Lottie Fry and Glamourdale on their way to winning individual gold in the grand prix special at the dressage World Championships in Aachen today (14 August).
Will we ever see an extended canter like Glamourdale’s again? To watch 28 horses at the top of the sport and for the 29th to produce something so spectacular it makes you gasp is special indeed.
Their early trot work was solid, but this horse’s canter is the strength in his armoury.
Some niggly mistakes from their rivals opened the door an inch, and Lottie and Glamourdale powered through it. Their first set of tempi changes, the two-times, were huge, and they followed these with an equally impressive set of one-times.
The crowd that clapped Lottie and Glamourdale down their final centre line roared in delight as they finished their test. Their score of 82.3% took them to the head of the leaderboard and meant they were guaranteed a medal.
“I really haven’t taken it in yet, it was just the most incredible test. Glamourdale knew how important it was, and he loved that arena. He did the most amazing test,” said Lottie.
“I think I’m a bit emotional still, it’s still sinking in. It was an amazing feeling. We’ve been really working to this point and hoping we would peak at the right time; for it all just to come together is like a dream.”
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She added that she “didn’t dare” to think too much about holding on to the world champion title.
“I knew what amazing competition we have and how much the sport is improving all the time,” she said. “There are so many incredible horses and riders now, I knew it was going to be really tough, so we’ve just focused on ourselves and didn’t think too much about anyone else.”
She added: “I cried my eyes out the whole way out of the test as I was in such shock at how amazing that horse is, and I’ve just been shaking for the last 10 minutes waiting for the final score to go up!”
Grand prix special goes down to the wire at dressage World Championships
Individual bronze medallists Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH.
(Image credit: FEI/Leanjo de Koster)
Last to go, Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH gave a good challenge, trending very close to the world champions at times, and finished on a score of 80.87% to secure individual bronze.
“I’m incredibly happy and super proud of my horse, he tried his hardest for me and it was such a great feeling to ride him there in the big stadium and to feel he gave his very best. It was a big honour for me,” said Katharina Hemmer, who ended the day in a tussle for bronze with her team-mate Isabell Werth.
“To be in a battle with Isabell is always a good feeling, because then you know you’ve reached the top!”
The pair have had a phenomenal time in Aachen, adding this their first individual senior championship medal to the team gold they won earlier.
We will hopefully see them at many more championships to come, but this is the end of their 2026 worlds campaign. Katharina revealed at the press conference that she will not be competing in tomorrow’s freestyle.
She said the horse had a small injury during the season and so they have not been able to prepare for the freestyle.
“He gave his all to me in both tests, and I don’t want to compete him in the freestyle when it is not 100% prepared,” she said.
Mount St John Freestyle scoops silver
Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle.
(Image credit: FEI/Leanjo de Koster)
Sandwiched between the two is the silver filling of Denmark’s Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle (80.93%).
The pair, the first of the day to break the 80% barrier, made a beautifully harmonious start to their performance, floating through the extended trot work and showing some lovely technique and lightness in the passage.
Some imperfections crept in as the test went on. There was the short change behind in the two-time flying changes and a stutter in the one-times, plus what appeared to be perhaps a slight loss of balance coming out of the second pirouette on the centre line.
That is splitting hairs and there was still so much to enjoy – their flying changes in between the two pirouettes were excellent, as was the last centre line.
“To be honest, I was quite disappointed with my ride today,” Catherine said. “For some reason, I felt I just lacked sharpness today, which is really unfortunate because I feel that she is in such amazing form. She’s fit, she likes the arena and she loved the crowd today. So I'm just really hoping for myself to be just a tad sharper tomorrow.
“But that’s the name of the game, and that's the sport sometimes. It is what it is.”
All three Brits in the special have made it through to tomorrow’s freestyle. Carl Hester (Fame) and Becky Moody (Jagerbomb) both enjoyed super tests today, finishing sixth and seventh respectively.
Dressage World Championships: grand prix special podium
Gold: Lottie Fry (GBR) and Glamourdale (82.3%) Silver: Catherine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) and Mount St John Freestyle (80.93%) Bronze: Katharina Hemmer (GER) and Denoix PCH (80.87%)
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.
