Charlotte “Lottie” Fry Wins World Championship Grand Prix Special, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour Silver, Katharina Hemmer Bronze

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

AACHEN, Germany, Aug. 14, 2026–Charlotte “Lottie” Fry on Glamourdale was the clear winner of the World Championships Grand Prix Special Friday for the British pair to repeat as world champions.

“Lottie” and the 15-year-old Dutch-bred stallion scored 82.295% for the victory, only slightly below the 82.508% in the Special on the way to the title in Herning, Denmark in 2022. The score from the seven judges included 16 marks of 10.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark on Mount St. John Freestyle took silver on 80.927%.

Germany’s Katharina Hemmer rode the U.S.-owned Denoix PCH to a personal best score of 80.866% for the bronze.

For Katharina, her first international championship, this was her second medal having ridden on the gold medal team in the Grand Prix two days ago.

The Grand Prix Special was one of the most intensely competitive in the sport and drew a crowd of 35,000 spectators.

The most successful equestrian in history Isabell Werth on Wendy de Fontaine, Paris Olympic gold medal duo, placed fourth on 79.544%.

Justin Verboomen of Belgium and Zonik Plus were fifth on 79.362%.

Veteran British competitor and trainer Carl Hester on Fame were sixth on 78.298%.

The Grand Prix Freestyle is scheduled for Saturday night, or afternoon in eastern USA.

Katharina Hemmer disclosed that Denoix, a 14-year-old gelding who sustained an injury earlier this year, will not compete in the Freestyle because, with support from her federation, she did not want to impose additional stress on the horse.

Lottie said of the result: “It’s unbelievable. I still can’t really believe what just happened. Glamourdale was just unbelievable in there. He went in there, like taking me, and every movement he was just giving, and it was the most incredible feeling.

“And I kept being a bit like, ‘oh, should we play it safe?’ And he was telling me, ‘no, we take the risk.’ I was like, okay, we take the risk. And yeah, it paid off.”

The outcome. she said, was “something you only dream of.”

“I really don’t have words for him. He’s such an incredible horse and the feeling of when he’s in front of a crowd he just grows and he loves it.

“Before I came here I said, ‘don’t worry, I never had a bad ride in Aachen.’ And then I was like, ‘Yet.’

“But I touched wood after that and luckily it worked.

“He does love Aachen, and I knew that going in the big arena he would love it even more because there’s more people, there’s a huge atmosphere, and yeah, that’s just perfect. 

And they’re just all eyes on him, so we’re very happy with Aachen.”

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour who began competing the 17-year-old Freestyle in 2023 after Charlotte Dujardin  said: “I was quite disappointed with my ride today. I had a really good start… but then a few mistakes creeped in–the tiny one for the twos and the big one for the ones and the one for the last canter. Really unfortunate because I feel that she’s in such an amazing form, she’s fit, she likes the arena, she loved the crowd today.”

Katharina Hemmer said she “never dreamed of getting an individual medal” as her main focus was on the team that won gold earlier.

“I was already so pleased that we could do our personal best in the Grand Prix,” she said. “Everything that comes now is just the cherry on the cream. My plan was to come here and to really enjoy the whole event because. I know that’s something you won’t experience many times in your life. To be here in Aachen at the World Championship with my best friend, I have to say, Denoix is a really, really special horse to me. 



He means everything, and I’m very, very happy that he did so well for me today.”

Nancy Gooding of Larkspur, Colorado was in Aachen to watch the ride.

Results: