A day after winning Team Gold, the U.S. Para Dressage Team added more medals to the count during Individual Freestyle competition on the final day of para equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. See the results of each grade level below.
Grade IV: USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne Bronze
The USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Norcordia USA’s Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube), garnered para dressage individual freestyle bronze today in Grade IV at the 2024 Paralympic Games equestrian venue at the Château de Versailles. They scored 80.170% in a gorgeous performance to the music of Forrest Gump. Vianne’s groom is Katherine Barrett.
Kate Shoemaker was full of emotion as she talked about her freestyle performance with Vianne today, “I could not keep the smile off my face. From the moment after the first halt, I was just like, ‘I’m here with my favorite horse in the world’ and I was overcome with so much joy and this peace. It was an answered prayer this morning. I just asked for peace and I feel like it was really a God-filled ride for me today.”
She said that nerves were an issue until she and Vianne arrived in the warm-up and then she was fine. “I was so nervous before my ride, probably the most nervous I’ve ever been. Because of not having had the opportunity to be on the team this week, which honestly was my goal coming into these Games. I’m so proud of them that they got it [the gold medal] done. But, it left me with this feeling that today was my last shot for these Games.”
Grade IV gold went Demi Haerkens and Daula from the Netherlands (83.390%). Silver to Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 from Germany (80.900%).
View the full Grade IV Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.
Grade V: Michèle George (BEL) Wins Seventh Paralympic Title
Michèle George and Best of 8 grabbed another individual gold medal today in the para dressage Grade V Freestyle class here that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. They also won individual gold for their performance on September 4. Their freestyle score today was 81.470%. Best of 8 is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare by Bonifatius. She is owned by Camille Vangheluwe and Wendy Laeremans and groomed by Vangheluwe.
This is George’s seventh Paralympic gold medal, and eighth Paralympic medal in total.
Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s captured silver (80.100%) and Sophie Wells (GBR) and LJT Egebjerggards Samoa finished in bronze position (75.445%).
View the full results of Grade V Individual Freestyle Para Dressage here.
Grade I: USA’s Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H Fifth
Roxanne Trunnell (USA) and Karin Flint’s Fan Tastico H competed today in the Grade I Freestyle Para Dressage at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing fifth on 77.307%. They performed to the music of The Lion King. Fan Tastico H is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer). He is cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo.
Trunnell’s parents, sister and Fanta’s owner Flint were all here to support her as she won Grade I Individual silver and was part of the gold-medal-winning U.S. team earlier this week. Her new puppy, a Chinese Crested named Obi-Wan, was also here in France with her, but did not make a public appearance. (Trunnell says Obi-Wan will make his debut at another show in the future.)
Roxanne Trunnell talked about her favorite point in their freestyle test today and what the experience has been like for her in France, “I liked his serpentines today, he really seemed to loosen up in those. It wasn’t his best test today, but he really tried. It’s been really great being here. My dad, mother, sister, and Fantastic’s owner, Karin Flint, are all here to support me.”
Taking the gold medal in Grade I Freestyle was Latvia’s Rihards Snikus riding the amazingly consistent and kind horse, King of the Dance. They scored a decisive 82.487%, riding to upbeat Latin music. This was Snikus’s second gold medal of the week since he also captured the Grade I Individual on September 3.
Sara Morganti from Italy won silver with Mariebelle (81.407%). Great Britain’s Mari Durward-Akhurst riding Athena Lindebjerg finished with the bronze (77.747%).
View the full Grade I Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.
Grade II: USA’s Fiona Howard & Diamond Dunes Gold Again
The USA’s Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes, going next to last, in the Grade II Freestyle order this afternoon laid down another dominate gold-medal performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. They glided around the arena to the soundtrack from Avatar to wow the judges and the audience. Their score, 81.994%, was another personal-best performance for Howard.
Diamond Dunes is an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wibella) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann, and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty. Howard said her parents, two sisters, and a large group of friends are here in France to cheer her on.
After winning gold in the Grade II Freestyle and posting another personal-best score, Howard spoke about her horse and her goals coming doing into the Paralympics, “My horse felt really great! This is the last day, so you have to dig a little deeper; by this point my muscles are definitely tired. But, I have such a great partner in Diamond Dunes. He really knows his job. He went out there, and again, gave me everything like he did the past two days. Whatever the results, I’m so proud of him. I couldn’t have asked him for any more. It was my first Paralympics, so I really came into it just wanting to do my best, and if I could help out the team, I really wanted to do that. So, this has kind of gone above my expectations.”
Great Britain’s Georgia Wilson came back today fighting after the disappointment of Team GB not winning a team medal yesterday. She and Sakura scored 79.374% to win silver. Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing and Dooloop turned in a nice performance, too, winning bronze on 76.127%.
View the full Grade II Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.
Grade III: Rebecca Hart and Floratina Gold Again
It was gold yet again for Rebecca Hart and Floratina in their final time in the picturesque stadium at the Château de Versailles, this time for their Grade III Freestyle, dancing to the music from the movie Driving Miss Daisy. And, boy did they ever dance, earning a 83.534% to close out an amazing success story for the U.S. Equestrian Team here at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Hart’s equine partner Floratina is a 16-year-old Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz 2 x Rubin Royal OLD) owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young. As they entered the arena and started to warm up around the outside, “Flora” broke into a bit of a spooked canter for three or so strides, but Hart calmed her quickly before they entered the ring to perform beautifully.
Hart shared praise for her horse and all who helped her in preparing to compete after their Freestyle Test. “That was so wonderful. I was a little concerned when we started cantering [around the outside of the competition arena during the pre-test warm-up]. I thought, ‘she’ll come back to me, she always does.’ It was just electric [in the stadium] and she’d been hearing all the crowds from the warm-ups. She [Flora] said, ‘Okay, I trust you.’ It was such a magical moment. Then, we hit the markers the way we needed to. I can’t thank everyone enough for this incredible week. Everyone behind the scenes―the grooms, horse owners, sponsors, Marlene Whitaker who created that freestyle for me. I just love Driving Miss Daisy!”
Performing two rides before Hart and Flora, the Netherlands’ Rixt van der Horst and Royal Fonq also scored above 83% (83.007) for silver. Great Britain’s Natasha Baker and Dawn Chorus earned bronze with 77.140%.
View the full Grade III Individual Freestyle Para Dressage results here.
Paris 2024 Individual Freestyle Para Dressage Results
◆ Grade IV
◆ Grade V
◆ Grade I
◆ Grade II
◆ Grade III
Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.
