August 18, 2024 
Harry Charles was denied the opportunity to challenge Christian Kukuk for the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
But he got his chance in London.
Charles helped the Brits to team gold as the Paris Games with his “round of a lifetime” on Romeo 88. He was a fan favorite to podium in the individual final, but the match never happened. Charles withdrew his horse the morning of the final due to a small overreach injury.
Germany’s Kukuk went on to win the title of Olympic champion.
On Sunday, however, it was Charles leading the victory gallop. The reigning Olympic team gold medalist faced off against the reigning Olympic individual gold medalist in the CSI5* Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of London—and won.
Riding 11-year-old Sherlock, Charles pipped Kukuk and Just Be Gentle to the post by less than three tenths of a second. It was a hometown victory for the 25 year old.
“There is no better Global Tour Grand Prix I could’ve won than this one—to get it checked off as my first one is pretty cool! To get my name on this Grand Prix is pretty special,” enthused Charles.
“For Sherlock, it is a really big milestone in his career. he’s a horse I’ve had since he was five years old and I always believed the world in him, and to come out here today and do what he did… I never knew he could go that fast!”
Charles is now the 12th rider to qualify for the LGCT Super Grand Prix—and seventh rider under 30 to join the roster. There’ll he face off once again with Kukuk and for an even more lucrative prize. There’s €1.25 million on the table in Riyadh this November.
“I didn’t plan it at the beginning of the year, so now we are going to have to take a look and see what horses we can do it with,” said Charles. “It’s very exciting so we are definitely going to make a plan for it!”
Max Kühner remains atop the championship standings on 234 points, but Kukuk has closed the gap on 209 points. Andreas Schou drops to third on 192 points.
