The Para Dressage team medals were decided today at the Allianz-Prize. In this test, the riders not only scored crucial points for their respective teams, but also faced the second qualifier for the Individual Freestyle Final.
Vianne remained completely unfazed by the stadium's cheers and even took a moment to give one of her hands a satisfying scratch. The ten-year-old grey mare seemed to know she had achieved something special and remained totally calm. On her back, Kate Shoemaker had just performed her final salute. The rider affectionately wrapped her arms around her companion's neck, lavished her with praise and smiled radiant with happiness.
The judges awarded the pair a score of 80.460 % for a performance that stood out for its harmony, responsiveness and expressiveness. But, above all, this result confirmed what had already become apparent in Aachen following the previous day’s results: gold for the United States in the Paralympic Dressage Team Competition.
Alongside Fiona Howard on Diamond Dunes (79.300, %, Grade II), Marie Vonderheyden on Fan Tastico H (76.375 %, Grade I) and Rebecca Hart on Floratina (73.533 %, Grade III), the US team achieved a total of 236.135 percentage points, a result that remains unrivalled worldwide to this day.
«It's simply incredible,» declared an exultant Kate Shoemaker. «Going out last on the track for the team usually creates a certain amount of pressure. But my teammates had put in magnificent performances before me, so I was able to ride with a sense of freedom and simply see how far we could go.».
The German team celebrated their second-place finish, behind their American rivals. «The other nations had set the bar very high, so we had to put in our best performance too,» explained Regine Mispelkamp, who contributed a score of 75.737 % in Grade V to the team’s result, riding her reliable partner Highlander Delight’s.
Alongside equally strong performances by Heidemarie Dresing on Poesie (77.733 %, Grade II), Anna-Lena Niehues on Vive l’Amour (76.405 %, Grade IV) and Helen Brandt on Vulkan Vegas IB (73.297 %, Grade IV), the German team scored a total of 229.875 %.
The bronze went to the Dutch team, comprising Rixt van der Horst riding Eisma’s Royal Fonq N.O.P. (78.467 %, Grade III), Annemarieke Nobel riding Doo Schufro (73.708 %, Grade I), Tessa Baaijens-Van De Vrie riding Happy Grace (74.567 %, Grade III) and Britney de Jong riding Caramba N.O.P. (74.605 %, Grade V). Their total score was 227.639 %.
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Photograph ALRV/Camille Peter
