Lottie Fry and Everdale bag British win in Mechelen

Lottie Fry and her Tokyo 2020 ride, Everdale, completed their 2023 as decisive winners of the sixth leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023/2024 Western European League at Mechelen in Belgium (23 – 30 December 2023).

Van Olst Horses’ Everdale, the prolific breeding stallion who partnered Lottie to team bronze in Tokyo and team silver at the European Championships the same year (2021), produced two classy rides under the expert guidance of the 27-year-old World Champion to win both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle that took centre stage on Thursday and Friday at the Nekkerhal in Mechelen.

Scoring 76.152% to claim the opening Grand Prix, ahead of Germany’s Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot (73.152%) and the Netherlands’ Marlies van Baalen with Habibi DVB (73.109%), the young Brit later soared to a Freestyle win on 84.980% from the judges panel of Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode (NED), Isobel Wessels (GBR), Jacques van Daele (BEL), Christoph Umbach (LUX) and Freddy Leymann (BEL).

Riding their new, Pink-themed freestyle, which was created by Tom Hunt and debuted at the London International Horse Show, Lottie and ‘Evert’, pictured below, brought their A-game to Mechelen. A brilliant display of precision riding and effortless expression, their test was packed with many highlights, including the half passes, tempi changes and extended canter, with a 10 awarded for choreography and two 10s for music and interpretation.

The runners-up spot was claimed by Marlies van Baalen (Habibi DVB) on 81.160%, in front of the home nation’s rising star Flore de Winne (Flynn FRH) who completed the top three earning 80.330%.

“It’s my third time here in Mechelen but my first time winning so that’s always more fun!” commented Lottie after her winning Freestyle with the Lord Leatherdale x Negro 14-year-old. “I had a great ride yesterday and today on Everdale. I think these were two of his best ever tests, and he’s just improving all the time.

“And the atmosphere in there today was pretty incredible! Even for the Grand Prix there were so many spectators which we don’t always get so that was really nice to see, and the prize-giving was insane - it was like the roof was going to be lifted off!” added Lottie who is third in the world rankings and who scooped double-gold at the 2022 World Championships with Glamourdale.

Amongst a truly international line-up, UK-based Singaporean Caroline Chew, who trains in Gloucestershire with Matt Frost, achieved a top-ten place with Tony and Melanie Chew’s Blue Hors Zatchmo (Blue Hors Zack x Donnerhall II). Caroline, a lawyer by profession, and the 14-year-old Oldenburg stallion, in just their first year as a partnership, posted a Freestyle PB of 75.975% to wrap up their year in fantastic style.

Results
CDI-W Grand Prix
1. Charlotte Fry and Everdale, 76.152% (GBR)
2. Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot, 73.152% (GER)
3. Marlies van Baalen and Habibi DVB, 73.109% (NED)
4. Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau, 72.500% (BEL)
5. Morgan Barbançon and Habana Libre A, 72.065% (FRA)
6. Thamar Zweistra and Hexagon’s Ich Weiss, 71.761% (NED)
7. Corentin Pottier and Gotilas du Feuillard, 71.696% (FRA)
8. Charlotte Defalque and Botticelli, 71.500% (BEL)
9. Nadja Aaboe Sloth and Favour Gersdorf, 71.021% (DEN)
10. Flore de Winne and Flynn FRH, 70.891% (BEL)
11. Domien Michiels and Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof, 70.370% (BEL)
12. Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock and Queolito, 70.108% (GER)
13. Caroline Chew and Blue Hors Zatchmo, 68.587% (SGP)
14. Anush Agarwalla and Sir Caramello OLD, 68.261% (IND)
15. Benedek Pachl and Donna Friderika, 67.391% (HUN)
16. Yassine Rahmouni and All at Once, 66.131% (MAR)
17. Jorinde Verwimp and Charmer, 64.391% (BEL)
18. Mads Hendeliowitz and Autograf Q, 63.196% (SWE)

VIEW FULL RESULTS

CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle
1. Charlotte Fry and Everdale, 84.980% (GBR)
2. Marlies van Baalen and Habibi DVB, 81.160% (NED)
3. Flore de Winne and Flynn FRH, 80.330% (BEL)
4. Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot, 80.215% (GER)
5. Thamar Zweistra and Hexagon’s Ich Weiss, 79.055% (NED)
6. Charlotte Defalque and Botticelli, 78.905% (BEL)
7. Morgan Barbançon and Habana Libre A, 78.050% (FRA)
8. Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau, 77.905% (BEL)
9. Nadja Aaboe Sloth and Favour Gersdorf, 77.150% (DEN)
10. Caroline Chew and Blue Hors Zatchmo, 75.975% (SGP)
11. Domien Michiels and Intermezzo van het Meerdaalhof, 75.675% (BEL)
12. Corentin Pottier and Gotilas du Feuillard, 75.615% (FRA)
13. Anush Agarwalla and Sir Caramello OLD, 74.265% (IND)
14. Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock and Queolito, 73.170% (GER)
15. Benedek Pachl and Donna Friderika, 72.645% (HUN)

VIEW FULL RESULTS

Photo © FEI/Dirk Caremans