The Paris 2024 Paralympic para dressage competition continued today with Grades IV and V vying for individual medals. Going third from last in the Grade IV competition, the USA’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne presented a lovely picture as they flowed through their test.
A very uncharacteristic spook by Vianne caused a momentary issue in the canter work in a movement that counts for a double score. But overall during their test, they earned mostly 7s and 8s to finish on a score of 72.222% for 5th place individually. The pair is qualified to move on to the Grade IV freestyle competition on Saturday, September 7 where they will ride to the soundtrack from Forrest Gump.
Vianne is an 8-year-old American-bred Hanoverian mare (bred by Catherine Haddad) by Vitalis, out of a mare by Ramiro’s Bube. She is owned by Nocordia USA and cared for by Katherine Barrett. Shoemaker has only been competing with the mare since early this year.
For more coverage, visit our Paris 2024 Paralympics main page.
Two riders from the Netherlands topped the individual medals today in Grade IV division, Demi Haerkens and Daula, gold, 78.722%, and Sanne Voets and Demantur, silver, 76.528%. Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 won bronze (75.222%). French rider Vladimir Vinchon and Pegase Mayenne finished to thunderous applause from the full stands in the stadium to take fourth place (72.889%).
Grade V individual tests are currently ongoing and should finish up at around 3:35 p.m. Central European Time today (9:35 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time), followed by medal ceremonies for both grades.
View the full Grade IV results here.
Watch all of the Paris 2024 para equestrian action livestreamed or played back on demand (subscription required). For more information, go to NBCOlympics.com.
Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.
