DANCING horse Valegro now has a street named after him, as well as a town centre statue and a postbox painted gold in his honour.

Co-owner and trainer, London 2012 gold medallist Carl Hester, was on hand to officially unveil Valegro Avenue in the Olympic champion dressage horse’s home town of Newent.

The honour at the new 80-house Bellway development in Picklenash Grove came just weeks after a bronze of the multiple medal-winning superstar was unveiled beside the historic Market House, following a four-year community fundraising project.

Bellway sales manager Carly Maidment said: “Valegro delighted audiences with his performances at both the London and Rio Games, gaining worldwide attention for his elegance and beauty.

“The people of Newent are extremely proud of their Olympic hero, who enjoys celebrity status in this part of Gloucestershire, and as a developer building in his home town, we just had to recognise his achievements.

“It’s not every day you get to welcome an Olympic gold medallist to one of your developments, so we were delighted that Carl was able to come down to the site and see the street named in Valegro’s honour.”

Carl, whose yard is in nearby Malswick, said: “Valegro’s performances helped bring dressage into the hearts of the nation. He is a very special horse and I’m incredibly proud to see a street named after him at Picklenash Grove.

“I’m extremely grateful to Bellway for making this happen and ensuring that this wonderful horse’s fantastic legacy lives on in his home town.”

Charlotte Dujardin rode Valegro - also known as Blueberry - to team and individual gold in London 2012 and individual gold and team silver in Rio four years later, and with the Olympics postponed by a year the horse is still the Games champion.

And while gold may be his favourite colour, it was a case of bronze when a half-size statue of Valegro was mounted on a stone plinth in February after a four-year campaign led by Newent Initiative Trust.

Carl added: “Well the setting could not be more English to see the sculpture of Valegro in its permanent place in Newent.

“He changed so many of our lives and elevated our sport, so this is a really proud moment for myself, Charlotte and everyone who has been involved with this very special horse.

“Thank you to the sculptor Georgie Welch and all involved who made this happen.”

Because of lockdown, there wasn’t an official ceremony, but residents and visitors can now see and have their picture taken beside the impressive artwork.

A trust spokesman said: “We hope that when the pandemic is over, we can bring Valegro and his team down to see his statue.”

Valegro has already given the statue his nod of approval, having visited it when it was stored for several months at Newent’s International Centre for Birds of Prey.

Carl said: “Valegro has taken to retirement very well. Under his rug is a big tummy; anyone that knows horses will know that actually the most important thing isn’t gold medals, it’s eating food and he does that very well!

“We have sick and terminally ill children come to the yard and they can ride him, he brings so much pleasure to them.

“He’s regularly ridden by another Olympian who lives in Newent, Trish Gardner, who’s in her 80s and he takes her round the country lanes, eating the hedges as he goes.”

He said Georgie had “captured Valegro brilliantly” and called it “a 10 statue of a 10 horse”.

Picklenash Grove features a range of three, four and five-bedroom homes as well as a new sports field, a children’s play area and public open space, with properties still available (www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/wales/picklenash-grove).