Brilliant Brits show their class at Lier CDI

At Lier CDI in Belgium (27 February - 03 March 2024), Charlotte Dujardin’s newest star, Alive and Kicking, made a victorious debut, Lottie Fry and Jess Dunn each achieved a win, whilst Becky Moody and Jagerbomb made an impact at the horse’s first overseas international.

Charlotte Dujardin and Alive and Kicking (All at Once x Fürst Piccolo), the 10-year-old mare she owns together with Ulrike Bachinger and Carl Hester, won the hotly contested CDI3* Grand Prix scoring 75.043% on only the horse’s second-ever competitive GP and first international Big Tour appearance, before also claiming the Grand Prix Special on 75.192%.

The combination, pictured above, presented two beautifully balanced, harmonious tests, earning consistently high marks including several nines awarded for general impression. Heading the 41-strong Grand Prix, Charlotte was followed by Lottie Fry and Nespresso (Negro x Tenerife VDL), a 15-year-old black stallion owned by Van Olst Horses (74.283%), with Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Jovian sitting third (73.739%) on their debut as a combination.

“I am very proud of my horse,” commented Charlotte after her Grand Prix win. “I really didn’t know how it would go today to be honest. She has never done this before. [There are] Lots of experienced Grand Prix horses here and it was a big strong class with a lot of horses in it. I couldn’t ask for much more.

“I really came here to gain experience,” she continued. “It’s the first show for this season. The main job for me as a rider, was to give her confidence to go in there and have a nice time. And I think she did do that.”

About Alive and Kicking, Charlotte says, “She is lovely, she is the kindest, sweetest horse. She loves my daughter Isabella, she’s so good with her and friendly. You can cuddle her all day. I bought Audrey when she was four. I have never ridden the Grand Prix Special with her so I’m curious how it will go. She is always trying, her trainability is amazing, and she has always got enough engine to keep going. She’s a lovely mare and so kind. She’s like a ballerina, a real Audrey Hepburn.”

In the Grand Prix Special, Charlotte and ‘Audrey’ went on to post 75.192% for the win, ahead of Germany’s Semmieke Rothenberger and Flanell (74.426%), with Kittel and Jovian again taking third place on the podium (73.298%).

Competing at only his second-ever international show, Nespresso was piloted to a fantastic first place in the CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle, earning 76.605%. “Nessie felt really good in there,” commented Lottie. “There was a bit more atmosphere today and it was nice to feel he was enjoying it.

“It’s a freestyle he never ever has done before, it’s actually not his freestyle. So, it wasn’t fitting 100%, but he did everything so well. It’s only his second ever international Grand Prix, I’m very proud of him. He really enjoyed himself and so did I.”

Becky Moody and her home-bred prodigy Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino OLD x Jazz), the travelling reserve combination for the 2023 European Championships, continue to make an impression on the international stage. The 10-year-old gelding, who Becky co-owns with Jo Cooper, took a podium place in the CDI4* Grand Prix on 72.543%, behind Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino OLD (73.848%) for Sweden, and second-placed German contenders Dorothee Schneider and Dayman 4 (72.543%).

In the Grand Prix Special, on his first time performing the test in competition, Jagerbomb finished ahead of his father, Dante Weltino OLD, narrowly missing out on first place to Dorothee Schneider and Dayman 4. In a photo finish, with Becky and Dorothee both scoring an impressive 74.596%, the placings were determined by the highest median score.

At Small Tour, the British combination of Jess Dunn and Jennifer Whittaker’s Dan Its Carston, pictured above, who were double winners at Le Mans CDI last October, continue to show great consistency. In Lier, they placed second in the CDI1* Prix St Georges (71.265%) before walking away with a convincing win in the Inter I on a super score of 72.294%. ‘Danny’, as the Durable son is known at home, is now the top-ranked horse in the FEI’s Small Tour rankings.

Several other British senior combinations competed in Lier, including Sarah Millis and Impressive VDC (Charmeur x Krack C) who placed 18th in the CDI3* Grand Prix with 68.217% and 17th in the Special. The debut combination of Richard Davison with Gillian Davison’s Intero (Chippendale x Don Schufro) finished 31st in the Grand Prix, and Lisa Marriott and Valucio DH Z placed 32nd in the Grand Prix before posting 68.745% for 11th place in the Freestyle.

Competing in CDI4*, Lottie Fry and Van Olst Horses’ Especial (Everdale x Vivaldi) were 16th in the Grand Prix (69.413%) and sixth in the Special (71.723%), whilst Richard White and the Lusitano gelding Heroi do Seixo (Rubi AR x Jalisco PC), who he co-owns with Lynda Cameron, produced two consistent tests to place 19th in the Grand Prix on 68.630% and 14th in the Special (68.617%).

Hermione Tottman and Sofia Games competed earlier in the week when the Youth classes took centre stage. Hermione and Exquisite were 18th in the Young Rider Team Test on 65.245% and 19th in the Individual on 65.637%. Sofia Games, riding her 2023 Pony European Championships partner, Steendieks Cadillac, was placed eighth in the Pony Team Test on 69.476% and 16th in the Individual.

On her Junior international debut with Leslie Forlee’s Boccelli 6 (Belissimo M x Riccione), Sofia impressed to take a top ten place in the Team Test (69.545%), 12th in the Individual (68.431%) and 13th in the Freestyle (70.575%).

Results – British riders
CDI4* Grand Prix
1. Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino OLD, 73.848% (SWE)
3. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, 72.543% (GBR)
16. Charlotte Fry and Especial, 69.413% (GBR)
19. Richard White and Heroi do Seixo, 68.630% (GBR)

CDI4* Grand Prix Special
1. Dorothee Schneider and Dayman 4, 74.596% (GER)
2. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, 74.596% (GBR)
6. Charlotte Fry and Especial, 71.723% (GBR)
14. Richard White and Heroi do Seixo, 68.617% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix
1. Charlotte Dujardin and Alive and Kicking, 75.043% (GBR)
2. Charlotte Fry and Nespresso, 74.283% (GBR)
18. Sarah Millis and Impressive VDC, 68.217% (GBR)
31. Richard Davison and Intero, 65.348% (GBR)
32. Lisa Marriott and Valucio DH Z, 65.239% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix Special
1. Charlotte Dujardin and Alive and Kicking, 75.192% (GBR)
17. Sarah Millis and Impressive VDC, 64.127% (GBR)

CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Charlotte Fry and Nespresso, 76.605% (GBR)
11. Lisa Marriott and Valucio DH Z, 68.745% (GBR)

CDI1* Prix St Georges
1. Tommie Visser and Karma Begijnhoeve, 71.823% (BEL)
2. Jessica Dunn and Dam Its Carston, 71.265% (GBR)

CDI1* Intermediate I
1. Jessica Dunn and Dan Its Carston, 72.294% (GBR)

CDIY Young Rider Team Test
1. Wynja Eriksdotter Rubin and El Diablo, 70.735% (SWE)
18. Hermione Tottman and Exquisite, 65.245% (GBR)

CDIY Young Rider Individual Test
1. Lana-Pinou Baumgürtel and Zinq Emma FH, 70.392% (GER)
19. Hermione Tottman and Exquisite, 65.637% (GBR)

CDIJ Junior Team Test
1. Lilly Marie Collin and Famous K FRH, 73.737% (GER)
10. Sofia Games and Boccelli 6, 69.545% (GBR)

CDIJ Junior Individual Test
1. Lilly Marie Collin and Famous K FRH, 73.431% (GER)
12. Sofia Games and Boccelli 6, 68.431% (GBR)

CDIJ Junior Freestyle
1. Alix von Borries and Feingefuehl, 75.700% (GER)
13. Sofia Games and Boccelli 6, 70.575%

CDIP Pony Team Test
1. Sofia Rosenkilde and DSP Cosmo Royale, 72.571% (DEN)
8. Sofia Games and Steendieks Cadillac, 69.476% (GBR)

CDIP Pony Individual Test
1. Feodora von Roeder and Morgensterns Delicius, 74.189% (GER)
16. Sofia Games and Steendieks Cadillac, 64.505% (GBR)

VIEW FULL RESULTS

Photos © DigiShots