Top sport, soaring emotions and a dazzling haul of medals — 17 golden moments from WEG 2018

What a spectacle! We were treated to a feast of equestrian action at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Tryon, North Carolina — and experienced the whole spectrum of emotions during that rollercoaster of a fortnight. Did it really have to end? But now the last set of glittering medals have been presented and the final curtain has come down on this equine extravaganza, we thought it was time to re-live some of WEG’s golden moments one more time…

1. Clinched it!

Ros Canter and Allstar B showjumped clear to secure Great Britain’s team gold medal. Minutes later, Ros also claimed the individual title

2. Sterling work

Lee Pearson and Natasha Baker celebrate team silver for Great Britain in the para dressage

3. Making a splash

Australia’s Boyd Exell makes a splash as he scores his third successive individual WEG gold medal

4. Back in the medals

Charlotte Dujardin shows her sheer delight in securing individual and team bronze with the nine-year-old Mount St John Freestyle

5. A class act

Championship debutantes Amanda Derbyshire and Luibanta BH prove best of the British showjumpers, finishing 17th individually

6. Reining it in

Francesca Sternberg and Spook N Sparkle fly the British flag in the reining

7. Gold!

The USA’s anchorman McLain Ward seals the deal in the most nerve-wracking of jump-offs to claim showjumping team gold for the host nation

8. Thank you to the equine superstars

Britain’s double gold medallist Sophie Wells and groom Lewis Coppin praise C Fatal Attraction after a top performance in the para dressage

9. Golden girl

Isabell Werth’s 14-year-old Bella Rose, off injured since 2014, repays her rider’s faith in her with two gold medals shortly after her return to competition

10. Team selfies

The Dutch para dressage riders celebrate their historic gold

11. Balancing act

Germany’s vaulting squad successfully defend gold with a magical performance

12. Storming to victory

Gemma Tattersall celebrates a cracking cross-country round on Arctic Soul as the British team gold medal-winning pathfinders

13. High five

Chester Weber celebrates finishing the cones phase en route to helping USA secure team gold in the driving for the first time

14. ‘She’s all you could wish for’

The newly crowned showjumping world champion Simone Blum of Germany, pays tribute to her mare DSP Alice, who didn’t hit a pole in four days of championship jumping

15. Flying the flag

Great Britain’s Tom McEwen, Gemma Tattersall, Ros Canter and Piggy French adorned in their glorious gold medals

16. Making history

Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy and Mr Chunky move up the leaderboard to take the individual and team silver — providing his country with its first senior medal in 23 years

17. We did it!

Summing up everything it means to jump clear for your country, Colombia’s Carlos Enrique Lopez Lizarazo (Admara) celebrates his ascent from 26th — as a last minute substitute to the individual jumping final — to finish fifth

Don’t miss the latest issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out now (dated 27 September), for all the news and features from the second week of the World Equestrian Games action from Tryon, USA

Jennifer Donald

H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.