Charlotte Dujardin set to be made Freewoman of the Forest of Dean

Britain’s most decorated Olympian Charlotte Dujardin is expected to be given the freedom of the Forest of Dean next week.

Gloucestershire star Dujardin, 36, became the first British woman to win six Olympic medals this year.

And now Forest of Dean District Council will consider awarding the honorary title of Freewoman of the District to her in recognition of her exceptional equestrian sporting accomplishments.

Charlotte Dujardin and her trainer Carl Hester are Britain’s most successful dressage riders, both of whom live and train within the Forest of Dean District.

The sixtime Olympian has mentored Ms Dujardin throughout her career to date and the pair are both based at his yard near Newent.

Ms Dujardin also has close ties with the Forest of Dean, where her accomplished sporting career developed.

As an elite British dressage rider, Ms Dujardin was a double bronze medal winner at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, a gold medal winner, and silver medal team dressage at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and a double gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympics Games.

In Tokyo, she became Britain’s joint most accomplished female Olympian on her fledgling horse Gio, who she affectionately calls ‘Pumpkin’.

She became the first British woman Olympian to win six medals at the Games as she added to her team dressage bronze with the same medal in the individual event.

Before London 2012, her other many achievements include winning the Horse of the Year Show competition four times and being a winner at Hickstead on three occasions.

Charlotte and her horse Valegro also set a new Grand Prix Special world record in April 2012 with an 88.022 per cent score and there is a ‘dancing’ bronze statue of Valegro in Newent Town Centre.

Ms Dujardin has also been European Champion, World Champion and holds all three World Records in Dressage.

In 2014, she was announced as The Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year, after winning the Fédération Equestre Internationale championship and BT Action Woman of the Year.

Ms Dujardin’s equestrian success started early when she came second in her first pony show within just two months of her third birthday. Having left school aged 16 she became a groom.

Her mother then used an inheritance from Ms Dujardin’s grandmother to buy her first horse thus kick starting her career.

In early 2007, Ms Dujardin arrived at Carl Hester’s yard for some lessons, and he asked her to stay on for 10 days to cover for a staff member who was on leave and where she has remained ever since.

Other honours have been bestowed on Ms Dujardin in that she was appointed Officer of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year Honours and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours, both for services to equestrianism.

In 2017, she also received an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Gloucestershire.

If councillors back the proposals to bestow the title of freewoman to Ms Dujardin next week, a formal ceremony to present the honour will be organised later this year.