Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale achieved an extremely high level of perfection in the World Cup circuit this afternoon. But the real perfect 10 was for the audience, according to Christoph Hess, the German expert who commented on the combinations after each freestyle. And Hess hit the nail on the head: not only the best dressage combinations in the world, but also the audience in the sold-out stands, who showed their enthusiasm and admiration with standing ovations after each ride, made for a unique experience.

Thousands of enthusiastic equestrian sports fans

The freestyle to music produced the same podium as after the Grand Prix (1: Charlotte Fry with Glamourdale – 89.305%, 2: Isabell Werth with Wendy de Fontaine – 87.58%, 3: Becky Moody with Jagerbomb – 85.31%), but the way the competition unfolded was of a rarely seen level. And it all took place in an atmosphere that you rarely experience: with thousands of enthusiasts sitting there enjoying themselves with wild enthusiasm.

Marieke van der Putten highest-ranked Dutch rider

Just behind the podium, there were some changes compared to the Grand Prix, as Patrik Kittel and Touchdown stormed into fourth place with a freestyle full of harmony and connection between rider and horse: 81.880%. Fifth place went to Marieke van der Putten with Zantana RS2 N.O.P., who were the highest-ranked Dutch combination with 79.935%.

Balance between power and relaxation

Charlotte Fry: “Glamourdale was amazing today. We found the balance between his power and relaxation. Jumping Amsterdam is one of my favorite competitions to ride in; the audience is always fantastic. I will remember this performance for a long time. I trust Glamourdale completely. He loves the audience and knows what to do in the ring. I thought it was great that Isabell Werth brought Wendy to Amsterdam; that adds something extra. Everyone did a fantastic job in the freestyle today.”

“Wendy has become stronger”

Isabell Werth: “I needed more competitions with Wendy to fine-tune her, which is why I chose to ride in Amsterdam. I am very happy that I made this choice. Two years ago, I took her to Amsterdam for the first time to train her, which was a wonderful memory. From Frankfurt to Basel and from Basel to Amsterdam, we learned a lot and she improved again. She has become stronger and gained experience. The quality of her canter and her flying changes have improved. The goal is to reach a level where I can compete with Charlotte Fry.

Jagerbomb makes it easy for me

Becky Moody: “Jagerbomb makes it easy for me. I love riding him and I also love the music of the freestyle. The audience was fantastic. Our goal for this year is the World Championships in Aachen.”

Photo by Digishots

View all results here

By Eline Korving on behalf of Jumping Amsterdam