Glamourdale is likely one of the most embellished dressage horses of all time. The powerhouse black stallion catapulted into international stardom after carrying Lottie Fry to double particular person gold on the 2022 World Dressage Championships – his defining breakthrough second.
Since then, he’s added group gold on the 2023 Europeans, double bronze on the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the 2025 World Cup title to his file.
“He’s the largest showman on the earth!” Lottie says. “The second he enters the sector, he grows, he lifts his legs, and once you see him coming in, you’ll be able to’t not take a look at him. He’s so stunning, he has such a presence.”
Glamourdale’s early years
Bred within the Netherlands by Joop Rodenburg and born on 10 Might 2011, Glamourdale is sired by Lord Leatherdale and out of Thuja (by Negro).
He was purchased as a foal by Gertjan and Anne Van Olst and has since lived at their Den Hout base.
At three years outdated, Glamourdale topped the 2014 stallion inspection and took reserve champion on the KWPN efficiency take a look at the identical 12 months.
Lottie Fry moved to the Netherlands in 2014, simply 18 on the time, to coach with the Van Olsts. She first sat on Glamourdale in 2017, when he was six – and the influence was on the spot.
“I had by no means sat on something like that earlier than – he was at all times so particular,” she recollects.
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale end on the person podium on the Paris Olympics. Credit score: Peter Nixon
In 2018, the pair gained the coveted seven-year-old title on the World Breeding Championships in Ermelo, the Netherlands, with Lottie changing into the primary British rider to win this esteemed title.
In an indication of issues to return, Glamourdale gained 10s for his canter, with Lottie reporting that even then, it felt “such as you’re flying”.
“All of us knew at house that his canter deserves 10s, however we didn’t know if the judges would agree with us,” she mentioned.
Rise to stardom
Glamourdale had a lightweight however flawless small tour season in 2019, going unbeaten internationally and breaking the 80% barrier to win the inter I at Aachen CDI4*.
He sat out 2020, then stepped as much as grand prix in April 2021, making his worldwide debut at Hagen CDI4* with a 74.46% beneath Lottie. That 12 months, he competed selectively, as Lottie prioritised her Olympic and European Championship marketing campaign together with her group trip Everdale.
It was in 2022 when Glamourdale exploded onto the highest degree. He posted a private finest 78.68% within the grand prix particular at Lier CDI4*, then 80.98% at Opglabbeek, the place decide Isobel Wessels known as their take a look at “a privilege to guage.”
“They moved from one motion to the subsequent with such ease and lightness – everybody was spellbound,” Isobel mentioned.
He adopted this with a double win at Compiègne CDIO5* and was chosen for Britain’s Herning World Championship group.
Herning 2022: Glamourdale breaks via
At Herning, Glamourdale led Britain to group silver with a plus-80% grand prix. He and Lottie then stormed to gold within the particular with a private better of 82.5%, lighting up the sector with their expressive canter work.

Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale on the 2022 FEI World Championships in Herning in Denmark. Credit score: Peter Nixon
“To get 82.5% on the world champs is what desires are manufactured from,” mentioned Lottie afterwards. “Glamourdale was unimaginable. He went in there and simply did every thing I might ask.”
Two days later, Lottie and Glamourdale struck gold once more – this time within the freestyle, breaking the 90% barrier, scoring greater than 24 10s, with a daring, crowd-thrilling routine set to a soundtrack of iconic British anthems organized by Joost Peters.
From One other One Bites the Mud on entry to Millennium and Angels by Robbie Williams within the canter work, Bittersweet Symphony, and a spine-tingling God Save the Queen to shut, the efficiency was each technically sensible and emotionally charged.
Crossing into the elite “90% membership,” Lottie was in disbelief: “I didn’t dare to dream about it, to be sincere – it’s one thing all my idols have completed. I by no means anticipated it will occur to me.”
Glamourdale: among the finest the world has ever seen
These medals in Herning modified their lives perpetually. From that time on, Glamourdale wasn’t only a champion – he was a world phenomenon, and essentially the most talked-about horse in dressage.
Glamourdale made his British debut in December on the London Worldwide Horse Present (LIHS), the place he and Lottie drew in a wave of latest followers and delivered one other profession excessive. They rose to the second with a jaw-dropping 90.99% – the very best rating ever recorded at LIHS exterior the world information set by Totilas and Valegro.
“The environment in there was unimaginable,” Lottie mentioned. “From the second we entered the sector, the viewers was wonderful. I can’t look ahead to the subsequent few years.”
Extra titles and information adopted. The pair kicked off 2023 ranked first on the earth for the primary time. It marked the primary time a British dressage rider has headed the FEI world rankings since Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro held the place in 2016.

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale win the 2025 World Cup Ultimate in Basel. Credit score: FEI
“I texted Anne, however she wasn’t taking a look at her telephone,” recollects Lottie. “I’d despatched her a message all in capitals saying ‘ME AND GLAMMY ARE NUMBER ONE’, however she was out at dinner for New 12 months’s Eve, so I needed to textual content a pal who was there to inform Anne to take a look at her telephone. In fact, then she panicked considering it was an emergency, however when she noticed the message, it was so thrilling.”
The battle with Dalera
The 2023 Europeans have been framed as a battle between the world’s prime two horses: Glamourdale and Olympic champion TSF Dalera BB, ridden by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl.
Dalera set the bar with a private better of 84.61% within the grand prix. Anchoring the British group, Lottie Fry wanted 78.71% to clinch gold, and delivered 81.26%. It wasn’t sufficient to beat Dalera individually, however it sealed Britain’s first group gold since London 2012 and their first European title since 2011.
A mistake within the one-tempis value Lottie and Glamourdale a podium end within the particular, however the freestyle was an electrifying showdown between two horses at their peak.
Jessica and Dalera set the bar with a European Championship record-breaking 92.82%. Lottie, undaunted, delivered an excellent 92.38% – her personal private finest – in probably the most thrilling head-to-heads dressage has seen.
Dalera bested Glamourdale as soon as extra on the 2024 Paris Olympics, closing out her dominant period with a sweep of gold medals throughout each championships.
Lottie and Glamourdale took the group and a hard-fought particular person bronze, edged out by rising star Wendy De Fontaine beneath Isabell Werth.
The outcome led to murmurs that maybe Glamourdale’s peak had handed – however he silenced the doubters with a dominant comeback, going unbeaten, once more, in 10 straight exams and clinching the 2025 World Cup Ultimate.
With main titles throughout each championship and what many name one of the best canter tour in historical past, Glamourdale has secured his place among the many all-time greats. And he’s not completed but.
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