‘Best-ever’ Paralympic Equestrian Games wrap up

Grade IV freestyle golden medalist Michele George (Belgium).

Para-Equestrian Dressage events finished at the London 2012 Paralympic Games on Tuesday, amongst Grades IV, III together with Ia competing for Freestyle medals.

It was an exact replica of the Individual Championship podiums on Sabbatum inward Grades IV together with III amongst Belgium’s Michele George together with Rainman picking upward their 2nd golden medal at the Games followed past times Sophie Wells (GBR) together with Frank Hosmar (NED), whilst inward Grade III Hannelore Brenner from Deutschland secured her quaternary Paralympic golden (2 inward 2008, 2 inward 2012) ahead of Deborah Criddle (GBR) together with Annika Dalskov (DEN).

Grade III Freestyle medalists: silvery – Deborah Criddle (GBR), golden – Hannelore Brenner (GER), bronze – Annika Dalskov (DEN). © FEI/Liz Gregg

Grade Ia

Another foot-perfect surgical procedure from Sophie Christiansen and Janeiro 6 to the melody of Pink Floyd’s ‘We don’t demand no education’ seat her ahead of Laurentia Tan from Singapore, with Helen Kearney from Republic of Ireland third.

Christiansen is Great Britain’s outset triple golden medallist of London 2012.

The 24-year-old also secured a personal best, together with a Paralympic tape of eleven medals inward 1 Games for Britain’s Equestrian team.

After scoring 84.75% inward her ride, Christiansen said: “I was ever going to bask that. Sometimes I tin larn a flake carried away, but today I relaxed together with gave it everything I could. Knowing my friends together with household unit of measurement were inward the audience was actually special. Some of them had never seen me on a horse, allow lone winning a medal.”

The expectations were high after ii record-breaking squad together with private examination scores together with Christiansen had something a flake special lined up: “I know the composer Owen Gurry actually good together with he knows my test. It’s a flake ground-breaking every bit I’ve got a flake of Shakespeare every bit good every bit the Big Ben bells.”

Laurentia Tan’s silvery on  Ruben James 2 adds to her collection of iii Paralmypic bronze medals – ii from 2008 together with the tertiary won inward London inward the private Championship test. Her mightiness to primary the Freestyle is fifty-fifty to a greater extent than remarkable every bit she non exclusively suffers from cerebral palsy but is also deaf together with so relies on her horse, instinct together with natural rhythm.

She is withal the exclusively Asian Para-Equestrian athlete to receive got won medals at the Paralympic Games. “I’m over the moon, I didn’t await roughly other medal,” said Tan after the prize-giving ceremony, “so many people come upward up to me together with tell wow together with how much I’ve inspired them”.

Ireland’s Helen Kearney was rapt amongst her bronze on Mister Cool. “It’s absolutely phenomenal. I didn’t receive got whatever view that I would terminate upward amongst ii medals together with a squad medal. I didn’t run into it coming together with I’m together with so grateful.”

The County Wicklow passenger together with her Irish Gaelic Sport Horse Mister Cool overtook swain Irish Gaelic challenger Geraldine Savage together with Blues Tip Top Too to score 78.450.

Dubliner Savage, who held the Gold medal spot halfway through the event, finished inward 5th  on a score of 72.300.

After the competition, Horse Sport Republic of Ireland Chairman Joe Walsh said: “To win a squad bronze together with ii private medals is exactly outstanding. I desire to mail the congratulations together with gratitude of the entire Irish Gaelic equestrian community to Helen together with her squad mates Eilish, James together with Geraldine. Their performances receive got capped what has been a phenomenal vi weeks for Irish Gaelic equestrian sport. ”

Sophie Wells of Great United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland rides Pinocchio to silvery inward the Grade IV Individual Freestyle Test.

Grade IV

Belgium’s Michele George was superb aboard Rainman to seal the entitle inward agency at Greenwich Park, finishing amongst a personal best together with Paralympic tape score of 82.100 per cent.

That was plenty to concur off the challenge of Great Britain’s Sophie Wells aboard Pinocchio (81.150 per cent), who rode a personal best.

Netherlands’ Frank Hosmar together with Alphaville claimed bronze to consummate an exact repeat of the placings inward the Championship Test – Grade IV contest on Day 4.

George was overwhelmed past times her victory, saying: “I am lost for words. To range this inward a terra firma similar [Great Britain] amongst such a rigid tradition. I actually felt the pressure. I actually enjoyed it but it was difficult to continue him calm.

“It was actually of import to me. An achievement coming hither to this venue – I exactly can’t detect the correct words to enjoin you lot how of import it is,” she said.

George had to run difficult to incorporate the 10-year-old gelding past times Rubicell, a gift from her married adult man every bit a three-year-old, every bit the atmosphere got to him.

“He was a footling flake hot together with tense today. I could experience his see beating, together with so it was non every bit slow every bit it was ii days ago. The freestyle is non our favourite,” she said, before declaring Greenwich Park “the best venue ever”.

An exhausted together with slightly disappointed Sophie Wells said: “I had to convey roughly risks to receive got the conduct chances of beating Michele today. She’s been on skillful cast at this competition. Some of the risks paid off, roughly perhaps didn’t. I had a modest error inward the tempi changes downward the centre draw of piece of occupation that affected the lastly halt.

“I don’t cry back I could receive got done whatever to a greater extent than training wise. I’m absolutely thrilled amongst my horse. He coped similar a star inward this atmosphere. It’s been an absolute dream to compete inward this contest together with correspond the country. I don’t know how I volition live able to top this.”

Bronze went to Adelinde Cornelissen’s pupil, Holland’s Frank Hosmar together with the seven-year-old Dutch-bred gelding Alphaville, past times Sandreo.

He said: “It was exclusively Alphaville’s tertiary contest this flavor together with his outset fourth dimension competing inward the freestyle, together with so he did well.”

Ireland’s James Dwyer added a 6th house inward the Freestyle terminal to his squad Bronze medal, riding his xvi year-old gelding Orlando.

Hannelore Brenner of Deutschland rides Women of the World to golden inward the Grade III Individual Freestyle Test.

Grade III

It was roughly other familiar flush inward Grade III, where Hannelore Brenner dominated in 1 trial to a greater extent than past times winning golden on Women of the World after scoring 81.700 per cent.

The High German followed upward her victory inward the Individual Championship Test contest past times triumphing in 1 trial more, amongst Deb Criddle of Great United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland on LJT Akilles (78.550) winning her 2nd silvery ahead of Denmark’s Annika Dalskov on Aros Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Fenris (76.950) inward bronze again.

Brenner’s score of 81.7% was a personal best together with Paralympic record. Brenner, who sustained a spinal injury piece eventing inward 1986, was riding the 17-year-old Hannovarian mare past times Walt Disney, Women Of The World, whom she has partnered for 7 years. She has straight off won a total of thirty entitle medals.

She rode to music from Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s American Classic. “She loves the music too; nosotros exactly had fun. The pressure level was ii days ago. Today it was actually fun to ride inward this swell arena.”

Criddle described her freestyle – to the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations – every bit “truly freestyle”.

“I had a slight momentary hesitation, which meant that I went into a displace I shouldn’t receive got done at the time. I ad-libbed together with picked it upward from there. That’s where I did skillful today, because I did non allow it throw me. He was actually amongst me. My medium trot had a footling loss of rhythm, which would receive got been a footling flake costly, but other than that I am over the Moon amongst how he was. We did the best shoulder-ins I’ve ever done inward a test,” said Criddle, who is trained past times Nina Venables.

“I experience together with so honoured to receive got the ride on him because xviii months agone I didn’t receive got a Equus caballus for these Games. Eighteen months of difficult run has actually paid off. He was bought specifically for me past times The Lady Joseph Trust, whose aim is to render top horses for top para riders together with I cry back for them to receive got fulfilled what they gear upward out to gain amongst their outset competing Equus caballus is exactly brilliant.”

Commenting on her quaternary Games, Criddle said: “It’s exactly been fabulous, the best Games I receive got ever done. I cry back Sophie said it earlier, nosotros gain experience together with so honoured to live here, that the crowd is supporting us exactly together with so much. Words can’t push clit the feeling they receive got created for us; nosotros volition never forget these Games.”

Bronze went to Denmark’s Annika Dalskov together with the six-year-old De Niro gelding Aros Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Fenris.

The medal table

Great United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland range a tape haul of eleven medals (five gold, v silvery together with 1 bronze) taking their overall tally since 1996 to an impressive 44 medals (23 gold, xiii silvery together with 8 bronze).

Second on the overall medals table, Deutschland receive got also beaten all their previous Paralympic Games medal records winning 7 at London 2012 amongst ii gold, iii silvery together with ii bronze taking their tally upward to 21 medals inward total since 1996 (six gold, 10 silvery together with v bronze).

Michele George in Grade IV gave Kingdom of Belgium its 2nd golden medal. Before London 2012, Kingdom of Belgium had won a silvery medal inward 2000 together with a bronze inward 2004

Singapore moved upward the medals tabular array as Laurentia Tan added silvery to her iii bronze medals (two inward 2008 together with the tertiary inward 2012).

Finland added a London 2012 silvery medal to ii bronze medals won inward Sydney 2000.

Australia adds golden to their overall tally taking them to nine medals (three gold, 1 silvery together with v bronze).

Austria’s Pepo Puch won their outset medals – a golden together with a bronze inward Grade Ib.

Ireland brand a swell start on the table, from no medals to iii – a squad and Helen Kearney’s Individual Championships silvery together with Freestyle bronze.

New Zealand’s Rachel Stock together with Rimini Park Emmerich inward the Grade III Individual Freestyle.

And afterwards

The athletes, their stories together with their sporting mightiness together with ambition every bit good every bit the many individuals together with volunteers working behind the scenes receive got made it an incredible Games together with without a doubtfulness the best Para-Equestrian Dressage has ever seen. The character of the horses together with the rigid partnerships they cast amongst their riders has been impressive across all the Grades, has produced lots of Paralympic records together with seen novel nations come upward to the fore inward a sport that has been dominated for years past times a select few.

Ask whatever athlete every bit they are leaving the arena what retention they volition convey abode amongst them, together with it’s invariably the atmosphere. They may receive got won gold, silver, bronze or fifty-fifty come upward lastly – their biggest retention is that indescribable feeling of entering a packed arena together with performing to a generous audience having had all the correct weather condition inward house to assist them give their best.

The athletes are the outset to give thank you lot the volunteers, their squad mates, coaches, back upward networks, sponsors together with the sporting British patch that has encouraged together with cheered for each together with every 1 of them every footstep of the way. It may non receive got ever gone the agency they had hoped – horses tin live unpredictable, nerves together with pressure level tin larn the amend of you lot – but that is the nature of the sport. In fellowship to develop every bit a passenger together with a partnership they are acutely aware of the demand to receive got the mistakes together with displace forward. The mightiness of the athletes competing at the Para-Equestrian Dressage events this calendar week to gain exactly that has been phenomenal together with indicative of the perseverance together with conclusion they receive got applied to their lives together with the physical challenges they receive got to run amongst on a daily basis.

The Australian together with New Zealand horses volition receive got a long journeying abode amongst 21 days quarantine inward Newmarket, followed past times a long flying together with dorsum into quarantine for roughly other 21 days when they touching down. Throughout this fourth dimension they are looked after past times quarantine grooms together with are mitt walked.

It has been a calendar week of top sport inward an iconic location amongst swell facilities, passionate volunteers together with fantastic crowds (20,000 tickets sold for each of the contest days every bit good every bit additional tickets at the Gates). Rio 2016 volition receive got a lot to alive upward to.

Over the coming weeks, Greenwich Park volition live returned to its faithful owners together with past times the 31st of Oct that transfer should live complete. By the restrict of adjacent year, novel grass volition live growing where Olympic together with Paralympic horses lived, competed together with were crowned champions.

British squad managing director David Hunter said the atmosphere at Greenwich had “been a huge bonus. There has been swell feeling. The spectators receive got been together with so caring, roughly knowledgeable, roughly not, but together with so enthused. It is the biggest audience (11,000) whatever para-equestrian challenger of whatever patch has ever ridden inward front end of.”

It is the outset fourth dimension many receive got experienced a characteristic unique to the sport dubbed “butterfly waving”. This is when the audience are asked non to clap until Equus caballus together with handler are reunited after the test, especially inward Grade Ia, together with present their appreciation past times waving, either hands or flags.

The quiet is incredibly powerful together with moving every bit Hunter explains: “It is together with so special together with poignant.”

 

Freestyle Test – Grade III

Rk	Bib	Rider	Horse	Result	+
1	307	BRENNER H	WOMEN OF THE WORLD	81.700	+
2	306	CRIDDLE D	LJT AKILLES	78.550	+
3	302	DALSKOV A	AROS Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 FENRIS	76.950	+
4	310	VOETS S	VEDET PB	75.400	+
5	303	SUNESEN S	THY’S QUE FAIRE	73.550	+
6	304	LETARTRE J	WARINA	72.600	+
7	305	VINCHON V	FLIPPER D’OR	68.300	+
8	308	ZEIBIG S	WALDEMAR	67.150	+
9	312	STOCK R	RIMINI PARK EMMERICH	66.850	+
10	301	GUGLIALMELLI LYNCH	NIRVANA PURE INDULGENCE	62.050	+
11	309	DRESLER Y	UBELISK	60.250	+

Freestyle Test – Grade IV

Rk	Bib	Rider	Horse	Result	+
1	403	GEORGE M	RAINMAN	82.100	+
2	408	WELLS S	PINOCCHIO	81.150	+
3	412	HOSMAR F	ALPHAVILLE	78.600	+
4	406	JORGENSEN L	DI CAPRIO	76.800	+
5	404	VERMEULEN C	WHOONEY TUNES	75.000	+
6	410	DWYER J	ORLANDO	74.400	+
7	407	BIZET N	RUBICA III	73.500	+
8	409	WEIFEN L	DON TURNER	72.100	+
9	402	DEKEYZER U	CLEVERBOY VAN D’ABEL	69.550	+
10	405	ELSTONE E	ZARENO	68.750	+
11	401	DODD H	WAIKIWI	67.700	+
12	414	JOHNSON P	LORD LOUIS	67.200	+
13	413	MURI M	FANTASTICO	67.000	+
14	411	FRAWLEY L	RHAPSODY	63.750	+

Freestyle Test – Grade Ia

Rk	Bib	Rider	Horse	Result	+
1	005	CHRISTIANSEN S	JANEIRO 6	84.750	+
2	012	TAN L	RUBEN JAMES 2	79.000	+
3	007	KEARNEY H	MISTER COOL	78.450	+
4	009	MORGANTI S	ROYAL DELIGHT	73.900	+
5	008	SAVAGE G	BLUES TIP TOP TOO	72.300	+
6	010	SNIKUS R	CHARDONNAY	72.050	+
7	002	FROES RIBEIRO	EMILY	71.150	+
8	014	PONESSA D	WESTERN ROSE	70.750	+
9	001	OAKLEY R	STATFORD MANTOVANI	68.550	+
10	013	JOHNSSON A	DONAR	66.800	+
11	003	SCHLOSS J	INSPECTOR REBUS	66.500	+
12	011	FOO G	AVALON	65.800	+
13	004	ROSENHART L	PRIORS LADY RAWAGE	65.100	+
14	006	TSE N	UNDULETTE	64.050	+

 

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