With the retirement of German multi-multi gold medalist TSF Dalera BB, the question has been who will take her place at the top of the podium. This weekend at the Lövsta Top 10 Dressage competition in Sweden, Freestyle — shown by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark — was unquestionably top of the line.
The mare, previously ridden by Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, scored over 90 percent with every judge but one in the Grand Prix Freestyle (her namesake). Second to Cathrine in in both the Grand Prix and GP Freestyle was Isabell Werth of Germany with Wendy de Fontaine. She did not break 90 percent in the latter, and only one judge awarded her over 80 percent in the former.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Freestyle at the Paris Olympics.
At the Paris Olympics, Dalera and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl still reigned as the gold standard, but Isabell finished on silver, while Britain’s Lottie Bry and Glamoudale took bronze. Cathrine, who led Denmark to team silver, was fifth individually behind the Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere and Hermes.
In Stockholm, Dinja was third and Lottie did not compete.
Click here for Grand Prix results and here for Grand Prix Freestyle results