Lottie Fry has already gained – take a deep breath – particular person gold within the 2018 Beneath-25 European Dressage Championship, particular person gold on the World Breeding Dressage Championships for Younger Horses in 2018 (with a then seven-year-old Glamourdale) and 2021, workforce silver on the 2021 Europeans, in addition to workforce gold and particular person silver on the 2023 Europeans, workforce silver plus particular person gold in each the particular and freestyle (with a private better of 90.995% on Glamourdale) on the 2022 World Championship, plus workforce bronze on the Tokyo Olympics (with Everdale), and workforce and particular person bronze on the 2024 Paris Olympics with Glamourdale. She is but to rejoice her thirtieth birthday.
Lottie Fry and Everdale impress at London Worldwide Horse Present in 2023. Credit score: Peter Nixon
All this, and but, when requested how the Olympic medals particularly have modified her life, she replies with a stunned giggle, “I’ve by no means actually considered it!”. She wears her spectacular success very frivolously.
With a little bit of mild prodding, she admits that it’s necessary to grasp the achievement, and behind that, the work that goes in to make all of it look really easy. Easy hardly ever is. The debrief after any competitors “goes on for a very long time and remains to be happening now”, she says, “it’s a relentless dialog, how we are able to enhance, what can we do higher in future”.
She depends closely on Anne van Olst, her coach and proprietor who “sees me trip each single day at competitors and is at all times trying. We’re at all times working collectively to get the perfect, we talk about the way it feels, the way it seems. We plan every coaching session, so we all know what is going to occur daily.”
Lottie was working one week a month, aged 16, in trade for classes with Carl Hester and it was Carl who related Lottie with Anne van Olst, a profitable Danish dressage rider, five-time Olympian and Danish nationwide champion, and now Lottie’s coach and mentor. Lottie moved to the Netherlands in 2014 as a youngster and he or she begins her working day at 5am.
As a youngster Lottie Fry educated with now teammate Carl Hester, who put her in contact with mentor, coach and proprietor Anne van Olst within the Netherlands. Credit score: Peter Nixon
She says, “horses aren’t a job or a profession, it’s a life-style and we actually put 24 hours a day, seven days every week into the horses. We make quite a lot of sacrifices to be the place we’re. It’s fairly superb to have one thing to point out for all of the work. My partnership with Glammy isn’t one thing that occurs fairly often – it’s very particular.”
Once we communicate, Lottie’s making ready for the World Breeding Dressage Championships for Younger Horses, with two six-year-olds, and subsequent yr she could have “a couple of extra” rides prepared to begin competing at grand prix for expertise, and he or she expects to have Everdale and Glamourdale prepared to arrange for subsequent season.
As for rising stars, she cites Kjento, sired by Negro (sire of Valegro, dam-sire of Glamourdale) with whom Lottie gained the World Breeding Dressage Championships for Younger Horses as each a six-year-old (scoring 96%) and seven-year-old, and Nespresso (additionally by Negro), with whom Lottie has already competed internationally, together with a win within the grand prix freestyle at Lier in March. “All of that may maintain me busy!”, she says.
Lottie Fry and Kjento win the seven-year-old title on the Dressage World Breeding Championships 2022. Credit score: Hippo Foto
Riders she’s impressed with embody Andrew Gould, who turned the brand new alternate for Paris when Becky Moody stepped into Charlotte Dujardin’s place within the workforce at quick discover. “It was unbelievable to have him there, he’s acquired a tremendous horse, Indigro, and it’s not a simple place to be [as reserve]. He was so supportive and a very good teammate and enjoyable. Additionally we noticed with alternates Yas Ingham and Joe Stockdale, it’s a very tough place and all three have been fairly superb”.
Andrew Gould, Paris Olympic reserve with Indigro, crammed his unenviable function terribly, providing help to his teammates all through the competitors. Credit score: Kevin Sparrow Images
Dressage, together with all equestrian sport, has come underneath the glare of an unwelcome highlight, with acquainted questions on welfare, social licence, and whether or not there may be even a spot in any respect for horses in sport, all making nationwide headlines. Taking a look at the way forward for dressage, for Lottie that is inextricably linked with convincing the sceptics in regards to the distinctive care the horses obtain.
She says, “I actually hope we are able to get it throughout to the general public how a lot we love and adore the horses. They couldn’t need for something, they’re handled to the perfect each single day. Folks don’t see it as a result of it’s behind the scenes, in order that they don’t see how all our horses are taken care of, and the way completely happy they’re to do their job. I do know from expertise they love to enter the arenas, they like to compete and carry out, it’s part of who they’re, and it’s one thing I hope everybody will see.”
Lottie Fry adores her Olympic companion Glamourdale, and desires extra folks to see how a lot he enjoys his job. Credit score: Peter Nixon
Lottie can hint her equestrian lineage again to Sixpence, her first pony (“white, tiny, cheeky”), the primary in an infinite line of ponies and horses. “I’ve to thank each single one which has contributed to my profession, and my life as a rider,” she says.
Lottie has returned house from Paris 2024 with two bronzes, and a memento mascot so as to add to the gathering – she has one from Tokyo – and her eyes firmly on the longer term. “I’m very motivated,” she says. Her success is her rocket gasoline. “It actually drives you to know that it’s doable, and it makes you hungry for extra.”
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale win particular person bronze on the 2024 Paris Olympics – success is what motivates her. Credit score: Peter Nixon
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Freelance journalist
Born in Australia and purchased up within the Midlands, Kate has ridden since childhood. After finishing her diploma and dwelling overseas for a number of years, she turned an award-winning BBC radio producer and Channel 4 documentary producer after which she turned a contract journalist, contributing to the Day by day Mail, The Occasions, The Telegraph and others. She additionally collaborated with high jumps coach Nicky Henderson OBE, to write down his best-selling memoir, Nicky Henderson: My Life in 12 Horses. She owns at present cares for retrained Nationwide Hunt racehorse, Cease the Present.
