HERNING, Denmark, Oct. 18, 2024–Denmark’s Olympic silver medal partnership of Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St. John Freestyle won the Grand Prix on a personal best score to open Western Europe’s World Cup circuit Friday.
Cathrine and the 15-year-old mare were awarded 81.826% in just the fourth Grand Prix since beginning international competition on the horse that was previously competed by Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain for team and individual bronze medals at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018.
The Danish rider, popular and highly respected around the world, was the unanimous choice for first place by the five judges, with two scores of 83.043%, two of better than 82.000% and a single result of 78.587%.
The combination was top placed in the Grand Prix Special at the Paris Olympics to lead Denmark to silver behind Germany.
Olympic team mates Daniel Bachmann Andersen on the 13-year-old stallion Vayron and Nanna Skodborg Merrald on the 16-year-old gelding Blue Hors Zepter filled the runner-up and third places in the field of 15 starting combinations.
Daniel and Vayron were awarded 75.978% while Nanna and Zepter were at 75.174%.
Reigning World Cup champion Patrik Kittel of Sweden rode the 13-year-old stallion Zoulmate to a score of 70.913%. He competed Touchdown in claiming the 2024 title the horse he also showed at the Paris Games. As defending champion, he needs to compete in two competitions this season to automatically earn one of the 18 starting places in the Final.
The Grand Prix Freestyle is schedule for Saturday to decide points in the first of 11 qualifiers in Western Europe leading to the Final in Basel, Switzerland next April.
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN)
Mount St John Freestyle
|
81.826% | 82.065 | 83.043 | 83.043 | 78.587 | 82.391 |
| 2. |
Daniel Bachmann Andersen (DEN)
Vayron
|
75.978% | 76.739 | 76.304 | 75.761 | 74.130 | 76.957 |
| 3. |
Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN)
Blue Hors Zepter
|
75.174% | 75.543 | 75.217 | 73.804 | 75.109 | 76.196 |
| 4. |
Raphael Netz (GER)
Great Escape Camelot
|
73.369% | 73.478 | 74.565 | 73.804 | 72.826 | 72.174 |
| 5. |
Nadja Aaboe Sloth (DEN)
Favour Gersdorf
|
72.804% | 72.826 | 73.478 | 73.370 | 72.609 | 71.739 |
| 6. |
Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock (GER)
Florine OLD
|
72.761% | 72.826 | 72.065 | 73.478 | 71.630 | 73.804 |
| 7. |
Maria von Essen (SWE)
Invoice
|
72.087% | 71.848 | 73.261 | 72.283 | 72.065 | 70.978 |
| 8. |
Carina Scholz (GER)
Tarantino 5
|
71.869% | 71.304 | 71.196 | 72.717 | 72.391 | 71.739 |
| 9. |
Ingrid Klimke (GER)
First Class 92
|
71.457% | 71.739 | 71.413 | 71.739 | 72.609 | 69.783 |
| 10. |
Patrik Kittel (SWE)
Zoulmate
|
70.913% | 69.674 | 70.978 | 72.500 | 70.217 | 71.196 |
| 11. |
Lone Bang Zindorff (DEN)
Thranegaardens Rostov
|
70.652% | 71.304 | 71.630 | 69.891 | 70.652 | 69.783 |
| 12. |
Anna Zibrandtsen (DEN)
Quel Filou
|
70.543% | 70.326 | 71.304 | 71.087 | 68.696 | 71.304 |
| 13. |
Thamar Zweistra (NED)
Hexagon’s Ich Weiss
|
68.369% | 68.370 | 67.717 | 69.565 | 68.478 | 67.717 |
| 14. |
Maik Kohlschmidt (GER)
Pasadena
|
67.196% | 68.478 | 67.500 | 67.826 | 65.978 | 66.196 |
| EL |
Alexa Fairchild (BEL)
Mala Skala’s Hermes
|
eliminated
|
|||||
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
