Charlotte Fry shows brilliance at Exloo CDI3*

Charlotte Fry, 25, has continued her Tokyo campaign with a vengeance by winning the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle with PB scores on her two rides at Exloo CDI3* in the Netherlands (05 – 09 May 2021).

In windy conditions at the Hippisch Centrum Exloo, the home nation’s Edward Gal dominated Wednesday’s Grand Prix with Totilas sons Glock’s Toto Jr. and Glock’s Total U.S. claiming first (78.82%) and second (77.78%) respectively. The young British challenger, however, clearly meant business with a 76.84% PB performance with Everdale to complete the podium and taking fourth with Dark Legend on 75.45%.

Gal sadly had to withdraw from the remainder of the competition due to sickness so couldn’t participate in the Special and Freestyle – two classes of great quality – whilst Charlotte upped her game even further with two outstanding performances for Van Olst Horses and her country.

On Thursday morning, Charlotte and Dark Legend (Zucchero x Tango) - pictured in 2019 - presented their brand new Freestyle programme, ‘Let me take you dancing’ to give a masterclass of precision riding, balance and musicality. They were the unanimous winners of the judging panel of Francis Verbeek van Rooy (NED) at E, Alban Tissot (FRA) at H, Susanne Baarup (DEN) at C, Maarten Van Der Heijden (NED) at M and Elke Ebert (GER) at B.

Contemporary music and a well-executed high degree of difficulty was awarded with 81.460% to put them ahead of Adelinde Cornelissen with Fleau De Baian (78.325%) and Marieke Van Der Putten with Her Majesty TF RS2 (76.415%), both for the Netherlands.

At Exloo in 2018, Charlotte and her superstar dancing partner Dark Legend, now 13, were freestyle gold medallists at the FEI U25 European Championships. They’ve continued to develop into a world class senior combination and were on the British team at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam.

Charlotte added to her Exloo success with a strong Grand Prix Special performance of 77.213% aboard Van Olst Horses’ 12-year-old breeding stallion Everdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) - pictured last month. They presented an accomplished test with much elasticity and power to finish ahead of the Netherlands’ Marlies Van Baalen aboard Go Legend and Adelinde Cornelissen with Governor-STR, her closest rivals, who scored 74.319% and 74.106% respectively.

With the eight-year-old Everdale son, Inclusive, Charlotte was second in the Prix St Georges with 73.333%. This was the young stallion’s international debut.

“Wow, we had an amazing time at Exloo CDI!” said Lottie on Facebook. “Everdale scored two PBs of 76.84% in the GP for third place and then won the Special on 77%! Dark Legend was fourth in the GP with 75.45% and then also had a new PB to win the Freestyle on 81.56%! Inclusive made his international small tour debut and was second in the PSG with 73%. What an amazing team we have at Van Olst Horses making this possible! Especially Anne van Olst for her incredible training every day.”

Jessica McConkey, 19, who is also based in Den Hout at Van Olst Horses, flew the flag for Great Britain in the hotly-contested CDIY divisions. Making their Young Rider debut after success in Juniors including two Junior European Championship call-ups, Jess and her Quaterback mare Lady Gaga scored 70.882% for sixth in the Team Test and 71.323% for ninth in the Individual.

Top-five results and British placings

CDI3* Grand Prix
1. Edward Gal and Glock’s Toto Jr. N.O.P., 78.826% (NED)
2. Edward Gal and Glock’s Total U.S., 77.783% (NED)
3. Charlotte Fry and Everdale, 76.848% (GBR)
4. Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend, 75.457% (GBR)
5. Adelinde Cornelissen and Governor-STR, 74.652% (NED)

CDI3* Grand Prix Special
1. Charlotte Fry and Everdale, 77.213% (GBR)
2. Marlies Van Baalen and Go Legend, 74.319% (NED)
3. Adelinde Cornelissen and Governor-STR, 74.106% (NED)
4. Vincent Van Gasselt and Delacroix II, 72.787% (NED)
5. Anne Meulendijks and MDH Avanti N.O.P., 70.319% (NED)

CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend, 81.560% (GBR)
2. Adelinde Cornelissen and Fleau De Baian, 78.325% (NED)
3. Marieke Van Der Putten and Her Majesty TF RS2, 76.415% (NED)
4. Kazuki Sado and Ludwig Der Sonnenkoenig 2, 73.460% (JPN)
5. Ellen Brigitte Farbrot and Tailormade Red Rebel, 73.440% (NOR)

CDI3* Prix St Georges
1. Emmelie Scholtens and Indian Rock, 73.922% (NED)
2. Charlotte Fry and Inclusive, 73.333% (GBR)
3. Diederik Van Silfhout and Hummer H-S, 71.961% (NED)
4. Diederik Van Slfhout and Bordolino 8, 71.863% (NED)
5. Elisabeth Geluk and Hamilton, 69.755% (NED)

CDI3* Intermediate I
1. Emmelie Scholtens and Indian Rock, 76.961% (NED)
2. Diederik Van Silfhout and Hummer H-S, 72.990% (NED)
3. Suraya Hendrikx and Dear Friend 2, 69.216% (BEL)
4. Diederik Van Silfhout and Bordolino 8, 68.383% (NED)
5. Anouk Noordman and Dante’s Glory, 68.382% (NED)
7. Charlotte Fry and Inclusive, 67.990% (GBR)

CDIY Young Rider Team Test
1. Marten Luiten and Fynona, 77.157% (NED)
2. Milou Dees and Francesco, 73.872% (NED)
3. Quinty Vossers and Hummer, 73.726% (NED)
4. Daphne Van Peperstraten and Greenpoint’s Hotmail V, 72.794% (NED)
5. Thalia Rockx and Golden Dancer De La Fazenda, 72.500% (NED)
6. Jessica McConkey and Lady Gaga, 70.882% (GBR)

CDIY Young Rider Individual Test
1. Marten Luiten and Fynona, 79.510% (NED)
2. Milou Dees and Francesco, 77.255% (NED)
3. Thalia Rockx and Golden Dancer De La Fazenda, 74.951% (NED)
4. Quinty Vossers and Hummer, 73.824% (NED)
5. Daphne Van Peperstraten and Greenpoint’s Hotmail V, 73.088% (NED)
9. Jessica McConkey and Lady Gaga, 71.323% (GBR)

Full results

Photo © Jon Stroud (Dark Legend), LL-FOTO-DE (Everdale).