The 2022 British World Champions defended their title in Germany with Grand Prix Freestyle win
By Jennifer O. Bryant
With a flying-themed freestyle (“Fly Me to the Moon,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” and so on), it was clear that Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry expected to soar tonight in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the FEI Dressage World Championships Aachen 2026. Her mount, the 15-year-old KWPN stallion Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro), rose to the occasion, topping the field of 18 with a score of 91.907%.
It was a fun program with just a bit of cheek. Turning onto their final center line, Fry’s voice rang out on the soundtrack: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching the judge at C. Please fasten your seatbelts.” And at the final halt: “Thank you for flying Glamourdale Airlines.”
“It’s been an amazing week,” Fry said afterward. “Glammie’s performed beyond all expectations. He’s been a complete dream to ride. He’s so happy here. He just loves it,” she said of the famed Aachen stadium.
The Grand Prix Freestyle gold medal capped a week of triumphs for the British pair. Fry and Glamourdale were members of the silver-medal-winning Team GB, and yesterday they won the Grand Prix Special individual gold.
Finishing second again was the Danish pair Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on the 17-year-old Hanoverian mare Mount St. John Freestyle (Fidermark x Donnerhall). Their freestyle score of 91.236% was the only one besides Fry’s to break the 90% mark.
Fourth in the Grand Prix Special at Aachen 2026, Paris 2024 Olympic individual dressage silver medalists Isabell Werth of Germany and Wendy de Fontaine finally made it onto the podium at Aachen. Werth’s freestyle score of 88.650% aboard the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood mare (Sezuan x Blue Hors Soprano) was good enough for the bronze medal.
Finishing fourth were Belgian pair Justin Verboomen and the 10-year-old Rhinelander stallion Zonik Plus (Zonik N.O.P. x Hohenstein), on a score of 88.439%. The 2026 FEI Dressage World Cup Final gold medalists, Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb, were fifth on 87.479%.
The dressage competition at Aachen 2026 may have ended, but excitement is ramping up for the para-dressage, which gets under way Wednesday, August 19, with competition for Grades I, II, and III. Para-dressage competition runs until August 23. In between, eventing fans are keyed up for tomorrow’s stadium jumping and the presentation of the team and individual eventing medals. Monday and Tuesday, August 17 and 18, are “dark days” with no competition. The first para-dressage horse inspection will be held August 18.
