Fundraising for a statue of Valegro, the two-time Olympic champion and widely considered to be the greatest dressage horse of all time, has begun.

The statue, which will be positioned in the centre of the Forest of Dean town of Newent, will commemorate the legendary horse that won successive gold medals at the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games as well as recording resounding victories at prestigious competitions such as Olympia.

“It will be wonderful for Newent to acknowledge the significant impact this wonderful horse made,” said Jemima Parry-Jones who is a member of the Valegro Sculpture Campaign committee. “Valegro was a one-off. Germany had dominated the dressage event for so long until he came along. He achieved a remarkable amount and it’s only right we remember his incredible career with a statue that will be here for future generations to enjoy,” added Jemima.

Valegro, who retired from competing straight after the 2016 Olympic Games, is stabled at Carl Hester’s yard in the Forest of Dean. Ridden by Charlotte Dujardin, he captured the hearts of a nation with his stunning routines that saw him win every major dressage title. The bronze statue will be a lasting legacy to one of the most famous horses in the world.

Jemima continued: “We’ve chosen the sculptor – Georgie Welch – and are meeting her tomorrow which is very exciting. She’ll be making a plasticine model of Valegro which will then be presented to the people who know him best – Carl and Charlotte – to look at.

“It’s obviously crucial the artist captures every single detail of the horse, so Carl and Charlotte will be able to provide her with all the help she’ll need. Which movement the horse does for the statue – extended trot – passage – piaffe – has not been decided yet, but we will discuss that with Georgie.

“The cost of the statue is significant, so we’ll be hoping a number of local businesses support the venture. We’re hoping to raise £73,000 for the statue. Because of where the statue is going to be, it would be very hard to fit a life-size statue, so we’ve agreed to commission a statue that is half life-size. There’s several similar statues at Cheltenham Racecourse that are so wonderful. Valegro will be portrayed plaited and wearing his tack, it’s going to look fantastic when it’s finished.

“Initially we did a crowdfunder which raised £4,000. We had people donating money from all over the world which shows the popularity of the horse. I think it will be great for the Forest of Dean to have a statue of such an iconic horse, that has been living in Newent for over a decade now.

“If there are people out there who would like to be involved in donating towards the statue we’d love to hear from them. We’ll be discussing fundraising at the committee meeting, so we hope to announce news on that in due course. It would be great to do something for people who donate a large sum of money to the cause, maybe offering them the chance to visit the yard and meet Valegro. Our Facebook group – ‘Valegro the Dancing Horse Sculpture Campaign’ – is the best place to keep up to date.”