Roger Fitzhardinge reports from the Grand Prix Freestyle in Herning

The final dressage event of the FEI World Championships – the Grand Prix Freestyle – has been run and won in Herning. Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale claimed the gold medal on 90.654%, Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Vamos Amigos claimed the silver on 89.411%, and the Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere and Hermes claimed the bronze.

Read the full event report from Roger Fitzhardinge…

The freestyle competition will, for sure and certain, not only be entertaining but also exceedingly interesting; there is no hot favourite, but you may think it’s between Glamourdale and Vamos Amigos, but the door is wide open. Again, clean tests will be essential and then there is the degree of difficult mark as the artistic side as well. It’s a big test and a favourite with all and sundry involved in dressage and at the FEI World Championships, it will be a packed house. The class is so full of quality and class and super talented riders. What a class it will be. The weather is balmy in the Danish twilight, and everyone is excited about what is to come.

Emmelie Scholtens and Indian Rock, by Apache, is one to keep an eye on, as he is something else and what a great degree of real engagement he shows in the piaffe and the passage. As soon as he enters, the crowd is vocal and he is very wound up… will this help? In the beginning, some tension, but amazing energy and expression. Look out when he gets it all together! The walk was calm and open. It’s a huge atmosphere. The canter was a little lacking jump due to tension from the atmosphere, but an amazing second pirouette. A soft, elastic trot to finish, but too many mistakes in the changes. The clapping was deafening at the end of the test and he seemed to lap up the compliments from this huge and educated crowd. Huge scores considering the mistakes: 74.589% and truly a spectacular stallion! I guess when push comes to shove, a rear is a rear, and the submission mark is very poor. It’s a case of inexperience, and appreciate the horse for his potential and as much he was at the bottom, he is a wonderful horse.

Indian Rock and Emmelie Scholtens for the Netherlands.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

Therese Nilshagen and the simply stunning Dante Weltino, who made some mistakes that were simply so costly in the Grand Prix and the Special, and let’s see if they can make amends tonight. What a horse; the piaffe and passage was full of tempo and rhythm, and it was balanced and confident. The trot half passes were stunning and forward, combined with passage. A true campaigner with the walk from excited trot to total relaxation and confidence. Correct twos on a curving line. The extended canter to a super pirouette, to half pass, pirouette, half pass, zig zag. Super clean ones and expansive extensions, and then another wonderful pirouette and extension on the centreline. Piaffe, pirouette from extended canter. The Swedish fans go nuts and so they should. At last! Hallelujah: 83.046%. What are we going to see with the higher scoring ones?

Dante Weltino and Therese Nilshagen for Sweden.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.H. certainly made a stance in the Special but looked a little stormy in the canter work and tonight perhaps that may be more prominent. What a start with amazing balanced piaffe and passage, and the best piaffe pirouette. Trot half passes in and out of passage. Now the canter double pirouettes, but again he appeared a little tight in the contact and over the back. The twos were good but tight. The extension was uphill. The ones were clean but not equal height in the jump each way; they were higher to the right. Again, great relaxation and reach in the extended walk, although the collected walk could show a little better roundness. The degree of difficulty was a 9.4 and all good. Again adoring, crazy fans! The highest quality for 80.682% and a first from judge Peter Storr at this early stage.

Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.H. for Sweden.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

Alejandro Sánchez del Barcofor riding Quincallo de Indalo for Spain is a dark horse here, but always puts on a great show. They scored 72% in the GP and 74% in the Special. A great start, but then too excited to get a ten in the extended trot and a massive stumble. Some Spanish castanets of course (in the music), and passage half passes… just fabulous music and great piaffe pirouette… how good can they be? The canter looks a little lacking in ground cover, but super twos to a pirouette, all to beautiful Spanish music and the crowd all tapping their feet. Ones on the centreline and deathly straight, to a great pirouette that was so great to the music. The last centreline, and the crowd claps in time all the way down. What an entertaining Freestyle as it goes! They scored 78.386%.

Quincallo de Indalo, ridden by Spain’s Alejandro SaÂ´nchez del Barco.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

Carina Cassøe Krüth and Heiline’s Danciera have been wonderful over the top classes and tonight will be a test, but for sure activity and expressive extensions will be in order. So here we go! They started in passage and then piaffe that was not quite in rhythm and on the spot and balanced, and tonight the extension was a bit onto the shoulders. Wonderful piano music in the walk and an extended walk of a good marks, as the mare walks through the whole body! The neck was a bit tight, creating tension behind and a few mistakes. A 9.8 degree of difficulty ,but a few mistakes with the difficulty. Clean twos to ones on the circle, but then a few mistakes. Much clapping for the passage centreline and piaffe pirouette to an amazing halt; you couldn’t hear the announcer over the clapping, but the mare walked out on a long rein with Carina waving with both hands and no reins… Amazing! An 82.143% and wow what a score, with a few rhythm problems in the piaffe and the mistakes in the ones. This just shows how good the rest of the test was.

Patrik Kittel and Touchdown are ones never to shirk a challenge, and Freestyles are a real forte for this Swedish combination. I am sure wife Lyndal Oatley and daughter Ems are watching. This horse has a great front and freedom of the forehand, but still a little close in front and a bit wide behind in the piaffe. Great extended trot, and again fabulous relaxation in the walk extension and then good, obvious collection. Dramatic music in the canter work was full of suspense. Clean changes and canter zig zag was forward and better than we have seen. A 9.8 degree of difficulty. The piaffe very well positioned on the centreline, facing the short sides. A great extended trot to a good halt, and the Swedes go crazy and another happy rider who loves the sport and the crowd. A score of 83.679% and in to the lead at this stage…

Gareth Hughes (who had tested positive to Covid) was in next with the wonderful bay mare, Classic Briolinca, and what a glorious Special they made. So fluent, but she too can get a little excited and tonight will be a big one. Very upbeat music for the piaffe and passage at the start and the atmosphere seemed to be helping this combination. The outstanding thing here is the crisp feeling you get in the work. The freshness and regularity, and that was with everything. A 9.9 degree of difficulty. The changes were easy and uphill. What a beautiful mare. Super tight pirouettes and uphill, honest ones. How can you criticise these horses; they are extraordinary! Again, the crowds clap and Briolinca can’t stand, but piaffes the entire halt! Not sure what the judges do with that. A score of 84.043% and into the lead!

Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

A break and what can you say about the first group. The training, the absolute confidence, honesty, harmony and trust of every horse to the rider. There is something chilling about these tests. You have never heard crowds like this, yet all horses walk out of the arena ears pricked as if to say ‘thanks for the thanks’. The crowd isn’t happy about the judges pulling the blinds down in the boxes, as they have no view of the competition as the boxes now obscure the view!

Daniel Bachmann Anderson and the leggy chestnut Marshall-Bell has the most elastic and active hind legs, and with the atmosphere it’s hoped that don’t overtake the forehand. Of course, the patriotic crowd go again wild! Passage and piaffe to begin, with an exaggerated hind leg that becomes uneven in the extended trot. Good extended walk, but the marks began falling away after the extended trot. Better in the canter work tonight, and the pirouettes were better. The crowd is again crazy, and a score of 83.464%.

For the USA was Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, who haven’t had mistake-free tests; they may well head up the rankings. The passage is expressive and off the ground, and fabulous half pass passage. Perhaps the pirouette looked a little slow and a bit ponderous. Again, the pirouette is slow, but good ones tonight. A score of 83.704%. It was a good test, but perhaps lacked a little suppleness and that real tempo – combined with the honest feeling that he is really through the body. In other words, is he using his legs to move his body, or is he using his body to move his legs? And of course you should have the feeling that it’s the second one… through the body, and body moving the legs!

Charlotte Dujardin will for sure bring the crowd to their feet with Imhotep, who is inexperienced compared to some of the better seasoned horses, but one to rise to the occasion will be Charlotte for sure, and to see how they cope will be interesting. A 9-year-old, and a little tension, but total faith in Charlotte to give his all and again into a walk that is purposeful and ground covering, and into a pirouette that is easy, well centred and balanced. What a rider. A mistake in the twos, just a balance mistake once, and then a big break in the ones that is costly. Big extended canter. Amazing for a 9-year-old! And Charlotte is thrilled that this horse stayed with her throughout! What a super horse, 83.132%.

Isabell Werth and DSP Quantaz. Well if ever a rider has ridden a test of their life, it was Isabell after she followed Glamourdale, and what a ride. Isabell rode for gold knowing full well she was battling, but she made so many points that no-one else could have. Her ability to produce the most of every movement… to canter ones to half pass, and simply outstanding riding. Dead square to start. And a piaffe pirouette from the halt to passage. Her degree of difficulty is 10! The walk is unfortunately not the best in rhythm in the collected and the extended. The twos were keen, and then a mistake in the pirouette when Quantaz trotted. A mistake in the two time changes saw the percentage go down, but it was a sensational test for Isabell. Considering the minor but costly mistakes, it was a greatly scored test on 83.339%. What an amazing score indeed for a test that had its share of mistakes and in degrees of difficulty as well. What a rider!

Benjamin Werndl, after the feeling they were marked generously in the Grand Prix, sure as hell made amends in the Special… and tonight with the atmosphere, this pair may well come to the party with some big moves. The atmosphere for sure helped them, with active piaffe and passage. In a great frame, but for the big marks in the extended trot the hind leg needs to be more elastic and under. The collected walk was lazy, but into an active canter and better pirouettes, and uphill changes that were short behind but not late. They scored 85.893%.

Look out… make way… move over…giddy up, Lottie! Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale are on fire. What can be said. Hold on for an amazing ride. What a ride and fabulous classic rock, Queen, Eric Clapton and what a test, apart from a little tension. Well words cannot explain the tingle that this horse puts through you; he is simply incredible. They scored 90.654%, and as was said, what can you say! What a performance. The only comment is that there are more marks to come when he learns to take more weight behind in the passage, raises the shoulders and shows a more free and flamboyant fore leg… for sure this will happen! This was only their second ever Freestyle together!

Dinja van Liere and Hermes for the Netherlands. A horse that shows it all, and being this far down the list they will feel the pressure and again a wonderful pair. They have been a partnership from the get go. Sassy music and quirky, in keeping with Hermes. This horse is the lightest to the floor in the paces. So light footed and the orange tails, what can you say, with the moods of the music it was so suitable. The training is wonderful. Another fantastic test and 86.9% for bronze!

Last – and didn’t the crowd go absolutely wild – was Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, who really rode the house down in the Special and I am sure it’s going to be amazing and very close. The first not-square halt she has ever done. The extended was a little too trying and a rhythm mistake. A horse that looks like it is on fire then you let the extended walk go and with total relaxation …. unreal… to leave the arena with the crowd at maximum pitch, and they smile and wave as if on a stroll in the park. What a horse and truly what a fantastic, empathetic rider. It is all very well to make comments about behind the vertical (and that was pretty obvious at times) but what about the harmony and at no time is there anything that looks forced; it’s simply the horse is so elastic, that moments behind the vertical happen… Fabulous! They scored 89.411% and what a controlled test. Silver!

A whopping 12,000 people were in the stands to witness the best ever competition at this level. Well done Herning for producing a competition with great surfaces and amazing ambience for riders and grooms, and all the officials that made the competition easy and light. Everything flowed without regimental force.

Well done to Charlotte Fry, gold!
Vamos Amigos and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, silver.
Dinja van Liere and Hermes, bronze.

What a day and what a competition!

View the full results here.

You can watch all the action from the FEI World Championships in Herning via Clip My Horse TV.

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