Charlotte Susan Jane Dujardin, born on 13 July 1985, became the first equestrian to hold the complete set of individual elite dressage titles simultaneously in 2014. Her career includes six Olympic medals, establishing a joint record for a British female Olympian. These achievements span titles in individual Olympic freestyle, World freestyle, and Grand Prix Special disciplines.
Early Development and Transition
Raised in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, Dujardin started riding at age two. Her mother, Jane Dujardin, managed finances by buying and selling ponies. Although diagnosed with dyslexia, Dujardin attended Vandyke Upper School, though she later noted limited attendance, leaving at 16. She achieved early success in show jumping, including four wins at the Horse of the Year Show and three victories at the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead. Following guidance from Debbie Thomas, she shifted to dressage using inheritance money to purchase a horse.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Success with Valegro
In 2011, she was tasked with developing the Dutch Warmblood gelding Valegro. The pair achieved international prominence, winning team gold at the European Dressage Championship in Rotterdam. By April 2012, they established a world record in the Grand Prix discipline with a score of 88.022%. Their partnership resulted in four consecutive world titles, a feat unique to their combination, culminating in a final score of 94.169% at the 2015 FEI World Cup in Las Vegas.
Olympic Milestones
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Dujardin and Valegro set an Olympic record of 83.784% during the team dressage round. She secured two individual gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, marking her as the first British woman to retain an individual Olympic title. Following these games, Valegro was retired at age 14 during the Olympia London International Horse Show. Her total Olympic haul includes three gold medals and one silver.
Controversy and Suspension
On 23 July 2024, Dujardin withdrew from the 2024 Summer Olympics after video evidence showed her excessively whipping a horse during training. The International Federation for Equestrian Sports subsequently imposed a one-year suspension and a 10,000 Swiss Franc fine, upheld in December 2024. Following the incident, she lost UK Sport funding and several sponsorship agreements, and she was removed as an ambassador for the charity Brooke.
Fast facts
- Born: 13 July 1985, Enfield
- Education: Vandyke Upper School
- Awards: CBE (2017), OBE (2013)
- Olympic Medals: 6
- Autobiography: The Girl on the Dancing Horse (2018)
- Children: Born 2023 and 2025
Questions readers ask
Why was Charlotte Dujardin suspended from equestrian competition?
She received a one-year suspension after a video emerged in 2024 showing her using a whip excessively on a horse during training.
What is the record status of Dujardin's Olympic medals?
Her six Olympic medals constitute a joint record for a British female Olympian.
.jpg)