Charlotte Fry & Glamourdale © EQWO.net/ Petra Kerschbaum
It was a battle of the titans! Charlotte Fry (GBR) secured the first individual gold medal at the World Championships in Herning on the impressive KWPN stallion Glamourdale with 82.508%. Silver went to the Danish favourite Cathrine Dufour (DEN) and Vamos Amigos, who received 81.322 % with faults in the double changes, Dinja van Liere (NED) and Hermes took bronze for the Netherlands. Austria's Florian Bacher (ST) finished the World Championships in a great 18th place and therefore only just failed to qualify for the music freestyle.
A new age of dressage has dawned! Three four-legged and three two-legged World Championships debutants were on the podium of the Grand Prix Special: The 26-year-old British rider Charlotte Fry (GBR) snatched the first individual gold medal from Cathrine Dufour (DEN) with a brilliant performance. Dufour's Vitalis son Vamos Amigos, who is only ten years old, made a mistake in the double changes - so the music freestyle is bound to be very exciting.
Cathrine Dufour - now Laudrup-Dufour - and Vamos Amigos had to "show" in the Grand Prix Special and they did! Dinja van Liere (NED) was in the lead at that point, holding 79.407% with Hermes. The Westphalian gelding entered the stadium in walk as usual, Cathrine started with an excellent halt. There was little to complain about the last criticised contact of the Vitalis son today, the Dane had him well in front of her in most moments and rode with pinpoint accuracy. A mistake in the double changes probably cost them the victory. Nevertheless, one has to keep in mind: It is only Vamos' ninth international Grand Prix, the first championship ever!
Glamourdale, Charlotte Fry's eleven year old KWPN stallion by Lord Leatherdale x Negro, started masterfully with almost 90% after entry & the first trot reinforcement showed impressive reinforcements, which Lottie Fry rode out riskily. For the strong canter, as well as the expressive double changes there were top marks! Even though it was really tight in between and the cantering out of the passage didn't work immediately (by the way, some pairs had difficulties with this today), in the end the leaderboard showed 82.508% - first place!
Isabell Werth (GER) was the last competitor with Victoria Max-Theurer's DSP Quantaz, but she was not able to take the medal places - she finished fourth with 79.073%. Just ahead of WEG debutant Benjamin Werndl (GER), who delivered a sensational performance with 78.237% on his Famoso OLD.
