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The favourites take the lead

September 7, 2025

An eager crowd watched on until the early hours as the British showed exactly why it is that they are unbeatable in the team event, and are now in a comfortable lead at the close of the first competition where the three best scores following today’s tests will be combined to the three best Individual Championships scores to determine the new team Champions. They are followed by Germany, however, with 16 points demarking the top two, it will be an uphill but nonetheless extremely rewarding battle to catch the British.

Germany will be feeling every ounce of the pressure as they, in turn, are closely followed by Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy. Indeed, the suspense, as the team medals are sought over the next couple of days, will be immense as the athletes compete within their Grades in the Individual Championship test for both individual and team honours. For Italy, a team medal would be a historical achievement, as they have never placed at Paralympic Games before and are in clear medal contention at this stage. Last to go for the Italian team composed of just three riders, Andrea Vigon was pleased with his performance “I’m very happy with my first Paralympic Games. It’s a fantastic arena”.

Britain began to make the difference when Lee Pearson and Gentlemen, first on their roster for the evening, proved a winning combination, earning the highest score of the day with 73.294. The pressure was on and Sophie Christiansen, bronze medallist in Athens and freestyle gold medallist at the FEI World Championships in Hartpury last year responded positively with a great test riding grey gelding Lambrusco III and was awarded with a top score of 72. But it was highly experienced and four-time Paralympian, Anne Dunham, who proved that being the most senior female athlete at these equestrian events was a great advantage, earning the best score of the day 75.176 with her chesnut gelding Teddy Edward.

For some the crowds, lights and new arena proved a little daunting, but not for World and Olympic Champions Ann Cathrin Lubbe (NOR) and Zanko, who produced a solid test, “I was a little laid back and didn’t ride him hard enough but he took to the atmosphere very well”. Fellow team mate, Jens Dokkan, Grade Ib rider, is proving an invaluable resource and will have a lot of pressure when it comes to the individual championships test, but he prefers “to do the riding first, while the medals, they only come after that…”

While far from any team medals prospects, but one to watch for the individual tests, South Africa’s Philippa Johnson who competes in Grade IV produced a memorable performance riding Benedict. Following her impressive 70.286 score, she commented “he’s always a spooky horse… there were a couple of mistakes… but I can always count on him to bail me out. He is a true gentlemen and never lets a lady down”.

Individual medals and posiums will be on the menu tomorrow, as Grades II and IV battle it out in the individual Championship test.

Written by Malina Gueorguiev · Filed Under Europe and British Isles, Malina Gueorguie, Olympics, Olympics 2008 
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