AACHEN, Germany, Aug. 15, 2026–Newly crowned world champion Charlotte “Lottie” Fry and Glamourdale captured the World Championship Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday night before a stadium with a sold-out crowd of 40,000 spectators.
Lottie and the 15-year-old Dutch-bred stallion were awarded a personal best 91.907% for their musical performance before a crowd that was caught up in the emotional event as they did four years ago when the British rider first claimed the title.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark on Mount St. John Freestyle, the 17-year-old Hanoverian mare, took the silver on 91.236%.
Isabell Werth, the most decorated equestrian in history, and her Olympic gold medal mount Wendy de Fontaine claimed bronze on 88.650% to send the crowd into a frenzy of applause.
In one of the most competitive dressage world championships in the 60 years since its founding, the final 18 riders produced performances that brought clapping in unison for each rider’s final centerline that were highlighted by Isabell as the last rider and enjoying the amazing atmosphere.
“It was the most amazing feeling in the whole world,” Lottie said after her ride. “I think we’ve never done a test like that. And he’s just so funny. As soon as he goes in, he relaxes. He’s with me. He trusts me completely. And neither of us was sweating, neither of us were breathing heavy, it was just easy.
“It was kind of an out-of-this-world experience in that arena,it just couldn’t be any better. It was so loud. It was insane.”
Cathrine described going into the arena–“just to go into that vibe that was something I’ve never tried before.”
The ride, she said, was “probably the best test I’ve ever had together with her.”
“It was just amazing today to go last and try to have this performance before with 91, 91, 88, 87, 87, whatever,” Isabell said laughingly after her ride. “And I said, ‘okay, there’s only one chance forward and risk, and whatever I can risk,’ that was the thing, and to come in and to feel this atmosphere. It was really incredible. And Wendy was really in a super shape.
“It was unbelievable.
“I think it was really so great for the sport and I think it couldn’t be better. It was suchhigh level sport.”
