Charlotte Fry emotional after ‘possibly best ride ever’

The FEI Dressage World Cup Freestyle to Music brought everything that makes dressage so magical: emotion, goosebumps, top sport, personal records and standing ovations. The stands vibrated with enthusiasm, and the combinations on stage proved that they are not only athletes, but also entertainers.
‘Wow, it's not often I shed a tear after a test,’ confessed Britain's Charlotte Fry emotionally. ‘I am hardly ever emotional in the ring, but the reaction from the audience touched me so deeply.’ Her performance with Glamourdale was not only flawless, but felt like a symbiosis between harmony and power, according to the British rider. ‘I remember when we went into the ring, and from that moment everything is a blur. I was determined that this would be our day. Glamourdale stood there and, like the true showman he is, became one with the music.’
With this win in Den Bosch, Fry adds another World Cup victory to her impressive record, following previous successes in London and Amsterdam. The World Cup final beckons.

Best ride ever
The judges were unanimous in placing the entire podium. Fry's impressive performance was rewarded with 89.705%. Francis Verbeek-van Rooy, chairman of the jury, was therefore full of praise: ‘Lottie, I have seen you and Glamourdale many times before, but this was perhaps your best ride ever. It was not only top sport, it was entertainment at the highest level!’
The judges were unanimous in placing the entire podium and handed out a top score of 89.705% to the British winner with her Dutch stallion. Chairman of the jury, Francis Verbeek-van Rooy: ‘Lottie, I have seen you and Glamourdale many times before, but this was perhaps your best ride ever. We had a great afternoon. It wasn't just top sport, it was entertainment at the highest level!’

Ones to watch: Becky Moody & Justin Verboomen
Numbers two and three, Becky Moody (GBR) and Belgian Justin Verboomen, may not have ridden enough qualifiers to qualify directly for the world final; but both riders did put themselves in the spotlight for the general public with their top performance. Becky Moody and her Jagerbomb impressed with 87.545%, a personal record. After her test, she proudly pointed to her partner and whipped up the crowd even more. ‘What a fantastic atmosphere here! I asked for extra applause for Jagerbomb, because of course he is the real star. This was only the third time we rode this freestyle, and there is so much more in it. This score gives me enormous confidence for the future.’

There was also a personal best for Belgian rider Justin Verboomen. Together with the still only nine-year-old Zonik Plus, he emerged as the dressage revelation of The Dutch Masters. ‘I bought him as a two-year-old in Portugal and immediately had a lot of faith in him. Even at a young age he felt like a fighter, a real winner.’

In doing so, Verboomen left behind Isabell Werth (GER), last year's winner, among others. The German rider scored 82.415% percent with her DSP Quantaz, placing fourth. Larissa Pauluis and Domien Michiels secured three top-ten places for Belgium with fifth and seventh respectively. They thus flanked German rider Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock who secured valuable points. Pauline Basquin kept up the French honour in position eight, staying ahead of the best Dutch combination, Marlies van Baalen and Habibi DVB N.O.P.. The top ten was closed by Borja Carrascosa (ESP).

World-class dressage
President Anky van Grunsven was visibly proud of the quality of the sport: ‘We have seen dressage of exceptional level today. It gave us goose bumps. As an organisation, you do everything possible to put on a great event, and thanks to the riders and horses, we experienced an afternoon that was the icing on the cake.’