East Yorkshire was represented incredibly well in the Great British dressage during the Olympics last week.
Charlotte Fry, from Driffield, stormed the competition after winning a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 25-year-old, known as Lottie, has a passion for equestrian eventing all over the world but regularly visits her family back here in the UK.
Read more: Driffield rider helps Team GB to Tokyo Olympics bronze medal in team dressage
In Tokyo, Charlotte made it to Group in Saturday’s qualifying round with a score of 77.096 on her 12-year-old stallion Everdale.
The score was a personal best for the duo at international Grand Prix level and that form was carried into the team event where 25-year-old Lottie performed superbly.
Charlotte won a bronze Olympic medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
(Image: Instagram/Charlotte Fry)
Hull roots
Charlotte attended Driffield School and Sixth form, who have shared their joy over her win.
On Twitter they wrote: “Well done to Charlotte Fry and Everdale for another excellent performance in the individual event!
“Finished 13th out of 18th in a tough field. Time to relax and enjoy yesterday’s medal now!!”
Sadly, Charlotte’s mum and former Olympian Laura Fry died age 45, when Charlotte was just 16.
The star has since proudly followed in her mother’s equestrian footsteps.
How did she make it to the Olympics?
The day that Charlotte Fry gained her Olympic medal
(Image: John Stroud Media)
The superstar started horse riding at age 14.
Whilst that might sound a little late for a future Olympian to take up the sport, she started training with Olympic Champion Charles Hester.
Charlotte is following in the footsteps of her late mother, Laura Fry, who was an Olympian herself at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Laura was a popular trainer as well as a competitor and helped run Fry’s Equestrian, which was based near Aike, north of Leconfield, before she sadly lost her battle with cancer in 2014.
Hester told former Danish Olympiad Anne van Olst about Lottie, after which she moved to the Netherlands to train with van Olst.
Charlotte and her trainer Anne Van Olst
(Image: Instagram/Charlotte Fry)
Since 2012 she has lived and worked alongside her boyfriend in the Netherlands.
In 2018 Fry became World Champion during the World Championships for Young Horses in Ermelo, riding Glamourdale in the 7-years-old division.
She also won at the 2018 European Championships for Grand Prix riders under the age of 25 in Exloo, Netherlands, with her horse Dark Legend.
Fry competed at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam where she placed 4th with the British dressage team, and from there she became Olympic medallist.
Get the latest updates from across Hull and East Yorkshire direct to your inbox with the free Hull Live newsletters.
You can sign up very simply by following the instructions here
The bronze was an impressive achievement for the British team, with Charlotte making her first appearance at a games and all three horses having never previously competed at an Olympics either.
Charlotte said: “I couldn’t have asked for much more. This arena is so amazing to ride in, even without people.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but being with Carl and Charlotte, they have experienced it all before and they’ve given me so much support.”
What does she get up to in her free time?
Charlotte and her friends on New Year’s Eve
(Image: Instagram/Charlotte Fry)
Charlotte has quite the popular Instagram page with almost 45,000 followers watching her life in and out of dressage.
She often shares what she gets up to when not performing around the globe.
The World Champion has an adorable sausage dog named Bambi and can’t help but share snaps of him.
Outside of animals, she is often spotted hanging out with her friends having a few gins, attending award evenings, and travelling to different countries for fun.
What’s more we can’t help but be fixated by her romance with Tom Beachell, who often shares snaps of the pair.
To sign up for the Hull Live newsletter, click here.
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
