The round that brought home the first Olympic team gold in 60 years for British show jumping belonged to Peter Charles. As Murka’s Vindicat landed over the final “Tower of London” fence and Charles punched the air, the crowd in Greenwich erupted in a frenzied ovation. History was made, a national dream came true and Peter Charles had delivered exactly what he’d told his teammates, his owner, and his wife, he would.
The term “focussed” doesn’t begin to describe Peter Charles going into that round. He’d reassured Olga White, the businesswoman and passionate enthusiast who has supported the Charles family since 2005, that the young, and relatively inexperienced, “Vinnie”, would cope.
“He was a bit stressy starting off,” recalls Peter, “but he got better and better. After the second day, I said to Ben (Maher) and Nick (Skelton) I will be right there when you need me at the end. And I said to my wife and Olga that tomorrow would go great. I believed it. It was as if I knew it.”