Britain’s Olympic Partnership of Charlotte Dujardin & Gio Post Personal Best Score to Win London World Cup Grand Prix

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Charlotte Dujardin and Gio. File photo. © 2021 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

LONDON, Dec. 16, 2021–Charlotte Dujardin rode her double Olympic medal mount Gio to a personal best score to win the London International Horse Show World Cup Grand Prix Thursday.

The world number three ranked partnership of Charlotte and the 10-year-old KWPN gelding scored 82.553% in the short Grand Prix, beating the pair’s previous best of 80.963% set at the Tokyo Games where they earned both team and individual bronze medals. The pair followed Olympic success with European Championship silver for the British team as well as Freestyle bronze.

Four of the five judges awarded the duo above 80%–two above 84%–while one gave a score of 79.342%.

Germany’s Frederic Wandres on the 14-year-old British-bred Hanoverian gelding was runner-up on 75.158%. The pair have been successful at the London Christmas show with appearances in 2018 and 2019.

Frederic Wandres and Duke of Britain FRH. File photo. © 2021 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Orthilia, 16-year-old Oldenburg mare, were close behind on 75.105% for third.

This was only the fifth international competition for Nanna and Orthilia since beginning international competition in January, taking over the ride from Agnete Kirk Thinggaard.

European Championship British team mates Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend, 13-year-old KWPN gelding, were fourth on 74.526% in what was the last international dressage competition of the year continuing to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Frankfurt CDI5* scheduled for this week was canceled and so, too, the year-end World Cup in Mechelen, Belgium.

The Grand Prix Freestyle is scheduled for Friday to determine points in the Western European League leading to the Final in Leipzig, Germany in April.

Results:

CDI-W Short Grand Prix

Judges: Stephen Clarke Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode Peter Storr Susanne Baarup Raphael Saleh
Place Score Nation Athlete Horse E H C M B Spectators
1. 82.553 GBR Charlotte Dujardin Gio 79.342 84.737 84.079 80.921 83.684 80.400 (1)
2. 75.158 GER Frederic Wandres Duke of Britain FRH 75.526 75.395 74.079 75 75.789 74.285 (3)
3. 75.105 DEN Nanna Skodborg Merrald Atterupgaards Orthilia 75.526 74.737 75.789 76.842 72.632 74.008 (4)
4. 74.526 GBR Charlotte Fry Dark Legend 75.526 74.605 74.079 73.947 74.474 75.347 (2)
5. 71.526 GBR Richard Davison Bubblingh 73.684 73.421 70.132 69.737 70.658 70.168 (6)
6. 69.842 ESP Agusti Elías Lara Altaneiro 70.132 69.737 65.526 71.711 72.105 68.314 (9)
7. 69.605 GBR Gareth Hughes KK Dominant 68.947 70 68.684 71.053 69.342 70.456 (5)
8. 69.368 GBR Lara Butler Kristjan 69.211 70.789 70.526 67.632 68.684 69.929 (7)
9. 67.790 GBR Hayley Watson-Greaves Rubins Nite 68.158 67.5 67.895 69.737 65.658 68.772 (8)
10. 67.605 NED Tommie Visser Genesis Begijnhoeve 70 66.579 66.447 69.079 65.921 67.325 (15)
10. 67.605 ESP Alejandro Asencio Méndez Focus 68.947 67.105 65.263 69.211 67.5 67.512 (13)
12. 67.474 SGP Caroline Chew Tribiani 68.158 66.842 68.947 68.289 65.132 67.616 (12)
13. 67.368 IRL Dane Rawlins Espoire 64.605 68.684 66.184 68.289 69.079 67.724 (10)
14. 67.158 GBR Louise Anne Bell Into the Blue 66.711 68.158 66.579 68.553 65.789 67.358 (14)
15. 66.632 GRE Theodora Livanos Dono Di Maggio OLD 62.763 66.842 66.974 67.5 69.079 67.619 (11)