A Touch of Glamour on Day Two of London International Horse Show

Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale @LondonInternationalHorseShow/Peter Nixon

Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale set the Excel alight on day two of London International Horse Show as they took victory in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Freestyle to Music, presented by Bret Willson Dressage International Ltd and supported by Horse & Hound. Earlier in the day, CSI5*-W Jumping action continued, with Matthew Sampson winning The Christmas Pudding Speed Stakes and Olivier Philippaerts clinching victory in The Santa Stakes.

Meanwhile, the New Horizon Plastics London Arena hosted a range of high-quality Showing classes, including the Rising Star of the Working Type Championship, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Phil Swallow, as well as the second of the LeMieux Masterclasses, which featured Pippa and William Funnell.

GLITZ AND GLAMOUR

The pinnacle event of Thursday’s schedule came from the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Freestyle to Music, presented by Bret Willson Dressage International Ltd and supported by Horse & Hound. The competition captivated the passionate crowd, who were impressed by the musicality and harmony of the 14 partnerships contesting the prestigious competition.

Charlotte Fry and the 11-year-old stallion Glamourdale performed their test to her Freestyle signature music, setting the International Arena alight. Their spectacular performance earned a standing ovation and a score of 86.645%, enabling them to repeat their victory from 2022.

Norwegian rider Isabel Freese maintained consistency, matching her result from yesterday to once again claim the runner-up spot. Meanwhile, World No. 4 Dinja van Liere improved on her performance from the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Qualifier in Lyon to secure third place.

Home favourites Becky Moody and Jagerbomb debuted their new music; however, an early mistake proved costly for the partnership, leaving them out of the placings this evening.

An emotional Fry exclaimed: “The feeling that I had in the arena tonight was something that I have never felt before. He was absolutely amazing and on fire! I am so thankful to be able to produce a test like this in London in front of this incredible crowd. I can’t thank the public enough for your support, not only tonight, but this year. In the run up to Paris and also in Paris we could feel all of your support. It makes me a little emotional to come back to England and to be able to ride in front of this crowd is truly an honour.”

SAMPSON PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF

The opening CSI5*-W Jumping class of the day, The Christmas Pudding Speed Stakes, saw 33 of the world’s best show jumpers go head-to-head against the clock. Many of those contesting Bernardo Costa Cabral’s 12 fence course accrued faults under the pressure of setting a pace fast enough to take the victory and it was not until ninth to go – 64-year-old Geir Gulliksen – that a clear round was posted. Playing it safe, the Norwegian rider’s time of 68.61 seconds left the door ajar to those who followed, and World No. 9 Martin Fuchs took over the lead aboard L&L Lorde at the halfway point.

Fuch’s lead was short lived, with Germany’s Mario Stevens gaining the top spot momentarily, before Matthew Sampson put on an impressive performance, much to the delight of the home crowd, to take almost four seconds off Stevens’ time. The 2023 Leading Rider of the Show, riding the 16-year-old Daniel, saw his time beaten on several occasions in the latter stages of the competition;  however, with faults picked up along the way, Sampson’s lead remained. France’s Kevin Staut came closest, riding his 15-year-old bay mare, Visconti du Telman, with Stevens taking eventual third.

Speaking after his win, Sampson said: “I’m very lucky to have a horse like Daniel; he’s amazing; he makes my job a lot easier. He’s going to do the Grand Prix tomorrow, but he’s not really a horse who likes to go in and do a slow schooling round, so I just did a round that I thought was comfortable for him. Luckily it was enough! The course walked like it was going to be quite easy, but the fences came up quickly and it caused a few challenges – it was a good course because there were faults in all different areas.”

Referring to the Show, Sampson continued: “We aim for this Show all year; we’re always thinking about qualifying to come here, so to be able to come, with my family here too, it’s special – we’re very lucky to have this show in our country.”

The Santa Stakes continued the world-class action at the Excel, with crowds once again treated to impressive displays of skill and horsemanship. To proceed to the jump-off and keep their winning hopes alive, riders needed to remain faultless over Bernardo Costa Cabral’s testing first-round course. Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts was the first to do so and was quickly followed by Tim Gredley, a regular on the British FEI Nations Cup™ team. Neither Scott Brash nor Ben Maher could produce the rounds they would have hoped for; however, much to the delight of the home crowd, FEI Young Rider European Individual Gold Medallist Oliver Fletcher joined the exclusive list of riders who would proceed to the second round.

In total, seven combinations advanced to the shortened course and re-entered the arena in the same order as the first round. First into the International Arena, Philippaerts set the standard with a time of 34.00 seconds. Both British riders, Tim Gredley and Oliver Fletcher, produced faultless jumping rounds, but could not match the pace set by the Belgian. The remaining combinations also fell short, and so Philippaerts claimed his first victory at the Show, with Gredley taking third and Fletcher fourth.

Philippaerts said: “It’s very satisfying. I didn’t really know what to expect as it’s only my second class with her, but she was placed yesterday in the big class, and today also, so I am very very happy about it. She is very quick over the ground, and I think that’s what made a difference. It’s the first time I have won a class here, so I am very happy with it – it’s a great crowd so I am delighted with the win today.”

HEROIC HEWITT

The opening class of the day, the Evoke Under 25 British Show Jumping Championship, saw 23 talented pairings tackle a challenging 1.45m course. The difficulty was apparent, with only eight riders managing clear rounds to secure a place in the jump-off. Charlotte Ash, second to go on Irma Riende, set an early benchmark with a strong clear. Ash was joined by Rachel Proudley, fresh from her victory in the LeMieux Puissance less than 24 hours earlier, this time entering the arena on Quality Street. Proving her versatility, Proudley delivered a polished, fault-free round that thrilled the crowd and comfortably advanced her into the second round.

The seven-fence jump-off was a true spectacle, highlighting the exceptional talent of these young riders. With the number of strides between the penultimate and final fences proving pivotal, Proudley set the standard, riding the crucial line with precision to take the provisional lead. Clear rounds also came from Alena Hughes, Charlotte Ash, and Jennifer Billington, but none could match Proudley’s speed and precision.

It wasn’t until Jessica Hewitt and Arbitrage, winners of the Winter Grand Prix at Arena UK earlier this month, entered the arena as the penultimate pair that the outcome shifted. Demonstrating incredible bravery and strategic riding, Hewitt shaved a stride off the final line, expertly navigating the course to claim the win in her last chance at this prestigious class.

Reflecting on her victory, Hewitt shared: “In the jump-off, I focused on riding the first and second fences forwardly and just kept the momentum going. Arbitrage is incredible – so careful and reliable. Knowing I can trust her to clear a fence at speed is an amazing feeling. Winning here means the world to me and everyone who supports us. It’s not just me and the horse in the ring – it’s the entire team behind us. This win ranks among the best I have had so far.”

SHOWCASING SUPREME TALENT IN SHOWING

The New Horizon Plastics London Arena hosted an impressive showcase of Showing excellence as the Rising Star of Working Type Championship opened the arena’s competition. The event featured the top four competitors to qualify in the Rising Star of Working Show Horse and the Rising Star of Working Hunter Type, all generously sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Phil Swallow. Isabella Stagg secured the Championship title with a stellar performance aboard the stunning 16-year-old mare, Quite a Compliment. Her victory in the Championship followed an exceptional display in the Working Show Horse class, where she achieved the highest score among 15 competitors.

Next came the Agria Rising Star Racehorse to Show Horse Championship, a heartfelt celebration of transformation and skill. 16 beautifully retrained racehorses took to the arena, showcasing their newfound versatility in the Showing world. Jennie Durrans emerged as the winner aboard Lady Buttons, a mare with a special history – she was ridden by Durrans’ partner during her racing career.

An emotional Jennie reflected, “I would never have dreamt Lady Buttons could achieve what she just did out there. She is a beautiful horse, but there were so many stunning horses in that class – they’re all amazing. This class proves just how versatile thoroughbreds are – from Polo and Eventing to Showing and Dressage – they can do it all. Even after their racing careers, they continue to give us so much. I’m so proud of her and the others I have the privilege of working with.”

To purchase tickets for London International Horse Show, visit londonhorseshow.com.

For more information, please contact: Niki McEwen / rEvolution / nmcewen@revolutionworld.com