Charlotte Dujardin led from start to finish with Carl Hester and Sasha Stewart's Uthopia with a new international personal best of 77.46% in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Grand Prix in association with Horse and Hound at the London Olympia International Horse Show. The win gives Charlotte her fifth straight win in the Grand Prix here at Olympia. The duo haven't been out in competition since Windsor 2014 but the 18 month gap seems to have rejuvenated the Metall-sired 14 year old stallion as he looked in fine form with an extra spring in his step. Some went as far as to say he looked back to his best shown with Carl at the Europeans in Rotterdam in 2011. ‘He was just awesome!” said a delighted Charlotte, who seemed very surprised with the win. “I haven’t done that much preparation with him but he felt amazing,” she said. There was a slight miscommunication in the left canter pirouette when Uti took the lead as he knows the test so well and made it on the small side but that was the only small blip to mar an otherwise spectacular test.
Carl Hester, sporting his ‘Decembeard’ in aid of bowel cancer, gave it a good shot but just couldn’t quite topple Charlotte and Uti with his own and Jane de la Mare’s Nip Tuck. There was plenty of top-class work and lots to like but just some losses of fluidity which cost some marks. A score of 76.66% left them just short but all eyes will be on their freestyle when Carl is debuting a new floorplan set to music from the popular TV series, Mr Selfridge. He’s really gone to town on the technicality so if he can pull it off, it’ll be spectacular.
Third spot went to Olympia regular Hans Peter Minderhoud for the Netherlands with the Florestan-sired Glock’s Flirt just half a percent behind Carl. Judge at C Andrew Gardner had the duo to win but a combined score of 76.12% was enough for third.
The next best Brit was Lara Griffith with Dr & Mrs Bechtolsheimer’s Rubin Al Asad who are just in their first year of Grand Prix and shone on their Olympia debut. Lara just miscounted her one time flying changes for a costly mistake and ‘Rufus’ showed a little insecurity on the final centre line but a score of 70.46% gave them eighth place and impressed many in the historic Victorian arena.
Hayley Watson-Greaves and WG Rubins Night didn’t get off to a good start when he took a dislike to the right side of the arena when entering but Hayley did get him back and listening to score 64.08% to finish 15th which was enough to earn a place in tomorrow night’s freestyle. Sadly, it’s Henriette Andersen and Warlocks Charm, who she jointly owns with Jennifer Charlesworth, who miss out on the chance to dance. Ted was his bubbly self with glimpses of brilliance but like a little boy with an angel and a devil on his shoulder, the devil came out down the final centre line which dropped their score to 63.64%.
Charlotte Dujardin –Interview
Carl Hester – Interview
Hans Peter Minderhoud – Interview
Full results – click here
Wednesday night’s Reem Acra FEI World Cup Freestyle times – click here