It was a big weekend for dressage achievements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Charlotte Dujardin was a winner in Lier, Belgium with Alive and Kicking (better known as Audrey). The 3-star Grand Prix was only the second such competition for the Westfalian mare by All at Once that Charlotte has worked with since 2018, but she won that with 75.03 percent on Friday. The next day, she earned 75.192 percent in the Special. (Click here for Grand Prix results and on this link for Special results.)
“Our partnership is so special, as I have had her from a young horse and we have been quietly training through the levels together,” the British star stated.
Charlotte Dujardin with Alive & Kicking in Lier. (Digi Photo)
“My aim was to give her confidence in a bigger competition environment, and she really shone in how she handled the occasion. Audrey gives me such joy to ride, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future will bring as there is just so much more to come.”
Charlotte’s countrywoman, Lottie Fry, was second in the Grand Prix with Nespresso by Negro (74.283 percent), but went on to win the freestyle Saturday night with 76.605 percent. (Click here for freestyle results)
In Wellington, Fla., a victory in the Friday night freestyle at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival made Kevin Kohmann the third and final North American to earn a slot at next month’s FEI World Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He will join Ben Ebeling and Anna Marek for the trip to the Middle East.
A native of Germany who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, Kevin and Dünensee earned 75.07 percent. A deluge drenched the last group of riders in the class, but Susan Dutta of the U.S. on Don Design DC (72.8 percent) and Britain’s Ellen McCarthy on Brave Heart (71.855 percent) managed to cope.
“I got a little ahead of the music, but my horse was 100 percent with me,” said Kevin.
“He really helped me out, so thank you Düne.”