{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}

Super Sophie bags gala double

Playlist 20 Videos FEI World Cup vaulting from Mechelen: 29 December 2016 1:18:28 One-eyed racehorse excelling in falconry career 02:24 Watch what happens when a sprinter compares training regimes with a racehorse 03:02 'He's a once in a lifetime horse': history repeats itself at HOYS Cob of the Year championship 00:46 'It has been a long time coming': rider returns to win back Blenheim title after 16-year gap 00:36 Blenheim win for Christopher Burton by narrowest of margins 00:51 All eyes on Tokyo 2020: meet the team behind Britain’s renewed eventing success 01:26 Ever wondered what it takes to be a doctor at Burghley? Watch this video to find out… 01:43 'It's effort after effort': top riders share their thoughts on the 2017 Burghley cross-country course 03:45 What do Zara Tindall, Mark Todd and Harry Meade make of the 2017 Burghley course? 03:47 Amy Woodhead: how working for Carl Hester has set her up for success 06:14 Endurance riding: ‘The welfare of the horse is paramount in everything that we do’ 02:22 History made at Bramham as first Japanese rider takes CCI3* title: disappointment for overnight leader 00:49 'That was nerve-wracking!': Will Furlong takes Bramham under-25 title on dramatic final day 00:53 'I'm chuffed to bits': Izzy Taylor speeds to Bramham CIC3* victory 00:48 'She's so gutsy': Will Furlong takes commanding lead in Bramham under-25 00:35 'She's a little star but also hysterical': Gemma Tattersall has commanding CCI3* dressage lead at Bramham 00:50 'I couldn't ride at all last week': Paul Tapner leads Bramham CIC3* 00:41 Emily King best of the Brits in Bramham under-25: French dominate 01:18 H&H Champs: Journey from Scotland pays off for victorious young rider and pony 00:55

  • Sophie Wells collected her second gala title in as many nights as she danced to victory aboard Valerius in the inter I freestyle at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships.

    The Rio 2016 Paralympic gold medal-winning combination rode to the same Tom Hunt soundtrack as last year’s Games, but with a more technical floorplan on this occasion.

    The pair scored 75.83% – a clear three percent above second placed Lara Griffith and Kristjan.

    “I almost cried when I found out I had won,” said Sophie, who won yesterday’s PSG freestyle with C Fatal Attraction.

    “I didn’t expect to win last night either. It is so nice to win and prove that para is no different to able bodied dressage.”

    Lara and the Bechtolsheimer’s talented 12-year-old gelding treated the audience to a flowing routine accompanied by a J-Lo compilation set to a Latin best.

    A highlight was the two-time flying changes, which were exactly in time.

    He loves a party, which makes him a fun horse to ride,” said Lara.

    Taking third was Nathalie Kayal with her own DHI Homerun (“Jojo”) on a score of 72%.

    “I’m really surprised,” said Nathalie. “It was a really hot class tonight — I followed Sophie in and I could see she was going to do a lovely test.

    “The horses have really felt the atmosphere tonight.”

    Article continues below…

    You might also be interested in:

    Nathalie, who trains with Roland Tong, Carl Hester and Debbie Childs, said she worked with several people to put together the dramatic soundtrack for her test.

    “He has been here twice before, so it was third time lucky,” she laughed.

    She added Jojo “absolutely loves” people and gets so excited when getting ready for a show he does what is affectionately known as his “Disney dance” – likening his enthusiasm to that of a child going to Disneyland.

    “If there was an award for cuddliest horse, he would beat Valegro,” she added.

    “He really wanted to show everybody his moves tonight.”

    Don’t miss this week’s issue of Horse & Hound – out Thursday (20 April) for a full report from the Winter Dressage Championships and Area Festival finals

    You may like...