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Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Championship: Gold to British rider Charlotte Fry and KWPN stallion Glamourdale, silver to Danish home rider Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour with Westfalian bred Vamos Amigos and bronze yet again to Dinja van Liere and KWPN stallion Hermes from the Netherlands. 

 A clear sky and a warm summer breeze filled Stutteri Ask Stadium with expectations right from the start. Close to 10,000 spectators listened and watched fifteen combinations do a dressage dance to tunes of their own choosing. And the crowd was on fire right from the start, their support would lift up a number of combinations but also proved to be too much of a challenge for a chosen few.   

Swedish rider Patrik Kittel and his Swedish Warmblood gelding Touchdown and Danish Daniel Bachmann Andersen/Marshall-Bell (DWB) took their 10-year-old horses to new heights finishing on 7th and 8th place respectively. They even overtook Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz performing to classic pop tunes, doing a piaffe pirouette to “It’s a heartache” by Bonnie Tyler and finishing om 10th place. 

US rider Adrienne Lyle and Hanoverian bred stallion Salvino looked sharper and sharper day by day and really rocked the Stutteri Ask Stadium enjoying the interaction with the crowd. Gareth Hughes made his best ride to date with Classic Briolinca (KWPN) and finished 5th in the freestyle, his best placing as an individual.  

German Benjamin Werndl/Famoso OLD has gained a lot of praise for his smooth harmonious riding (4th place).

Gold medallist Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale rode to a very crowd-pleasing potpourri of pop songs. The black stallion has a canter with immense lift and airtime, showing off in extensions and tempi changes as well as piaffe and passage and trot extension: 90.654 %..  

Dinja van Liere and KWPN stallion Hermés were performing to the cheer of the crowd and the stallion was coping like a really experienced dressage horse showing of his talent and quality gaits. With 86,90 % it was enough for yet another bronze medal. 

Last to go was Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and her lovely pocket rocket Vamos Amigos. They rode their floorplan with really high difficulty to the theme from Les Misérables. A good ride, nearly perfect, 89.411 percent and a silver medal to bring home.  

Quotes from riders. 

Gold medalist Charlotte Fry, Great Britain 

“Honestly, I have never had that feeling before going into the arena, that the audience just goes crazy for you. He was dancing, I was singing along, enjoying the extended canter, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Glamourdale was made for this, he is just enjoying 

Silver medalist Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, Denmark 
“The audience here are the true superstars here. Vamos Amigos was definitely hot today, but he is only ten years old, so I am just so pleased with him. I feel like all three of us are really changing the face of dressage for the better. 

Bronze Dinja van Liere, Netherlands 
“I am incredibly proud of my horse today. I thought he would be tense because of the audience but he was so good and has improved here day by day, I am just so proud of him. 
Today I had Hermés full focus and it was really nice to just ride an easy test.” 

4th place Benjamin Werndl, Germany 

“I can't find words for this; the whole week has just been amazing. This was my first big championship as a senior, so to be among these riders and get a personal best with this horse - it's the greatest achievement for me as a rider. I am so happy with Famoso, the stadium is packed with people applauding, but he listens to me. I always love the piaffe with him, especially with the audience clapping and cheering us on.” 

5th place Gareth Hughes, Great Britain 

"It is not many times in your life you ride in such a huge stadium with an enthusiastic crowd, it feels amazing. I think I smiled most of the time during the program because my mare was so brilliant. We rode today to a completely new floorplan and music by Madonna, I think that really suits my mare. She has given me so much over the last days, doing her best every time." 

The results of the Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Championship can be found on HorseTelex Results.

Source: FEI

All pictures ©️Herning2022/Lafrentz