The Netherlands’ decorated para dressage rider Sanne Voets has opened up about the special bond she has with her very own “Sun King” Demantur, as she claims her first medal of the Paris Paralympics.

This morning (4 September) Sanne and Demantur won silver in the grade IV individual competition. Sanne’s compatriot Demi Haerkens and Duala won gold, and Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues took bronze.

Sanne and the 16-year-old Vivaldi gelding have built up a remarkable partnership in their nine years together. The pair now hold four Paralympic medals, nine European medals, and six world medals.

“This morning when I was on my way from the village to the stables I just had this thought that with a horse like this, a horse that is everything I could have ever dreamed of, he is my best friend,” said Sanne.

“The path we’ve taken, every decision we have made was for the benefit of the horse. There is no horse like Demantur. With a horse like him, and a team like mine, you always win. Riding Demi and with my team here, being with so many friends and family, I feel like I’m a trillionaire.”

When asked what makes Demi so special, Sanne said “everything”.

“I know that’s a cheesy answer, but it’s literally everything. He is such a special boy. When he first entered my stables he was so shy and insecure, and he has grown a lot as a person,” she said.

“But we did that together. He is always trying his heart out and he has tried so hard to be perfect from the beginning. When things don’t work out, I think he feels like he has let me down, but I tell him: ‘It’s ok boy, I know that you’re trying. You’re a horse, not a human, and it’s enough that you’re trying. We’re learning together, we’re developing together and we’re a team’. And that’s what makes our sport so magical.”

Sanne said she and her team “set the bar even higher” after Tokyo – but the focus was not entirely on medals.

“We focused even more on the way that we work towards the goal. The most important judge to me is my horse. There’s been so many decisions, and so much work in the last three years building towards these Paris Games, and the judges only see the test inside the whiteboards,” said Sanne.

“To me the most important thing is all the work and all the things that have happened before that. Of course this is where the medals are decided, and the field is very strong.”

“All about the Sun King”

The equestrian events of the Paris Paralympics are taking place at the Palace of Versailles, the former residence of Louis XIV, who was known as the Sun King for choosing the sun as his personal emblem.

Sanne Voets revealed that spectators can look forward to a new freestyle from her and Demi at the Paris Paralympics on Saturday (7 September) that will be “all about the Sun King”.

“Demi is my own Sun King. That’s why I waved at the palace today, to say thank you for lending us your property,” said Sanne, who visited Paris last April to learn more about its equestrian history.

“When we heard about the competition being held in this place, which has so much equestrian history, I read up so much about it. I hadn’t been to Paris before and said ‘I have to go there’. I really wanted to feel the atmosphere and learn about its past.”

During her trip to Paris Sanne visited the royal stables where she learned about its 400-year history.

“They told me about things that happened here 400 years ago, and how they still work with horses every day, and still with such a beautiful motto. They work from the belief that our horses don’t owe us anything – horses are not an instrument for us to reach our goals and ambitions, but we are an instrument to help our horses develop into beautiful, strong, healthy, happy athletes,” said Sanne.

“That resonated so much with me, so that made it so much more special for me to be here today.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Dutch dressage rider Sanne Voets and her long-standing ride Demantur RS2 NOP bagged their 19th medal as a combination at the European Para Dressage Championships with grade IV freestyle silver this afternoon (9 September).

Sanne has taken a new approach in her training recently, complementing the scientific and data focus she applies to her horsemanship with a focus on the connection she has with herself.

Watch an interview with Sanne Voets after the freestyle medal ceremony at the European Para Dressage Championships

This involves breathwork and meditation, alongside studying human and equine biomechanics and how the two interact.

“The essence of our sport is really the connection with your horse as a rider. And I feel that if you want to improve that connection, you first have to improve the connection with yourself,” Sanne told H&H.

“So that meant that over the last year or so, we have really invested time and effort in breathwork and meditation and also physical fitness – diving into studying biomechanics of the horse and of me and how we influence each other. It’s a case of trying to connect better with myself and trying to get to know my horse better.

“Before we enter the arena, we just have a few minutes in the stable where it’s just me and him and if he wants to come to me, it’s OK – if he doesn’t, it’s OK.

“I know as soon as he gets his braids in, he finds his own routine too and he gets in his own bubble. It’s OK if he wants to do that without me, but I just want to tell him I am here for you. Just let me know when you need me and when you can come to me, I’m ready.”

The pair have been at the top of the sport for seven years, with 14 gold medals from Paralympic, World and European Championships – including the Dutch team gold from Riesenbeck this week. They also head home from Germany with two grade IV silver medals, finishing just behind team-mate Demi Haerkens and EHL Daula NOP in the individual and freestyle.

“He means the world to me. I have had him in my stables for almost eight years now and I still feel that our connection is getting stronger,” said Sanne.

“This morning we had the vet check for the freestyle and he was on fire – he was still so happy and fresh. To me the colour of this medal doesn’t really matter. He is my gold.”

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The Netherlands’ Sanne Voets has taken over the lead in the Orifarm Healthcare FEI World Para Dressage Championships results, and boosted Dutch hopes of back-to-back world team golds.

Sanne scored 78.41% with the experienced Vivaldi gelding Demantur Rs2 NOP to shoot to the top of the grade IV World Para Dressage Championships results leaderboard on this first day of team competition, with the USA’s Kate Shoemaker currently second on Quiana. It means the Dutch team, who denied Britain team gold for the first time in para dressage history at the World Equestrian Games in 2018, have got off to the ideal start in Herning.

They suffered bitter disappointment in Tokyo last year when Sanne, as the last Dutch rider in, came out of the ring thinking she had done enough to win gold, until Sophie Wells’ score was revised upward, handing gold to the Brits. But Sanne explains that the experience has only made her and her teammates hungrier for gold in Herning.

“We have never been that close before, and although we were happy with silver in Tokyo, here as defending champions, we want to really go for it,” she explained.

“Being first in [for the team] forces you to focus even more on your own riding, but it doesn’t mean any less pressure as we only have one test so we cannot make any mistakes. My plan was to ride a little bit safely today to make sure we didn’t have any faults, but he felt so good and confident that I thought ‘Why not go for more?’ He just offers so much and there isn’t much I have to do,” said Sanne, who won individual gold earlier in the week.

“We have such a good partnership and we know each other so well that I can enter the arena and just feel how much of a risk I can take – today it didn’t feel like a big risk [to push for more]. He loved the applause at the end and I think he felt pretty proud of himself. That’s when the sport is so beautiful when the horses are happy and confident.”

The grade IV has kicked off the the team competition out in Herning, with Brits Lee Pearson and Georgia Wilson to get the British team campaign started this afternoon in grade II. Georgia will ride Sakura at 2.45pm local time (1.45pm BST), while Lee will ride Breezer at 4.34pm (3.34pm BST).

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The first individual champion of the Orifarm Healthcare FEI World Para Dressage Championships results, presented by Elsass Fonden, has been decided in the grade IV division. The 2018 gold medallist Sanne Voets of the Netherlands has claimed back-to-back world titles as she continues her domination in grade IV with the 14-year-old Demantur RS2 NOP.

Demantur has great ability to open and close within the pace, maintaining pleasing balance and rhythm. Their flowing canter loops were a highlight of this solid, clean test for the pair.

“I’m just really pleased with how he felt,” said Sanne of the Vivaldi son. “He was really so soft and so focused.”

“He always tries to give me the feeling of, ‘Hey, we got this. We’re a team, we did this before and we can do this again’. But the other side of working together for so long and having won so much already, is that the pressure keeps rising and you never get used to that.

“Yesterday I decided just before I went to bed that the results are what happens, but it’s just a test. I just want to be the best rider I can be for my horse now.”

This is the pair’s sixth senior championship, having won gold – and a rainbow of other medals – at every past Paralympic, world and Europeans.

Sanne may have taken the gold on 76.75% but she was very nearly pipped by her own teammate Demi Haerkens with EHL Daula, who came close to stealing the lead in the World Para Dressage Championships results. Their final score, a tidy 76%, was enough for a decisive silver, however, at Demi’s first championship.

“She gave me everything,” Demi said of the 14-year-old mare. “I really hoped for a medal, so it’s great everything came together.”

The Gribaldi daughter showed her scopey trot, keeping real power and expression while maintaining rhythm and balance, to open their test with a plus-77% trending score. There was little to split Demi and Sanne in terms of marks, with the pair bang on the same trending score in the latter stages of Demi’s test.

What is even more exciting is there look to be more marks to come from Demi. EHL Daula had a few walk steps into her halt, which was not quite square, and there did not appear to be a huge difference between the extension and collection in the walk.

The pair’s canterwork was joyful to watch, with both Demi and the mare looking to delight in the feeling of power and quality of performance they were producing.

In bronze was Brazil’s Rodolpho Riskalla, at his 19-year-old stallion Don Henrico’s final championship. They scored 74.93%.

Gestüt Schafhof’s stallion is a rocking horse with a Formula One engine. He showed lift and spring through his active trot work, complemented by elegant canter work in a stunning frame.

The duo were trending just behind Sanne through their clean test, ending with a powerful final centre line. Rodolpho punched the air with a huge grin to cheers from his supporters in the kiss and cry.

“I am overwhelmed. He’s always doing everything for me and once again he was there and so relaxed,” said an emotional Rodolpho, who won his first medal at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, and plans to retire this Don Frederico son following the World Para Dressage Championships this year.

“It’s amazing to have a horse that at every championship I can count on. He can be difficult, he is sensitive, but when we prepare and we go he is fine and he is happy to do it.”

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Defending champions Sanne Voets and Demantur RS2 N.O.P. set their campaign off to a strong start to take the provisional lead in the Orifarm Healthcare FEI World Para Dressage Championships results for the individual contest.

This Dutch partnership has dominated the grade IV ranks in recent years and they delivered another top-class performance in the team test today (10 August) to score 76.75%. The test name is a red herring, as the results of this performance decide individual medals and freestyle qualification at the World Para Dressage Championships, presented by Elsass Fonden.

“I had quite a lot of nerves yesterday and, when we got here and from the moment I got in the saddle at the stables I was like ‘OK, this is our job and we can do this,” said Sanne, adding she was “really pleased with how he felt – so soft and so focused”.

The Vivaldi son, owned by RS2 Dressage Center de Horst, showed his quality from the start and real scope through the trot serpentine, watched on by a sea of orange-clad supporters in the kiss and cry area.

Demantur RS2 N.O.P. has a real ability to shift through the gears within a pace – moving from medium to collection while keeping his balance and rhythm. Their flowing canter loops were a highlight of this solid, clean test for the pair.

“He always tries to give me the feeling of ‘We’ve got this. We’re a team, we did this before we can do this again’. But the other side of working together for so long and having won so much already, is that the pressure keeps rising and you never get used to that.

“Yesterday I decided just before I went to bed that, OK, the results are what happens but it’s just a test but I just want to be the best rider I can be for my horse now.”

Sanne and the 14-year-old gelding arrive in Denmark for their sixth senior championship, having won gold – and a rainbow of other medals – at every past Paralympic, world and Europeans.

They scored individual and freestyle gold at Tokyo, where they helped the Dutch side to team silver. Their outstanding medal haul also includes triple gold at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and 2019 Europeans, plus gold medals at Rio 2016 and the 2017 Europeans.

Reflecting on what another title would mean, Sanne added: “Each one is different of course, but if I look back to the five years leading to Tokyo my preparations and the way I handled the sport and championships when I look back was quite obsessive. I did hardly anything but ride and prepare and make sure he was fit.

“My focus has changed a little, though of course it’s still a championships – you still want to win and gold is still my favourite colour, but the focus has changed even more to being a good rider, horse welfare and making him happy and fit and that’s what I really realised yesterday.

“At the vet check I realised this might be the first championship [we] could lose, but there’s no way you can lose if you have such a horse. Such an amazing partner who is happy and fit and having a good ride there is no way you can lose.”

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Britain remains unbeaten in Paralympics dressage team competition after securing gold in a nail-biting conclusion to today’s competition at the Tokyo Paralympics. Find out what happened on the fourth day of action at Baji Koen Equestrian Park…

It went down to the wire in the team competition, with the Brits securing gold by just 0.6% over the Netherlands. The Grade IV champion, Dutch rider Sanne Voets, produced an outstanding test under pressure, but the three Brits had done enough to take the gold.

• Find out how the final day played out

The British trio admitted that the never in a “million years” thought they would be going home with team gold medals around their necks

• Hear what they had to say about what their hopes were for this week and why gold was such a surprise

Sophie Wells conjured a personal best from the inexperienced Don Cara M to strengthen British hopes.

• Read how Sophie put Britain in the driving seat

Sophie described her relief at surviving the test, particularly given all scores now count

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The US team managed to hold on to bronze, keeping a valiant Danish team at bay by just 0.028%.

• Find out how the Americans made the podium

Belgium’s elegant side-saddle rider Barbara Minneci chatted to H&H about what it was like to ride in Tokyo’s “wonderful” arena

• Learn about Barbara’s story and her willing (but spooky) partner, Stuart.

And meet H&H’s rider of the day, Australian Sharon Jarvis, who announced her retirement from the sport after the team test today

• Read about history-maker Sharon and how a social media plea resulted in her finding her Tokyo ride

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Britain extended her unbeaten golden run at the Tokyo Paralympics, taking the top spot in the Paralympics dressage team competition by a whisker. Team GB’s three team riders, Lee Pearson, Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells held off the Dutch challenge by just 0.656%.

This time round, gold was far from a certainty, as Britain had lost its aura of invincibility at the previous World and European Championships, when the Netherlands took gold. With a team of inexperienced horses, Britain was aiming for the podium, but the gold was always going to be a bonus given the strength of the other teams.

And it did prove to be a battle between the Dutch and the Brits. But after both Lee (Breezer) and Sophie (Don Cara M) pulled out personal best marks for their respective partnerships, it was up to the Netherlands’ Sanne Voets also to conjure up the test of her life to secure the gold. She did manage to produce a stunning personal best of 78.2%, but Britain had just done enough.

“It was my aim to do my best test ever – for everything to come together at the right time, after working for five years,” said Sanne. “It was almost magical and I loved riding to music. It helps me to focus and I felt my smile just get bigger and bigger.”

Sanne had a tactic for dealing with the pressure of already knowing what mark she had to produce to secure gold for the Netherlands, due to the Brits having completed.

“My biggest goal was to make my horse shine, and give him that spotlight he deserves,” she says. “That helped me focus, and I think that all three of us [Dutch] riders rode the tests we wanted, with no mistakes.”

Paralympics dressage: the fight for medals

The US team (Roxanne Trunnell, Kate Shoemaker and Rebecca Hart) were 5% adrift in bronze. Their individual gold medal-winning Grade I rider Roxanne produced the top score throughout the team tests of 80.321% on Dolton.

Kate Shoemaker produced a lovely test for 71.825% on Solitaer 40, but admitted she was hoping for a better mark.

“I’m disappointed in the score, that it didn’t come in higher as I think it might the best test he’s ever done,” she said. “I wanted the results to be higher for the Paralympic experience, but as far as representing your country it’s a wonderful opportunity – irreplaceable.”

Denmark made a valiant effort to finish just off the podium in fourth, with Tobias Jørgensen producing a fabulous display on his grey mare Jolene Hill to score 79.559. They were 0.028% behind the US.

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The opening day of dressage action at the Tokyo Paralympic Games had it all – medals, emotion, excitement and a whole heap of inspirational horses and riders. Find out how day one unfolded in the Equestrian Park...

Sir Lee Pearson scooped his 12th Paralympic gold medal with the home-bred Breezer in the grade II individual at the Tokyo Paralympics, with an international personal best for the combination in all para tests

• Find out why this win meant so much to Lee

And what a start for Paralympic debutantes Georgia Wilson and the seven-year-old Sakural. The pair’s talent, cool heads and maturity beyond their years was rewarded with a bronze medal in the grade II individual

• Read more about the eye-catching chestnut mare Sakura – who shares a name with Japan’s iconic cherry blossom – and what Georgia was most please about in their performance

Sophie Wells and Don Cara M capped the day with an emotional silver, rounding off a full-house of medals from the three Brits in action on day one in the Equestrian Park

• Learn what the key has been to this “Ferrari” of a horse and what the win meant to Sophie

Meanwhile, Belgium’s Michele George and Best Of 8 posted an impressive score of 76.52% to secure grade V gold at the Tokyo Paralympics

• Hear what Michele felt was the “most important thing” about her performance today

Reigning grade IV world and European champions Sanne Voets and Demantur added their first Paralympic title to their glittering collection, with individual gold

• Read what Sanne had to say about the pair’s sparkling performance

H&H’s Tokyo horse of the day is US rider Kate Shoemaker’s equine partner, Solitaer 40

• Read more about this pair’s amazing journey, their special bond and why people should never tell them that they “can’t”

Ahead of the action, H&H caught up with team groom Jade Lockwood, to chat about careers, life in the ParalympicsGB camp and how she got into grooming

• Find out more about Jade’s experiences of her first Paralympic Games and life behind the scenes at Tokyo’s Equestrian Park

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

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Dutch rider Sanne Voets has claimed her first Paralympic dressage individual title with a winning score of 76.58% for her test with Demantur at the Tokyo Games.

Sanne and the 13-year-old Vivaldi son have won gold in the very competitive grade IV individual championship, ahead of Brazil’s Rodolpho Riskalla with Don Henrico in silver and Belgium’s Manon Claeys with San Dior 2 in bronze. 

Sanne looked as though she meant business as she entered the arena, and she and Demantur produced a faultless performance at the Baji Koen Equestrian Park. The gelding is not the flashiest horse, but is very pleasing to watch, maintaining a consistent, open frame and showing off his gloriously rhythmic and uphill canter. They scored at least one 7.5 or above for almost every movement.

Accuracy is highly rewarded in Paralympic dressage, and Sanne set up every movement expertly, riding balanced canter loops and smart transitions, and was rewarded by marks of 8.5 for her riding skill. Her smile grew bigger as she neared the finale, and she punched the air at her final halt. As their score – close to their international personal best in this test – flashed up on the boards, Sanne dissolved into tears.

“My face pretty much told it all – I’m over the moon with him,” said Sanne. “He still amazes me every day.

“When you are sitting on a horse like that, there’s no way you cannot smile and you cannot enjoy your test. He felt really powerful, but in a soft way, in a very smooth contact and he just kept going uphill throughout the test.

“Demantur also travelled here really well. He’s happy, and fit, and relaxed. Of course you’re here to to perform at your very best, and you want to win medals but in our sport, there’s always one thing more important than the result, and that’s your horse and him being happy.”

Sanne, 34, is aiming to achieve the elusive “triple-triple” in Tokyo, having topped the individual and freestyle classes at both the World Equestrian Games in 2018 and the 2019 Europeans – and they were on the winning team on both occasions. She and Demantur claimed freestyle gold at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, but narrowly missed out on a medal in the individual championship, finishing fourth, which will have no doubt made her even hungrier for success in this test here. 

As well as starting as favourite to win the Paralympic dressage individual title, Sanne is also hotly tipped to take the freestyle title with a new routine, while the Netherlands have a very good chance of taking the team gold medal – though will face strong challenge from the USA and Britain in particular.

Rodolpho collected his first Paralympic medal, with a silver to add to his pair of individual silvers at the World Equestrian Games in 2018, also with his Tokyo ride, the 18-year-old Don Frederico stallion Don Henrico. They produced a flamboyant, attractive test with a particularly lovely canter section to score 74.66%.

“I’m really happy and the horse was super,” said Brazilian Rodolpho. “When you can go in there and you can deliver what you prepare – we always say we want more and we want better, but everybody has worked a lot to be here and it’s hard work. When you can go in and do almost every single thing as planned, then it’s super fun and I’m super happy.”

Manon added to the silver and bronze medals she won at the 2019 Europeans at this, her first Paralympic Games. She and the Stedinger x De Niro gelding San Dior 2 posted 72.85% to clinch the bronze over Sweden’s Louise Etzner Jakobsson.

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Tokyo Paralympic medal contender Sanne Voets was listening to music in the car when inspiration came to her in a eureka moment.

The reigning world and European champion was in her car, listening to popular Dutch band Haevn, when she felt compelled to create a freestyle routine around the group’s music.

“It was a song about finding that fire within you, the thing that sets your soul on fire, going after that passion, and taking that leap of faith,” said the Dutch para dressage rider.

“It really moved me, and it felt personal. In my career as a dressage rider, I always did things differently to other people.” So Sanne booked tickets to a Haevn gig and approached them at the end, to ask if they would consider a collaboration.

“They were signing CDs and I just went there and said, ‘Hi, I’m Sanne, I’m aiming for Tokyo 2020 and I would love to work with you’,” she said.

“They were really not dressage people at all, but they were really open to it, and we decided to make a very unique piece of dressage music together. First time I heard it, I was like, ‘wow’.”

The 34-year-old added her Tokyo Paralympic freestyle soundtrack is “really, really different” to other dressage music people are used to hearing.

“Most dressage music has a good beat that you find and match with the rhythm of the horse. But this is like fairytale music. It has a very light piano and some electric sounds, and the singer has a very unique voice,” she said.

Sanne heads to Tokyo aboard the 13-year-old Vivaldi gelding Demantur as one of the Games’ top medal contenders. The pair won freestyle gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics with their routine to a soundtrack featuring Dutch dance star Armin van Buuren’s international hit “This is what it feels like”.

The combination went on to win three gold medals at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and 2019 European Championships. They head to Tokyo aiming for the elusive “triple-triple” of titles at consecutive championships.

Sanne explained how she has been preparing to cope with the heat.

“We had a very Dutch summer,” she said. “It was 18C, and here it is 38C. The difference is huge. So we rented an indoor arena, and huge, huge industrial heaters, and humidifiers. And we trained in 35 degrees, every day for two weeks, with the help of a vet and a physiologist, to make sure that we were prepared in the best way possible.”

The grade IV world number one is also a journalist and is hoping coverage of the event will focus more on sporting achievements than athletes’ disabilities.

“Sometimes, the first question is always, ‘What’s your handicap, and how did you get it?’,” she said. “I sometimes struggle with that. Is it really relevant to talk about? And is it OK to ask someone that?

“I’m not sure whether it is or not, because the question implies, ‘What’s wrong with you?’. I’m always like, ‘there’s actually more to me than my disability’.”

Sanne’s Tokyo Paralympic campaign will start with the grade IV individual medal competition on Thursday (26 August).

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Opinion

I rushed back from work to watch Sophie Wells fight for her individual grade V title online at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. To be able to watch world-class para dressage live is a dream.

Across all grades, from a walk-only test to the advanced movements of the grade V, the overall picture needs to be harmonious. A para judge will forgive lack of expression and power if it makes them smile.

It was easy to forget that Natasha Baker has only had the ride on Diva for 8 months. I’m excited to see what the future holds with the partnership, as test riding and experience will easily tidy up the places where she can gain marks. The spook in the freestyle was really unfortunate and reminds us that we are working with living animals and nothing can be taken for granted.

I really hope that Natasha has started something new for British para riders by teaming up with Mount St John’s Stud.

Horsepower has shot up massively and we can no longer afford to buy the calibre of horse required to defend our titles. We need to bring in owners and breeders to the sport, and think about how we fundraise.

Erin Orford also did amazingly, considering the wrong freestyle music was played. I’m not sure I would have been so cool and collected!

It takes quite a lot to impress me, but Denmark’s Stinna Tange Kaastrup always does. To do leg-yield with no legs is quite something. Talented and articulate, she is a brilliant ambassador for para dressage. I remember her bursting onto the scene at Kentucky in 2010, where she won silver. She is now world champion.

Interesting judging

There were 17 riders in the grade I, which was great, though I predicted the top three beforehand. Italy’s Sara Morganti on the faithful Royal Delight was consistent and correct, meaning the judges couldn’t give her anything below a seven. Laurentia Tan and Elke Philipp’s horses have more impressive walks, but as the movement gets bigger, it is more difficult for us as the most disabled athletes to keep the consistency.

The judging was interesting in the grade I — the top four competitors were ranked from first to eighth across the five judges.

The judges need to collectively decide what they are looking for in a walk test, which it appears they did for the rest of the week. But it also begs the question whether we should drop the highest and lowest score when we have five judges.

This would have meant that the USA’s Roxanne Trunnell, who came fifth, would have won individual bronze to add to her freestyle medal.

Finding Horsepower

The Brits did remarkably well to hold on to the silver medal. When Rixt van der Horst and Sanne Voets won the individual titles in grades III and IV, and with Frank Hosmar not far behind Sophie, I did think it was going to be tight.

The Dutch have been knocking at the door since 2015 and with new combinations on our team this year, it was a tough ask to hold on to our undefeated record.

But this should be the wake-up call we need to keep on pushing for those marginal gains, and we need the help of the public in finding and financing horsepower for the talent we have in this country. The squad has gone through change recently and it will take time to build up experience.

With two years until Tokyo we have work to do, but I’m ready for it!

Ref Horse & Hound; 27 September 2018

There was a protest today (Saturday, 22 September) over the medals in the Adequan-sponsored para dressage grade IV individual freestyle at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Tryon, USA.

Brazilian chef d’equipe Rodrigo Bezerra Braga lodged the protest on behalf of rider Rodolpho Riskalla, who took the silver on Don Henrico behind the Netherlands’ Sanne Voets (NED) on Demantur NOP.

The protest stated that, contrary to article 8421.2.4.7 of the para equestrian dressage rules, Sanne had executed one sequence change of four-tempis, instead of five-tempis.

Following a review of the official video footage of Sanne’s test, the ground jury unanimously agreed that there was no attempt by Sanna at a deliberate sequence change of four tempis and that she had in fact made a mistake at the end of the movement, which they had taken into account in their original scoring.

As a result, the protest was denied and the placings remained unchanged, with Sanne in gold, Rodolpho in silver and the home side’s Kate Shoemaker in bronze with Solitaer. Sanne scored 79.645%, with Rodolpho on 77.78% and Kate on 73.23%.

There was drama in the grade III freestyle today too, when the penultimate competitor, Britain’s Natasha Baker took a fall near the start of her test on Mount St John Diva Dannebrog.

The para dressage at WEG concluded this afternoon. The individual showjumping final and the cones phase of the driving will take place tomorrow to finish the 2018 WEG. Britain has one rider in showjumping, Amanda Derbyshire on Luibanta BH. She is currently lying in 15th place.

Article continues below…

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Horse & Hound’s bumper magazine reports from WEG are in the issues dated 20 September (dressage and eventing) — on sale now — and 27 September (showjumping and para dressage).

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Sophie Wells added to Britain’s gold rush with victory in the grade V individual championship at the World Equestrian Games, in Tryon.

The multi-medalled para rider piloted Charlotte Hogg’s C Fatal Attraction (below) to gold with 75.43%, in a test filled with harmony and power. It didn’t get off to an ideal start however, when Sophie and “Jorge” cantered out of their first halt, instead of trotting.

“I think he was a little bit nervous and it would have been helpful not to have a blip, though it does bring you back down to earth. But as we went along it got better and better,” said Sophie, who took gold with the 11-year-old Fidertanz gelding at the Gothenberg Europeans in 2017, but has not had an individual world title since 2010.

“This feels amazing, I’m so chuffed,” said Sophie. “I missed out on gold in Normandy in 2014, and it feels like a long time to get a chance to try again. I’m just so proud of Jorge — it’s been a long journey and this means such a lot. He came out today and he wanted to work and wanted to do it. But I think there’s even more in the tank for later in the week.”

Sophie’s long-time grade V rival, Frank Hosmar of the Netherlands, scored 73.17% to claim the silver medal with Alphaville NOP, while Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp took bronze on Look At Me Now in her first season of para dressage.

There was disappointment for Britain’s Lee Pearson, who retired his home-bred mare Styletta in the grade II individual earlier in the day, after the nine-year-old became unsettled.

“She seems to be struggling a bit with the humidity here. She’s only nine years old; she’s a spectacularly powerful horse and each day she’s been here she’s been feeling like she’s struggling a bit with the weather,” said Lee.

“I didn’t want to retire; I’m passionate about doing my best in the arena for my country but I felt that it was the right thing to do.”

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Denmark’s Stinna Tange Kaastrup took her first world title in the grade II, riding the Gribaldi gelding Horsebo Smarties. It proved a tight tussle between Stinna and Austria’s Pepo Puch, with a new championship ride, Sailor’s Boy. But Stinna’s 72.74% was just enough to clinch the title over Pepo, with the Netherlands’ Nicole De Dulk and Wallace NOP collecting bronze.

The grade IV championship went to the Netherlands, Sanne Voets leading from first draw with Demantur NOP, the talented Vivaldi gelding on whom she took freestyle gold in Rio and the European championship title in Gothenberg last year.

Rodolpho Riskalla landed silver for Brazil — his first championship medal — aboard another stunning chestnut, the Don Frederico stallion Don Henrico, while Denmark’s Susanne Jensby Sunesen won bronze with CSK’s Que Faire.

The individual para championships continue tomorrow, with Britain’s Natasha Baker and Erin Orford both in action in the grade III division. Natasha will ride Mount St John Diva Dannebrog at 9.30am (2.30pm UK time), while Erin will compete with Dior at 12.18pm (5.18pm UK time).

The full report on the para dressage from WEG will be in next week’s Horse & Hound magazine, out Thursday 27 September, including exclusive analysis and expert opinion

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1. Pepo Puch

As soon as Pepo Puch’s individual gold medal winning score been announced, cries of “Papa, Papa” could be heard in the mixed zone. Pepo’s nine-year-old daughter Lou came running towards her father, weaving through the pack of journalists and trailing an Austrian flag, before throwing herself into his arms. She was closely followed by Pepo’s wife and trainer, Michele, and seeing the family embrace and celebrate together was one of the most touching moments of the Games.

2. Lee Pearson

Lee Pearson may have already had 10 gold medals to his name, but it was winning his 11th, in the grade Ib freestyle, that the tears came in their floods.

“I’m thinking of all the hard work this gold has taken, especially when some people don’t believe in your horse,” said Lee, who is the most decorated Paralympic rider of all time.

“I’m in love with my team. I’m in love with the lottery. I’m in love with my family, my parents, my brothers, my groom, my partner — everybody that has kept me in the game, kept me here.”

3. Sanne Voets

The Dutch team may have won the bronze medal, but on the Thursday night Sanne Voets was empty-handed as she had been competing as an individual and not on the team. After finishing an agonising fourth in the grade III individual, she and her Vivaldi gelding Demantur gave the freestyle their all and were rewarded with gold.

“I think I collapsed when I heard I had won the gold!” said Sanne.

4. Stinna Kaastrup

One of the most moving stories of the Games was that of Denmark’s Stinna Kaastrup. The 22-year-old, who was born without legs, was due to compete at the London Paralympics when her pony Labbenhus Snoevs died suddenly just weeks beforehand. In the interim years she has struggled to find the right horse until Smarties was offered to her, but it took the gelding months to understand her aids and earlier this year she said it would not be possible to be ready for Rio. Then, Stinna experienced “the worst night of my life” after Smarties failed the trot-up. Having made it to Rio against the odds, finally passed the trot-up on reinspection, and produced the grade Ib performances of her life to secure two bronze medals, there is no one who deserved a place on the podium more.

5. Medals

Discovering that the Rio 2016 Paralympic medals make different noises, as a much-appreciated gesture to blind athletes, came as a surprise to winners. Each colour medal contains a different number of tiny balls, so the bronze makes a deep rattle, the silver a higher-pitched noise, and the gold the highest of all.

6. Natasha Baker

Britain’s Natasha Baker began crying at the salute in her gold medal-winning individual test, and never stopped. This was her London partner Cabral’s final championship and the 15-year-old had proved tricky in the first class of the week, after suffering stage fright in the huge Olympic stadium. But he was a different horse in the second test, and Natasha couldn’t thank her horse enough, “for allowing me to show the world what he can do”.

7. Sergio Oliva

Brazil haven’t won a Paralympic dressage medal since Beijing 2008, but Sergio Oliva delivered what the hoards of fans were hoping for here. The grade Ia rider almost disappeared under a crowd of Brazilian friends, family, media and other supporters after receiving the first of his two gold medals, for the individual championship, and the noisy celebrations continued into the evening.

8. Sophie Wells

For four years, Sophie Wells has been haunted by the memory of losing out on the grade IV individual gold medal in London. Here she achieved her dream with her own Valerius, a 14-year-old gelding she has trained herself for a decade. Seeing her wipe away the tears on the top of the podium, gazing down at the horse with whom she has shared such a journey, was enough to make everybody glad they were wearing sunglasses.

To read the full report from the Rio Paralympic dressage competition, don’t miss the next issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out tomorrow (22 September)

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Britain’s Sophie Wells had to settle for silver in today’s grade IV freestyle, as Belgium’s Michele George pipped her to gold by 0.15%.

“I can’t control the judges or what they see,” reasoned Sophie, who nonetheless was “chuffed to bits” with Valerius.

The pair performed a brand new freestyle, set to an original composition, and put everything into their floorplan, with three-time changes, half pirouettes and counter canter.

“It took a lot to get this freestyle ready this year, and he was awesome in there. I really loved riding it,” said Sophie, who won individual gold on Wednesday. “I just want to go in and do it again now.”

Michele George and FBW Rainman were foot perfect in their routine to defend their freestyle title from London. Michele was disappointed not to defend her individual title, having taken silver behind Sophie earlier in the week, but was thrilled to be back on top.

“I needed to do something to show everybody I am the best, so I am proud I have achieved the gold medal.

“I am quite overwhelmed at the moment. ‘Fuchs’ was really working with me in there and I enjoyed every second.”

This will be the last Paralympics for both Valerius and Rainman, as both are now 14.

Continued below…

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The line-up was an exact repeat of London, with the Netherlands’ Frank Hosmar finishing in bronze with Alphaville.

But the Dutch had already heard their national anthem ring out across the stadium earlier in the day, when Sanne Voets claimed gold in the grade III freestyle with Demantur. The winning margin was even closer than in the grade IV — just 0.05% separated Sanne and silver medal winner Ann Cathrin Lubbe of Norway.

Sanne has ridden as an individual in Rio and therefore was not part of the bronze medal-winning Dutch team. But this gold makes up for it.

“I believed when we got here that if I do everything right in the freestyle there’s no one who can beat me, and we did everything right today. I think I collapsed when I heard I’d won.”

Britain’s individual rider, Lee Pearson, will contest the grade Ib freestyle this afternoon, followed by Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham in the grade Ia and Natasha Baker in the grade II.

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Madeleine Hill keeps us to date with today's action from the grade Ib and grade III classes at the La Prairie Racecourse in Normandy

Lee Pearson and Zion scored 77.138% to win the grade Ib championship putting him back on top of the world.

“I feel elated, after not going to the Europeans, and putting my trust in this horse, and getting other people’s trust in this horse. I’ve had lots of support from friends and family and he’s just an amazing horse. I had a tough time in London and a tough time the past couple of years, so to come back on a different horse and to win is just amazing. ”

Lee beat his great rival, Austria’s Pepo Puch, by a safe two per cent. He rode a very fluent test with consistent cadence throughout which really showed off Zion’s lovely rhythmical trot. Having ridden early in the class, Lee had to be patient before his championship win was declared.

“Pepo went before me and I watched his test,” explained Lee. “I thought it was an absolutely beautiful test, but he had a bad transition and perhaps was not always engaged enough. I thought that’s a beatable score. Watching him gave me confidence.”

Lee was thrilled with his horse’s performance even before he knew he had won. After his test, he said: “What a horse! He gives me everything. He stayed really relaxed today. He was still aware of the arena, but warmed up perfectly, long loose and round, and when I asked for some engagement we got that big loose trot that he offers. His walk was really strong today too.”

British individual Ricky Balshaw was disappointed to come 7th, although it means he still goes through to the freestyle on LJT Enggaards Solitaire on Friday, and he’s hoping for a stronger performance then. “It’s just one of those things, he nearly had me off before we went in, but hopefully he’ll settle. Just got to go back and work on things.”

Grade III

The talented German rider Hannelore Brenner won the Grade lll championship on her chestnut Hannoverian mare Women of the World.

“She was wonderful today, so good, she really wanted to win,” said Hanna, “She really is a championship horse, when she comes into the arena she just grows.”

Hanna, a former event rider, before she had an accident in 1986, just beat the Dutch rider Sanne Voets on Vedet PB N.O.P. by less than one per cent. That’s the closest the gap has ever been between the two.

Sanne intends to keep chasing her rival and catch up with her – preferably in the freestyle later this week. “Last year we won the silver in Herning but the difference between me and Hanna was quite big, but I am getting closer all the time,” she said.

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