Charlotte Dujardin set to make imminent return to competition after baby break

Charlotte Dujardin is set to return to competition for the first time since having her first baby in March, at the Royal Windsor Horse Show (10-14 May).

Charlotte was not originally announced as among the Royal Windsor dressage entries, but has now been added to the line-up for the Defender CDI4*, the first time international dressage has been held at the show since 2019. She will ride Imhotep, the 10-year-old Everdale son with whom she won team silver at the World Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark, in 2022.

Charlotte rode Imhotep to individual sixth, and 10th in the freestyle, shortly after finding out she was pregnant. Windsor will be Charlotte’s first competition since giving birth to her daughter Isabella on 6 March, and Imhotep’s first since the world championships.

“We are thrilled to welcome Charlotte back to Royal Windsor Horse Show,” said show director Simon Brooks-Ward. “With so many of Britain’s top dressage combinations taking part in the Defender CDI4* FEI Dressage it is sure to be a thrilling competition.”

Charlotte has a strong track record at Royal Windsor, having won there on three previous occasions – in 2019 on Erlentanz, in 2018 on Mount St John Freestyle and in 2014 on Uthopia.

She and Imhotep will face two of her 2022 teammates in Gareth Hughes (Classic Briolinca) and Richard Davison (Bubblingh), as well as other top British riders including Laura Tomlinson, Emile Faurie, Hayley Watson-Greaves and Louise Bell. Dan Watson and Lewis Carrier complete the British entries, and riders representing Ireland, China and Germany will also be in action.

British-based Irish team rider Abi Lyle will make her Windsor debut aboard 12-year-old Farrell, with Kevin Acres (Ganesh) and Anne-Marie Rawlins (Etoile) in action for Ireland too. Sarah Rao will ride Alfranco for China and Germany’s Kathleen Kröncke will present San Royal 3.

The Windsor grand prix takes place on Wednesday, 10 May, with a limited audience, and the grand prix freestyle will be on Thursday, 11 May.

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