Britain’s para-equestrian dressage riders rounded off their trip to the ECCO FEI European Championships with a top drawer performance to claim five medals – three gold and two silver. Today was ‘dancing’ day when the riders perform their own floorplan to music and it was great to see a supportive crowd come to watch.
Our first rider was early in the day, when the showground was just waking, which suited Grade II combination Natasha Baker and Cabral having been unsettled by a buzzing arena on Thursday. Just second to go, Natasha had decided to stay with her music score which she used in London, as it’s a popular choice for the judges and spectators. A brave entry in walk, a square halt and straight into canter left the judges in now doubt of her determination for that gold. A final score of 77.65% placed them higher than rival Angelika Trabert of Germany (who had gone in first). It was then a painful wait to see if Natasha could stay on top. Her second German challenger, Britta Napel, looked in fine fettle with her long-standing partner Aquilina 3 but they fell short with 73.250% and a third European Championship gold was Natasha’s.
On realising her victory, Natasha commented; “I can’t believe it I really can’t. I thought on Thursday that I’d be stone last. I really did not expect it at all. He’s just got better each day but he’s still not got as good as I know he can be which is a little bit frustrating for me. He’s just an amazing horse and I know that there’s so much in there but I haven’t been able to show it off but hopefully I’ll get the opportunity next year in WEG (World Equestrian Games) to do that. It’s been a happy end to a very tricky week!”
After her test, she said; “He was more motivated in there today and I had more control. He was still a little on his toes but it was positive energy! He was listening but it still wasn’t my best but it was the best test of the three days. I’m always more relaxed on freestyle day; I love my music and so does he. I have to say a huge thanks to Michele (Assouline, the British para team trainer) as I couldn’t have got through the week without him. JP is such a special horse; he’ll have a week off when we get home and then we’re competing at the Nationals before a longer holiday. I’ve got two new horses waiting for me at home which is exciting.”
The Grade Ib’s then stepped into the limelight and Ricky Balshaw was determined to go home with another medal around his neck. The favourite, Pepo Puch of Austria, had an early draw and scored 79.2% so Ricky knew exactly what he needed to do. Riding The Lady Joseph Trust’s LJT Enggaard’s Solitaire, Ricky attacked his test from the onset, riding every movement for every mark possible. A score of 76.8% wasn’t enough to secure gold but one judge did award them 80% which bodes well for the future. Denmark’s Stinna Tange Kaastrup continued her good run with a third bronze with new ride Steffi Graf.
A happy but slightly disappointed Ricky commented; “He felt great today. He had more trot today than previously so I got ahead of my music but threw in a circle or else I’d have ended up in the judge’s box at C! It’s a personal best score so I’m over the moon with that and the fact that one of the five judges had me to win is awesome; I’ll take that! To come here and beat Pepo (Puch) was always a big ask but give it another year, and who knows?”
It’s been a great battle between compatriots Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham all week and both are music maestros when it comes to freestyle day, so it was going to be close. Sophie made a conscious decision to put together new music as she wanted to keep her London masterpiece sacred; “I had it specially done for London and I want to preserve that memory, it would be wrong to use it again,” she explained. So it was an upbeat piece for her own Janeiro 6, or Rio to his friends, to suit his clockwork walk. Sophie rode with her normal pinpoint accuracy which she puts down to her ‘mathematical brain’ and a final score of 78.1%, which included three 80%+ artistic scores, flashed up on the board. It was then down to team stalwart Anne, who has competed in 11 out of 13 British teams since the Athens Paralympics in 1996, to see what she could do with spotted LJT Lucas Normark, owned by The Lady Joseph Trust. ‘Lucas’ has really impressed this Championship and the Genesis medley that Anne had put together suited him perfectly. It was nip and tuck but Anne’s final score was 77.35%, just a fraction behind Sophie.
Sophie commented; “I would have liked to have broken 80! My trainer said it was the best test I’ve rode to date so I’m really pleased. I love being with the other disciplines, it’s created a bit of an atmosphere; I thought it was really good for Rio – as a competitor I always need to challenge myself. It was a bigger crowd than normal here at these Championships which was great, and I’ve managed to watch some of the dressage and jumping, which has been great.
“It was a great ride. I thought Anne might just do it, she rode a lovely test. I did the best I could – I’ve got a great horse and I was so glad I could show him off here to the crowd”.
Anne said; “I was really pleased with him, he was just fantastic. I was really happy with my test; he just gets better every time we come out. The team morale is really good, all very happy and everyone’s very supportive of each other, which extends across the nations, not just within the British camp”.
The Grade IV freestyle proved the showdown of the day with some expert riding and beautifully presented tests. Dutch rider Frank Hosmar set the bar with a 76.9% and it was for the others to follow. No one came close until Sophie Wells stepped up with her towering gelding, Valerius. The duo are in great form having won at Inter I level a few weeks ago and they’ve wowed everyone this week. Today the petite rider, having been inspired by her team-mates’ performances throughout the morning, threw caution into the wind and went for it, making use of Valerius’ extravagant paces and willing nature. All around knew it was a special performance but not many expected the 80.25% that flashed up on the board. Gold was Sophie’s.
She commented afterwards; “It feels amazing – I’m just so proud of him. It was a big event but I was able to take risks today which paid off and I could go for the bigger marks. I’m so proud of my boy”.
After five fantastic days of competition where, for the first time, para-equestrian dressage featured alongside their able-bodied equivalents and showjumping to much praise from competitors, officials and spectators, Britain tops the medal table with 11 medals, seven gold and four silver.
Chef d’Equipe David Hunter summed the successful week up in saying; “I couldn’t have asked for better results, they were a dream. The new horse and rider combinations have excelled and the established combinations were outstanding. I’m hugely grateful to everyone who puts in so much effort – riders, grooms, the support team and particularly the owners.”
The British equestrian teams are supported at their respective Championships by the UK Sport Lottery funded World Class Programme.