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World Equestrian Games: Charlotte Dujardin claims second gold of week in Caen

Image: Charlotte Dujardin: Secures second world title of week in Caen

Charlotte Dujardin's dominance of the dressage world continued with victory in the freestyle competition at the World Equestrian Games in France.

A brilliant score of 92.161 per cent aboard Valegro gave her gold by an emphatic margin from Germany's Helen Langehanenberg (Damon Hill NRW) on 88.286 per cent, while Holland's Adelinde Cornelissen (Jerich Parzival) took bronze.

It means that, at the age of only 29, Gloucestershire-based Dujardin is Olympic champion (freestyle), European champion (Grand Prix Special and freestyle) and world champion (Grand Prix Special and freestyle).

She won the Grand Prix Special world title in Caen on Wednesday on the same horse, again beating Langehanenberg into second.

"It just feels so surreal," she said. "After London, I never thought it could get better, then last year we had the Europeans and now my first Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

"To come away from here with two individual golds and a team silver, I can't believe it.

"I don't think there is anything else I want to achieve on him (Valegro). He has already exceeded what I wanted to do - way beyond that. He is just such a special horse.

"He is such a fantastic horse, and coming here he felt on top form. The rides in the grand prix (team) and grand prix special were just incredible, and then today I love the music we performed to and he just felt absolutely fantastic.

"I've had one bad ride out of the eight years I have been riding the horse - at Aachen (in July this year) - and who can moan about one day? Not me, that's for sure.

"With what I have achieved on that horse, and what that horse has done for me, he is just one in a million."

Dujardin's colleagues Michael Eilberg (Half Moon Delphi) and Carl Hester (Nip Tuck) finished in eighth and 12th respectively.

There was also more success for Britain in the para-equestrian dressage competition where Lee Pearson added freestyle gold to his individual success in Grade Ib, while the team secured gold in their overall competition.

The team ended with a collection of eight medals, four of them gold. 

In the eventing competition, about 60 miles south of Caen at Haras du Pin, it was not such a good day for Britain, who are the reigning team world champions.

Overnight leader and world No 1 William Fox-Pitt remains in individual medal contention aboard Chilli Morning, lying second behind Germany's Sandra Auffarth, but dressage scores in the 50s from his team-mates Zara Phillips (High Kingdom), Tina Cook (De Novo News) and Harry Meade (Wild Lone) means Britain have it all to do in the team event.

They lie fifth in the team standings ahead of Saturday's pivotal cross-country phase on a score of 142 penalties. Germany lead on 116.9 penalties, with New Zealand (125.5) second, United States (138.8) third and France (139.9) fourth.

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