Charlotte Dujardin and Mount St John Freestyle took another decisive leap towards World Equestrian Games team selection with an international grand prix personal best at Bolesworth International Horse Show.
Charlotte and Emma Blundell’s nine-year-old Fidermark mare scored just a fraction under 80%, claiming victory on 79.65% ahead of Carl Hester and Hawtins Delicato.
Just a missed one-time change marred an otherwise delightful test from Freestyle, who produced her most confident grand prix performance to date.
“I can’t believe I missed the 80% by just 0.5%,” exclaimed Charlotte afterwards. “As I was riding the ones I was thinking that they felt great and so off the floor, then straight away had the mistake. But there’s so many more marks in there; she’s such a trier. Whatever arena I take her into I know she’ll perform.”
It proved a day of personal bests, with Carl and the ever-improving Diamond Hit son Delicato also banking an international personal best of 77.22% for second. In third was Gareth Hughes, who produced a classy test on the 12-year-old Trento B mare Classic Briolinca. He completed a trio of British personal bests, with 74.44%.
Charlotte continued her tally of wins with the inter I freestyle victory, scoring a whopping 80.28% to finish well ahead of the chasing pack on her own and Paul and Wendy Dockley’s dainty eight-year-old grey mare Florentina (Flora, Vivaldi x Rubels).
Michael Eilberg claimed second, with 73.48% on Daltrey, while Jacqueline Wing Ying Siu slotted into third for Hong Kong with Jockey Club Fuerst On Tour.
It was Charlotte and Flora’s second small tour victory in five days, having arrived at Bolesworth fresh from their prix st georges (PSG) win at Wellington Premier League on Saturday night, and also topping the Bolesworth PSG on Tuesday.
“I’ve lacked ring experience with her – we’ve done lots of training at home and very little competing, so I’ve wanted to get her out and work on the ringcraft with her,” said Charlotte, who also won the six-and seven-year-old classes earlier in the day with Hawtins San Floriana and River Rise Nisa respectively.
Don’t miss our full report from Bolesworth in the next week’s issue of Horse & Hound, out on 21 June.
