TEAM GERMANY TAKES GOLD AT FEI DRESSAGE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN CROZET

THIS WASN'T YOUR TYPICAL DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT WAS A SAGA OF UNEXPECTED TWISTS AND EMOTIONAL TRIUMPHS, ALL SET AGAINST THE BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP OF CROZET, FRANCE.

Synopsis:

An unlikely venue: the drama began before the first horse even entered the ring, as France galloped in to save the day, hosting the event after the organisers in Samorin, Slovakia, withdrew for the third time in a row.

A British crisis: The British team, the reigning champions, were rocked by an early elimination, leaving them with no room for error and an immense challenge to overcome. Andrew Gould and his horse Indigro were eliminated on veterinary grounds during their test which put immense pressure on the remaining British riders, as they no longer had a "discard score" and all of their remaining scores had to count toward the final total.

German redemption: Germany’s path to gold was a rollercoaster. Multi-medalled eventing rider Ingrid Klimke and her horse Vayron had a difficult test on the first day, scoring well below their usual standard, but that was balanced by debutant Katharina Hemmer’s performance, setting the stage for their dramatic climb back to the top of the podium.

The team medal race was incredibly tight and came down to the final rides on the second day. Denmark, Great Britain, and Sweden were all in contention, and the lead changed hands. The final results were determined by the performances of key riders like Isabell Werth for Germany and Charlotte Fry for Great Britain, making for a nail-biting finish.

--ENDS--

Full results here

Photo by FEI/Leanjo de Koster