Animal Psychic Gets the Juju Right for Atterupgaards Botticelli at 2025 CDI Ocala

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2025 CDI Ocala

-- WEC press release, edited by Eurodressage

Danish born American Charlotte Jorst became the winner of the Intermediaire I at the 2025 CDI Ocala on 12 April 2025. Moving up from second place in Friday’s Prix St. Georges, Jorst and Atterupgaards Botticelli scored 71.353% for the victory.

“Yesterday, I hadn’t shown him for a long time, so he was a little bit worried about the flags and everything, but today he was just a very, very happy camper,” explained Jorst. “He was totally on my side. All the trot work is phenomenal. I loved the half passes with him today. I just let him flow over, and it’s just beautiful. It was a really good feeling today.”

Confidence Building

Jorst has owned the 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (by Benetton Dream x Caprimond) since 2018 when he was six and they have been competing at international Grand Prix level since November 2024. For Ocala Jorst decided to drop the liver chestnut back down to small tour for the show in Ocala.

“I tried him a little bit at grand prix earlier this year, and he got really insecure,” she noted. “I felt for his mental state, it was a little bit easier for him to go back down until he really has everything and get his confidence back up. That’s kind of what we’re doing, and now I think it’s back up."

Animal Psychic

Jorst noted that she had an animal psychic speak with her horses this weekend to learn more about their thoughts but to also reassure them that she is 100% behind them.

“I know, kind of cuckoo, but I want to know what they have to say,” she laughed. “They said they really understand their goals with me, so I thought that was really cool.”

Jorst has been a long-time student of Wellington based Danish-American Lars Petersen who has helped her train her horses up the levels as Charlotte travels the world and runs her clothing company Kastel Denmark at the same time.

For the summer months Charlotte plans to bring her horses back home to Reno, NV, where they can enjoy turnout and train in different ways besides only in a dressage ring.

“We have lots of poles because my daughters jump, so I can really mix it up,” she said. “It’ll be really good for all these boys to get back and stay outside together."