The Olympic medallist showed no signs of nerves as he got back into the saddle and went close to a clean sweep, winning three of the four classes he took part in.
Hester won one of two Grands Prix, the Grand Prix Special and the Freestyle, coming second in the one class he did not manage to win.
It was a spectacular effort from the man who was forced to sell his Olympic champion Uthopia after the World Cup leg in London last December.
Uthopia's two replacements, Fine Time 13 and Dances With Wolves, had big horseshoes to fill but both acquitted themselves well, each one registering scores of over 70 per cent.
