Latest from Horse & Hound in Tokyo-2020-paralympic-games

‘He took his cheekiness to extremes’: tributes paid to Tokyo-qualified horse who lost his life to colic

Becky Murray — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 15:22:02 +0000

Paralympian Sophie Christiansen has paid tribute to her Tokyo-qualified ride Innuendo II, who has been put down following a bout of colic.

“Louie” became ill on Sunday (13 March) and was referred to a vet hospital but the 15-year-old gelding’s condition worsened.

Sophie told H&H the loss had been a “massive shock”.

“When I was told Louie was going into hospital I was already thinking about how to rehab him. I didn’t think things would go the way they did,” she said.

“He was such a character, everyone on the yard loved him. I do like my horses that are a bit cheeky, but he took his cheekiness to extremes.”

Sophie bought Louie from Olivia Pack in August 2019, and the pair were selected for the Tokyo Paralympics, but weeks before the Games he was ruled out owing to a veterinary issue.

“Olivia was riding him and I parked up beside the arena in my wheelchair. There was another horse in the school who freaked out at my wheelchair but Louie was like, ‘Yeah, and…?’ – and that’s the type of temperament I need in a horse.”

Sophie described Louie as an “elephant scared of a mouse” at times and said he did have the tendency to “spook at Pokemon”, but the pair had a good connection and a highlight was scoring plus 80% in a freestyle test in the run-up to Tokyo.

“I hadn’t broken the 80% barrier since 2016, so doing that really showed Louie’s potential. I was really sad not to go to Tokyo to showcase what his talent could be,” she said.

“It feels bittersweet that I never got to show off his full potential but he really taught me so much, in terms of how to ride a slightly spooky horse and how to get the most out of a horse. He wasn’t the sassiest, but he was good, solid and dependable, so it was up to me to squeeze every mark out. He really did wonders for my riding.”

Olivia owned Louie for seven years before selling him to Sophie. The pair competed up to medium level, and competed at the British Dressage Winter Championships at elementary in 2019.

Olivia told H&H she had to sell Louie after putting a deposit down on a house but got a surprise when Sophie’s assistant emailed her.

“I met Sophie at the nationals in 2012 just after the Paralympics and had my photo taken with her and remember being a complete fan girl. So when her assistant contacted me about Louie I actually thought it was a scam at first,” she said.

“Sophie tried Louie, and she wanted to see him again but I was working shifts at the time and said ‘I trust him enough, so if you want to go up and treat him as your own that’s absolutely fine’. She spent a couple of days with him, and said he was great. He had never had a para rider on him and he just took everything in his stride.”

Olivia said when she heard Sophie and Louie had qualified for Tokyo she “burst out crying”.

“I was so proud,” she said. “When I first got him I couldn’t even walk around off the lunge on him, and then he qualified for the Paralympics. It was just crazy.”

Olivia said she has had a difficult few weeks after her grandfather recently died, then Sophie contacted her to tell her about Louie.

“My grandad used to come to all of my competitions with Louie, he was so proud of us. It’s comforting knowing they are up there together now,” she said. “I know Louie can rest peacefully knowing he made an impact on so many people.”

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SOPHIE CHRISTIANSEN - INNUENDO III (Image credit: Kevin Sparrow)

British Paralympic squad changes: new face to make Games debut as multi-medallist ruled out

(Image credit: Kevin Sparrow)

Finding a Paris 2024 horse, spiralling costs and implications for future of the sport

(Image credit: Kevin Sparrow)

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Rider who lost both legs in terror attack wins prestigious FEI award

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 21:04:20 +0000

A rider who lost both legs in a terrorist attack and made her Paralympic debut in Tokyo this summer has been named winner of the FEI “against all odds” award.

US rider Beatrice de Lavalette said it “means everything” to win the award, which is given annually to someone who has “pursued their equestrian ambitions despite a physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstance”.

Beatrice suffered the life-changing injuries in the attack on Zaventem Airport, Brussels, in March 2016.

“As a result of the attack, I lost a part of myself and my freedom,” she said. “It took me a while to get through my sadness of losing my legs, losing my ability to walk, and waking up in a completely different life.

“Every time I get on a horse, I gain my freedom back. I get to ride a horse almost as everybody else. I get to ride a horse pretty damn well. I love doing it.

“Experimenting and doing different things with the horses gives a sense of power that I often lose being in a chair. So having that sense of freedom and that power back means everything.”

The award was presented by FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibáñez and Belgian Paralympic committee president Anne d’Ieteren.

“The Against All Odds Award means everything”, Beatrice de Lavalette said. “The FEI stands for the highest standard of competition I can achieve, so being recognised by them is awesome and a true honour. It shows me that everything I have done these five or six years has been seen and people have realised how big it really is.”

Peder Fredricson, who was on the Swedish gold medal-winning showjumping team in Tokyo and took individual silver, won the Peden Bloodstock FEI best athlete award.

The 49-year-old world number one, who was unable to attend the gala dinner, said in a video: “I’m really proud and grateful. It means a lot to me, my team, and all my owners.

“Thank you very much to the FEI, to Longines for the beautiful watch and also to Peden Bloodstock for supporting the award. I would like to thank all the people who voted for me too. I’m also very excited to be number one in the Longines rankings. It’s a goal I’ve had for a couple of years.

“I always try to do my best and improve myself, my team and the horses, rather than beat anyone else. We all work really hard to keep the horses fit and healthy, to achieve these goals and win many medals. I’m also very grateful to my owners who stand by me and provide me with this good string of horses. Thank you very much!”

German eventer Greta Busacker, 19, who won team and individual gold at the young rider European Championships, won the Longines FEI rising star award. Her mother Ingrid Klimke won the best athlete award in 2019 and 2020.

“Words can’t describe how honoured I feel because there are so many young talented riders out there,” she said. “They work as hard as I do and I get to stand here. This is for my whole team, my family, my friends. Without them I’d be nothing.”

Greta paid tribute to her horse, 10-year old Oldenburg gelding Scrabble.

“With Scrabble, I’ve learned to be patient. When I stand in the starting box and the countdown is on, I know that I can trust him 100%,” she said. “He has such courage and never gives up. Our connection is such a strong bond. Thank you Scrabble!”

Sweden’s Marie Johansson took the Cavalor FEI best groom award, in recognition of her hard work and dedication in looking after dressage rider Patrik Kittel’s horses. Patrik and his wife Lyndal Oatley were there to celebrate.

“This award means everything to me”, she said. “It’s amazing that we grooms can also be a part of this gala. I’m so happy about all the people who voted for me, it’s such a big thing. I’m super happy and super proud.”

The 2021 FEI solidarity award went to China’s Equuleus Charity, which aims to support young, underprivileged students reach their equestrian dreams while completing their academic studies.

The award is given each year to an “equestrian development project or an individual or organisation that has demonstrated skill, dedication and energy in expanding equestrian sport”.

“I would like to thank, first of all, the FEI and FEI solidarity, who really care about what people do,” founder and CEO Michelle Wang Qiang said. “I would like to thank the Chinese Equestrian Association, who support colleges, students, and our charity, our partner foundations and Alex Hua Tin and his mother Sarah Noble.”

This year’s winners were decided by a combination of public and judges’ votes.

Also present at the gala in Antwerp were the 2020 award winners; Ingrid Klimke, Semmieke Rothenberger, Carmen Thiemann, Angelika Trabert and Ebony Horse Club, who were invited as last year’s ceremony was cancelled owing to the pandemic.

“This is the first time since 2019 that we have been able to celebrate the stars of our sport in person,” said FEI president Ingmar De Vos. “The global pandemic and the EHV-1 outbreak have been very tough on our industry, and I am pleased that we had the opportunity to bring together the community to celebrate these achievements tonight.

“This edition of the FEI awards is special for me, not just because it is being held in a city close to my home in Belgium, but also because it is the FEI’s centennial year. These awards, and the high calibre of nominees every year, continue to be a testament to the growth of our sport and gives us great hope for the future.”

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How a Horse & Hound advert helped a Tokyo Paralympian find her ‘heart horse’

Lucy Elder — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:02:51 +0000

A chance phone call to an advert placed in Horse & Hound led to Canadian rider Bert Sheffield finding her Tokyo Paralympic dressage star Fairuza.

UK-based Bert was looking for a new challenge when she spotted an advert for part-bred Friesian driving horses in H&H in 2015.

“I contacted the breeder and he said, ‘I haven’t got any Friesian crosses left, but I’ve got about 100 [part-bred] Gelderlanders. Do you want to come and look?’” she explains.

“She was pretty inexpensive, so I bought her thinking well if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, then I’ve not lost much. I thought that she would be a project and I could sell her on, but actually the more she came out of her shell, the more I thought ‘oh I really like you’ and she’s stuck around. She’s not going anywhere. She’s absolutely my heart horse. She just has the most amazing temperament.”

Roberta Sheffield riding Fairuza CAN. Team competition. Grade 3. (Image credit: Liz Gregg)

Bert started “Wonky”, as the now 12-year-old is affectionately known owing to her crooked stripe, slowly, giving the lightly handled mare plenty of time to adjust to her new career.

“It took quite a long time, but it’s amazing how she coped with it all,” she says. “I really enjoyed doing groundwork and horsemanship work as well as the dressage.”

Bert adds the fact Wonky was “a bit of an underdog” appealed to her.

“She’s unusual breeding for dressage. She’s no recorded breeding – I mean we know she’s Gelderlander cross KWPN, but it’s all driving lines, not fancy dressage lines. I’ve had to defend her quite a lot from people saying, ‘Oh, she’s ugly, she’s not elegant, she’s heavy, she’s old fashioned’. And she was very spooky and very quirky, especially at the beginning.

“I just kept looking at her and thinking, ‘the brain is so good’. Because when you’re on her, she gives herself over to you. She doesn’t hold anything back. She’s incredibly expressive just in her daily way of being, so I always thought, ‘when I can get that on my side, she’s going to be amazing’. Everything about her is this total extrovert.”

Bert took Wonky to the H&H Festival of Dressage at Sheepgate in 2018, where the mare competed in her first ever test outdoors, and from there they have gone on to bag wins and top placings across the world.

In Tokyo, the pair scored a personal best of 72% in the team test and also finished 12th in the close-fought grade III individual contest on 69.77%. She also served as “friendly horse” to Sir Lee Person’s Breezer.

“Tokyo was actually the nicest games experience I’ve had,” says Bert, adding this was both a combination of their achievements at the event and the fact the team were able to bond during pre-export quarantine.

“Because the Canadian team is quite a disparate team. We don’t get to spend much time together unless we’re actually at a Games. So it was really nice to reconnect with the team before we were in that mega high pressure environment.”

Bert adds that is the mare’s ability to focus and deliver in that pressurised atmosphere, forged through their partnership, that makes her so special.

“Why she’s so lovely, to me, is because in that high pressure environment, she doesn’t quit. She doesn’t dry up on you, she just says ‘right what do you want me to do?’. She’s such a friend as well – since we’ve been home, we’ve been riding out on the stubble. Even when we were in Germany, before we went into the export quarantine camp in Aachen, we went hacking all around the locality around the edges of Cologne. She’s high performance one day and you could put pretty much anyone on her and take them out hacking the next. What a horse.”

Eyes on the future after an exceptional summer for British equestrian sport

Lucy Elder — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 20:36:08 +0000

All eyes are on the future as Britain reflects on a phenomenal summer of success by looking to the next goals.

British riders won 19 senior Olympic, Paralympic and European medals in the space of two months this summer – with 17 combinations sharing in the success.

There are five Brits in the eventing world top 10, as well as two each in the respective top 10s for showjumping, dressage and overall para dressage.

On top of this, British event riders are the reigning champions of all five-star events in the northern hemisphere. They also hold the titles of every four-star (long and short) in Britain this year, with the exception of Barbury – won by Andrew Nicholson.

“It’s been absolutely incredible,” British Equestrian performance director Dickie Waygood told H&H, adding that there is a combination of factors behind why Britain is so strong this year.

He explained that fielding less experienced riders – as well as established riders on less experienced horses – at key events and European Championships in recent years, has helped build that “width and depth” to Britain’s strength, with the next Olympics and World Games on the horizon.

“We haven’t been frightened of putting some younger combinations in and developing them for the future,” he said, adding building confidence has been a key part of Britain’s development.

“The only way to get experience at that level is to keep going into the arena.”

He added that this, combined with the fact that “everybody is judged on merit” makes people “hungry” as they believe they can do it.

He cited the young British side winning the Challenge Cup at the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, plus the fact that three of the British horses on the European eventing squad are only 10 years old as two examples of building success with the future in mind.

British Eventing chief executive Helen West told H&H the summer’s results have been “absolutely incredible” and the future of young horses and riders coming through the ranks is also very exciting.

“I take my hat off to Dickie and Chris [Bartle]. The system they have in place is just phenomenal, it is so professional,” she said.

She added that Britain has always been good, but it is “too much of a coincidence” not to look at the part the current support network for high performance is playing. That includes Dickie and Chris Bartle, plus the trust and expertise in the wider support team of owners, vets and each other.

“It is very professional and I think the riders have confidence in that, and confidence breeds confidence,” she said.

“No stone is left unturned. It is such a slick beast and it was an honour to be in Avenches to witness the British results. There was a real atmosphere, bond and camaraderie [between the squad]. There is so much strength and depth, I don’t think there has ever been a time we have been in such a strong position – and there is still more to come.”

Major shows urged to help para riders win medals in Paris 2024

Lucy Elder — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 19:01:04 +0000

MAJOR show organisers have been called upon to help Britain’s para dressage riders “win gold medals in Paris” and bridge the gap between disability and able-bodied sport.

Sir Lee Pearson and Natasha Baker both spoke of the challenges of preparing horses for the high-octane atmosphere of championships, imploring major UK shows to feature more para sport.

Lee, who won triple gold in Tokyo, said having 10,000 people in the Equestrian Park, had spectators been allowed in, would probably have been “overload” for Breezer.

“We’ve got to get him used to that for Paris,” he said, adding that he has visited retirement home Bagnall Heights, to try to get his horses used to spectators.

“So if any of the big venues at home… can have us doing some displays, they’re going to be possibly helping us win gold medals in Paris. To go from no audience to 10,000 in three years is a big step for a sensitive horse, and they have to cope with the same environment as a grand prix horse.”

Natasha agreed, saying she would like to see the Paralympic movement more in line with the Olympic equivalent, and people need to see disability sport to bring investment and growth.

“We need to be at more able-bodied shows, We need to be more inclusive, we want that recognition that our able-bodied counterparts [receive],” she said.

“They can’t be scared of us, the para dressage riders; we want to be put into the bigger atmospheres. I think we’re making steps towards that, but there’s still too much of a gap. I think our show organisers need to take more responsibility and include us more.”

She added that para riders “want to be involved”, and accessibility will be key to bringing sponsors and owners.

“That is going to open people’s eyes who maybe haven’t seen para dressage and think, ‘I really want to be involved’, or, ‘I’ve got a horse that actually isn’t going to make it to the next level [in able-bodied]. But you know what? They could go to Paris and win a medal,’” she said.

Para dressage has been part of major UK shows in the past, and H&H contacted several organisers to ask about plans. Royal Windsor, the London International Horse Show (formerly Olympia), Your Horse Live and Hickstead all responded, with comments broadly suggesting this is in discussion.

Your Horse Live has frequently featured para dressage.

Event director Emma Bedford told H&H the interviews and demonstrations with para riders “never fail to amaze and delight our crowds”.

“Your Horse Live is an event for horse enthusiasts whatever their age, level, physical ability, or discipline – everyone is welcome,” she said, adding that the common theme is we “all love horses” and want to learn to be the best riders we can.

“We were determined that para riders and their horses would benefit from the same opportunities as all our riders, using our show as a training opportunity, which is particularly important for younger horses as this allows them to become accustomed to the lights and sounds of a 3,000-seater arena in a friendly, unpressured atmosphere,” she said.

“Para riders and enthusiasts will always be an integral part of what makes Your Horse Live such a special event.”

Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn congratulated the British team on their successful Games and told H&H Dressage at Hickstead under Dane Rawlins was a “huge supporter” of para sport.

“Dressage on the main showground is still in its infancy,” she explained, adding that the Premier League show in May featured young horses and ponies, juniors and young riders in its first year, and para dressage is something the venue will consider again.

A spokesman for HPower, which organises Royal Windsor and the London International Horse Show, said its programmes are “constantly under review”.

“We sympathise with the wish to see more para sport in major UK shows,” she said. “There are certain drivers that help us form decisions on programme content – these include audience demand, available time and commercial commitments.

“We have included para riders in our events, whether as a part of the commentary team or in a masterclass, and we recognise the importance of inclusion for the sport.”

Tokyo equestrian anti-doping results revealed as format review confirmed for Paris 2024

Becky Murray — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:03:56 +0000

No cases of human or equine doping were recorded in equestrian sport in Tokyo – as the FEI confirms a “comprehensive” review of the Olympic format will take place ahead of Paris 2024.

Of 38 tests carried out in Tokyo, on 24 Olympic horses, including all individual medallists and those placed fourth, plus at least one horse from all medal-winning and fourth-placed teams. Random and targeted testing was also carried out. Another 38 tests were carried out at the Paralympics on medal-winning horses, plus random and targeted testing.

Human testing at the Olympics was carried out by the International Testing Agency, an independent not-for-profit anti-doping organisation. The testing at the Paralympics was carried out by the Tokyo 2020 organising committee.

FEI president Ingmar De Vos said he was “very proud” to confirm, for the third Games in a row, that all human and equine samples taken in Tokyo had returned negative.

“This should of course be business as usual, but it would be naïve to think that clean Games are guaranteed in any sport. As with all sports in the Olympic movement, the samples will be kept in storage for up to 10 years for potential retesting as improved processes are developed to test for substances that were not reliably detectable at the time of sampling,” he said.

“For now, this result validates all the work that has gone into the FEI clean sport educational campaign over the years, the buy-in of our national federations and the uptake of equine pre-arrival testing and elective testing to ensure our horses would compete clean at the Games.”

Mr De Vos reflected on the Games including the format of the equestrian competition, which changed for Tokyo 2020 to include three riders in a team – instead of four.

“There is no doubt that despite the challenges our sport triumphed in Tokyo and we received lots of very positive feedback. But as always, there are plenty of lessons learnt and key takeaways,” he said.

“There will be a full debrief, which will include a comprehensive review of the formats. Part of that process will be taking into account the feedback we have already received and we are also proactively reaching out to our community to ensure we get extensive input. We will use the learnings from these Games to take forward to Paris 2024.”

Mr De Vos added that all medallists from this year’s Games deserve “huge congratulations”.

“We can look back on incredible sport at Tokyo 2020, with truly great Olympic champions in all three disciplines and in the five Paralympic grades, across both the team and individual competitions. We are blessed with sensational athletes, both equine and human,” he said.

“We all owe a huge debt of thanks to our Japanese hosts in Tokyo, especially to the unbelievably hard-working and dedicated organising committee and the wonderful volunteers. Nothing was too much trouble for them and while we couldn’t see the smiles behind the mandatory masks, we could feel the warmth in their hearts.”

Tales from Tokyo: meet the buckskin stallion making waves on the international competition and breeding scene

Lucy Elder — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 18:23:57 +0000

Victoria Davies’ buckskin stallion Celere caught the eye with his striking good looks and chilled personality on his Paralympic debut at the Tokyo Games.

The Australian combination were the second pair into the arena on the opening day of dressage in the Equestrian Park at Baji Koen, scoring 65.62% to finish ninth in the grade II individual contest.

Tokyo was the first Games for both horse and rider – the pair had been targeting Rio 2016, but Victoria’s health put their Paralympic debut on hold for a further five years.

“We were getting ready for Rio when I was diagnosed with a neurological and spinal condition, which put an end to [our aim] as I had to focus on that,” said Victoria, who faced the heart-breaking decision to withdraw from her selection campaign and undergo high-risk surgery to stabilise her spine.

Victoria found the now 14-year-old Lusitano (Estoiro x Zaquiro) on a trip to Portugal in 2014 and was initially sceptical about whether he was the right horse for her, admitting she “had to be convinced” by her husband.

“But everyone assured me that he had the walk, he had the trot and he had the temperament, which is so important in para – you need that trustworthy mount. So we brought him back to Australia. He’s very special.”

Celere combines competing with stud duties and has a “full line-up” of dates in the diary on his return home from the Games, as well as numerous foals on the ground in both Portugal and Australia.

“He’s usually very chilled, he’s such a dude and he loves junk food – Polo mints, liquorice, sugar, Australia-shaped savoury biscuits, those are his favourites,” she said.

“He’s a fun horse. I’ve had FEI stewards say that he is the quietest horse they’ve ever had – you wouldn’t think he is a stallion.”

While Victoria felt they had more to give than they produced in the Tokyo arena, she was full of praise for Celere and is looking forward to the future.

“It wasn’t our best performance by any means, but you know it’s the horse’s first Games as well [as mine] and I think the atmosphere just closed in on him,” she said. “I just couldn’t get him going forward like what we’ve been producing. But he kept me safe, he’s a good boy and he tried.”

She added: “I’m really happy with how I got ready, mentally and physically. Horses are horses and you can never really tell how they’re going to be. He felt brilliant in the warm-up, he was so relaxed, but as soon as we went out there, he just froze a bit. He got a little bit stage-struck, but next time, we will be better.”

‘Becoming a foster father has made me an emotional wreck’: Sir Lee Pearson on Tokyo, going grand prix and being a father

Polly Bryan — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 11:57:43 +0000

Sir Lee Pearson was one of the British heroes from the Tokyo Paralympics in August, winning two individual gold medals on his home-bred Breezer and leading the British team to their incredible team gold. This was Lee’s sixth Paralympics – he has ridden at every single one starting with Sydney in 2000 – and he has now amassed 14 Paralympic gold medals, but he described the Tokyo Games as a “fairytale”.

“Everybody pulled together with zero egos and it was such an honour to be part of the whole team. This Games was brilliant for that reason, and brilliant as we had no expectations on us, and of course the team result. It was like a dream; it was surreal,” the grade II rider told H&H dressage dressage editor Polly Bryan on episode 67 of the Horse & Hound Podcast, shortly after he returned from Tokyo.

“In the final day’s freestyle to music, Breezer gave me the best test he’s ever given me, in able-bodied and in para dressage. He was on the aids, soft, and really listening, I just fell in love with him all over again. He gave me his little heart out there.”

Lee Pearson’s Paralympics ride: ‘He’s bred like a Ferrari’

For the first time, Britain had gone into a Paralympics without being the favourites to win the team gold, owing to the youth and inexperience of the three horses on the team, none of whom had ever competed at a championship before. Lee’s Barcardi x Metall son Breezer is only 10 years old, but Lee has known him, quite literally, since day one.

“I’ve known Breezer since he was hours old, in the field at my parents in Staffordshire,” he says.

“The sport was heading in a very expensive direction after we converted from riding borrowed horses in 2004, so I bought a broodmare 13 years ago and started planning my future competition horses,” Lee explains. “She was by Metall, by Ferro. I also had a Breitling son who I bought as a foal, and had graded as a stallion. I sold him, but kept some frozen semen, so produced Breezer’s full-brother, called Benson, then Breezer.

“My previous partner had done some competitions on Breezer, and I took over the ride a few years ago. He is naturally very sensitive, and he’s bred like a Ferrari.”

Lee sold Benson, but he did keep Breezer’s half-sister Styletta, whom he rode at the World Equestrian Games in 2018. The Sandros Dancer daughter is now 12 and Lee is aiming to compete her at grand prix.

“I did my first inter I with Styletta the other day – it was my first inter I too – and I was over the moon with her. If I can grow some confidence we might try to get out at grand prix at the end of this year, or the start of next year,” he revealed. “It will be awfully messy but before I ever retire… Well, it’s everybody’s dream, isn’t it? We’re just sorting those canter zig-zags at the moment, and getting a bit more engagement in the piaffe and passage.”

While Lee is as much of a force to be reckoned with in the dressage arena as ever, his life has undergone huge change over the past year, having become a foster father in 2020.

“It’s made me into an emotional wreck,” he said, of fostering 15-year-old Jenson. “We get on really well and he’s great. He completes my life, and my family.”

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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.

Tokyo Games provide a lasting legacy for horse sport in Japan

Lucy Elder — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 19:58:22 +0000

The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic legacy will be felt in Japan long after memories of this summer’s sport fade, with the tangible venue of the Equestrian Park, and the broader boost to equestrianism that has come with the Games.

The revamped Equestrian Park at Baji Koen, itself a legacy venue of both the cancelled 1940 Olympics, and the 1964 Games, will remain in place for the benefit of horse sport in Japan.

The original plan put forward by the Tokyo 2020 organising committee was for a temporary venue in the Tokyo Bay area. But the Japan Racing Authority (JRA), which owns and runs Equestrian Park, and the Japanese Equestrian Federation pushed to re-use the 1964 facility.

The complete refurbishment included building a brand-new veterinary clinic, which is there for the future, as well as upgrading the arena and other facilities.

“We began planning the redevelopment of the venue even before Tokyo won the right to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Takahiro Nishi, adviser to the JRA’s horse-affairs division.

“The Equestrian Park was not initially built to cater to the specific needs and requirements of people with disabilities. But through our preparations for the Paralympic Games, we have gained a better understanding of what we need to do to create a safe and welcoming structure which allows people with different impairments to fully enjoy all that equestrian sport has to offer.

“All our development plans have been created to include accessibility requirements for people with disabilities, so the Equestrian Park, which also functions as a city park, can bring clear benefits to our community even after the Paralympic Games have ended.”

The high-tech footing installed for the Games, which is made up of sand with 1.5% polyester textile fibres, is expected to last for 20 years with the right maintenance, while the JRA-funded state-of-the-art veterinary clinic is another lasting legacy.

“In 2016 the JRA demolished the former veterinary clinic here at Baji Koen and built these fabulous facilities so that we can provide optimal care for the Olympic and Paralympic horses during the Games. And it has a double benefit as a great investment for the future”, said Hiroko Aida, JRA vet and Tokyo 2020 veterinary service manager.

Recognition

The growth of Japan’s strength in the Olympic equestrian disciplines was well documented ahead of and during the Games. The JRA and riders are now hopeful the Paralympic legacy will boost disability equestrian sport in the country.

The JRA has plans to create pathways to enable riders involved in therapeutic programmes to move gradually into para dressage competition. It is also planning to invest in increasing the currently small number of therapeutic riding clubs in the country.

Paralympic dressage rider Sho Inaba, 26, spoke of his hopes that the Games as a whole will increase visibility for disability sport in Japan.

“The Paralympics, as a whole, not only equestrian, allows for people to see that no matter what disability anyone has, if they try their best, they can do almost anything,” he said.

His squad-mate Mitsuhide Miyaji added: “Until now, there has been little recognition of para sports in this country. But the Paralympics have been a good opportunity for many people to learn about para equestrianism and for them to see how people with various disabilities can get involved in the sport.”

Mr Miyaji added that there was no coverage of para equestrian from the Rio 2016 Games, where he also competed, in Japan but there was a great deal in the run-up to Tokyo.

“This has allowed people to see for themselves what the sport has to offer. Also by having so many people in Japan involved in the organisation of the Paralympic Games, it has helped change the perception of para equestrian sport in the country,” he said.

Tokyo legacy: ‘Hope, solidarity and peace’

To host this Games during a pandemic was a risk and an almighty challenge. The price of postponing by a year is estimated at $2.8bn (£2.02bn), taking the final bill to $15.4bn (£11.13) – although some believe the figure to be larger. Market researchers Ipsos MORI studied global attitudes towards the rescheduled Games in the weeks ahead of the opening ceremony, finding 78% of those surveyed in Japan did not think the event should go ahead.

Add to that the fact that Japan declared a state of emergency covering the Tokyo area on 8 July, as a result of rising Covid cases, which meant additional restrictions throughout the Games, no spectators and very few overseas volunteers.

Despite all this, Tokyo pulled off a Games of “hope, solidarity and peace”, as summed up by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

Crucially, it also delivered a Games where the cumulative positive Covid test rate was extremely low – 0.03% as of 8 September, or in real terms, 312 positive samples from 1,017,190 screening tests.

“For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire world came together. Sport returned to centre stage,” said Mr Bach. “Billions of people around the globe were united by emotion, sharing moments of joy and inspiration. This gives us hope. This gives us faith in the future.”

What was your highlight of the Tokyo Games? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, and you could win a bottle of Champagne Taittinger

Carl Hester: Medal-hunting on familiar turf

Carl Hester — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 16:49:22 +0000

British dressage legend and H&H columnist Carl Hester discusses the European Championships and our inspiring Paralympic team

AS you read this, I’ll be in Hagen, Germany, having already competed for the team medals at the European Dressage Championships, alongside Charlotte Dujardin, Lottie Fry and Gareth Hughes. Hopefully, we’ll be preparing to ride the grand prix special though, regrettably, I am not in possession of a crystal ball.

There cannot be enough emphasis placed on the importance of how the horses travelled back from Tokyo. No decisions on the team for the Europeans could be made until that assessment.

Our four Tokyo Olympics horses were fit and raring to go after a week’s recovery, then a programme of stretching and gentle work before full preparation for competition. This is largely down to the amazing Isabell Werth, who obtained permission for the horse flights from Tokyo to fly over Russian airspace – shaving eight hours off their journey.

For those who don’t know Isabell, let me tell you, no one says no to her!

After Gareth’s patience and support as travelling reserve rider in Tokyo, we were delighted he has his chance to ride on the British team here at the Europeans.

There has been a bit of a shift in some other nations’ team line-ups, such as Sweden’s Patrik Kittel being absent, having declared his intention to concentrate on the winter season and next year’s World Championships.

The Netherlands’ Edward Gal is also resting Total US and his second horse, Toto Jr, was pronounced not fit enough. With some championship first-timers on teams, and other combinations who’ve had a long break from competition, it’s interesting to see how they cope.

Hagen, of course, is familiar territory. The 2005 Europeans here were where I had my last ride on Escapado and the CDI in 2012 was where Charlotte set her first world record on Valegro.

We were thrilled when we heard the Europeans would take place this year, and at such a magnificent venue. Thanks to Ulli Kasselmann and his team for pulling this off and putting it all together in record time.

The under-25 European Championship, running alongside the seniors here, is a fantastic breeding ground for up-and-coming talent, as we’ve seen from Lottie Fry’s phenomenal rise. Best of luck to Lucy Amy, Lewis Carrier, Alex Harrison and Ellie McCarthy who start their team competition on Friday (10 September).

Ability, not disability

OUR glorious Paralympians came home from Tokyo bedecked with medals, including team gold. How we were carried by our para team when they started the dressage gold rush back in 1996.

From their first two Olympics on borrowed horses to riding their own horses from Athens 2004 onwards, the story is one of ability, not disability. It was brilliant to see Sir Lee Pearson back on top with double individual gold, plus team gold, and on his home-bred Breezer, too.

From Sophie Wells on her reserve ride, Don Cara M, to her protégée Georgia Wilson, who stepped up from the reserve slot after Sophie Christiansen’s horse had a minor veterinary issue, and Natasha Baker too, how fantastic they were.

It’s worth noting as well that Georgia’s horse, Sakura, is only seven years old and, like the other British horse, was competing at her first championship.

Thanks to Amy Woodhead for recommending Sophie to ride Don Cara M, and his owners Roland and Maria Kinch. The days of para riders finding it difficult to get owners are, hopefully, well and truly gone.

These riders are inspiring, and when you look at the chain of inspiration from Lee learning to ride after watching Atlanta, here’s to many more riders being enabled to take up para dressage.

This exclusive column can also be read in H&H magazine, on sale Thursday 9 September

Tales from Tokyo: ‘I went in there a nobody and came out a Paralympian’ says 63-year-old

Lucy Elder — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 12:07:26 +0000

“Isn’t it wonderful?” said Ireland’s Rosemary Jean Gaffney, who made her Paralympic debut at the Tokyo Games aged 63. “I went in as a nobody came out as a Paralympian rider.

“To get to the Paralympics has been been a dream of mine all along, since I had my first accident in 2007. I’ve been reserve for the last two [Games], and this time I made it so I’m thrilled. I’m a late developer! I’ll definitely be back again. I’m on cloud nine.”

Rosemary, who sustained serious multiple leg fractures and lasting damage as a result of falls in 2007 and 2014, partnered the 12-year-old Werona to a score of 65.39% in the grade IV individual contest.

“She’s a super mare and she was really, really good,” said Rosemary, who co-owns the “very sweet” Painted Black daughter with Susan Smallman.

“I was thrilled with the way the ride went. Obviously I’d like a little higher marks but you know, we will reflect on that one tomorrow. But for tonight, I couldn’t have asked her to be any better.

“You know, it’s huge atmosphere in here, even though it’s empty. It’s a huge ask for any horse, particularly for her – she’s quite a hot mare, and she behaved herself so well. She never put her foot wrong, so I’m absolutely thrilled with her.”

Rosemary, a lecturer at Kildalton College in Co. Kilkenny, added she received “amazing” support from the college.

“All the students set up a WhatsApp group and the staff have been behind me all the way,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better employer to look after me and to look after the horses.”

One of Rosemary’s students, Shannon Acheson, was also supporting in Tokyo as her groom.

“She has just finished her course now, once we come back from Tokyo,” she said. “She stayed on to come to Tokyo with me, and she’s a wonderful young woman. She is very competent and very capable and she’ll be teaching the next generations.”

Tokyo Paralympic reporter’s blog: in the end, it all comes back to love

Lucy Elder — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 19:30:57 +0000

“Love has to prevail” – Sir Lee Pearson’s words have been at the forefront of my mind since his moving comments on acceptance and hope for a better world, following the first of his three gold dressage medals at the Tokyo Paralympics.

The Games is a wonderful contradiction of being totally and completely about sport, while also being so much greater than that it almost ceases to be about sport at all. That’s perhaps a little over generalising. To put it another way, sport is the focus, but the Games – both Olympics and Paralympics – are about people, their stories and human (and equine) achievement.

When the world’s media descends on a venue, they don’t come to hear a list of statistics or numbers. They come for the story. And so Lee told his – sharing as he did a message of love and acceptance – and each of the others behind him told theirs. Remarkable stories of journeys covering thousands of miles, sacrifices made, and putting into words what it meant to be at the Games.

Yes, there were fabulous scores and medal tallies and records set. But as a human, it is the stories that will stick with me long after I’ve forgotten the percentages.

Words seem so small by comparison of the enormity of it all. I’ve hammered out 20,000+ in the last week, trying to find the right ones in the right order to breathe life into these stories, these emotions. It is a privilege as a journalist when people choose to share and trust their stories with me, and not one I ever take for granted.

Love, actually

There’s nowhere quite like a mixed zone. This is where riders come to chat to the press moments after their test, while the competition continues to play out behind them. The energy is constantly shifting with raw emotion.

Journalists have all kinds of briefs, roughly grouped into: sport-specific, medal chasers, unusual story finders, flash quote generators and those keeping track of the big stars. When they all descend together, the atmosphere is electric.

It’s from here that I saw Don Cara M spooking sharply in the 10 minute box, followed by Sophie Wells’ palpable relief some 15 minutes later after “surviving” the team test. She had no idea at that point how much more she had done than survive, and that her score had secured team gold.

It was here too that I spoke to Belgium’s Manon Claeys, composed but disappointed after believing she had finished fourth in the freestyle. As she turned to see the final result, she let out a scream as she saw she had clinched bronze – her second of the Games – while the Belgian attaché and fellow competitors gave her a guard of honour.

But for all the pressure of the competition, the years spent dedicated to training and the drive to win, it was love that came across in all the interviews. Love for their horse, the sport and the people around them.

Even when things went wrong, that love never faltered.

Ireland’s Michael Murphy, tipped as an individual medal contender, had the devastation of his rein catch snapping moments into his individual test. He was left without a rein, unable to turn right, costing him both his individual result and a place in the freestyle. As Michael ended the test, he could be seen whispering “good boy” to his horse. “I’m very lucky I’m on Cleverboy because the way he looked after me in there yesterday was amazing,” he quipped, after redemption with a beautiful performance in the team test.

For French rider Celine Gurney, who didn’t hear the bell and was eliminated in the individual competition for entering the arena too late, the frustration and disappointment must have been immense. Like Michael, she too came out again on Saturday to produce a solid test for the team and spoke of her happiness for the horse and the result for the team.

And it was love and sportsmanship that flowed from Dutch rider Sanne Voets in the moments after believing she had done enough to secure team gold, only to learn Sophie’s score had been revised upwards and the Netherlands would take team silver by 0.656%.

“We would love to win the team gold, but if you perform at your very best with the three of you, you shouldn’t be disappointed with silver. We have won a beautiful medal,” said Sanne, praising her horse before being the first to congratulate the Brits on their victory.

The genuine astonishment on the Brits’ faces as their talented, yet untested, rides shone brighter each day, with their pride in and love for their horses choking in their voices. Hearing Philippa Johnson-Dwyer speak about the power of “ubuntu” and how her loving her horse was at the core of their bond, given she was unable to ride for much of the last year after undergoing open heart surgery and chemotherapy. Seeing Georgia Wilson take her place among the Paralympic greats as she beamed with delight, and her smile reflected in the tears pouring down the cheeks of her proud coach and mentor Sophie Wells. As a reporter, I’m lucky to live these experiences several times over – witnessing them first hand, then feeling the emotion of them again as I try to immortalise them in ink.

My final copy deadline of 4am, after the nearing-midnight medal ceremony, meant there was no time for sleep (even had I been able to) before my morning flight. Some 30-odd hours of being awake with too much adrenaline to shut my eyes, I found Black Beauty on the in-flight films (yes, I’m aware I am a walking cliché). I simply had not thought this through. It took all of the first two notes of the opening strings melody and the delayed onset of processing everything that had happened – and that it was now over – brought a wave of emotion over me that I wasn’t really prepared for or expecting.

I don’t cry easily, but there didn’t seem to be an off switch. So here I was, sat in a tin can in the sky with nothing but my own thoughts to process with the most heart-breaking, if on-brand, film for company. Thank god I was travelling solo. I promise I am a lot more fun at parties…

Eyes of the world

The magnitude of the Paralympics is also a reminder of how sport does not exist in a bubble. Belgium bombing survivor Beatrice de Lavalette making her Games debut for the US, the pandemic measures and the announcement of the Afghan team’s arrival (athletics and taekwondo) acted as reminders that the events we see on the news are not things that happens to other people.

The word “platform” sounds so corporate and clinical for the shimmering ball of life that is the Paralympic movement, drawing the world’s gaze like a magnet. “Stage” similarly, a word journalists use when they can’t think of another (I’m absolutely guilty of that). Whatever you want to call it, the eyes of the world means the Games are a place where messages are heard.

Lee’s message of love and acceptance to those facing inward or outward battles with disability and sexuality, followed by Natasha Baker’s call for an end to disability discrimination and highlighting how damaging ableism is, are to name just two examples of this. Taking sport off the back pages and into the news pages.

Both riders also made a loud plea to UK show organisers to take responsibility and schedule para sport in their programmes.

“We need to be at more able-bodied shows. We need to be more inclusive, we want that recognition. We want to be out there; they can’t be scared of us para dressage riders. We want to be put into these bigger atmospheres,” said Natasha.

Sophie used that visibility to shout about the power of the horse/human relationship in the hope that by raising awareness, more people will have the chance to feel that magic. It’s also interesting to note that Sophie was talent spotted for para sport at an able-bodied talent spotting day. In a pre-Tokyo interview on the H&H podcast, Sophie told me that before then, she hadn’t really been aware of what para dressage was.

That moment was a long time ago now, and the continued British success is testament in large part to the systems the sport has in place in this country to find and nurture talent. But how many more Sophies are out there across the world with the raw talent to succeed, but who just aren’t aware what para dressage is all about?

It comes back to Natasha’s point about why para sport needs to be at major shows, and also why the live-streaming Paralympic dressage for the first time this year was such a big deal.

The same goes for horses – Don Cara M’s career in able-bodied dressage was limited as he can’t do flying changes. His switch to para, where flying changes are not required, means that he has gone from a horse that had hit his ceiling at medium, to a horse that is at the very top of his game. When horsepower is 50% of the picture in equestrian sport, it flips that same question as to how many other Don Cara Ms are out there whose owners just aren’t aware of what their horse could achieve?

The echoing empty stands were also a deafening reminder of what’s happening in the outside world. My heart broke for Japan for the Games that might have been – as side-saddle rider Barbara Minneci so elegantly put, “this would have been the most beautiful Games ever”.

While it may not have been the Games Japan had planned, there was no doubting the beauty in the Games that it held.

Tales from Tokyo: terror attack survivor Beatrice de Lavalette – ‘setting Paralympic goal in ICU was a dream, now fulfilled’

Lucy Elder — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 12:00:37 +0000

On 22 March 2016, Tokyo Paralympic dressage rider Beatrice de Lavalette was at Brussels airport preparing to fly to the USA for spring break. The then 17-year-old was on the phone to her brother, when a terrorist standing next to her detonated a nail bomb.

“I remember waking up in the airport, lying down, seeing ash, dust, smoke, fire, darkness – and seeing the light literally coming through from the entrance of the departure hall,” she said.

“I knew that to survive, I needed to get past that door, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t see my left leg, but it was still there. My right leg was at a right angle.”

More than 30 people died and over 300 were injured in the Brussels bombings. Medics initially believed Beatrice would not survive her injuries.

“I was actually triaged as red, which means most likely not to survive, so not a priority.

“So [the emergency services] saw me, but left me behind, because I was bleeding out. There was nothing I could do until I saw a fireman. I remember him saying, ‘There’s one over here,’ because I threw my hand up as high as I could.”

Beatrice De Lavalette USA competing on Clarc in the Dressage Individual Freestyle Test - Grade II at the Equestrian Park, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, Monday 30 August 2021. Photo: OIS/Thomas Lovelock. Handout image supplied by OIS/IOC (Image credit: Thomas Lovelock for OIS)

Beatrice, who had ridden all her life, set the goal of competing at the 2020 Games while lying in her hospital bed in the ICU.

“Setting that goal in the ICU five years ago was a dream and being here today is a dream realised,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier about that. I’m very proud of myself, very proud of my team because without them I couldn’t be here.

“It’s just one of those things you dream about and when it happens, you’re just the happiest person in the world.”

Beatrice, 22, partnered the 14-year-old Dreamcatcher gelding Clarc to fifth place in the grade II individual (70.27%) and sixth in the freestyle (72.19%).

“To me personally, it’s a great honour to be here representing the US, having fun with my horse, and just being here after five years of fighting for my life,” she said.

“It’s was really very emotional for me at the end. I was very happy to be here. There was a little tear there – I’m just so happy to be here.

“[My being here shows that] literally anything is possible. I know it’s kind of the usual thing to say, but it’s true. Anything is possible if you just put the hard work in and have a dream. Just go for it,” she said.

“I have flashbacks to what happened all the time, but they don’t bother me. I’ve made my peace with it a long time ago. Even prior to the accident I knew that there was a purpose in my life, but I could never figure it out. I do now.”

Ricky Balshaw on Tokyo Paralympics: ‘I’m so happy to have been wrong’

Polly Bryan — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:08:11 +0000

Ricky Balshaw, a Paralympic silver medallist and world and European medallist, shares his thoughts on Paralympics glory for both Britain and the whole sport

WHAT an amazing team result we had in Tokyo – gold was far beyond the expectations for our team on three horses all at their first championship. My prediction before the Games was that the USA would get the gold, the Netherlands would take the silver and Britain would be arguing for bronze. I can’t say how happy I am to have been wrong.

You’ve got to hand it to Lee Pearson – getting three gold medals is absolutely top-class. He rode out of his skin and did exactly what he had to do, when he had to do it. After being unable to finish his test at his last selection trial when Breezer became upset at Hartpury, what Lee did in Tokyo was mentally very impressive too.

Natasha Baker was brilliant; she was always going to be up against it with Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Jørgensen in her class, but to achieve over 77% in the freestyle is amazing.

My prediction for Sophie Wells, had she been on her top horse C Fatal Attraction, was that she had a very good chance of winning individual gold medals. With the inexperienced Don Cara M, a fairly new ride for her, winning silver was beyond expectations for her. The horse isn’t easy and had a few tense moments – but what a horsewoman she is to achieve what she did.

For me the absolute star of the British squad was Georgia Wilson. Her horse Sakura is only seven and Georgia was at her first Paralympics, so to come away with two individual medals is astounding. I don’t know Georgia as well as I know the other three riders, but I’m so proud and pleased for her.

It might have been easy for her to be overwhelmed by the situation, but I’m sure the experience and expertise Sophie, her trainer, passed on to her was invaluable. I can’t think of a better mentor than Sophie, for both the performance side and the mental side. And for Sophie to do both jobs, as a rider and trainer at the Games, is incredible.

One of the biggest heartbreaks of the Games was when Irish grade I rider Michael Murphy lost his rein in the individual test. His horse, Cleverboy, can walk for an 11 and Michael was my wild card to take an individual medal. It meant he didn’t qualify for the freestyle, but he clawed it back in the team test for over 75%, and that shows a lot of mental strength.

I also felt for Dutch grade IV rider Sanne Voets, who was denied the “triple triple” of gold medals by the Brits. On a personal level, I am heartbroken for her as Sanne is lovely, but her journey won’t end here.

All the horses at the Games looked fantastic, and the support staff who went out with the riders did a great job. Yes, it’s the horse and rider in the arena, but without every single person behind them, from grooms to psychologists and everyone in between, they wouldn’t be able to do the job.

With all the recent negativity surrounding the equestrian element of the modern pentathlon at the Olympics, I thought it was especially amazing to see all the horses being so well treated. All the riders put their horses first: the Netherlands’ Rixt van der Horst pulled out of the freestyle as her horse Findsley didn’t feel quite right; Sophie Christiansen opted not to take her selected horse to Tokyo because of a minor injury; and Lee had pulled out of the final selection trial mid-test to protect his horse’s mental welfare.

Those who treat horses negatively are a tiny minority and there is no place for it in our sport. Horses are the most important thing and their welfare is paramount.

Channel 4’s excellent coverage of the Games was great for our sport. It was amazing to see dressage getting live coverage, and being represented on both the daytime shows and on The Last Leg in the evening. It’s refreshing that our horses, riders and teams are getting the support they deserve.

The more exposure para dressage can get the better, for disability sport and for equestrianism as a whole.

This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 2 September

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: BEF/Jon Stroud Media)

Rider sets new Paralympic record score as she claims last equestrian gold of the Tokyo Games

(Image credit: BEF/Jon Stroud Media)

Paralympic dressage results: the full rundown of medallists and qualifiers from Tokyo

(Image credit: BEF/Jon Stroud Media)

Three British freestyle medals including Sir Lee Pearson’s phenomenal 14th Paralympic gold: catch up on Tokyo’s final dressage day

Gold Medalists Great Britain (L-R) Lee Pearson, Sopie Wells and Natasha Baker - Dressage Team Test to Music Victory Ceremony - Equestrian Park, Setagaya City, Tokyo, Japan - 29 August 2021 (Image credit: BEF/Jon Stroud Media)

Gold! Britain retains Paralympic team title in mighty tussle with the Netherlands

(Image credit: BEF/Jon Stroud Media)

‘Disability needs to be seen as equal’: Natasha Baker calls for unity and inclusion following Tokyo silver medal-winning freestyle performance

Lucy Elder — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 00:53:38 +0000

Triple Tokyo Paralympic medallist Natasha Baker shared a powerful message of unity and inclusion following her silver medal-winning freestyle performance aboard Keystone Dawn Chorus (“Lottie”).

Natasha, who had already won five gold medals across the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympics before adding to her tally in Tokyo, was reflecting on the platform the Games provides to help drive change in both the sporting and wider world.

“Everybody is different and it would be such a boring world if everybody was the same,” said Natasha, who wore gloves sporting a hand-drawn WeThe15 logo for her Tokyo performances.

“We need to embrace each other’s differences, whether that be race, sexuality, disability. Everybody is different. Everybody has strengths, everybody has weaknesses. I think in the past, it’s just been brushed under the carpet – people are too scared to confront people with disabilities, they don’t know how to approach us and this is such an incredible platform to spread that message from.

“I think the Paralympics especially shows that actually, it’s not about disability it is about ability and the things that disabled people can go out and achieve with determination, with hard work. It shows that we are human beings.

“Disability needs to be seen as equal. We deserve that right to be able to travel as able-bodied people travel, to be spoken to as able-bodied people are spoken to. And, unfortunately, it isn’t the case.”

“And so [the Paralympics is] such an incredible platform to really speak out, spread the awareness of disability, and ableism – and actually how damaging that can be to disabled people.”

Natasha praised the increased coverage of the Games this year, particularly by Channel 4, but added increased coverage of disability sport in general is still needed.

“Everybody loves watching Paralympic sports and that only really comes around every four years,” she said. “We need to see people with disabilities on the TV more. We need to see Paralympic sport more for people to be able to invest into it and to really for them to feel like they know us on a more personal level.

“I think we’re making steps towards that, but there’s still too much of a gap, and that needs to be closed.”

Looking within the horse world, Natasha echoed Sir Lee Pearson’s call for para equestrian sport to be included in major show’s programmes.

“I really want to see the the Paralympic movement coming more in line with the Olympic movement,” she said, calling on major show organisers to include para riders in their programmes.

“We need to be at more able-bodied shows, We need to be more inclusive, we want that recognition. We want to be out there; they can’t be scared of us para dressage riders. We want to be put into these bigger atmospheres. Lottie had never seen like a quarter of [what she’s experienced in Tokyo] – I think the biggest arena she’d been in was Hartpury and that’s nothing compared to this.

“We need more exposure. That’s what we want, and I think the UK shows do need to take that on board and take more responsibility and schedule us in.”

Natasha added this was an area she pushed on when she had time owing to a lull between horses, and is something she is keen to pick back up and “really champion”.

“We just want to be involved in it and I think that’s also when we’ll get more sponsors and more owners interested, because there’s more accessibility to our sport,” she said.

“It’s really hard to get para owners when we’re not out there enough. My owners are incredibly supportive but unfortunately they couldn’t be here [in Japan], so we want to give back to them in other ways.”

She added giving para horse owners the opportunity to watch their horses at those bigger shows is not only supportive of those already in the game, but has the potential to bring in new investors.

“That is then going to open other people’s eyes, who maybe haven’t seen para dressage before and think ‘I really want to be involved in that’ or ‘I’ve got an able bodied horse that actually isn’t going to make it to the next level, but they could go to Paris and win a medal out there’, said Natasha.

“That’s what we need to develop in our country a lot more and that’s not going to happen until we get out there more and start spreading the message.”

Natasha remembers how she was inspired by watching the British riders at the 2000 Sydney Games and the impact that visibility has had on her own life.

“I said ‘if they can do it, then I can do it’,” she said. “If you set your mind to something, and you want it, there’s absolutely nothing holding you back from going out and achieving that.”

Three British freestyle medals including Sir Lee Pearson’s phenomenal 14th Paralympic gold: catch up on Tokyo’s final dressage day

Lucy Elder — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:09:40 +0000

Catch up on all the jaw-dropping action from the final day of dressage action at the Tokyo Paralympic Games...

Individual gold and team silver medal-winners Sanne Voets and Demantur followed up on their Rio freestyle joy to add the Tokyo Paralympics title to their CV, setting the standard for the evening scoring 82.09% to take gold with a six percent margin.

Find out what Sanne had to say about her test and read about the silver medallist who got back on a horse for the first time two weeks ago after breaking her leg

Sophie Wells was thrilled to finish fourth in the grade V freestyle on her Tokyo Paralympics reserve ride, Don Cara M.

Read Sophie’s thoughts on her week at the Games and why gold was so special for Belgium’s Michele George

There was one noteable missing combination in tonight’s freestyle, after medal-favourite Rixt van der Horst and Findsley pulled out ahead of the second horse inspection.

Hear what Rixt had to say about missing the freestyle and what she believes is the most important thing

Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus danced their way to grade III silver.

Read why “Lottie” has exceeded Natasha’s expectations this week

Sir Lee Pearson scooped his third title of the Games and 14th Paralympic gold in total with his grade II freestyle win, while Georgia Wilson stood on the podium next to him with a second Tokyo bronze medal around her neck on her Games debut.

Hear why Lee thought this was his “least likely” gold medal and how the horseman in him took over

US rider Roxanne Trunnell set a new Paralympics dressage record score when she claimed the gold in the grade I freestyle.

Check out Rozanne’s record-breaking score with Dolton

And finally, H&H’s Tokyo rider of the day is Philippa Johnson-Dwyer, who went through open heart surgery and chemotherapy in the months ahead of the Games

Read Philippa’s remarkable story and why she credits the team around her for making it to Tokyo

Rider sets new Paralympic record score as she claims last equestrian gold of the Tokyo Games

Pippa Roome — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:53:12 +0000

US rider Roxanne Trunnell set a new Paralympics dressage record score today when she claimed the gold in the grade I freestyle at the Tokyo Games.

Riding nine-year-old black gelding Dolton, Roxanne scored four 10s – and only received two scores below eight – on the way to a final mark of 86.927%.

“It felt brilliant, good with the music the whole time,” said Roxanne, adding that she has had a great overall experience in Tokyo. “Everyone’s so happy and friendly, which makes everyone in the barn, happy – it’s just fun.”

Roxanne has ridden all her life and aspired to be an Olympian in able-bodied dressage, earning the United States Dressage Federation bronze medal before contracting a virus in 2009 that changed her life. The virus caused swelling on the brain, put her in a coma and resulted in her requiring a wheelchair.

The medallists in this Paralympics dressage freestyle were the same as in the individual test earlier in the Games, with Latvia’s Rihards Snikus (King Of The Dance) in silver on 82.087%. These are Rihards’ first Paralympic medals after top-six finishes at London 2012 and Rio 2016. The rider, who has cerebral palsy, is also a DJ.

Italy’s Sara Morganti took the bronze on Royal Delight with a mark of 81.1%, with her two medals here giving huge joy after Royal Delight failed the first trot-up at Rio 2016.

She said: “I’m in bad shape physically and when I go back to Italy, I have to have treatment. But I wanted so much to come here. I’ve been working so much, especially after what happened in 2016 – I wanted to do something that would cancel that forever.”

Sara rode to music from the Disney film Raya and the Last Dragon, which has special meaning for her with its themes of good and evil.

The para dressage in Tokyo is now complete, after five fantastic days of sport.

H&H Tokyo rider of the day: meet the Paralympian who underwent chemotherapy and open heart surgery months before Tokyo

Lucy Elder — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 14:06:40 +0000

This time last year, South African rider Philippa Johnson-Dwyer had just taken on the ride on her Tokyo Paralympic horse Just In Time.

The grade IV rider was looking forward to getting to know her mare and gearing up for Tokyo. One month later, Philippa was diagnosed with endocarditis – a rare and serious infection of the inner lining of the heart.

“I had to have open heart surgery and then, lucky enough – as the Dutch say ‘luck with an accident’ – in the tests they were running for the endocarditis, they discovered I had cancer,” she said.

“So I had open heart surgery, and once I had pretty much healed from that, I had to have five weeks of chemo and radiation. I think I very much underestimated what chemo does to your body.”

Philippa, who won double gold in Hong Kong, explained how she spent the time forming a bond with the 11-year-old Fidertanz mare.

“Not being able to ride for seven months meant I was able to become a kid again,” she said, adding she has only been back in the saddle for the past three months.

“I could go into the stable and cuddle my pony. And that’s all I could do. I couldn’t groom her, I couldn’t do anything [with her], but I could cuddle and kiss her and give her carrots. I think that made an amazing connection between us.

“You get so caught up in the training, the goals, the competitions and life takes over. You’re teaching, you’re riding the horses and you must do this and do that – then you just have time.”

Philippa said the reason she is in Tokyo is down to the team around her.

“I’ve got an incredible osteopath, who helped me,” she said. “I don’t know how she put me back together and how she put up with me, because every time she would fix me I’d run into a wall yet again.

“My incredible trainer Chris Haazen’s wife Jeanette was riding [Just In Time] while I was sick. Chris never let me lose faith,” she said.

“He nursed me through it and told me not to rush, to take my time. Without their support, it would have been impossible.

“You know in Afrikaans there is a really lovely word, ubuntu. It means you are who you are because of the people you have around you. And that describes it in one word for me,” she said.

“Riding into that arena, it was that power that I got from all the amazing people that have helped me through this journey. It was ubuntu.”

Philippa added she was “absolutely thrilled” with the mare, adding her main aim of the Games was to qualify for the freestyle.

“That’s only the second kur we’ve ever ridden together,” said Philippa, who scored 71.56% for her routine to the sounds of Eloise and Can’t Hurry Love. “The first one was beyond disastrous and this was just amazing.

“She was with me, we were spot on the music and she felt amazing. I was a little bit disappointed in the score, I thought it would have been more. But we made it to the freestyle, that was our goal. She gave me the most spectacular ride, so I can’t be happier.”

Philippa, who has no strength in her right arm and limited strength in her right leg following a car accident 23 years ago, found Just In Time through a Belgian dealer and admits she was less than wowed by the videos.

“We really weren’t that interested in her,” she said. “Then we went along to the dealers and they said, ‘Oh, we’ve got that amazing horse from Brussels coming for you to try today’. I thought, ‘well why not?’”

Her first impression of the mare in the flesh were similarly lukewarm, until she felt what she was like to ride.

“I got off and I said ‘that’s my horse, I’m completely in love’,” she said, explaining she had the same reaction when she first sat on her Beijing gold medal-winner, Benedict.

“It was exactly the same feeling and connection. I love all my horses, but it’s a connection that’s completely apart from anything else. It’s like meeting somebody you’ve never met before, but you’ve just instantly got that click. You know that you’ve known them for 100 years.”

Lee Pearson wins third gold medal of the Tokyo Paralympics: ‘Breezer was like a baby lion in there’

Pippa Roome — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:07:59 +0000

Britain’s Lee Pearson confirmed his place as king of the Paralympics dressage at the Tokyo Games when he completed a trio of gold medals by taking top spot in the grade II freestyle today. This brings Lee’s total of Paralympic gold medals won across team and individual competitions to an incredible 14.

Piloting his home-bred bay gelding Breezer in a double bridle, Lee put in a test that was notably for its brilliant lift and cadence in the trot and scored 82.447%. The rider admitted he had mixed expectations ahead of the class as the horse became upset in his last freestyle at Hartpury and Lee had to retire.

He explained: “Deep down, I thought we’d perhaps be leaving the arena retired, but then a little bit deeper down, when you dig really deep, I just thought he has brilliant power, he has brilliant paces. And if I don’t muck up then I thought he had a chance of a gold.

“But that was underneath believing that we may have to retire tonight, and speaking to my team and saying, ‘If I do retire tonight, I still love him and he still is amazing’. That’s the horseman in me, it still overrides the desire to win a gold medal, I was still really proud of him. But I’m a little bit more proud of him now he’s won a gold medal and helped me win a gold medal.”

Lee has won medals at every Paralympics stretching back to 2000 and said this was one of the least likely honours: “Breezer can’t help being sensitive, I can’t help being disabled, but we’ve done as much as we possibly can to get him in different environments. You can’t just have a button to say, ‘Don’t be more sensitive but do be more powerful’ – he was like a baby lion in there.”

Lee, who rode to Kung Fu Panda music, said the horse was actually more relaxed than in his previous tests in Japan.

“I’m twice over the moon – I actually didn’t care if I won a medal, that horse gave me his heart in there. He was braver than the team test, braver even than the individual test a few days ago.

“He still was nervous in there and we had a tiny little spook before I entered and I just half halted to say, ‘Daddy’s here’ and just kind of said, ‘Come on, we can do this’. Then halfway through the test I nearly started enjoying it and then I remembered I needed to get to the end before I enjoy it – he was amazing.”

Paralympics dressage freestyle: bronze for Britain’s Georgia Wilson

The results in this Paralympics dressage grade exactly mimicked the individual test earlier in the Games – Lee was chased home by the Austrian former event rider Pepo Puch on Sailor’s Blue (81.007%), with Britain’s Georgia Wilson landing bronze on Sakura with 76.754%. Georgia is trained by team-mate Sophie Wells.

“I used to compete on my little 14.2hh New Forest pony when Soph was on [Rio medallist] Valerius and Lee was on [triple gold Paralympic medal winner] Blue Circle Boy and I was tiny – to be here with them, I just can’t explain what it’s like,” said Georgia.

“I couldn’t do it without Sophie. She calms me down a lot and the training is just invaluable. To be on the podium with Lee and have an incredible athlete like him in my grade, it’s so special.

“I just can’t thank everybody enough for their help and all the team around us and the people that play National Lottery [which funds the World Class programme].”

Georgia was called up from the reserve bench to ride at these Games with her own and her parents Geoff and Julia’s chestnut mare Sakura, who is only seven years old, and the pair put in an active, accurate, neat test today. Sakura came from the Eilbergs less than a year ago.

She said: “So it hasn’t been very long and she’s the kindest mare ever. I could take her anywhere. She could probably come into a hotel and sleep next to me.”

The final Tokyo Paralympics dressage competition, the grade I freestyle, is now underway. There are no British riders in this grade at the Games. The Team GB para dressage medal tally is therefore complete and the Brits go home with incredible eight medals, including team gold.

Natasha Baker takes Paralympic freestyle silver: ‘She was so tired today –to come out with silver is beyond belief’

Pippa Roome — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 11:34:50 +0000

Natasha Baker took the silver medal for Britain in the Paralympics dressage grade III freestyle today in Tokyo.

Natasha scored 77.614% for her active, rhythmic test on Keystone Dawn Chorus (“Lottie”) – who is owned by Joanna Jensen and Christian Landolt, as well as Natasha and her parents Lorraine and Phil – despite saying the mare felt “exhausted” tonight.

She said: “Lottie was really, really tired and as soon as I sat on her, I could just feel it and I thought, ‘Oh no, we shouldn’t have left so long to warm up today.’ It’s all such a learning curve – I didn’t know how she was going to come out. We gave her a complete day off yesterday and only did hand grazing in the paddock and I thought that might give her a bit more energy, but it didn’t.

“I’ve never done a competition where I’ve had a day off in between, it’s always been successive days, so it’s one for the memory bank. To do that under those circumstances and still come out with a silver medal is just beyond belief.”

Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus take grade III freestyle silver at the Tokyo Olympics. (Image credit: John Walton/PA Images)

Some of Natasha’s music is from the freestyle she used with her London and Rio Paralympics dressage horse Cabral (“JP”).

Although she was emotional thinking about JP afterwards, Natasha admitted she didn’t give it much thought during the test: “To be honest, I couldn’t really concentrate on the music because I was working so hard keeping her going. I was quite ahead of my music just because she didn’t have that lift that she normally does and that’s what I got so well in Saturday’s team test. She just felt flat and therefore it was a little bit fast, but I was trying really hard to keep the engagement.”

Looking back on the whole week, Natasha said: “I can take so much confidence from the fact that she has gone in that arena and every single day she’s just felt more relaxed. To know that she can handle this kind of environment – I could not be more proud of her.

“My owner Joanna [Jensen] sent me the sweetest message earlier – she was like, ‘I am so proud of you that you could just go in there, stand at X, and do a bit of disco dancing and I would be happy for you’. Lottie has exceeded every single expectation – if you’d have said to me I was going to win two individual silvers and a team gold, I would have said you were lying because I just never imagined that any of this would be possible.

“We can really grow on the experiences that we’ve had here. She’s just going to get better and stronger and our relationship is just going to develop so much more. I just couldn’t be more proud of everything that she’s achieved and everything that she’s done for me.”

Natasha contracted transverse myelitis (inflammation of a section across the spine) when she was 14 months old, which resulted in permanent nerve damage, leaving her with a severe weakness, loss of balance and sensation, and the inability to feel her legs.

Paralympics dressage freestyle: gold for Denmark

As in the individual test last Friday, Natasha was the runner-up to Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Jorgensen on the grey mare Jolene Hill, who scored 84.347% to become the third Paralympic dressage plus-80% freestyle gold medal winner of the day so far.

“I kind of left my head out here this time, because I wanted really to show I can do this and so I rode all the time just to the edge of being too much,” said Tobias. “I was probably closer to some mistakes today than I was yesterday, but I took the chance.”

Tobias said he will have “a whole month of celebration” when he returns home.

“I always had the dream about double gold, but I knew it was going to be hard and having them is always something exceptional. I would be happy if it was a silver or bronze – just to get two medals at my first Paralympics – but two golds, that’s amazing.”

Although his score today was a personal best, Tobias admitted his emotions were delayed until he saw Natasha’s mark.

“It was kind of hard because I was so focused when I got off and out of the arena and I knew that Natasha could pretty much beat every score I had if she did her best, so I didn’t really have the emotions right after. When I saw the score I was very happy, but when I saw her score I really was happy.”

Tobias said he wants the greatest takeaway from this Paralympics dressage competition to be that the sport has a new star in his mare Jolene Hill.

“Without the horse I’m nothing, I need a horse like her,” he said.

The withdrawal of Dutch rider Rixt van der Horst, who took the bronze in the individual test here at the Tokyo Paralympics, opened the door for Norway’s Ann Cathrin Lubbe to take the bronze following fourth last Friday. She scored 76.447% today on La Costa Majlund.

The Paralympics dressage continues with the freestyles for the final two grades, including two medal chances for Britain in the upcoming grade II class.

Sophie Wells fourth in Paralympic freestyle: ‘I can’t be disappointed –he’s been amazing this week’

Pippa Roome — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 10:30:29 +0000

Britain’s Sophie Wells came away from the Paralympics dressage freestyle without a medal after finishing fourth in her grade V class today on Don Cara M.

Sophie scored 73.56%, some 3% behind the medals, but said she couldn’t be disappointed looking her week overall. Don Cara M, owned by Roland Kinch, is a championship debutant who was originally the rider’s reserve mount for the Tokyo Paralympics.

“He’s not such a fan of music so he just didn’t like the speakers all around the arena,” said Sophie. “We choose quieter music anyway and try to get away from a bit of a beat, but there’s only so much you could go backgroundy.

“We just had a tricky ride – good luck to the judges marking my simple changes because I didn’t know what leg I was on when. I was like,‘I’ll do another one because the others had been pretty s**t’.

“But he could have done that all week. He’s got a little bit hotter as the week’s gone on, but I can’t be disappointed at all because he’s done amazing this week. We’ve got two medals [team gold and individual test silver] and we did it on the day that counted for team purposes.”

Paralympics dressage freestyle: Gold for Michele George

Belgium’s Michele George repeated her gold from the individual test by taking top spot again on the 11-year-old mare Best Of 8 on a score of 80.59%.

“The mare was just fantastic,” said Michele. “I’m a bit speechless because coming over here with a youngster – for me she’s still a youngster – and showing the world what she’s capable of, it’s just genius. I knew she could, but I thought it was maybe a little bit early to show everyone. At home, she can work like a queen, but as I always say, at home is at home. They are all superstars at home.”

Michele was the last to go in this Paralympic dressage class and had to beat a big score of 80.24% laid down by Dutch rider Frank Hosmar (Alphaville), who eventually took the silver.

“Once you’re riding into the arena, you don’t look at the scores,” she said. “I knew he had a huge score, but I thought, well the mare feels good. So I come into that arena and I push and go to the limit and I try to make something even better. That’s the spirit. You don’t have the focus on what the others do. I have to focus on my own horse and how she presents herself and that’s magic in freestyle, especially with younger horses because then you really can dance.”

Michele described this as a “historical moment” for her. It is the second time she’s taken both individual golds in her grade of Paralympics dressage, after doing the same at London 2012 on FBW Rainman.

Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp took the bronze on Highlander Delight’s with 76.82%, after fourth in last week’s individual test.

The Paralympics dressage continues with the freestyle medal showdowns in three remaining grades still to come today.

Dutch rider lands first Paralympic dressage freestyle gold, while comeback rider upsets form for silver

Pippa Roome — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 09:13:48 +0000

Dutch rider Sanne Voets landed the first Paralympics dressage freestyle gold today, repeating her win from the individual test in today’s grade IV freestyle by more than 6%.

Riding the 13-year-old chestnut gelding Demantur in a double bridle, Sanne scored 82.085%, with an artistic mark of 85.12%. Their test was notable for its consistency, even rhythm and steady frame, with good relaxation in the walk and activity in the other paces.

“I was really, really focused. Normally when I get to the first halt, I try to make eye contact with the judge because he or she is in front of me, but I never did that when I got here – it was just me and my horse, and today it was me and my horse and the music,” said Sanne.

“It was like I was not completely here or something – like this flow. It was so powerful, but soft and relaxed and it felt really confident. Sometimes when you ride a test, you’re thinking what to do now, maybe inside leg or what’s your angle and it wasn’t like that today. It almost just happened to me. Well, it didn’t just happen, but it really felt like we really found the true harmony, the two of us and nothing else.”

Sanne was in her car, listening to popular Dutch band Haevn, when she felt compelled to create a freestyle routine around the group’s music. She booked tickets to a gig and approached the group at the end to ask if they would consider a collaboration. The result is a unique freestyle that includes light, dainty piano music and vocals.

Sanne – who was born with a condition which weakens her legs and affects her other joints, which was exacerbated by a fall in 2001 – was also a Paralympic dressage freestyle gold medallist with Demantur in Rio five years ago. She said her floor plan is 90% the same as it was in Rio, but she acted on feedback from a judge at a national show a couple of months ago to change one canter line.

Sanne explained: “The judge said, ‘The only thing I think could be better is to ride your counter canter towards the judge, instead of the other way.’ It’s really hard if you already have a floor plan to change it. But I also thought it was a bit silly to do three medium canters, so I decided to take out two of them and make more like a loop thing and I think that that’s pretty much works.”

Louise Etzner Jakobsson took the silver in this Paralympics dressage class, moving up from fourth in the individual test riding Goldstrike BJ. This was a remarkable comeback for the Swedish rider, who broke her left leg falling off a bicycle two months ago and only started riding again during quarantine in Aachen.

“Mentally I decided I was going to fix it – there was no other conclusion,” she said. “I counted the days and told my doctor that this [cast] has to be taken off that day so I have to ride.

“If I decide something. I do it. My intention was to do the best I could after the circumstances this summer. And I know that all the other riders are very good.”

Louise has also only had her ride Goldstrike BJ for a year and this was only his third international show.

Of her test today, she said: “At the end I was ahead of music and I didn’t know if I should make a little circle or not. But I had a very nice feeling because the horse was very soft, though he doesn’t like the camera so he looks at them and thinks, ‘Oh that’s dangerous.’ But he was with me all the time.”

The bronze went to Belgium’s Manon Claeys, repeating her position from the individual on San Dior 2 (75.68%).

The final rider in this Paralympics dressage class was the individual test silver medallist, Brazil’s Rodolpho Riskalla on Don Henrico. He showed some expressive, flashy work, but his test was marred by tension, particularly when the chestnut leapt away from one corner of the arena as he moved into the right half-pass in canter. He finished fifth.

Manon had assumed she had dropped to fourth after the early part of Rodolpho’s test and was shocked to find she had retained bronze.

“I’m a bit speechless and that’s not normally something that ever happens to me,” she said. “I went to the Swedish woman [Louise Etzner Jakobsson] and I said, ‘Sorry I lied to you, it’s silver instead of bronze’ because I told her congratulations you have bronze, because I thought Rodolpho will be second.”

Manon admitted today was not her best test: “My feeling was not that good, because he was a bit tense because he’s tired – I feel he’s not only physically tired, but also mentally tired, and then he’s getting a bit stressed and a bit tough to ride. I didn’t expect a medal, to be honest, but I’m very happy of course.”

There are no British riders in the grade IV at the Tokyo Paralympics, but all four Team GB combinations are in action in the other grades of the Paralympics dressage later today.

Tokyo Paralympic dressage freestyle start times: all four British riders in with a shot of further medal glory

Lucy Elder — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 06:39:31 +0000

The final quest for Tokyo Paralympic dressage medals takes place today (30 August) with four British riders in the mix for freestyle glory.

Britain has already had a phenomenal Games, with all four riders winning individual medals earlier in the week followed by a surprise team gold last night (29 August).

The nation sits at the head of the equestrian medal table with a total of five medals – two gold, two silver and a bronze.

The action kicks off at 4pm (8am BST) with the grade IV riders, followed by the grade V at 5.14pm (9.14am), grade III at 6.33pm (10.33am), grade II at 7.47pm (11.47pm) and grade I at 9.01pm (1.01pm).

Tokyo Paralympic dressage: British riders’ start times

Grade V: Sophie Wells and Don Cara M – 6.02pm (10.02am BST)
Grade III: Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus – 7.29pm (11.29am BST)
Grade II: Sir Lee Pearson and Breezer – 8.19pm (12.19pm BST)
Grade II: Georgia Wilson and Sakura – 8.43pm (12.43pm)

The eight top combinations in each grade, based on performances from the individual competition, qualify for the freestyle.

A second horse inspection took place this morning for horses competing tonight. All British combinations sailed through to take their spots on the start list for the final dressage medal-winning opportunity of the Games.

One notable combination is missing – reigning grade III world freestyle champions Rixt van der Horst and Findsley. The pair, who individual bronze and helped the Dutch to team silver in Tokyo, withdrew ahead of the horse inspection and will not take part in tonight’s finale.

This means Canada’s Lauren Barwick and Sandrino, who finished ninth in the grade III individual competition, move off the reserve spot and onto tonight’s start list.

Paralympic dressage results: the full rundown of medallists and qualifiers from Tokyo

Polly Bryan — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 06:23:26 +0000

The Paralympic dressage competition at the Tokyo Paralympics is now complete after equestrian athletes from 27 nations contested the individual, team and freestyle competitions from 26-30 August. But who won the medals? Check out the Paralympic dressage results from across the five equestrian grades, as well as those individuals who have qualified for the final day’s freestyle to music…

Grade I freestyle

Gold – Roxanne Trunnell on Dolton USA (86.927%)

Silver – Rihards Snikus on King Of The Dance LAT (82.087%)

Bronze – Sara Morganti on Royal Delight ITA (81.1%)

Grade II freestyle

Gold – Lee Pearson on Breezer GBR (82.447%)

Silver – Pepo Puch on Sailor’s Blue AUT (81.007%)

Bronze – Georgia Wilson on Sakura GBR (76.754%)

Grade III freestyle

Gold – Tobias Thorning Jorgensen on Jolene Hill DEN (84.347%)

Silver – Natasha Baker on Keystone Dawn Chorus GBR (77.614%)

Bronze – Ann Cathrin Lubbe on La Costa Majlund NOR (76.447%)

Grade IV freestyle

Gold – Sanne Voets on Demantur NED (82.085%)

Silver – Louise Etzner Jakobsson on Goldstrike BJ SWE (75.935%)

Bronze – Manon Claeys on San Dior 2 BEL (75.680%)

Grade V freestyle

Gold – Michele Geroge on Best Of 8 BEL (80.590%)

Silver – Frank Hosmar on Alphaville NED (80.240%)

Bronze – Regine Mispelkamp on Highlander Delight GER (76.820%)

Team medals

Gold – Great Britain (229.905)

Silver – The Netherlands (229.249)

Bronze – United States of America (224.352)

Grade I individual

Gold – Roxanne Trunnell on Dolton USA (81.464%)

Silver – Rihards Snikus on King Of The Dance LAT (80.179%)

Bronze – Sara Morganti on Royal Delight ITA (76.964%)

Additional combinations qualified for grade I freestyle:

Jens Lasse Dokkan on Aladdin NOR (75.929%)

Laurentia Tan on Banestro SGP (73.964%)

Katja Karjalainen on Dr Doolittle FIN (71.893%)

Julia Sciancalepore on Heinrich IV AUT (70.571%)

Vladislav Pronkii on Silva Le Andro RPC (70.429%)

Grade II individual

Gold – Lee Pearson on Breezer GBR (76.265%)

Silver – Pepo Puch on Sailor’s Blue AUT (73.441%)

Bronze – Georgia Wilson on Sakura GBR (72.765%)

Additional combinations qualified for grade II freestyle:

Heidemarie Dresing on La Boum 20 GER (72.294%)

Beatrice da Lavalette on Clarc USA (70.265%)

Katrine Kristensen on Welldone Dallas DEN (69.794%)

Mitsuhide Miyaji on Charmander JPN (66.824%)

Luliia Poliakova on Romina Power RPC (66.824%)

Grade III individual

Gold – Tobias Thorning Jorgensen on Jolene Hill DEN (78.971%)

Silver – Natasha Baker on Keystone Dawn Chorus GBR (76.265%)

Bronze – Rixt van der Horst on Findsley NED (75.765%)

Additional combinations qualified for grade III freestyle:

Ann Cathrine Lubbe on La Costa Majlund NOR (72.971%)

Chiara Zenati on Swing Royal FRA (71.059%)

Barbara Minneci on Stuart BEL (70.853%)

Caroline Cecilie Nielsen on Davidoff 188 DEN (70.265%)

Emma Booth on Zidane AUS (70.059%)

Grade IV individual

Gold – Sanne Voets on Demantur NED (76.585%)

Silver – Rodolpho Riskalla on Don Henrico BRA (74.659%)

Bronze – Manon Claeys on San Dior 2 BEL (72.853%)

Additional combinations qualified for grade IV freestyle:

Louise Etzner Jakobsson on Goldstrike BJ SWE (72.634%)

Susanne Jensby Sunesen on Leeds DEN (71.976%)

Saskia Deutz on Soyala GER (70.975%)

Kate Shoemaker on Solitaer 40 USA (70.854%)

Philippa Johnson-Dwyer on Just In Time RSA (69.78%)

Grade V individual

Gold – Michele George on Best Of 8 BEL (76.524%)

Silver – Sophie Wells on Don Cara M GBR (74.405%)

Bronze – Frank Hosmar on Alphaville NED (73.405%)

Additional combinations qualified for grade V freestyle:

Regine Mispelkamp on Highlanders Delights GER (73.191%)Natalia Martianova on Quinta RPC (71.405%)Lena Malstrom on Fabulous Fidelie SWE (69.833%)Kevin van Ham on Eros Van Ons Heem BEL (69.357%)Amelia White on Genius 60 AUS (69.238%)

Double Tokyo Paralympic medal winner withdrawn ahead of freestyle: ‘her health and well-being is above all else’

Lucy Elder — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 06:11:03 +0000

Tokyo Paralympic individual bronze and team silver dressage medal-winners Rixt van der Horst and Findsley have withdrawn ahead of tonight’s freestyle finale (30 August).

The Dutch combination are the reigning grade III freestyle champions, having won triple gold at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. They were among the favourites to take home the title from Tokyo and scored a huge new personal best in the run-up to the Games, with +80% performance in Doha in February.

The pair already scooped individual bronze on Friday (28 August), with a score of 75.77%, and helped the Dutch side to silver with a score of 76.24% in the team test.

The 11-year-old Bellissimo mare was withdrawn ahead of the second horse inspection this morning.

“The past few days have been great, riding with the Dutch team and being here in Tokyo,” said Rixt in a statement on her Facebook page.

“We have already had amazing results that we are happy and proud of. Today is a different day though; we have had to decide to withdraw Finn for the kür final. Due to a small unfortunate stumble while walking, she is not ‘fit to complete’. As a precaution, a number of diagnostic studies have been conducted in the clinic and we are positive, but Finn’s health and wellbeing is above all else.

“Finn is well cared for and is in good hands here. Lots of hugs and love for this amazing horse. We’re glad the whole team is here to support us.

“Together we are all here, physically or in mind, encouraging Frank and Sanne in their [freestyle] to music. Thank you for all your attention, encouragement and support!”

As a result of the withdrawal, Canada’s Lauren Barwick and Sandrino, who finished ninth in the individual competition, move off the reserve spot and onto the start list for tonight’s freestyle.

Tokyo Paralympics: British groom Liz Walsh – ‘when you’re a groom, it’s in your blood’

Lucy Elder — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 01:48:45 +0000

In the second of H&H’s two-part instalment, we catch five minutes with Paralympic GB groom Liz Walsh on her career, advice for aspiring grooms and what it’s like in the stables at the Tokyo Paralympics...

“It feels like I’ve been doing it five minutes, but the reality is it’s 20 years,” said Liz Walsh, one of the two grooms caring for the British horses at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Liz is one of the sport’s most experienced grooms. She spent 12 years with Fiona Bigwood and Anders Dahl, is highly involved as groom and stable manager for Britain’s youth teams, has worked at 17 championships and her career has taken her all over the world.

“I absolutely adore my horses,” says Liz. “Even after all these years of doing this, just watching them perform, watching how hard that athletes have worked – their dedication to everything – and then just it all coming together in the arena, hopefully [that’s the best part].

“It’s an emotional roller coaster. Even if you don’t know the horse so well, you get so involved with them over the week or two or three that you’re at a show that they always hold a special place in your heart. To see them in the arena competing and giving their all… there’s nothing that can beat that for me.”

Liz explained how her career started.

“Both my parents are horsey, my mum and dad were both in racing. So it’s their fault entirely,” she laughs.

“They kind of pushed me away from racing, even though we had lots around when I was growing up. I was taught be Patsy Bartram, who is dressage based, and so she converted me.

“I was managing a private National Hunt stud for Paul Murphy, whose daughter is now a very good racing trainer down in Newmarket [Amy Murphy]. I was in the pub one Sunday afternoon and I got a phone call to ask whether I wanted to go for a job in Germany.

“I flew out there for an interview and when I came back, they offered me the job. My boss at the time he was in Ireland. When he returned and I told him I was leaving, he said: ‘Good! You need to go away and do something. I want you to be gone at least a year’.

“He was very instrumental, he was always wanted me to better myself and go and see the world. He sent me off, and Patsy sent me with a horse. Paul said, ‘I don’t want to see you again for a year, make sure you stay out in Germany and get all the experience you can’.

“The family I went to work for was Fiona Bigwood and Anders Dahl and I ended up working for them for nearly 12 years. That was amazing. I went to so many shows with them and they were incredible with me so I was like part of the family there.”

Liz then met her husband and moved home to start a family, starting a new chapter in her life and in her career.

“When you’re a groom, it’s in your blood, and you love it and you miss it,” she adds. “I didn’t think it would work being freelance, because I like to be heavily involved with the horses but it worked out really well. I’ve had lots of opportunities to become part of the junior and young riders and pony teams, and then to get involved with the para dressage as well for the last five years. I never made plans, but it’s all just worked out really nicely so I’m very, very lucky.

“I remember my careers advisor at school telling me, working with horses was going to be a waste of time and it’s not something that I should go into. I’ve travelled the world for free, made amazing friends, I’ve been lucky to go to America a few times, to Rio to Hong Kong and all over Europe. [Fiona and Anders] did lots of shows in Scandinavia and Austria and so I have been super lucky and I’m very grateful for the opportunities people have given me to do that and to take care of their horses.

“It sounds cheesy, but for them to choose me to take care of them really means a lot. I’m super lucky that everyone I’ve worked for has treated me like one of the family.”

Liz, who is mainly looking after Sir Lee Pearson and Natasha Baker’s respective rides, Breezer and Keystone Dawn Chorus, was full of praise for the organisation and facilities in the Equestrian Park in Tokyo.

“It’s been one of the nicest shows I’ve ever been to organisationally, they’ve been super efficient,” she said, adding everyone from the British contingent is also pulling together to help each other out and ParalympicsGB has “thought of everything”.

“[The organisers have] done a very good job and we all appreciate it as grooms. Little things like not having to go too far to washing machines or wash bays. Everything’s really convenient and easy and they’ve got huge water containers with really cold water inside, which really helps after exercise. As a groom, our priority is always the horses’ welfare, and they have thought of everything.”

With the stables a “two minute walk” from the grooms’ accommodation, they have also been able to see some of the wildlife in the area while hand grazing in the morning, from parakeets to huge dragonflies in an array of colours.

“It’s the first time I’ve really worked together with Jade [Lockwood, Britain’s other groom in Tokyo] and she has some brilliant one liners, she says. “She’s doing absolutely fantastically, she’s a real team player and very hard worker.”

So what advice would Liz give to young people thinking about grooming as a career?

“[Working with] horses isn’t easy,” she says. “You have to work hard, you have to take pride in what you do and take any opportunity that’s given to you, but don’t take that opportunity for granted. You can’t have someone who’s standing around watching everyone else.

“Work hard, take pride in what you do, respect people around you, respect your horses, love your horses and cherish every moment. Yes, it’s very tough, and you have to be able to live off very little sleep sometimes. We all know it’s not a nine to five working with animals, but then also you need to keep a balance as well in life and make sure you’re treated right by your boss too. Just work hard, enjoy it and make memories along the way.”

A golden day for Britain, fierce battle for medals and a string of personal bests: seven highlights from the second day of team competition at the Tokyo Paralympics

Martha Terry — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 16:39:02 +0000

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

Hear why Sophie felt as if she was ‘riding on eggshells’

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

‘I was riding on eggshells’: Sophie Wells on handling the unexpected to secure Britain’s team chances

Lucy Elder — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 16:19:46 +0000

Sophie Wells said she felt “relieved to finish the test” in the Tokyo Paralympic team dressage competition after a spicy warm-up with Don Cara M.

Sophie and the Roland Kinch’s Don Jovi gelding pulled off a huge new international personal best score in the team test of 75.65% to secure team gold for Britain.

The new format of three to a team, with all scores counting, was playing on Sophie’s mind as she went into the arena.

“I’m so relieved to have survived, stayed on, started the test and finished the test today,” she said, explaining “Donnie” had been spinning around in the final warm-up, which was “completely out of the blue”.

“He warmed up in the other arena amazingly and felt awesome. Then for some reason when I came [into the 10 minute box] I think the shadows of the people walking behind things [spooked him].

“There’s pressure going last in the team anyway, especially without a drop score.

“I just thought I’ve got to complete the test because without completing the test we haven’t got a score. So, yeah, I’m not going to lie, I didn’t enjoy a single second. That was stressful.”

There was one notable error, where Donnie added an unintended flying change during the canter work.

“I just thought, don’t panic – take your time and pick it back up,” said Sophie, adding she was delighted with how the mistake didn’t rattle Donnie, which it had the potential to do.

“I’m surprised the mistake didn’t happen earlier, if I’m absolutely honest. I was very much on eggshells, it was like sitting on a bomb. I mean, an awesome bomb, don’t get me wrong. But that’s horses, isn’t it? At the end of the day something happened in [the 10 minute box] that scared him.

“It just shows what an awesome horse he is to still get that score. It gives me faith that as a rider, I can ask for less, and it will still be plenty, which is amazing,” she said.

H&H Tokyo rider of the day: history-making Paralympian bows out – ‘I decided before Tokyo that this would be my last Games’

Lucy Elder — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 15:17:26 +0000

Australia’s Sharon Jarvis entered the arena for the final ride of her record-breaking Paralympic career at the Tokyo Games tonight (Sunday, 29 August).

Sharon made history this week, as only the Australian equestrian to have ridden at three Paralympics – Beijing 2008, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. It was on this note that she made the decision to retire from the sport.

“The part that makes it a lot harder is that I made a choice before Tokyo that this would be my last Games,” said Sharon, who partnered Romanos to a score of 67.9% on the final day of the team competition.

The moment was even more emotional as this was Sharon’s final ride on Donnella Merrett’s 19-year-old gelding, as he returns home to his owners after the Games.

“It just makes me so emotional because I have absolutely loved riding this horse to bits, but unfortunately that is the nature of our sport when we can’t afford to own our own horses,” she said.

When Sharon’s intended Tokyo ride was injured, she thought that was the end of her dream for these Games.

“I had moved 4,000km across the country to train for Tokyo five years ago. So when my horse injured himself I said to my coach Rozzie Ryan, ‘I think that’s it. I have to drive back home, I don’t have a budget to buy a horse’,” she recalls.

“Rozzie said, ‘no, you’re not giving up yet. I won’t let you drive out that gate!’ We actually put a call out on Facebook to see if anybody had a horse to loan to me, and we had so many lovely messages from people.”

One of those messages was from Donnella, based around 1,000km away, who suggested her Rotspon x Laptop gelding Romanos might suit.

“Rozzie said, ‘that’s the horse – go get on the plane’. I had one ride and said ‘yeah I think I can do this’. I’m just ever so grateful to his owner for allowing me to ride him and my coach for not letting me give up.”

Tokyo was a completely new experience for Romanos, who Sharon describes as “very cheeky and loves drinking slushies”.

“I’m just very lucky and grateful to be on a horse like him here,” she said.

The grade IV rider was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma bone tumour in her left leg when she was seven years old and was originally given three months to live. Doctors saved her life and saved her leg from amputation. As a result of the treatment, her left leg and lower right leg have limited movement and strength.

“I’ve seen my family for two days in the last 20 months because of Covid. They are back home watching. It’s been quite a big logistical thing, and I’m looking forward to going home after Tokyo,” she said, crediting her support team, and first and foremost Romanos, for what they have helped her to achieve.

“It’s incredible and it’s emotional [to be here]. I thought I was really lucky to get to one Games and to make it to three is just unbelievable.”

Alongside her Paralympic achievements, Sharon is also a double bronze world medallist with Applewood Odorado.

“We found him through Horse & Hound!” she said. “We had been in England in the lead up to World Championships in 2007. I picked up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine and saw an ad in there for a horse. We went and looked at it and ended up buying him, and he went on the be my medal-winning horse at the World Equestrian Games at Kentucky in 2010.”

‘We wanted a medal, but we didn’t think this was possible’: Britain reflects on ‘fairytale’ Tokyo team gold

Lucy Elder — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 13:58:54 +0000

The golden British trio admitted that never in a “million, trillion, gazillion years” did they expect to be taking home the Tokyo Paralympic dressage team title.

Sir Lee Pearson (Breezer), Natasha Baker (Keystone Dawn Chorus) and Sophie Wells (Don Cara M) faced their strongest opposition yet at a Paralympic Games, securing victory over the Dutch by a 0.656 point margin. The bronze medal-winning US team, tipped as Tokyo team favourites, were less than six percent behind the leaders.

Britain is unbeaten in the Paralympic team competition, with their run of golden success spanning 25 years since the sport was introduced to the programme at Atlanta 1996.

The three British riders on the team all have a wealth of experience behind them, but none of these horses have any championship experience and neither Don Cara M nor Keystone Dawn Chorus had ever left the country before. Sophie was also riding her reserve horse, following the 11th hour withdrawal of C Fatal Attraction before the side left the UK.

She said that while a Tokyo Paralympic dressage team medal was their goal, they had “absolutely no idea” that gold would be within reach.

“We had no idea and no expectation that that’s what we could do, because we genuinely didn’t think that was possible being realistic,” she said.

“We all had horses that have never done it, and we’ve not competed against anybody else [to see how we compare]. The Dutch are so strong and so established and secure on those horses, and we knew America were doing amazingly.”

She added that change of perspective meant that they approached these Games in a different, more relaxed way. On reflection, that different approach was what earned them the gold.

“We just went in and did our jobs, which is what we always do,” said Sophie. “We didn’t go fighting for it this time, because we didn’t think we were then in the mix to fight for it. That shows that actually, maybe that different approach actually is really good. For me on this horse, that’s definitely the approach [that works].

“Like Lee was saying yesterday, you have to ride with such skill and you’re taking every inch of your experience over so many years into that arena.

“I’m just so proud to be on a team with these guys and what everyone’s done has been awesome.”

Natasha added it was “quite nice” to come into the Tokyo Paralympic dressage without the weight of expectation that has followed Britain to its past championships.

“We were hoping to come and maybe challenge for a bronze,” said Natasha, adding they are all “immensely proud” of everything their horses have done and achieved this week.

“Every championship and every Paralympics [in the past], we’ve gone in with that expectation and that pressure on our shoulders. But we were chatting the other day and it’s been so relaxed just being able to come in and enjoy it. It’s just been the most incredible experience. I think that’s why we’ve all cried so much, because we just didn’t expect this in a million years.”

Lee credited the team behind the scenes and the selectors for having faith in the riders they chose for these Games.

“Just to be here, to get here, to compete and then to do as well as we have is a fairytale,” said Lee. “You can, perhaps, think for British riders who have done as well as we have done in previous Paralympic Games that’s not the case, but it really is a fairytale.

“Even on young, inexperienced horses, the selectors had faith in the British riders that they sent out here, because they do believe that as riders we draw on every little bit of experience that we have to get the best score that we can. I’m so grateful to them.”

Gold! Britain retains Paralympic team title in mighty tussle with the Netherlands

Martha Terry — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 11:42:01 +0000

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.

Final US rider puts team on target to take medal – can Britain hold on to gold?

Martha Terry — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 10:31:48 +0000

Grade IV rider Kate Shoemaker consolidated the US team’s bid for a place on the podium at the Tokyo Paralympics dressage. They are currently in silver behind Team GB after three riders have gone for both countries. Kate rode the 14-year-old Solitaer 40 (Sandro Hit x De Niro) to score 71.9% at the start of the final rider rotation.

“That might be the best test he’s ever done,” said Kate. “I’m so, so happy. There were little bobbles here and there, but I was so happy with the overall way of going. But I am a little disappointed in the score.”

Kate had changed tack from her individual test earlier in the week.

“We had tried for a more elastic, forward-moving test the first night, but the judges said ‘no’, so I went for more collection, balance and correctness today, and I think we showed the potential we have,” she said. “It’s a tough spot going first in the class – we just have to sit and wait now because it’s going to be extremely tight.”

Kate’s compatriot, world number one Roxanne Trunnell had already posted yesterday’s (28 August) top score of 80.321%, riding Dolton, to put the US in a strong position.

Paralympics dressage: Britain leads the way in the hunt for medals

Great Britain currently leads the team standings for those nations which have completed with all three riders on 229.905. Sophie Wells produced a quality test on Don Cara M at the end of the Grade V section to score 75.651% and consolidate Lee Pearson and Natasha Baker’s great efforts on the first day of the team competition (28 August).

The US is now in second, with Italy third on 214.057, but the Netherlands is lying in wait and expected to overtake during the final rider rotation. Their final rider Sanne Voets would need to produce a personal best with Demantur to take team gold, but it is well within the realms of possibility.

Denmark is also putting in a bold bid thanks to Tobias Jørgensen’s superb mark of 79.559%, but their final rider Susanne Jensby Sunesen will need to score a colossal personal best of 77.11% to put the country in contention for gold.

Sophie Wells puts Britain within touching distance of team gold at the Tokyo Paralympics

Martha Terry — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 10:18:08 +0000

Sophie Wells put Britain in the driving seat on the final day of the Tokyo Paralympics team dressage competition, with a fantastic test on Don Cara M.

Roland Kinch’s gelding was on his toes warming up, but pulled an expressive test out of the bag – with just one mistake – to score a provisional 74.93, corrected to a final score of 75.65 – a personal best for the horse. Sophie’s test was all the more impressive as her 12-year-old ride was a late substitution for her top horse, C Fatal Attraction.

The Grade V individual silver medallist produced a test full of quality on this sensitive horse. They showed beautiful expression in the extended trot and a bold medium canter. There was one mistake with an uncalled-for change in the counter canter, but Sophie quickly put it behind her to keep Britain’s unbeaten golden Paralympic run alive.

This bolsters Lee Pearson and Natasha Baker’s sterling efforts on day one of the battle for team medals. Lee topped the Grade II section on his own Breezer, scoring the pair’s personal best of 77.636%, while Natasha was delighted with Keystone Dawn Chorus’s effort in the Grade IIIs. They were second in that group with 76.618%.

The British team now holds a total score of 229.9 on the live scoreboard. This gives them a clear lead at this stage of the teams who have completed with all three riders.

Paralympics dressage: The Netherlands bid for podium place

Dutchman Frank Hosmar, 43, scored 74.81% with the 16-year-old Alphaville, by Sandreo. The Grade V individual bronze medallist was bidding to boost the Netherlands’ bid for gold. The team’s combined mark of 151 would hypothetically put them in silver behind where Britain was at the two-rider stage.

Frank lost marks for a slightly ragged halt, but by and large the transitions were beautifully accurate and the pair produced a supple and harmonious picture. Frank was a little surprised at the marks, which were lower than he expected, as he felt the test was better than his individual.