 2007 European Championships; with Laura, Andy went on to win seven CDI competitions, and become National Champion twice, in 2010 and 2011. Their scores throughout their time together were impressive and consistent, allowing Andy to be an outstanding reserve horse to Mistral Højris (known as Alf) throughout Laura’s rise to success in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics; their career best score as a combination was a fantastic 78.73%, earned in the Grand Prix Freestyle at Hagen CDI in 2011. 

For his next chapter, Andy took up the role of schoolmaster, giving then stable jockey Lara Butler her first taste experience of Grand Prix competition when Laura handed over the reins in 2013. The steadfast bay gelding would become the ride to allow her breakthrough on both the national and the international scene. In their two years together, Lara and Andy formed a strong partnership, which saw them become reserve National Championships in 2013, before going on to be selected as British team reserves for the 2014 World Equestrian Games. 

Andy retired in 2014 and enjoyed his later years at the side of his closest friend Alf, at home in the Cotswolds with Dr and Mrs Bechtolsheimer. 

Mistral Højris (Michellino x Ibsen), affectionately known as Alf, came to rider Laura Tomlinson (nee Bechtolsheimer) in 2004 when she was just 19 and she knew he’d be something special the moment she sat on him in Denmark. The imposing, athletic chestnut certainly had presence, but he was also nervous and electric and only in Laura found bravery and showmanship. Many even questioned her late father Wilfred’s sanity in letting is daughter ride such ‘a dangerous horse’.

A first Olympic call up came at Beijing 2008 and while their results didn’t trouble the medals, it was vital towards the development of a partnership which would be the catalyst of the rise of Britain in the world’s dressage ranks. They were part of the team for the 2009 European Championships on home soil at Windsor and lead the team to a historic silver with a British record Grand Prix score which they followed with individual bronze. 

At the World Equestrian Games in 2010, Edward Gal and sensation Totilas were tipped to dominate the medals, but Laura and Alf pushed them every step of the way with a career best 82.51% earning bronze – just 1.5% behind ‘Toto’ who many thought was uncatchable. They came home with a trio of silvers. The next year they were key to Britain’s historic first team championship gold as well as adding an individual bronze to their already impressive tally.

By 2012, the bright orange gelding, once frightened of his own shadow and apt to bolt, was destined for greatness at the London Olympics due to his consistency and he didn’t disappoint. A 76%+ score in the Grand Prix was key to the first ever Olympic medal for Britain, and it was to be gold in the end. On the final day to decide the individual medals, Laura and Alf put up one of their most memorable performances dancing to songs from the Lion King, a routine considered one of the most popular in dressage history. They took individual bronze to bring their historic run to an end and

Alf retired fit and well in 2013 aged 18 with nine Olympic, World and European Championship medals to his credit.

For over a decade, Andy and Alf enjoyed their retirement at the Bechtolsheimer family home enjoying field time and being treated like the royalty they both were. Thank you, Andy and Alf, for everything.  

British Dressage International Director Judy Harvey commented, “The overwhelming thing about Mistral Hojris was without doubt his presence and size, he dominated the arena with so much power. The first time I saw him and Laura together was at Addington competing in a Young Rider competition… I thought to myself how unsuitable he was for a young rider, with all that power, and I’m so delighted that he proved me wrong. He was a kingpin of the British teams in his time, and his international scores with Laura would’ve made him very competitive in the current era too, I can certainly say that we miss him. I hope he’s remembered as a stalwart of British Dressage.

“Andretti was also a very good horse in his own right too, tall, elegant and powerful, always doing a wonderful job in Alf’s shadow. He was a great horse for Laura and Lara, and we all had much enjoyment watching them at shows like the London International Horse Show, especially in a freestyle where he really came into his own dancing to great music.

“On the behalf of the British Dressage Board, I extend our sympathies to Laura and the Bechtolsheimer family, as well as giving them great credit for keeping their two star horses in such happy, healthy condition into their thirties, allowing them a beautiful, well-deserved retirement.”