Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB stored their Olympic crown firmly in place as they danced to particular person gold within the dressage grand prix freestyle with a +90% rating.
Their French-themed freestyle music was an ideal match for Paris. The gang clapped them by way of the closing levels to the sound of Édith Piaf, as this prolific partnership left nothing to remorse within the Olympic dressage area.
The world quantity ones and reigning European Champions arrived in Paris unbeaten of their final 35 worldwide outings – a profitable streak that began after they claimed particular person gold in Tokyo. They depart as solely the fourth mixture to ever defend an Olympic particular person dressage gold medal, touchdown victory on 90.09% and the one mixture to interrupt the 90% barrier at these Video games.
“She is aware of all the things. She’s essentially the most clever horse I’ve ever had,” stated an emotional Jessica, who rides this 17-year-old doyenne for Béatrice A. Buerchler-Keller and Micaela Werndl.
“She was 1000% with me. She had no ear or eye wherever else than me. She was listening so rigorously and she or he actually confirmed me that that’s what she needs to do. That is why it makes me so emotional as a result of I don’t know if I’ll ever get a horse like her… she is out of this world.”
As they exited the sector after their check, Jessica wiped a tear from her eye. By the point she stepped onto the rostrum to obtain her Olympic dressage gold medal, the tears had been flowing freely.
“I’m overwhelmed and exhausted. I needed to cry an excessive amount of at this time,” stated Jessica, reflecting on the distinction she felt performing at this time as a person in comparison with the strain of using as workforce anchor yesterday.
“As we speak I awoke and I believed, ‘it’s all about belief’. We’re sufficient. I can belief myself. I can belief Dalera, I can belief us and it’s about letting go.
“This was a psychological sport change from yesterday to at this time. I didn’t change something in regards to the tools, or about Dalera – about something.”
Tapping her personal head, she added: “It was simply in right here [I needed] to let go, to belief and to inform her that she is sufficient.”
Jessica spent the time she was pregnant together with her daughter to create this freestyle.
“I used to be six weeks pregnant and listening to ‘Non, Je ne regrette rien’ strolling on the seashore in Spain with my husband. I bought goosebumps on my complete physique and informed him, ‘that is the music – that is what I wish to do’,” she stated.
This pair’s bond has blossomed over the 9 years they’ve spent collectively – Jessica has even been napping within the mare’s steady right here in Paris. It’s a bond Jessica places all the way down to listening to the mare and being led by what the horse tells her.
“She tells me how lengthy she needs to hack out or she tells me when she wants a canter – a wild canter on the galloping observe – and she or he tells me when she needs to work. She is simply too good for everybody,” she stated.
“She’s so good and so humorous. I needed to sleep within the hammock at this time and she or he was simply enjoying with me – she was so humorous, cheeky and joyful.”
She added: “She knew at this time was the day and she or he simply did it. I’ve not sufficient time but [to fully thank her], however I’ll proceed to simply thank her repeatedly and once more, and kiss her and cuddle her.
“I do know that my husband, Franzi [my show groom], and the proprietor is together with her and they’re going to all simply inform her that she’s simply superb. I’ll spoil her to the final day of her life.”
Their closest rival was Isabell Werth, the world’s most embellished Olympian, who re-wrote the lyrics of Mandy to “Oh, Wendy”, in honour of her distinctive new trip. They scored 89.61% to place the strain on the remaining rivals.
Britain’s world champions Lottie Fry and Glamourdale sealed bronze on this gripping finale to the Olympic dressage, with a rating of 88.97%.
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Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Future
Silver medallist Chris Burton takes a selfie with Michael Jung (gold) and Laura Collett (bronze) on the person eventing podium on the Paris Olympics.
Credit score: Getty Photos
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H&H senior information author
Lucy is an skilled information journalist, reporter and presenter. Since becoming a member of the Horse & Hound workforce in 2015, Lucy has reported from main international sporting occasions together with the Tokyo Paralympic Video games and a number of European Championships, in addition to Badminton, Burghley and London, to call a number of. She has coated present affairs and sports activities information throughout the total spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, in addition to human and equine welfare, trade information and courtroom circumstances.
