Katrine Kristensen and 14-year-old gelding Goerklintgaards Quater scored 80.35% to land the honours in the grade II freestyle and earn their third gold medal of the championships in today’s Orifarm Healthcare FEI World Para Dressage Championships results.
The combination has been consistent all week, landing team gold as well as the individual grade II gold medal. This test was no exception.
“I took some of his collected trot movements and incorporated them into the floorplan because he is strong in that pace,” she said of her choreography. “It’s very easy for him because he is small and round.”
Katrine’s complex floorplan also contained a lot of rhythmical lateral work.
“When you try something difficult, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose; some of it was very good today and some of it was a little bit hard, but I’m very satisfied.
“I’m very pleased with his score as, when you get over 80%, you have to be happy.”
World Para Dressage Championships results: silver medal
Lee Pearson’s sensitive gelding Breezer looked much more settled as he entered the arena today, and the pair were able to show what they are really capable of to land silver for Britain. Their walk work was more relaxed and had a positive impact on their trot tour.
“That was the test I’ve been waiting for, but perhaps not so much the score,” said Lee of his 77.86%. “There was one moment in the walk where he just said, ‘I don’t like this audience’, and I said, ‘I know, it’s fine, mate’, and I was patting him at every opportunity.
“I loved the trot work, but it’s just too much walk work for grade II para riders, and I think things really do need adjusting, but I’m absolutely over the moon with Breezer. I don’t think he could have tried any harder.”
A brilliant freestyle bronze for Britain
Britain’s Georgia Wilson and Sakura’s 75.83% test saw them land the grade II freestyle bronze medal in the World Para Dressage Championships results.
“To win a bronze medal feels amazing as I didn’t think I’d end up getting one, and I’m just really happy to be here with ‘Suki’,” she said. “I stupidly listened to my freestyle music before I went to bed last and didn’t sleep at all, but it was a really good test in the end, and I was pleased with the result.
“I was a bit behind with the music after the collected trot so I had to cut one of the corners, but I managed to get back on track. I felt like I wanted to start all over again because she just got better and better as the test went on.”
The remaining two British riders will be performing their freestyle tests this afternoon: Natasha Baker in the grade III at 2pm UK time and Sophie Wells in the grade IV at 3.21pm.
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