WEG dressage: Charlotte Dujardin wins grand prix freestyle
Today Charlotte Dujardin became the first ever dressage rider to concurrently hold double Olympic, European and World titles. She put in a sensational performance on Carl Hester and Roly Luard’s Valegro at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy and was rewarded with 92.161%.
Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg replicated her silver medal from the special with Damon Hill, scoring 88.286%.
The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen was “happy happy happy” to fight back into the medals after being fourth in the special. She and Parzival claimed bronze with 85.714% and relegated Kristina Sprehe to fourth.
Charlotte’s entry to the stadium was greeted by the roar of 20,000 spectators. Her test was set to music from the film How to Train your Dragon and it suits Valegro down to the ground.
He never missed a beat, pulling off difficult moves, including medium trot into piaffe pirouettes.
“After London I didn’t think things could get any better, then there were two golds at the Europeans last year,” said the 29-year-old. “Any medal is an achievement so to come away with team silver and two golds; I couldn’t have asked any more.
“I just go out there and have fun and not think about the pressure, because if you do it takes over. But riding a horse like Valegro gives you so much confidence.”
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Charlotte is the triple world record holder at grand prix and this test was 1.8% off the freestyle record she set at Olympia in 2013.
Britain’s Michael Eilberg rode a sizzling test on Half Moon Delphi for just under 80%. They finished in eighth – a huge leap up from their 25th place in the grand prix which saw them scrape into the special.
Carl Hester and Nip Tuck finished 12th with a freestyle personal best of over 76%; a fantastic result for this massive horse, who is a relative newcomer to grand prix.
Dressage at WEG is now over but the eventing competition is in full swing, with tomorrow being cross-country day.
The showjumping starts on Tuesday, 2 September.
Grand prix freestyle results
GOLD Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro GBR 92.161%
SILVER Helen Langehanenberg on Damon Hill FRH GER 88.286%
BRONZE Adelinde Cornelissen on Jerich Parzival NOP NED 85.714%
4. Kristina Sprehe on Desperados FRH GER 83.125%
5. Laura Graves on Verdades USA 82.036%
6. Victoria Max Theurer on Augustin OLD AUT 81.036%
7. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén on Don Auriello SWE 80.375%
8. Michael Eilberg on Half Moon Delphi GBR 79.696%
9. Anna Kasprzak on Donnperignon DEN 78.929%
10. Steffen Peters on Legolas 92 USA 77.321%
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12. Carl Hester on Nip Tuck GBR 76.589%
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