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Lottie Fry and Glamourdale win freestyle gold at World Championships with ‘the test of a lifetime’ in Aachen
The pair won their second individual gold medal of the week and in doing so, defended the freestyle world dressage champion title they first won in 2022
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale performed “the test of a lifetime” to win freestyle gold at the dressage World Championships and so secure the “double double” world crowns.
The pair, who won individual and freestyle gold four years ago at the 2022 World Championships in Herning, defended the first of their gongs in last night‘s grand prix special. Tonight, in front of some 40,000 people, they held firm to the other on a score of 91.91%.
Their performance blended technical perfection and wow-factor athleticism with that magic ingredient – fun. “Captain” Lottie’s voice told the crowd to fasten their seatbelts for take-off on Glamourdale Airways, a riff on the original intro to Vengaboys’ 1998 hit We’re Going to Ibiza! as the opening notes from the song played out across the packed stadium.
The aviation theme continued through the music, John Denver’s Leaving on a jet plane and Nelly Furtado’s I’m like a bird among the other flying-related melodies on the soundtrack – and boy that canter must feel like flying.
“I had a smile on my face during the extended canter, I thought, ‘This is the most incredible feeling in the world and for me to be experiencing this tonight is just amazing’,” she said.
“I can’t believe how amazing Glamourdale was in there today. It was the test of a lifetime, we’ve never ever had a test so good – it all just came together at the right time in Aachen, it was so special.”
Lottie Fry & Glamourdale 🚀: Defending DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION | FEI Dressage World Championship Aachen - YouTube
During an anxious wait while the final competitors rode their tests., Lottie kept herself busy and checked a few messages on her phone.
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“I also knew that it couldn’t have gone any better for me, so whatever the result, I was incredibly happy because for Glamourdale to perform like that was just insane,” she said.
“He is so funny, he was whinnying the whole time to get in there, he was so excited to get started, then he went in completely relaxed with the crowd and just did everything to his best. He’s such an incredible horse.
“I was so relaxed and calm in there, not worried at all. He was just giving me so much confidence, we both enjoyed it so much, every minute of it.”
Rising to the medal challenge
Plenty of tests were brilliant tonight, of course. This is the sharp end of the very best in the world. What set Lottie’s apart tonight was the level of risk she was prepared to take, where some who finished off the podium erred a tad on the conservative side.
Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle were among those to give their all and rise to the challenge Lottie had set. The medal they won tonight by virtue of their huge performance (91.24%) an altogether sweeter silver than the one they collected yesterday.
“I’m over the moon today. Yesterday I really felt that I had lost the gold medal because of my performance and my mistakes, but today I won that silver medal,” she said. “I’m so happy about my silver today.”
Last to go Isabell Werth smiled and sang her way down the final centre line with Wendy De Fontaine in front of her home crowd, who rose to their feet as she finished.
“I feel so grateful, I’m so happy about my test today,” said Isabel, who scored 88.65% to win bronze. “I got goosebumps when I went in. Wendy was so fantastic, I saw the scores from the other riders and I thought, ‘Take the risks – that’s the only chance you have to get a medal’.”
All three British riders finished in the top seven. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb were fifth (87.48%) and Carl Hester and Fame were seventh (82.3%).
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
