Valegro and Charlotte Dujardin closed yet another outstanding season by achieving the only world record that was not theirs yet, the freestyle to music, with a staggering 93.975%. Riding for the last time to her patriotic Olympics' music compiled by Tom Hunt, the 28-year-old Brit produced a flawless test in front of a sell-out 8,000 crowd.
With absolutely no mistakes, blips or hesitation, the test was a pleasure to watch and was rewarded with dozens of tens across the board, including straight tens from all judges for harmony as well as music and interpretation. Beating Edward Gal’s 2009 world record (92.3%, on Totilas) was firmly on Charlotte’s mind.
“You all know I came here thinking that's what I wanted to do. But thinking it and doing it was something else. To have all three world records is amazing, it’s the best Christmas present and to be able to do it on home soil when you got (that kind of crowd) behind you is even more special,” she said. “I think that I had the ride of my life at the Europeans – Valegro gave me such a great feeling there, and with that feeling in mind I got in there tonight trying to recreate it without any blips”, she continued. “When I finished the left pirouette, where I had a blip at the Euros, I breathed,” the road being downhill and smooth from there.
Her mentor Carl Hester, who co-owns the 11-year-old Negro x Gerschwin gelding with Roly Luard, charmingly quipped that “I was clever enough to give the ride to the right person,” before continuing on a more serious note, saying: “It’s very important that younger people –prettier people! – come into the sport. It’s new blood and it’s exciting and inspirational. It’s great to see how quickly somebody with talent, pointed in the right direction and with an amazing horse, can make it, win golds and break world records,” he concluded.
Another foot-perfect, inspired performance was that of Edward Gal and Undercover (by Ferro x Donnerhall). This rider can really work miracles, and his and Undercover’s 87.425% testifies to the horse’s incredible improvement since Edward took the ride two years ago. They rode to their stirring “Secretum Revelatum” freestyle, composed by Joost Peters. With a much-improved passage, definitely travelling forwards enough, and spectacular canter extensions full of energy and elevation, they produced a tension-free, flawless test – and there’s more to come. “Last year I had 74%, this year 87% - maybe next year it’s going to be 96%”, joked Edward in the press conference. “Everything is falling into place; I’ve been riding him for two years and now I am starting to feel that he is my own horse. He is so much more relaxed and I finally get the feeling that I can do something – I think this shows, but it’s something that takes time and can’t happen overnight,” he explained.
The third combination to score above 80% were Olympia debutantes Danielle Heijkoop and Siro (by Gribaldi x Hemmingway), who produced an exceptionally polished, fluid test to a Prince medley, rewarded with an 80.625%. Although Siro could ideally show more lengthening of the neck in the trot extensions, the combination showed excellent pi-pa work with the well-engaged piaffe as a particular highlight. “It was amazing to be here for the first time, and I had a great feeling today. I am proud of Siro – he’s a great horse with lots of energy and today he was a little more open in front, so I was happy,” said Danielle of her 14-year-old gelding, who completed an all-KWPN podium at Olympia.
Andrew Gardner, president of the jury on Tuesday night, added: “I’ve lost count of how many tens I have given today across the top placed riders: it was just the mark to give. It was top class, a privilege to be there and really great sport”.
With no German riders competing at Olympia this year, the top five placings were all shared between the Brits and the Dutch. In fourth place Michael Eilberg and Jon and Julie Deverill’s Half Moon Delphi (by Dimaggio x West Wall) posted a 78.7% with their popular Shakira freestyle, with one of the most interesting choreographies of the night, which included a full circle of two-tempis sandwiched by steep half-passes and one-tempis also on a curved line in between double pirouettes. The sensitive mare coped well with the atmosphere, concentrating on and listening to her rider throughout. During the prize-giving ceremony, Michael was awarded the Gordon Davison Award, given in memory of Richard Davison’s father, for his achievements while representing Great Britain.
Hans Peter Minderhoud put a disappointing grand prix behind him to present a much-improved Romanov (by Rohdiamant x Grundstein) to big orchestral music well suited to the stallion’s impressive movement. Although the 13-year-old briefly got distracted in the walk by something in the crowd, and although, in general, the hindleg could be more active, the uphill one-tempi's, and the expressive, rangey half-passes in both trot and canter more than made up for the blips, presenting an image of exceptional dynamism well deserving of their 77.675%. Denmark’s number one Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and an on-form Digby (by Donnerhall x Sandro) placed sixth with 76.9%, performing their “Dansez Maintenant” freestyle, composed by Slings Music Cast, and producing a solid test with a couple of minor blips in the pirouettes, but excellent piaffe and clockwork passage.
In seventh place, Marc Boblet and Laura Dallara’s Noble Dream posted a personal best of 76.35% after drawing plenty of attention with an equally impressive grand prix the day before. After Valegro, they were probably the most talked-about combination at Olympia. This 11-year-old black mare by Caprimond out of a Donnerhall dam, branded Oldenburg but with a lot of Trakehner blood, is truly phenomenal and works so hard for his rider; now that her tests are tension-free, she finally starts to receive the marks she is capable of. Riding to a Phil Collins medley put together by Benjamin Borloz of RLM Dressage, they produced a bold test showing off all of the mare’s athleticism and cadence. Terhi Stegars and her own and Tanja Kayser’s Axis TSF (by Sixtus x Angard) rode a very fluid kur, with just one tiny miscommunication before the walk. Particular highlights were the ground-covering changes and piaffe pirouettes straight into dinner-plate canter pirouettes, for 75.75% and an eighth place.
by Selene Scarsi for Eurodressage
Photos © Risto Aaltonen
Related Links
Scores 2013 CDI-W London
Eurodressage Coverage at the 2013-2014 World Cup Circuit
Dressage Great Mistral Hojris Bows Out of Sport at 2013 CDI-W London