Charlotte Dujardin. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.
It was another World Record breaking night at Olympia, The London International Horse Show. Crowd favourites and World Champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro not only duly won the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Freestyle, supported by Horse & Hound, but broke their own World Record score that they set here last year as well as claiming their third successive victory at the Show.
The pair entertained the full house with their practically foot-perfect programme to a compilation of emotive music from the soundtrack to the film ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, the same music that won them the World Championship title at the World Equestrian Games in August. They made piaffe-pirouettes, passage half passes and bold daring extensions look easy and the test that has to be the best freestyle ever ridden, received a standing ovation from a full house and a mark of 94.3% from the judges.
“He is the most incredible horse; he just keeps giving and giving,” said Charlotte, who in April this year became the first Briton to win the World Cup title since the inception of the series in 1986. “I was absolutely thrilled with my ride – the last piaffe pirouette I was nearly in tears he was with me all the way.”
As last year, leading Dutch rider Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover were second, with a test that made the most of Undercover’s rhythmic passage and piaffe. It was Edward Gal who in 2009 set the standard in freestyle, breaking the then world record score when winning at Olympia with Totilas.
“Charlotte, I know how you feel,” said Edward. “A standing ovation is a really great feeling because we work really hard and it makes the work worthwhile.”
Olympia debutante Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, a former European Young Rider Champion, gained third place with Beatrice Burchler-Keller’s Unee BB – an elegant black stallion by Gribaldi.
“It was a privilege for me just to sit next to Charlotte and Edward,” she said. “While I have not had a World Record feeling yet I am working on it.”
Danielle Heijkoop and Siro N.O.P., trained by Anky Van Grunsven, winner of the World Cup on nine occasions from 1995 to 2008, were fourth.
“Charlotte’s test was just out of this world – I honestly thought in 2009 that we would never see the same again,” said Stephen Clarke, President of the Ground Jury. “I am not sure what it is about this show that produces such dressage – the horses are incredible here.”
To view the full results, click HERE.
For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.
Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.
Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.