Charlotte Dujardin claims Euro freestyle dressage win

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Charlotte Dujardin claims Euro freestyle dressage win

Britain's Charlotte Dujardin made it double gold by retaining her freestyle title in dramatic style at the European Dressage Championships in Germany.

Home rider Kristina Broring-Sprehe, the penultimate competitor, had set a tough standard with a score of 88.804%.

But despite a couple of errors, Dujardin and Valegro came out to score 89.054% and claim another success.

Dujardin had retained her Grand Prix Special title on Saturday and also helped GB to team silver.

Team-mate Carl Hester was eighth on Nip Tuck with a score of 79.591% but Fiona Bigwood and her horse Atterupgaards Orthilia were forced to pull out before the start of the event with a slight skin reaction to the horse, which was causing sensitivity.

Dujardin, 30, said afterwards that she would now start working on a new freestyle routine as she prepares for next year's Rio Olympics.

"I'm really proud and relieved," she told BBC Sport.

"I wish I had done a mistake-free test but you can't be perfect all the time and I am proud of what we have achieved.

"With the errors, I knew I had to keep on and not let it affect my performance and just focus and concentrate to the bitter end.

"The pressure builds and builds on me every year but I try to use that as a drive to keep going."

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