Olympia, London 17 December 2013 – She came and she conquered. British Olympic and European Champion Charlotte Dujardin is the new holder of the world record score for freestyle. With her champion partner Valegro the pair scored 93.975% in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle at Olympia, The London International Horse Show. The score beat the former world record of 92.3% set by Edward Gal and Totilas, also at Olympia, in 2009.
Charlotte and Valegro, owned by her trainer and mentor Carl Hester and longtime supporter Roly Luard, now hold the world record for all three grand prix tests. “I can’t believe it – I am over the moon and just ecstatic,” said Charlotte who was riding to her ‘Great Escape’ music for the last time. “I really wanted to come here and see if I could break the record to this music and at Olympia. It has been such an incredible journey with Valegro – I have achieved so much more than I ever imagined,” said Charlotte.
Each of the five judges individual scores was over the former record – French judge Isabelle Judet awarded an astonishing 96.625% – and the capacity crowd of 8,000, the largest ever on dressage night at Olympia, was on their feet applauding the bold and powerful performance even before the score flashed up on the board.
“Today I have given so many tens I have lost count which is a reflection of the quality of riders, horses and fantastic sport we have seen here,” said judge Andrew Gardner President of the Ground Jury.
Not only did the British pair rob Dutchman Edward Gal of his former title but also demoted him to second place. With the elegant Glock’s Undercover Edward enchanted the audience with a moving freestyle that highlighted the 12-year-old’s ability for piaffe and passage. The Dutch team rider was however gracious in defeat.
“I knew that losing my record would happen one day – so I just have to practice more for the future,” said Edward.
As in last night’s grand prix, young Dutch rider Danielle Heijkoop took third place on her first visit to the London venue with the 14-year-old Gribaldi gelding Kingsley Siro whose test made much of powerful passage and off the floor piaffe.
The British combination of Michael Eilberg and Half Moon Delphi, last to go and following the new record holders had a hard act to follow but gave it their all to a foot-tapping Latin routine that earned fourth place.
Olympia debutante Lara Griffith also had a night to remember gaining ninth place on Andretti H formerly ridden by her mentor Laura Tomlinson who also came under the spotlight. It was however for the last time with her Olympic team gold medal partner Mistral Hojris who was officially retired.
“I am sad that Alf won’t be part of my future journey but glad that he is leaving British dressage in safe hands,” said Laura who won ten championship medals with the 18-year-old chestnut.
Audio Links:
Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) – http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Dujardin_WR.MP3
Edward Gal (NED) – http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Gal_end.MP3
Carl Hester (GBR) – http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Hester.MP3
Final Placings
For details of the final placings in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Leg (Grand Prix Freestyle to Music), please click: http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/857/docs/R_03.pdf.
Olympia, The London International Horse Show will be televised throughout the week on BBC Online, the BBC Red Button and Eurosport. Live coverage of the Longines FEI World Cup presented by H&M will be broadcast on BBC 1 between 13:45 and 16:30 on Saturday 21 December 2013.
For more information, please visit the website at www.olympiahorseshow.com.
Olympia, The London International Horse Show
Throughout the week of 16 December, the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington, London will play host to packed timetable of all things equestrian and boasts a total of over 80,000 visitors. The show mixes top class equestrian action including FEI World Cup Jumping, Dressage and Extreme Carriage Driving with family entertainment, such as The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art display and the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Olympia Horse Show celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2007 and is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest equine competitions. Olympia Horse Show’s official charity for 2013 is veterinary charity, the Animal Health Trust, which works behind the scenes to monitor equine disease around the world and undertakes extensive on-going research to minimise the risk of injury to sport horses. The evening performance on Wednesday 18 December will be dedicated to the Animal Health Trust and 50p from every seat sold will go to the charity.
For more information, please contact Hannah Grissell, Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Email: hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 207 592 1207