BELGIUM’S Justin Verboomen experienced a week of ‘nearly’ at Aachen, after a fourth place in the team competition and the same in Saturday evening’s Grand Prix Freestyle at the FEI Dressage World Championships. His final test with Zonik Plus was the best one they performed over the course of the week, but even a score of 88.439% could not prevent the final three competitors overtaking him to claim podium positions and medal glory.

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale entered the arena immediately after the Belgian duo, and they had captivated the crowd before they even turned down the centre line when their music began with Fry’s own voiceover imposed on the Vengaboys’ ‘We’re going to Ibiza’.

The message ‘Welcome to Glamourdale Airlines, enjoy your flight’ was the first nod to a theme of flying, which was woven throughout their Freestyle, and Glamourdale lived up to his music. The Dutch-based British pair put in a flawless performance of power and expression to earn a score of 91.907%.

“That was the most amazing feeling in the world,” said Fry after her test. “We’ve never done a test like this. As soon as he goes in, he relaxes. Neither of us was sweating, we just enjoyed it. It couldn’t have been any better and I couldn’t be happier.

“In Herning in 2022, it felt as if Glammie still had to prove himself to the world. This year, we put everything into this week.

“It has been a huge commitment from our whole team, so for this to happen is a dream come true,” concluded Fry, now a double-double world champion.

Charlotte Fry celebrates successfully defending her world championship titles \ Tomas Holcbecher

At the press conference after the Grand Prix Special, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour put her disappointment with her silver medal behind her and looked ahead to the Freestyle as an opportunity to show her horse to her full potential.

This she achieved with a flawlessly-ridden floorplan, but perhaps without the same energy and entertainment factor as Fry. She scored 91.236% to slot into second, but this time round she was happy with her silver medal.

“Yesterday, it felt as though we lost the gold, but today I truly won the silver,” she reflected. “Freestyle felt fantastic. This was the ride of a lifetime.

“To ride into this atmosphere, in this arena, was something I have never felt before. It was only the second time we had ridden this Freestyle, but it felt as though we had never done anything else.”

Amazing Isabell

Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH, the bronze medallists from the previous day’s Special, withdrew from the Freestyle on veterinary advice, citing a lack of time to prepare for a third test following the horse’s return to full fitness in June.

Her compatriot Isabell Werth was the final competitor to enter the Aachen arena with Wendy de Fontaine and, to music including Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way’, the most-medalled equestrian Olympian ever drew on all her experience in pursuit of a medal. Werth’s one-handed final centreline, with the full-capacity crowd standing and clapping in time, was incredible.

Ever the showman, as she left the arena she gestured for even more applause, which her home crowd were happy to provide. Her score of 88.650% was ultimately good enough for the bronze medal, 20 years after the silver one she won in 2006.

“To go last here and hear all those scores that had already been posted... The only thing I could do was take every risk,” she said afterwards. “It was amazing today, Wendy gave me everything.

“Our one-time changes worked. I’m very happy.

“With the whole crowd clapping on the final centre line, and being able to ride Wendy with just one finger on the rein in the piaffe and passage, it was amazing.”

Isabell Werth and Wendy de Fontaine won the bronze medal in the Grand Prix Freestyle at Aachen \ Tomas Holcbecher