World Championship for 7-year-olds: feels like a chance for Charlotte Dujardin to get some revenge

Following the 5- and 6-year-olds, it was the turn of the 7-year-olds to take to the Verden arena this morning—a category that often offers a glimpse of future stars of the discipline. Notable among them is the standout horse Glamourdale. Forty-one combinations competed.

Although she was on the British shortlist for the Aachen World Championships with Braveheart, Charlotte Dujardin will not be joining the senior British team this year. Nevertheless, this morning she laid the groundwork for a potential title in the 7-year-old division with her charming horse, Secret Agent. A stunning horse—a son of Secret and De Niro—he was shown in a snaffle bridle and displayed great bounce and elasticity, at times bordering on a passage-like trot. A classic example of a black stallion, Secret Agent lifted his frame at the start of the extended walk and let out a vocal whinny. Showing an uphill build and great projection in his flying changes, along with high-quality canter work, he earned an average score of 80.645% this morning, with marks of 9.2 for trot, 7 for walk, 9 for canter and submission, and 8.9 for general impression.

Theresa Rosenkilde and Brandtbjergs Divya also broke the 80% barrier, scoring 80.140%. While perhaps less flashy than Secret Agent, this Danish mare—who clearly bears the stamp of her sire, Hesselhøj Donkey Boy—is a solid, well-rounded horse that looks well-suited for Grand Prix movements; notably, she was the 6-year-old World Championship runner-up last year with Anders Uve Sjøbeck Hoeck. The sturdy bay mare was awarded scores of 8.8 for trot, walk, submission, and general impression, and an 8.6 for canter.

It was not necessarily Tessa Kole & Odi Murona whom one expected on the podium for this preliminary test, but rather Dinja van Liere & Red Viper. However, the (very, very) round 6-year-old World Champion stumbled at the end of his first extended trot and broke into a canter during the half-pass to the right. Although they finished only 8th today, they remain a pair to watch in the final. The best Dutch performance therefore went to Tessa Kole and this daughter of Blue Hors Farrell—a combination that was the 6-year-old reserve champion in the Netherlands last year. Awarded scores of 8.4 for the trot, 8.5 for the walk, 8.8 for the canter, and 9 for submission and perspective, they left the arena with a score of 79.593%.

Full results HERE