H&H’s para dressage rider of the day: the newbie who’s been thrown in at the deep end in Herning

Nicole Johnsen is a para dressage name many won’t recognise – yet. The 24-year-old has had something of a baptism of fire this week at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI World Para Dressage Championships, having been thrust into the throes of a championship, as part of the hotly anticipated Danish team no less, with just one international para competition under her belt.

Nicole has only recently taken up para dressage, following a serious knee injury, and the CPEDI3* in Kronenberg, Netherlands, in June was her first international show, with plus-70% scores there proving her ticket onto the home team for the World Para Dressage Championships.

“It’s amazing to be here in Herning, and the atmosphere is fantastic. I’m so happy for the opportunity to be here,” said Nicole, following her test on Moromax, the 13-year-old gelding she has owned since he was a four-year-old.

“It’s very new for me to be here in the paras – it’s happened very fast,” added Nicole, who was quite overwhelmed at simply being here competing in Herning, let alone scoring her best marks to date with 71.39% in the World Para Dressage Championships results.

“I’m very happy with Moro – I had a very good feeling in the arena. There were some small mistakes, but I’m very happy,” she said.

She may be new to para competition, but Nicole Johnsen and Moro, who is a Trakehner by Occacio, certainly are not new to one another, and clearly have a very strong bond.

“We have always been together; we have learned everything together. I know him and he knows me,” said Nicole, who campaigned the gelding in international young riders during 2019, and still competes in able-bodied dressage alongside para dressage. “If he could, he would want to be in my arms; he always wants to be with me.”

Denmark are one of the hot favourites for a team medal at these World Para Dressage Championships, with all four riders on the home team performing strongly in the individual competitions, ahead of the team contest beginning on Friday 12 August.

“I’m very, very happy to be a part of the Danish team; [the other riders] are very sweet and we are very good together,” said Nicole.

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