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In the name of Harmony

September 10, 2025

The Freestyle competitions got off to a roaring start as a record crowd attended the morning and evening sessions for the Grade II and IV Individual Freestyle Test. This would be their last ride in the Sha Tin arena at the 2008 Paralympic Games, and will certainly mark a moment in time for all the competitors who have been building up to this ultimate test.

The crowds, of which many are not familiar with Dressage, were clearly moved by the power of some of the performances and in particular of the medallists.

Grade II
Canada’s Lauren Barwick riding Maile competing in Grade II was the first competitor at these Games to be declared winner of the freestyle competition as the Grade II Freestyle test came to a close this evening following a morning and evening round. The pair performed to an Asian tune and expressed every ounce of their personality in the floodlit arena. Given her complete satisfaction with having already received silver for her Individual Championship test on Monday, Lauren Barwick was completely over the moon with this new result. Particularly as this marks the first gold medal ever for Canada at equestrian events of the Paralympic Games and is the culmination of eight years of hard work and dedication to the sport.

A great performance by British rider Felicity Coulthard and Roffelaar to Fiddler on the Roof was clearly more than enough to clench second place. For the 24 year old, Paralympic debutant, the delight at having achieved such a great result was evident. The choice of music and the composition was really fitting, and their partnership was able to shine as a result.

Individual Championship gold medallist Britta Naepel and the lovely Cherubin 15 rustled up the bronze medal with an upbeat performance scoring 70.277.

A beautiful prize medal ceremony was held following the competition, with HRH Prince Edward distributing medals and FEI Para-Equestrian Sports Director, Ian Williams.

Grade IV
It was a complete repeat of Monday’s podium, but the performances clearly left the crowds moved and enchanted. When South Africa’s Philippa Johnson and Benedict took the lead, and even before their score of 77.272 was shown on the screen, the crowds simply erupted into a huge applause. They performed a truly remarkable and breath-taking freestyle to the sound of the Exodus theme song and stole the show. This provided Philippa with her second gold medal and effectively placed South Africa third in the medal count!

As with the Individual Championship podium, Norway’s Ann Cathrin Lubbe and the atypical and charming Zanko picked up their second silver medal at these Games, having also both competed in Athens – and her delight at winning the silver medal and in particular that such a good friend and competitor had won the gold was yet another sign of the genuine sporting fever which seems to overcome all the athletes at the Paralmypic Games.

For third place, it was Australia’s Georgia Bruce and the elegant Victory Salute to the tune of Fiddler on the Roof – a déjà vu following Felicity Coulthard’s performance earlier in the evening. For Georgia Bruce this was an extraordinary achievement, two bronze medals on a horse with whom she has had little time to train, but it’s clearly a great partnership in the making and given the chance she would certainly be ore than happy to develop it further.

The Medal Count so far…
On the eve of the fifth and final day, twenty four of thirty three medals have already been awarded…

There have been historic medals for Singapore and Brazil, historic records for Canada and South Africa, the ultimate record for Great Britain as they clenched their fourth consecutive team gold. And tomorrow, Lee Pearson’s Midas Touch will be put to the test…

Gold Silver Bronze Total

Great Britain 3 2 5
Germany 2 1 2 5
South Africa 2 2
Canada 1 1 2
Norway 3 2 5
Denmark 1 1
Australia 2 2
Singapore 1 1
Brasil 1 1

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