Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour crowned Lövsta Top 10 Dressage champion after sensational personal best

Almost exactly a year after their very first FEI show together, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle entered the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm with great confidence for the Lövsta Top 10 Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday at Sweden International Horse Show.

The pair had a performance where everything clicked, and the harmony between horse and rider was a joy to watch. The judges rewarded them with high scores, confirming a new personal best for Laudrup-Dufour at 90.715 percent.

"She is just wonderful, and I felt today that she was a tiny bit sharper, in a good way. I really feel I can start dancing to the music with her now. She allows me to ride super nicely and smoothly, making everything easier. The tricky lines were really successful today, and I managed to perform the big, difficult elements very nicely and smoothly," Laudrup-Dufour said after the competition.

The fact that it was a new personal best added an extra touch to the experience.

"It's always a nice feeling to come out of the ring when you've managed to stay with the music and do everything the way you dreamed. But of course, scoring over 90 percent and achieving a personal best made me really, really proud."

The partnership around the now 15-year-old Freestyle has brought Emma Blundell, who bought the mare as a foal and owned her throughout her international career, into Laudrup-Dufour's team.

"When we started talking, we didn't really know if she could return to top-level sport. But from the first rising trot I did on the long side, I felt there was something very unique in this match. So yes, from day one, it's been amazing. Having Emma in the team has been wonderful, and it’s been such a fun journey," said Laudrup-Dufour, who had never before taken over the reins of an older, internationally experienced horse.

Second-placed Isabell Werth (GER) also achieved high scores with her somewhat younger mare, Wendy de Fontaine.

"She was really good today, more focused and much better even though she was already good yesterday. We have to remember she is just 10 years old. It's amazing, and it's a pleasure to ride her," Isabell Werth said.

Third-placed Dinja van Liere (NED) had her hands full with Hermes in the arena but delivered a solid performance that secured her third place on the podium.

"Today he was a little too hot, and we had a couple of hiccups. We need to find the perfect balance. But he's really matured; he’s not spooky anymore around the arena," Dinja van Liere said.

The best home rider was, as in Saturday’s Grand Prix, Patrik Kittel with the mare Forever Young.

"I was very happy. I just wanted to give her a chance here in Stockholm, and the atmosphere is fantastic. The audience is so enthusiastic and was clapping through almost half of my test. Even everyone working behind the scenes—they work so hard and make it possible for all of us to be here and be part of this," Kittel said.

The riders also praised the setup of the Lövsta Top 10 Dressage, where the total prize money for the weekend amounted to over 217 000 Euro.

"It’s been incredible. The whole event has been amazing, not just because of the big prize money but also the engagement of the event team, the audience and their knowledge in the sport. This show has everything. The competition is world-class, and combined with the prize money, it’s unique. It’s so important to have shows like this," Kittel said.

Full results: https://online.equipe.com/startlists/1036916