Check out Horse Illustrated’s latest updates from the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the equestrian sport of para dressage.
◆ U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team
The USA’s Para Dressage Team arrived in France on a mission that was about a decade in the making―to earn team gold and respect for their accomplishments at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They came into the Games ranked number one in the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) world standings, and undefeated in international team competition in 2024. Yet, the international press wasn’t quite as on board as they could have been in touting the U.S. Team’s accomplishments to that point.
After four days of intense competition against the best in the world the first week of September, the four U.S. riders came away with the full gamut of Paralympic medals: team gold and six individual medals (four gold, one silver and one bronze). This was the first-ever team gold medal and only the second Paralympics equestrian team medal for U.S. Para Dressage (they won team bronze in Tokyo). They also earned a Paralympic record high score in the team competition in France, 235.567.
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A day after winning Team Gold, the U.S. Para Dressage Team added more medals to the count during Individual Freestyle competition on the final day of para equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Check here to see the results of each grade level in Individual Freestyle Pra Dressage.
It was gold yet again for Rebecca Hart and Floratina in their final time in the picturesque stadium at the Château de Versailles, this time for their Grade III Freestyle, dancing to the music from the movie Driving Miss Daisy. And, boy did they ever dance, earning a 83.534% to close out an amazing success story for the U.S. Equestrian Team here at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
The USA’s Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, going next to last, in the Grade II Freestyle order this afternoon laid down another dominate gold-medal performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They glided around the arena to the soundtrack from Avatar to wow the judges and the audience. Their score, 81.994%, was another personal-best performance for Howard.
Roxanne Trunnell (USA) and Karin Flint’s Fan Tastico H competed today in the Grade I Freestyle Para Dressage at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing fifth on 77.307%. They performed to the music of The Lion King. Fan Tastico H is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer). He is cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo.
Taking the gold medal in Grade I Freestyle was Latvia’s Rihards Snikus riding the amazingly consistent and kind horse, King of the Dance. They scored a decisive 82.487%, riding to upbeat Latin music. This was Snikus’s second gold medal of the week since he also captured the Grade I Individual on September 3.
Michèle George and Best of 8 grabbed another individual gold medal today in the para dressage Grade V Freestyle class here that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. They also won individual gold for their performance on September 4. Their freestyle score today was 81.470%. Best of 8 is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare by Bonifatius. She is owned by Camille Vangheluwe and Wendy Laeremans and groomed by Vangheluwe.
This is George’s seventh Paralympic gold medal, and eighth Paralympic medal in total.
The USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Norcordia USA’s Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube), garnered para dressage individual freestyle bronze today in Grade IV at the 2024 Paralympic Games equestrian venue at the Château de Versailles. They scored 80.170% in a gorgeous performance to the music of Forrest Gump. Vianne’s groom is Katherine Barrett.
Grade IV gold went Demi Haerkens and Daula from the Netherlands (83.390%). Silver to Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 from Germany (80.900%).
Today was the Paris 2024 Paralympics para dressage team competition at Château de Versailles with 16 nations putting forward teams of three riders each in search of team medals. As the current world number-one ranked team, the pressure was really on the USA.
There was a lot on the line to prove their right to be top-tier. The three U.S. riders, surrounded by a super supportive entourage, simply brought it on―mic drop, the end, gold please!
US Equestrian has announced the horse and rider combinations selected to represent the U.S. in tomorrow’s para dressage team competition. They are as follows: Rebecca Hart and Floratina; Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes; and Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H. Team competition for medals begins tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 6. at 9:30 a.m. GMT (3:30 a.m. U.S. ET) with Grade IV competition.
After the last Grade V horse and rider pair finished their final pass down centerline, the medals were awarded. Gold went to Belgium’s Michele George and Best of 8 (76.692%), silver to Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s (73.231%), and bronze to Great Britain’s Sophie Wells and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa (72.257%).
Representing the United States, Kate Shoemaker and Vianne finished fifth in today’s Individual Grade IV Para Dressage, qualifying for Saturday’s Individual Freestyle Test. Tomorrow is a rest day for para equestrians, followed by Friday’s team competition.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics equestrian competition kicked off today at the beautiful and historic equestrian venue here at Château de Versailles in France. All three U.S. riders secured a medal, and also scored high enough to move on to Saturday’s (September 7) freestyle class.
Rebecca Hart and Floratina (Grade III) and Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes (Grade II) took gold. Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H (Grade I) took silver.
The U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team completed a tremendous first day of competition to begin their campaign at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Three combinations took to the main stadium to compete in their first tests of the competition, capturing three individual medals in their respective grades. Rebecca Hart aboard Floratina, and Fiona Howard with Diamond Dunes, both earned individual gold, while Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H finished with individual silver.
Roxanne Trunnell (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Fan Tastico H (Grade I) secured individual silver in their first test of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Trunnell and Fan Tastico H, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Fuerstenball OLD x Weltmeyer) owned by Karin Flint, earned yet another personal best score for the United States, securing a 78.000% in FEI Grand Prix Test A for their first individual podium finish together as a combination. Paris 2024 is Trunnell’s third Paralympic Games representing the United States and was a double individual gold medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. More news to follow.
Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes (Grade II) secured individual gold in their first test of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Howard and Diamond Dunes, a 2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’or x Wibella) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselman, earned a personal best score of 76.931% in FEI Grand Prix Test A for their first individual podium finish together as a combination. Paris 2024 is Howard’s first Paralympic Games representing the United States.
Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.) and Floratina (Grade III) secured individual gold in their first test of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Hart and Floratina, a 2008 Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz x Rubina) owned by Rowan O’Riley, earned a personal best score of 77.900% in FEI Grand Prix Test A for their first individual podium finish together as a combination. Paris 2024 is Hart’s fifth Paralympic Games representing the United States and today’s gold medal marks the first individual Paralympic medal of her career.
Established stars will seek to hold off the challenge of emerging athletes as Para Dressage makes its entrance to Paris 2024 at the spectacular Château de Versailles.
A total of 76 athletes from 30 nations will assemble for four days of competition spread across five days from Tuesday, 3 September to Saturday, 7 September.
The first two days will be Individual Medal Events in all five Grades.
All horses that were presented on Monday’s First Horse Inspection passed.
Twenty-eight days after the close of the Olympic jumping, the Paris 2024 Paralympics equestrian competition begins at the Château de Versailles in France on September 2. Para dressage will take place in the same stadium as the three Olympic equestrian sports with a gorgeous view of the iconic Grand Canal and Palace in the background.
It will be exciting to witness performances from all of the athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic equestrian venue, but especially those of the strong contingent from the USA. The U.S. team won bronze in the Tokyo 2020/21 Paralympics, with U.S. Grade I rider Roxanne Trunnell, who is also on the team for Paris 2024, taking two gold medals (one each in the individual and freestyle competitions).
US Equestrian is pleased to announce the athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent the United States as part of Team USA at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Para-equestrian competition will begin on Tuesday, September 3, and continue through Saturday, September 7, hosted at the equestrian grounds of Versailles.
The team members are Rebecca Hart and Floratina, Fiona and Diamond Dunes, Kate Shoemaker and Vianne, Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H.
US Equestrian is pleased to announce the 12 athlete-and-horse combinations selected to the U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team Short List ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics to be held in Versailles, France, from September 2-7, 2024. The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline and Team Leader Laureen Johnson. The final team selection will be announced by the definite entry deadline of August 5, 2024.
Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.
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