The championship started far from flawlessly. With eight penalty points and a total score of 7.17 penalty points, Charles found himself in a disappointing 23rd place after the initial rounds.

"I was really unhappy that I couldn't present my horse the way she deserved," the show jumper admitted afterward. The disappointment ran so deep that he seriously considered not competing in the final at all.

Artificial Intelligence Advice

At that moment of doubt, Charles consulted a rather remarkable advisor. With a mischievous smile, he later shared what finally persuaded him to saddle up anyway: "I asked ChatGPT if I still had a chance at a top finish. The answer was: Unlikely, but not impossible!"

Sensational Comeback

Those words proved to be prophetic. The show jumper was on the verge of skipping the final, but puts things into perspective: "This championship puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions, and sometimes you want to give up, but what makes this podium unique is that in the end, you don't. We keep going again and again, and sooner or later, it pays off!"

"Aachen is a place you dream about as a kid—to one day be able to win, or at least perform well," Charles continues. "I love Aachen... and although I initially added the words 'but Aachen doesn't like me,' I take those words back!"