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A bid farewell from the 2008 equestrian events of the Paralympic Games

September 11, 2025

The fifth and final day of the equestrian events of the Paralympic Games saw the last of the freestyle medals awarded in Grades Ia, Ib and III. It was a day of mixed emotions as the excitement of watching the last riders perform their freestyles blended with the notion of an imminent close to what has been an amazing experience for all that have been here in Hong Kong. This applies to everyone, the athletes, their coaches, trainers, grooms, physiotherapists and families; the stewards, judges, officials, and highly dedicated volunteer staff as well as the many guests and spectators for whom this was a first and unforgettable Para-equestrian experience. At every level, the 2008 Paralympic Games have set a new standard and it is with genuine emotion that many will be leaving tonight, wondering and hoping whether it could ever be reproduced.

Everyone you meet tells you how amazing the experience has been, how wonderful the dedicated volunteer staff have worked around the clock and how the facilities as well as all the accessibility features throughout Hong Kong have been remarkable. It’s a huge success for the Equestrian Company and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and even more so for Hong Kong and China for having delivered an amazing backdrop for the sport.

Much as Ricky Balshaw, Grade Ib silver medallist aptly said “It’s a team effort at the end of the day not just an individual one”, these Games and their lasting legacy is a reflection of all that is good in sport and in people – the ability to give and to share. To respect each other for having made it, to compete and try to win, but to encourage and congratulate those that do is what makes Paralympic sports so unique.

AMAZING CROWDS
The figures for the number of spectators that have attended the Para-equestrian events since the opening day on Sunday 7 September is well over 30,000 – an unprecedented feat which has certainly added to the wonderful performances by the athletes.

THE MEDAL COUNT
Great Britain maintain their leader position in the sport with a total of TEN medals – five gold and five silver. Germany’s slots into runner up position with a very respectable three gold, one silver and two bronze coming to a total of 6 medals.

Third on the medals board goes to South Africa - A great achievement with two gold medals in their name

Some other remarkable results should also be noted, and in particular the newcomers to the All-time Equestrian Paralympic medal count: both Brazil and Singapore will be leaving Hong Kong with two bronze medals awarded to Marcos Alves and Laurentia Tan respectively, thus becoming Para-equestrian success stories not only for their countries but for South America and Asia as well.

And as Norway’s chef d’equipe remarked as she sat alongside Great Britain and Germany during the team medal press conference, “we are a small country and an even smaller country in terms of horsesport, so being here with Great Britain and Germany, and winning the team bronze medal makes us very proud for all we have achieved.”

But it’s not all about the medals, as most athletes will tell you just getting here is a success in itself.

GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
Great Britain 5 5 10
Germany 3 1 2 6
South Africa 2 2
Canada 1 1 2
Norway 3 1 4
Denmark 1 2 3
Australia 2 2
Singapore 2 2
Brasil 2 2
11 11 11 33

Individual Freestyle Grade Ia

Sophie Christiansen earned her second gold medal of the Games tonight with a wonderful performance on Lambrusco III in front of a packed out arena. She was positively beaming at the press conference and thanked all those that have made this possible as well as the wonderful Hong Kong hospitality. On winning the gold medal “Initially I just brust into tears crying, I couldn’t believe it. The Team gold is great bit to come here for this, the Individual Freestyle gold medal… it’s amazing. I’ve worked hard for it”.

The four time Paralympian Anne Dunham added a silver medal to her gold collection taking the runner up position in tonight’s freestyle competition. “It’s the achievement of a lifetime and a dream come true, I will return home with a fond memory of Hong Kong, their amazing hospitality and enthusiasm”.

A Singaporean crowd made itself heard this evening in the busy Sha Tin arena when their new star Laurentia Tan won her second bronze medal at these Games – the first equestrian medals for Singapore and Asia. “I’ve been inspired by everything I have seen here, thank you to everyone for all the support.”

Individual Freestyle Grade Ib

Lee Pearson, the ‘Golden Boy’ proved tonight that he was all he is made out to be, an extremely talented athlete and horseman – who in three Games on three different horses has won gold at every opportunity. He effectively secured his ninth Paralympic medal, and his third at these Games. He also added to the British medal count one extra gold, thus ending on a total count of five gold and five silver for Great Britain, the deservedly-so leaders in the sport. Runner up position was taken by fellow team mate Ricky Balshaw riding Deacons Giorgi. He expressed his absolute delight at having won silver, and even though he would have liked the gold, he heartily congratulated his fellow teammate for raising the bar to such a high standard.

Third place went to Brazilian sensation Marcos Alves, who adds this bronze to the bronze he won a few days ago during the Individual Championships test. It’s a historic result for Brazil and will certainly provide a backdrop for greater development and support of Para-equestrian in that part of the world.

“It’s a team effort getting here let alone getting a gold medal, and it’s thanks to all those people behind the scenes, helping us on a day to day basis, the trainers, the coaches, grooms, the sponsors, the physios, our family – basically a large team of dedicated people that enable us to compete at this level, and sometimes bring home medals – thank you”. Lee Pearson


Individual Freestyle Grade III

Germany’s Hannelore Brenner picked up her second individual gold medal this evening which she can now add to the team silver despite her feisty ride Women of the World who was clearly in a mood “to explode” this evening. She took a moment to remark on the wonderful organisation and the dedicated volunteer staff.

In runner up position, and picking up his first individual medal, Simon Laurens, produced a wonderful test with Ocean Diamond with a score of 73.499. He was part if the morning session and as he joked he had to wait an agonising fourteen hours before Hannelore knocked him out of pole position.

In fact, all four members of the gold winning British team took part in tonight’s events (Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham in Grade Ia, Lee Pearson in Grade Ib and Simon Laurens in Grade III) and all produced a gold or silver medal performance – a great statistic and for the team selectors confirmation of their award winning selection.

Third place went to Denmark’s Annika Lykke Dalskov, having already won silver during the Individual Championship Test riding Alfavard April Z, she was simply over the moon with this second medal. Her words, which actually seem to be the words on everyone’s mind and lips “It’s been amazing”…

Germany’s Hannelore Brenner picked up her second individual gold medal this evening which she can now add to the team silver despite her feisty ride Women of the World who was clearly in a mood “to explode” this evening. She took a moment to remark on the wonderful organisation and the dedicated volunteer staff.

In runner up position, and picking up his first individual medal, Simon Laurens, produced a wonderful test with Ocean Diamond with a score of 73.499. He was part if the morning session and as he joked he had to wait an agonising fourteen hours before Hannelore knocked him out of pole position.

In fact, all four members of the gold winning British team took part in tonight’s events (Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham in Grade Ia, Lee Pearson in Grade Ib and Simon Laurens in Grade III) and all produced a gold or silver medal performance – a great statistic and for the team selectors confirmation of their award winning selection.

Third place went to Denmark’s Annika Lykke Dalskov, having already won silver during the Individual Championship Test riding Alfavard April Z, she was simply over the moon with this second medal. Her words, which actually seem to be the words on everyone’s mind and lips “It’s been amazing”…


The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

Over the past two years, five countries (South Africa, Poland, Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic) have benefitted from grants provided by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, with the objective of increasing and providing opportunities for riders to compete in top level competitions with the ultimate aim of qualifying for the Paralympic Games. And of the five countries which have been a part of the programme, four have sent riders, including South Africa who have sent their first equestrian team to a Paralympic (and Olympic) Games! They are the pioneers for both the able and disabled riders, and their great success at these Games will hopefully fuel and an even greater movement when they return home.

The grants over the past two years amount to a sum of 50,000 USD, and is used as a stepping stone for the National Paralympic Committees and National Federations to equally contribute and make a difference. On a practical level, the funding allows riders to attend training seminars (travel and accommodation), and participate in competitions they would otherwise be unable to attend. The training seminars are led by Course director Jane Goldsmith who was selected for her experience, having led the very successful British team at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney. As eloquently put by project manager Ann Kern-Godal “Essentially it is a development programme which includes practical riding and trainer instruction along with theoretical issues related to maximising the potential of the riders, the trainer and the horses.”

This grant has clearly set the wheels in motion for many of these athletes here at the games, and while they may not be on the podium this year, they are gaining the vital experience which will lead them to the top. The rider’s competing at these Games which have benefited from this programme include For Poland’s Grade IV rider Patrycja Gepner, the two Croatian riders in Grade Ia, Slavin Hudina and Ivan Srsic who placed fifth and sixth respectively at today’s freestyle event, the members of the South African team, and the competitor from Slovakia competing in Grade Ia, Katarina Jobbagyova.

As all the athletes have said over and over again, it’s a real team effort getting to the Games and if it weren’t for the funding and support, many of the competitors would not make it at all - so it is with great satisfaction that we can see the development programmes having an impact and that new and emerging Para-equestrian nations are rising to the occasion. Development is a step by step process, and seeing the results at these Games does confirm not only the need but also the lasting benefits to be gained from grants such as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. It’s about setting the wheels in motion, so for 2012, the sky’s the limit.

Written by Malina Gueorguiev · Filed Under Malina Gueorguie, Olympics, Olympics 2008, USA 
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