The Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses is the ultimate chance for dressage enthusiasts to meet the future stars. Glamourdale is a prime example of a successful WC horse that later fully lived up to the expectations. The Lord Leatherdale-son won gold as a seven-year-old, was crowned world champion in the Grand Prix in 2022 and won bronze at the Olympic Games this summer.

Ridden by his long-time partner Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Fry, the KWPB stallion Glamourdale built an impressive track record. After their sensational win at the Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young horses in 2018, they won a silver and two gold medals at the World Championships of Herning. At the Europeam Championships in Riesenbeck the pair obtained team gold and freestyle silver. In Paris the stallion proved once again that the judges had already correctly assessed his talent in 2018, the combination returned home with two bronze medals. Glamourdale is not the only WC-success of rider Lottie, who also received top honours aboard Kjento in the world championship for young horses of 2021 and 2022.

 

Impressive ambiance
By now, Lottie has participated in the Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses aboard Van Olst Horses’ horses for five times, four of which in Ermelo. “I won in both Verden and Ermelo, so they both have a special place in my heart’, she quips. ‘The WC is a wonderful event each year. It is very good for the young horses to be exposed to an ambiance like that of the WC. The horses learn a lot from it, but I always enjoy competing at the event myself too. It is nice to compare the different studbooks and to see the breeders. On top of that, I always enjoy watching the offspring of Van Olst stallions.”

Grand Prix
Aboard horses like Everdale, Glamourdale, Especial and Kjento, Lottie is very successful on the international stage. She produced most of her horses herself. ‘‘I think it is important to treat each horse as an individual. They are all different and we look step by step at where they are at. We always focus on the basics. The aim is never to create a spectacular trot, but to develop a future Grand Prix horse. Riding young horse competitions is never my main goal either, but I see it as a very important learning moment for the horses. I will always look at my horses. If they are not ready for a championship, I accept that. For the horses that are ready, it is a very good experience. The ambience of the WC is very special, you only get that at a big championship. My horses are defined by a good character. Gertjan (van Olst, ed.) has selected very strictly for that, and it shows. That allows the stallions to combine their training, the stud service and a competition like this very well.’’

Lottie and Glamourdale's gold medal at the World Championship was fantastic, but the Olympics remain the ultimate goal of many riders and breeders. ‘‘When Glamourdale won the World Championship as a seven-year-old, he really showed what a fantastic character he has. He really gave everything he had in the ring back then, which was such a fantastic feeling. He set the bar high for the rest of his career. I believed in him, but from then on everyone realised how good he truly is. He has always been a very special horse and with everything he achieves, it only gets better. Paris was fantastic, the venue and the atmosphere were incredible. I don't think I will ever ride in a ring like that again. It was a great experience in itself. The fact that Glamourdale did so well only made it better.’’

Trust
One again, Lottie will be present at the Dressage World Championship for Young Horses in Ermelo. She will compete in the championship for six-year-old horses with Everest (s.Especial) and Nalegro (s.Painted Black). “I am really looking forward to it, they are two great horses. It is fantastic to show them here and let them gain experience. When I was in Paris, the had a brief holiday. My horses are used to having holidays on a regular basis, because I am often at international competitions. Taking a short break always does them well, especially the young horses. After Paris, I picked them up again. We practised the tests, but mostly focused on the basics. The last few weeks I try not to change too much, but rather keep everything the steady and trust that they are ready.”

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