Isabell Werth didn’t fear Charlotte Dujardin in Amsterdam

Never before had the indelible Weihegold been confronted with the rising star of world dressage, Mount St John Freestyle. For the first time, the respective mares of Isabell Werth and Charlotte Dujardin competed against each other last Saturday at the Dressage World Cup in Amsterdam. Invincible for five years in the Netherlands, the German ended up winning thanks to a 90.28% recovery, relying on the experience of her daughter of Blue Hors Don Schuffro, winner of the last three World Cup finals. “It’s the first time I’ve exceeded 90% in Amsterdam, but I knew that Charlotte Dujardin was coming after me, so I had to do as well as I could because she wasn’t going to give up her chance,” admitted Isabell Werth at the end of the event. And it has to be said that the queen of world dressage was right to worry about the threat posed by the British rider.

Although still at such a high level, since she was only competing in her third World Cup on Saturday, Mount St John Freestyle achieved a sumptuous and expressive recovery, one of her greatest qualities. Judged at 89.505%, the bay and Charlotte Dujardin thus broke their joint record. As a reminder, the best score ever obtained in a Reprise Libre en Musique is always to the credit of the British rider, who obtained 94.3% in 2014 in London on the best dressage horse of all time, Valegro. Record or not, we are already looking forward to the next Weihegold-Mount St John Freestyle duel, which should take place at the World Cup Final in Las Vegas in April.

 At home, Edward Gal completed the top trio in this World Cup stage with his top horse Glock’s Zonik (85.385%).