Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle have got their 2026 campaign off to a smashing start by scoring a new grand prix personal best.
Cathrine rode 17-year-old “Freestyle” to a winning 84.17% at the Herning CDI5* on 6 March. Germany’s Isabell Werth and Wendy De Fontaine were runners-up on 81.91%.
Cathrine, who owns the Fidermark daughter with the Zinglersen family and Emma Blundell, said she was “speechless”.
“How was today even possible? Today’s ride with our lovely Mount St John Freestyle is a grand prix I’ll never forget,” she said.
“She was just perfect. As simple as that. For ever grateful for you, Free. Congrats on your personal best.”
Cathrine and Freestyle scored 10s from the judges, including Britain’s Isobel Wessels at E, who awarded the pair 10s for the final canter pirouette and trot transitions.
“Now I finally know how an excellent canter to trot transition looks like,” said Cathrine’s coach Kyra Kyrklund, who added that it was the first time she had ever seen a 10 given for this movement.
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The following day Cathrine and Freestyle won the grand prix freestyle, scoring 90.47%.
Cathrine said the mare is “one in a billion”.
“How proud, honoured and lucky we feel to have you in our life. For ever thankful for this weekend with you,” she said.
“[It] feels like this is once in a lifetime. Thanks to everyone in our amazing team.”
Cathrine and Freestyle have impressed since they became a partnership in 2023 and will no doubt have their eyes on this year’s World Championships in Aachen. In 2024 the pair won team and individual silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and double individual silver at the European Championships at Crozet last summer.
Freestyle previously won individual bronze and was part of the British bronze medal-winning team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games with Charlotte Dujardin.
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
