Three-time Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin made her return to dressage sport on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in the two-day Dressage World Cup held in London. This is her first major participation in a domestic competition this year, which came after she completed her one-year ban over a horse-whipping controversy given back in July 2024.
In the competition, the 40-year-old scored 76.5% on her horse Alive and Kicking, finishing behind her fellow compatriot Briton and reigning world champion Charlotte Fry, who scored 80.7%. This event was, however, a part of the London International Horse Show.
Dujardin has won a total of six Olympic medals so far in her career, including a gold medal in individual and team events in the 2012 London Olympics and then went on to win an individual gold and a team silver in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. Lastly, she bagged an individual and a team bronze in the 2021 Tokyo Games.
Returning after a year, Dujardin expressed the emotions she felt on her comeback while enjoying the positive reception from the audience. She said, “Just going back in that arena, there is something so special about riding here; it is incredibly special.”
She added, “Having so many people shout ‘go on Charlotte’, it was very emotional. It was so good, it gave me a real buzz to be back. I thoroughly enjoyed it and in the test I could not have done any more with her.”
A look into Dujardin’s ban controversy
In December 2024, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) banned Dujardin after investigating in July last year, revealing that she was caught repeatedly whipping a student’s horse on its legs seen in footage that dated four years back. The video was from a training session at a stable.
After being proven guilty, Dujardin received a one-year ban and a fine of 10,000 Swiss Francs (USD 12,400) from FEI.
Expressing her remorse for the behaviour, she then withdrew her name from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her withdrawal from last year’s Olympic Games has, however, left her the chance to become one of the most decorated women Olympians of Britain and of the French capital. The former Olympian is currently tied at six medals with cyclist Laura Kenny.
(Inputs sourced from Sportstar)
