The judges were unanimous. Victory went convincingly to Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale), who topped the leaderboard with an impressive total of 89.305%, once again producing the highest score of the competition.

“He felt truly amazing today. We’re starting to find that balance between all his power while still having relaxation and control throughout the test, and that’s exactly what you need at this level. Amsterdam is also one of my favourite arenas to ride in: you feel the atmosphere from the moment you walk in, and Glamourdale really enjoys that, he likes to ‘show off’. Of course I knew it was going to be exciting, especially when you see Isabell here with Wendy de Fontaine, but that’s exactly what makes this sport so beautiful: you’re forced to ride one step better yourself,” said Fry.

Isabell Werth stayed close behind with Wendy de Fontaine (Sezuan), posting 87.580% for second place in a performance where the German legend once again showcased her trademark routine and precision.

“For me, bringing Wendy here was simply a very logical decision, because I felt we needed more competitions and more fine-tuning. You can train a lot at home, but it’s only in the arena that you truly learn what still needs improving. There are still things we need to work through, especially in the lines and the details, but the quality of the canter work and the changes has really improved. We’re still a young partnership, but we want to become an ‘old partnership’, with that natural ease and confidence in every transition,” Werth explained.

Third place went to Becky Moody and her homebred Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino OLD), who produced a consistent Freestyle to score 85.310%, securing a strong podium finish among the sport’s very best. Moody also received the Harmony & Fairness Prize, awarded by the public to the combination presenting the most harmonious and relaxed overall picture.

“That Harmony & Fairness Prize means so much to me, precisely because it’s recognition of how you work together with your horse. But honestly: I owe Jagerbomb so much, he’s simply an incredible horse, and he often makes it easier for me than I deserve. What I also find really special is that everything you learn along the way from other horses eventually feeds into a partnership like this. Every horse teaches you something, and it shapes you as a rider. Today was also a challenging test, with a difficult floorplan, and we didn’t execute everything one hundred percent perfectly, but he stayed with me, he kept working, and he went through that arena with so much enjoyment. And in a venue like Amsterdam, with the music and the crowd, that’s truly special: you feel the support, and you feel that it’s alive.”