On Wednesday, March 26, the Ad Hoc Olympic and Paralympic Committee of the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved LA28’s proposal that six venues outside the city limits host competition in various sports. Proposed venues were initially announced in June of 2024, as amendments to the 2028 Games’ venue master plan. This included proposing Galway Downs as host of equestrian and para-equestrian events. 

The LA28 Ad Hoc Olympic Committee’s vote to approve new venue proposals was ratified by the entire Los Angeles City Council on Friday, March 28. Final approval by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board is set to be announced April 9 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

When the IOC approval is announced, Galway Downs and the local host committee will release further information and regular updates. Please send your name and email to Kim F. Miller to receive the latest news.

The Path to Being an LA28 Venue

Galway Downs Equestrian began its pursuit of the LA28 equestrian and para-equestrian competition four years ago. 

Game-changing investments in the venue’s infrastructure, safety and hospitality put Galway Downs in pitch position for the Games. That dovetailed with the IOC’s insistence on sustainability, legacy and fiscal responsibility in evaluating venue change proposals. In addition, Galway Downs’ ability to host all three equestrian events meets new IOC mandates.

Under the recent ownership by entrepreneurs Ken and Tina Smith, and with international three-day eventing organizer Robert Kellerhouse at Galway Downs’ equestrian helm, the venue has proven its ability to stage international three-day eventing and dressage competition over several years. 

Ali and Francie Nilforushan are equally critical to Galway Downs’ Olympic odyssey thanks to the investments, innovations and visions manifested in their Nilforushan Equisport Events’ hunter/jumper competitions. Their ground-breaking emphasis on quality in everything from arena footing to VIP amenities launched with multi-week shows in 2018. 

This year, the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) bestowed international CSI3* status on the Nilforushans’ spring and fall show jumping events at Galway Downs. This recent news reflects global enthusiasm and embrace for the venue. And it completes the Galway Downs trifecta of hosting highest-level events in all three Olympic equestrian disciplines. 

The Future of Equestrian Sport in Temecula Valley

Located in the Temecula Valley’s Valle de los Caballos—“Valley of the Horses”—Galway Downs embodies the 242-acre property’s “A Legend Reborn” motto. 

“Temecula is a great tourist town and an attractive place to host an event like this,” asserts Ken Smith, Citizen of the Year nominee and recipient of the Temecula Chamber of Commerce’s Welty Award for Tourism Professional of the Year. “And I think it’s going to help the equestrian world come together. I hope it helps us work together more going forward—between the different disciplines that often don’t talk to each other. I hope it can be a way to protect and advance the equestrian lifestyle for everybody.”

Hosting Olympic equestrian and para-equestrian is phase-one of ground-swelling support for creating a permanent equestrian lifestyle in Temecula Valley. As opportunities to own and enjoy horses disappear in much of the country, the Temecula effort and its many supporters are determined to buck that trend.

Stay abreast of Galway Downs Equestrian news on GalwayDownsEquestrian.com, Facebook, Instagram and via the Galway Gazette monthly newsletter. 

Editor’s note: Equine Network owns Practical Horseman and a controlling interest in Nilforushan Equisport Events.

Howard was an accomplished equestrian in her youth, but a series of complicated heart and digestive problems as well as a degenerative muscle disease kept her out of the saddle and in the hospital for most of her teens. During the four years she spent completing her psychology degree at Northeastern University, Howard spent 800 days in the hospital, and on more than one occasion, her doctors told her she might not survive. 

“I spent so much time in a hospital staring at the walls around me that it became my normal. I was still alive, but I wasn’t living,” she said. “And in that dark moment, I was OK with not making it. That’s when I knew I had to get back to horses.”

Howard did get back to her equestrian roots. Without the ability to use her legs, however, she started with low expectations. But due to the skills she developed riding as a youth, the horsewoman learned how to use her seat so effectively that her legs became an afterthought.

“For all those years, the doctors constantly told me all the things I couldn’t do because of my health,” she said. “I knew it was going to be hard and that I would have to find ways to work through my unique challenges, but I set goals and kept working toward them. In an interesting way, my horses have helped me understand that I’m the only one who can limit myself.”

Howard explained that Paralympic riders use compensating aids based on their specific disabilities. For instance, she rides with her stirrups tied to the girth and her feet tied to the stirrups to prevent her legs from getting stuck behind her. She also utilizes a special loop on her reins because of her inability to grip.

As Howard’s health gradually began to stabilize, her medical team focused on managing her symptoms so she could enjoy life outside the hospital pursuing her Paralympic dreams. While there are days when she struggles more with her health, she says her horses keep her grounded.

“They are my rocks and keep me motivated because I know they count on me. I find so much joy in my horses and seek ways to celebrate the good as much as I can,” she said. “After beating the odds, I’ve learned that joy and optimism are so important.”

Being a highly athletic kid, Howard said losing her mobility was a difficult reality to bear. But horses helped her accept her limitations and reminded her how much she can still achieve.

“Horses helped me adapt to my mobility loss without fear of judgment. When I’m riding, I can borrow my horse’s legs to move freely with ease and speed,” Howard said. “Every time I get in the saddle, I feel a sense of freedom that my health tried to take away. I’ve already stared death in the face. So, I’m going to live my life and do this as long as I can.”

Gold Rush for U.S. Paralympic Riders 

The U.S. Paralympic riders celebrated their best-ever performance at Paris last summer, claiming seven medals overall—five golds, one silver and one bronze. This smashed their previous Paralympic Games’ best of two golds and a bronze achieved in Atlanta 1996 and Tokyo 2020. 

Howard and Diamond Dunes won the Grade II individual medal and Rebecca Hart and Floratina claimed the Grade III individual medal to kick off the Paralympics for the U.S. After triumphing with Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H in the team event, Howard and Diamond Dunes in Grade II and Hart and Floratina in Grade III won their third gold medals at Paris in their respective Freestyle competitions. In addition to Howard’s personal-best record during team competition, Hart also had a personal-best score of 78.567%. 

The Paris Paralympics saw a total of 78 horse-and-rider combinations compete across the five grades. Grade I is designated for riders who have the least body function and is ridden in the walk only; Grades II and III include the walk and trot. Riders in Grades IV and V have the highest body function and perform at the walk, trot and canter. 

But disability is no excuse in para-dressage. Paralympic equestrians are expected to demonstrate the same correctness of riding as in able-bodied Olympic dressage. Therefore, riders find solutions to work with and around their challenges to perform high-level dressage.

Through the bond these athletes share with their horses, they demonstrate that great riding is built over time and is based on love, understanding and a lot of hard work. 

Words From the 2024 Paralympians

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Practical Horseman. 

What were some of the most memorable insights from riders at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games? Riders spoke with the media after each day of equestrian competition and shared their thoughts on the competition, the experience and their partnerships with their horses. Here are some of their thoughts.

EVENTING

Boyd Martin (USA)

After his cross-country round with Fedarman B (Bruno): “I heard more cheers ‘Go Bruno’ than ‘Go Boyd!’ There’s plenty of our stars and stripes out there and a lot of French people going ‘Allez, allez, allez. (Go, go, go.),'” Martin said. “It was a wonderful feeling though I tried not to look around too much, but it was one of the most memorable cross-country rounds of my life, just because of the setting, the venue, and the crowds and the moment, so I’ll remember this one forever.”

Mike Winter (CAN)

On being the Canadian team’s pathfinder with El Mundo: “I tried to be a good caretaker of my position of going first and put a score on the board,” Winter noted. “And I tried to be a good caretaker of my horse’s well-being and give him the best possible ride I could around there and bring him home safely with a score that can contribute to the team.”

Laura Collett (GBR) 

The eventing team gold and individual bronze medalist on Michael Jung (GER) and Chipmunk FRH winning individual gold: “The best man won. Michael Jung is the big master,” Collett said. “He’s raised the sport to 10 different levels and missed out on so many championships on that horse. I wanted him to win just as much as I wanted myself to win.”

Michael Jung (GER)

On winning the eventing individual gold medal with Chipmunk FRH: “I tried to stay really focused and concentrate through the whole week. I tell myself, ‘it’s just a normal show.’ It’s not always easy with so many spectators and on such an important show,” Jung said. “But I think it’s quite important that the horses feel it’s nothing special. I needed a few times to look on the board to see if was really true. It was a very special moment for me. I think I need a moment to realize all of it.”

DRESSAGE

Steffen Peters (USA)

On the lead-up to the Olympic Games with Suppenkasper alongside teammates Marcus Orlob and Endel Ots: “We came with such a great atmosphere from the training camp here. We had such great camaraderie, so much humor. I’m not used to being on the team with three guys. So this was incredible,” Peters noted. “We really had a good time.”

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)

The dressage team and individual gold medalist on TSF Dalera BB, who competed at the final championship of her career in Paris: “This is very emotional because it’s not so many more competitions I’m going to ride with her. She’s always leaving her heart in the arena for me,” von Bredow-Werndl said. “And especially in such a big atmosphere, her antennae are always with me. When I’m totally focused, she is, as well. I’ve never had this feeling with another horse in my whole life.”

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN)

The dressage team silver medalist on building a partnership with her horse, Freestyle: “It’s been a matter of creating a good friendship and really getting to know her inside out, not as an athlete but as a horse,” Laudrup-Dufour noted. “So I’m really proud that she let me in there and that she wanted it.”

Charlotte Fry (GBR)

The dressage team and individual bronze medalist after her freestyle with Glamourdale: “The support from the public today was incredible” Fry recalled. “I never experienced anything quite like that.”

JUMPING

Karl Cook (USA)

After winning the jumping team silver medal alongside Laura Kraut and McLain Ward: “I’m still digesting. It’s what you hope for when you’re a kid wanting to go to the Games one day. It’s really special. It was amazing to compete with people I’ve watched and respected and learned from for so many years,” Cook said. “And to be on the inside, watching how it all works and to be able to go in and jump and do it all together was incredible.”

Olivier Perreau (FRA)

The jumping team bronze medalist after having the first clear round of the day in the Jumping Team Final with Dorai d’Aiguilly: “I was really concentrating to make sure I didn’t get any faults,” Perreau remembered. “When I realized I had done such a good round, I just let go, and the emotion came out.”

Christian Kukuk (GER)

After winning the jumping individual gold medal with Checker 47: “It’s the most emotional day in my life, honestly, in my career. This is the highest you can achieve in our sport,” Kukuk said. “I’m one of only a few who can call themselves an Olympic champion and gold medalist. That is something that will stay.”

Maikel van der Vleuten (NED)

The jumping individual bronze medalist on his horse, Beauville Z: “We took a lot of time in the beginning to get confidence in each other. I needed to understand my horse in and out, and the other way as well,” van der Vleuten noted. “Once I had the feeling he was believing in me, I think we got to a very great partnership. And that has already brought us fantastic memories.”

For More on the Paris Olympics:

For of full coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics Games, click here.

This article was originally published in the Fall 2024 Issue of Practical Horseman.

That took Team USA’s tally to seven medals overall—five golds, one silver and one bronze—to smash their previous Paralympic Games’ best of two golds and a bronze achieved at Atlanta 1996 and Tokyo 2020.  

Saturday also brought the second Individual gold medals of these Games for the Netherlands’ Demi Haerkens and Daula in Grade IV, Belgium’s Michèle George with Best of 8 in Grade V and Latvia’s Rihards Snikus on King of the Dance in Grade I.

Haerkens’ double gold, and a third silver medal in Paris for Rixt van der Horst and Royal Fonq in Grade III, saw the Netherlands finish second on the Para Dressage medal podium for the third successive Paralympic Games, with six overall.

Haerkens Hits Mark Again in Grade IV

The first of the final day’s five events saw Haerkens confirm her status as a rising star in Para Equestrian sports as she and the chestnut mare Daula backed up their gold in the Individual test with a personal-best Freestyle score of 83.840%, featuring music from Vangelis and Era.

“It’s insane,” said the 26-year-old, who also won a silver in the Team event during her Paralympic Games debut. “It’s very intense, long days, but it’s so good to be here and to perform in that beautiful arena with so many people and with the music you choose. It feels amazing that everything was on point. I think she enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6 scored 80.900% to take silver, adding to their two bronzes in the Individual test and Team event.

The U.S.’s Kate Shoemaker and Vianne set a challenging target of 80.170%, but had to settle for bronze. This was Shoemaker’s first individual Paralympic medal after a Team bronze in Tokyo, leaving defending champions Sanne Voets and Demantur of the Netherlands in fourth, with 79.880%.

George Reigns in Grade V Paralympic Freestyle

George claimed her seventh Paralympic Games title and fourth successive Freestyle gold, having won on FBW Rainman in Grade IV in 2012 and 2016 and current horse Best of 8 in Grade V at Tokyo 2020. The combination earned a mark of 81.470%, but the 50-year-old indicated she would be looking for a new partner before Los Angeles 2028 comes around.

“This was the last time I would ride Best of 8 in a Paralympic Games, so it was emotional,” George said. “She’s 14 and will still participate in competitions because every morning she wants to train. It’s a real pleasure. I love it. But for L.A. she will be too old, so this means a lot. Making the incredible happen at the right time. It’s so important.”

Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s posted 80.100% to take a second Individual silver at Versailles, and were also part of the German team which won a Team bronze.

Great Britain’s Sophie Wells, on LJT Egebjerggards Samoa, won her 10th Paralympic Games medal and second Individual bronze of Paris 2024 with a score of 75.445%, mirroring the podium from the Individual test.

‘Best Ever’ Paralympics: Snikus Doubles Up in Grade I

Snikus upgraded his Individual silver from Tokyo 2020 for gold a second time at Paris 2024 as he partnered with King of the Dance to victory in the Grade I Freestyle. The 36-year-old and his bay gelding scored 82.487% to a joyously uplifting soundtrack.

“We chose happy music because we are a happy team,” said Latvia’s equestrian Chef d’Equipe Daria Tikhomirova, speaking on behalf of Snikus. “It’s an artistic pleasure to see him ride, like in the theater when you hear a good opera or see a wonderful performance. It’s the result of a huge effort by his technical trainer and the whole team. I think it was his best Freestyle ever. It was just amazing.”

Italy’s Sara Morganti, going last on Mariebelle, earned her second medal of these Paralympic Games by taking silver with 81.407%, upgrading her bronze from the Individual test and taking her overall Paralympic tally to four medals.

Great Britain’s Mari Durward-Akhurst responded well after a disappointing Individual test on her Paralympic Games debut to claim bronze on Athene Lindebjerg, scoring 77.747%.

Howard Holds Sway in Grade II at Paralympics

The day ended with two more golden moments for Team USA. Howard and Diamond Dunes delivered another remarkable personal-best performance in their debut Paralympic Games to triumph in the Grade II Individual Freestyle.

The 25-year-old and her chestnut stallion earned a score of 81.994% to back up their gold in the Individual test and contribution to U.S.’s victory in the Team event.   

“When I came into these Games, I just wanted to put down the best tests I could. It was my first Paralympic Games and I just wanted to help out the team. But this has gone above my expectations,” Howard said. “On the third day, I had to dig a little deep because my muscles were definitely tired, but I have such a great partner in Diamond Dunes and he knows his job. He gave me everything, just like the past two times. I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

Great Britain’s Georgia Wilson and Sakura won silver with 79.374%, adding to their bronze in the Individual test, while 69-year-old Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing—the oldest Para Dressage athlete at Paris 2024—won her first Paralympic Individual medal after three previous fourth places, taking bronze on Dooloop with 76.127%.

All Hart in Grade III; Disappointment for Van der Horst

Hart rounded things off by clinching her second Individual gold with Floratina—and third overall including the Team event—in a tense finale to the Grade III Freestyle. The 39-year-old and her bay mare, going last, kept their nerve to score 83.534%, the highest individual score of the four days of competition in Versailles.

“It was wonderful. It was so electric I was a little concerned when we started cantering, but I knew she would come back to me. She always does,” Hart said. “I told her she was fine. She went ‘are we OK?’ and I said ‘yes, we’re fine’ and she said, ‘OK, I trust you’ and it was such a magical moment. Then we hit the markers the way we needed to.”

It was tough on Van der Horst, who had posted a superb score of 83.007% with Royal Fonq.  But the pair had to settle for a third successive silver medal at these Paralympic Games and a fifth overall, to go with three bronzes.

“It was not good for my heart,” she said of watching the final combination deny her gold. “I was so eager to get gold today and a bit disappointed it didn’t work out. But we can be really proud. Three silver medals is pretty good.”

Great Britain’s Natasha Baker also signed off with a second Individual bronze at Versailles on Dawn Chorus with a mark of 77.140%, and a 10th Paralympic Games medal overall.

To read more of our coverage of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, click here.

Personal best scores by Individual gold medalists Fiona Howard, who scored a stunning 80.000% on Diamond Dunes in Grade II, and Rebecca Hart, who scored 78.567% with Floratina in Grade III, proved critical after another strong Grade I performance by Individual silver medalist Roxanne Trunnell on Fan Tastico H.

That left Team USA on a total of 235.567, beating the Dutch tally of 232.850, with Germany taking bronze on 223.751. The U.S.’s previous best Paralympic medal haul was two golds and a bronze at Atlanta 1996 and Tokyo 2020. They now have three golds and one silver at Paris 2024, with the five Individual Freestyle events still to come on Saturday. 

Team USA also became the first nation other than Great Britain to win a Para Dressage Team event at a Paralympic Games. But it was a tense finale after the Grade IV duo of Sanne Voets on Demantur (76.567%) and Demi Haerkens with Daula (78.216%) set the pace for the Netherlands early on.

Unofficial Paralympic Record

Trunnell, the first U.S. athlete to go, scored 77.000% with Fan Tastico H in Grade I before Howard and Diamond Dunes delivered the highest individual score (to date) at Paris 2024, eclipsing Italian rider Sara Morganti’s 79.458% on Mariebelle in Grade I earlier in the day.

There was fleeting excitement around Versailles that a new Paralympic record had been set, but due to changes in the tests since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, it’s not possible to make direct comparisons or officially recognize it as a record. But it undoubtedly remains a remarkable achievement.

“I came out of the ring and thought, ‘That felt really good’, but you never know,” said 25-year-old Howard, who now has two golds in her first Paralympic Games. “Whatever the score was, I was super proud of him. He felt amazing and did everything I could have asked. But then seeing it reflected on the scoreboard was just the cherry on top. What a horse! He is so special.”

Positive Energy

That superlative display nudged Team USA ahead going into the concluding Grade III, but when Rixt van der Horst and Royal Fonq scored 78.067% for the Dutch, Hart entered the arena on Floratina knowing she needed a personal best score to take gold.

“It’s always a bit intense being the ‘closer’ for your team and it was quite a pressure-cooker situation,” said the 39-year-old, who along with Trunnell and Kate Shoemaker, was part of the U.S. team that took bronze at Tokyo 2020. 

“I was definitely doing the math. I think my previous best was a 75-something, so it was a jump. Rixt was right before me. They had put in a solid first two rides, so I knew she was going to deliver too. I had a quick peak at the board and went ‘OK, let’s go, game on’. I knew we had to do something pretty special,” Hart said. “It was quite electric out there. Floratina was feeling the atmosphere and was good and fresh. I just needed to make sure I took all that energy and used it in a positive manner.”

The combination’s score of 78.567% brought the U.S. home, leaving Van der Horst with her second silver medal of these Games. Hart acknowledged that she felt tense going in the ring.

“I knew I had to deliver a really good test,” she said. “For myself, I set the goal of at least 78 or something, hopefully a little bit more, and I achieved it.”

First Medal for Oldest Paralympic Rider at Paris

Germany earned their third medal at Versailles by edging out Italy for bronze. Anna-Lena Niehues and Quimbaya 6, who took Individual bronze in Grade IV, scored 75.351%, before Grade V Individual silver medalist Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s earned 75.500%.

There was also a first Paralympic medal—after three previous fourth-place finishes in Individual events—for the oldest Para Dressage competitor in Versailles, 69-year-old Heidemarie Dresing. She scored 72.900% with Dooloop in Grade II to give Germany a total of 223.751, with Italy on 223.166 despite Morganti’s 79.458% with Mariebelle.

“It’s incredible. She really listened to me and we were one single thing together, which is what we worked for,” Morganti said. “ You can always improve but today, in my condition and her condition, it was perfect.” 

U.S. Ends Great Britain’s Paralympic Reign

France finished fifth while Great Britain, who had won all seven previous Para Dressage Team events since Atlanta in 1996, finished sixth.

“We’ve been in front for such a long time,” said Great Britain’s Natasha Baker, who scored 75.367% on Dawn Chorus in Grade III. “We didn’t expect to be bringing home the Team gold in Tokyo, so that was unreal. The rest of the world has caught up with us now. It’s just going to be a case of us trying to find ways that we can sneak back to the top again.”

Norway’s Jens Lasse Dokkan, the only Para Equestrian athlete to compete at all eight Paralympic Games since Atlanta in 1996, confirmed that Paris 2024 is likely to be his swan song.

“I felt the emotion today,” the 63-year-old said. “I knew this would be my last Paralympics. I haven’t made a final decision about carrying on riding, but right now I feel I want to retire.”

The final day of Para Dressage will take place on Saturday. The competition will see the top eight in all five Grades from the Individual events earlier in the week contesting in the Individual Freestyle, with Grade IV.

To read more of our coverage of the 2024 Paris Paralympic games, click here.

“It feels amazing,” said Haerkens after waiting for 11 other combinations to go before her gold medal was confirmed. “Daula really deserved this gold. She was a superstar today. We have been together for three years now and every year our bond grows.”

The 26-year-old, who came to the fore by winning the European Championship gold last year, excelled in Versailles’ sunlit arena to finish with a score of 78.722%.

“It was such a lovely ride. She was so focused, with such lovely quality and softness. We didn’t make any mistakes,” Haerkens said. “She was with me and dancing with a lot of quality. She was amazing. Now I want to go to the stable and give her big cuddles.”

Defending champion Sanne Voets, also from the Netherlands, partnered again with Demantur after the pair won double gold and a team silver at Tokyo 2020. This Paralympics, they settled for silver with 76.528%, which bumped Voets’ overall Paralympic medal tally up to five.

The top medal placings lifted the Netherlands into second place on the Para Dressage medal table at Paris 2024 with a gold and two silvers, behind the U.S. on two golds and a silver.

Voets, 37, said a tour of the royal stables at the Château de Versailles last year resonated with her as she prepared for a fourth Paralympic Games.

“They showed me how they still work with the horses every day with such a beautiful motto,” she said. “They work with the belief that our horses don’t owe us anything and that they are not an instrument for us to reach our goals and ambitions. Instead, we are an instrument for our horses to develop into beautiful, strong, healthy, happy athletes.” 

Unfortunate Moment for Shoemaker

World number-one Kate Shoemaker of the U.S. finished out of the medals in fifth place after her horse Vianne spooked during their performance.  

“Something must have caught her eye, because it was the first spook she’s ever had with me. It was just an unfortunate moment,” Shoemaker said. “But horses are horses, and if we wanted to ride motorcycles, we would ride motorcycles. Regardless, I love her more than anything in the world, and she is certainly forgiven because there are going to be a lot of beautiful days in our future.”

Germany’s Anna-Lena Niehues, who took time off in 2023 to give birth to her daughter Nelly, claimed bronze on Quimbaya 6 with a score of 75.222%, edging Frenchman Vladimir Vinchon on Pegase Mayenne into fourth place on 72.889%.

Six Paralympic Golds for George in Grade V

Belgium’s Michèle George showed her enduring class as she won her sixth Paralympic gold medal, defending her Grade V Individual title on her mount Best of 8. The 50-year-old, who won double individual golds at Tokyo 2020, finished well clear with a superb score of 76.692% to take her overall Paralympic medal tally to seven.

“I’m incredibly happy. Best of 8 was amazing,” George said. “For me, it felt like a gold medal because I had nearly no mistakes and she was really dancing with me. I enjoyed every second of it. It means a lot.”

George will aim to repeat her Tokyo feat of winning both Individual Grade V golds in Saturday’s Individual Freestyle event. “I really look forward to showing people how she can dance with our music, because she adores it,” she added.

Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp, partnering with Highlander Delight’s, added a silver medal to her individual Freestyle bronze from Tokyo 2020, scoring 73.231%. The 53-year-old, who coaches athletes and trains horses for dressage at her stables near Kerken, Germany, hopes to continue for two more Paralympic cycles. 

“I have two young horses who are coming on, so I’m thinking about 2028 and maybe 2032,” Mispelkamp said. “It’s the best thing I do and when I do it, I am not thinking about my illness.”

Great Britain’s Sophie Wells, partnering with LJT Egebjerggards Samoa after her original horse Don Cara M was ruled out, won her ninth Paralympic medal after taking bronze with 72.257%, adding to her previous four golds and four silvers. This was Great Britain’s third bronze at Paris.

“It’s not ideal,” she said of her late change in horses. “But she was so brave going into that arena. She got a little bit nervous, but she’s only 8 years old. I held her hand through the whole test. She listened to me, and I couldn’t be prouder of her for that.”

To Come: Para Dressage Team and Individual Freestyle

After a rest day on Thursday, Para Dressage resumes at Versailles on Friday with the team event. Three athlete-and-horse combinations from each nation will join forces in a bid for a place on the podium.

Great Britain has won all seven team golds since 1996, but will face strong competition from the likes of Team USA and the Netherlands if teams maintain that sequence.

The final set of Individual medals will be decided on Saturday, September 7, as the top eight from the Individual tests in each of the five Grades compete in the Freestyle events.

To read more of our coverage on the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, click here.

Rebecca Hart on Floratina (Grade III) and Fiona Howard with Diamond Dunes (Grade II) both struck gold before Roxanne Trunnell, a double gold medalist from Tokyo 2020, took silver on Fan Tastico H in Grade I behind Latvia’s Rihards Snikus and King Of the Dance.

This trio of medals at Paris 2024 marked Team USA’s most successful Paralympic Games in Para Dressage, after just three of 11 events across four days of competition.

They surpassed the two golds and a bronze won at Atlanta 1996 and at Tokyo 2020, where Trunnell and her mount Dolton won the first two individual golds for the U.S. after 24 years. The pair also won team bronze alongside Hart on El Corona Texel and Kate Shoemaker with Solitaer 40.

Hart Strikes Gold on Fifth Paralympic Attempt

Hart, 39, kick started today’s gold rush by winning her first individual medal at her fifth Paralympic Games with Floratina, having previously finished fourth in Beijing and fifth at London 2012.

“It’s been 25 years of trying to get to this point and being close many, many times,” she said. “To actually get it, I feel like I’m going to wake up at any moment. It’s just surreal. It feels like a dream.”

Hart and Floratina were the penultimate combination to enter the arena in the morning rain. They claimed the win with a score of 77.900%.

“This is my first gold ever. We’ve worked so hard as a country with my fellow athletes to really develop our program and step up our game. Four years later, here we are,” Hart said. “It’s a huge venue and the entire atmosphere was phenomenal. I was just trying to stay with Floratina and remain focused, because it felt so easy. I just needed to stay on my game and get the test done.” 

The Netherlands’ Rixt van der Horst took silver with 76.433%—marking her sixth Paralympic medal overall at her third Games—on new horse Royal Fonq, who’s been her partner since December.

“He’s really special,” she said. “He has such a kind and honest character. His quality is amazing. I think we click really well and have developed a special bond in the short time we’ve had together.”

In her first Paralympic Games since becoming a mother to her son Joshua last year, Great Britain’s Natasha Baker and Dawn Chorus, took bronze with 73.167%. This was her ninth Paralympic medal after six golds and two silvers.

“I had 20 months out of competition when I had Joshua, and a year out of the saddle,” the 34-year-old said. “That’s the longest I’ve ever had out of the saddle. I’m just super, super happy with her.”

Diamond Dunes is Forever Gold for Howard

Howard, 25, maintained the U.S.’s momentum as she took Grade II gold on Diamond Dunes in her debut Paralympic Games with a superb performance to finish on 76.931%.

“We’ve only been partners since March when we did our first competition,” she said. “I just trusted him and he gave me everything in there. I am so proud of him. He’s never let me down.”

Denmark’s Katrine Kristensen, who also became a first-time mother last year after winning double gold at the FEI World Championship in 2022, took silver on Goerklintgaards Quater with a score of 73.966%.

“I was crying a lot because this is so huge. After becoming a mom, I worked very hard to regain my physical strength and to balance being a mom and training at this level. But I succeeded,” Kristensen said. “I’ve never ridden in such a beautiful arena before with such an audience. I promised myself when I finished I would  just look up and enjoy it and I did.”

With a score of  73.414%, Great Britain’s Georgia Wilson on Sakura added another Paralympic individual bronze to her collection after two at Tokyo 2020. This edged Germany’s 69-year-old Heidemarie Dresing—the oldest athlete competing at Versailles—into fourth place on Dooloop.

No Limits for DJ Snikus

The final event of the opening day saw an emotional triumph for Snikus in his fourth Paralympic Games, going one better than Tokyo 2020 to take gold in Grade I. The 36-year-old, who won silver in both the Individual and Freestyle events in Tokyo, turned in a brilliant display aboard King of the Dance to triumph with a score of 79.167%.

“It was a really beautiful performance. We enjoyed watching it,” said Latvia’s Chef d’Equipe Darja Tikhomirova, speaking on behalf of Snikus, who is also the reigning Grade I world champion and an active DJ in his spare time. “I think it was one of Rihards’ best ever performances. After Tokyo, we came home and said, ‘OK, next time let’s get gold.’”

“It’s great for para sports in general in Latvia because people can see it’s not only classic sports we know like athletics or cycling,” Tikhomirova added. “Equestrian is also a sport for people with disabilities, where they can demonstrate how strong they are, how perfect they can ride and how wonderfully technical they can be. It’s always great to show that you have no limits.”

America’s Trunnell, the double individual gold medalist from Tokyo, settled for silver on Fan Tastico H after finishing on 78.000%. She paid tribute to the influence of U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline on Team USA’s success. Assouline spent 12 years as head coach of Great Britain’s para equestrian team before joining the U.S. team in 2017 as head of para equestrian coach development and high performance consultant.

“He is really good,” Trunnell said. “He got us all straightened up, training harder, with better horses. We have evolved our training and have been working so hard. It’s nice to see it pay off.” 

Italy’s Sara Morganti on Mariebelle collected her third Paralympic Games bronze medal—after two in Tokyo—on a score of 74.625%.

About the 2024 Paralympic Equestrian Competition

Established stars will seek to hold off talented emerging athletes as the 2024 Paris Para Dressage competition continues at the spectacular Château de Versailles. A total of 76 athletes from 30 nations will assemble for four days of competition spread across five days from today, September 3 through Saturday, September 7.

The first two days include Individual Medal Events in all five Grades. Grade III opened proceedings today and will also be the last of the five Individual Freestyle Events—featuring the top eight combinations—on the final day of action.

Unfortunately, Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Joergensen won’t be defending the two Individual titles he won on his Paralympic Games debut at Tokyo 2020, withdrawing on Sunday after his horse Jolene Hill was deemed not fit to compete.

The 24-year-old was widely viewed as the favorite in Grade III after striking a double gold victory at the FEI World Championship in 2022 on home ground in Herning, Denmark—plus, a silver in the team event—and two more individual golds at last year’s FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Riesenbeck, Germany.

All horses that were presented on Monday’s First Horse Inspection passed. 

For more of our coverage of the 2024 Paris Paralympic games, click here. 

This week’s Practical Horseman Podcast, sponsored by Cosequin, Sentinel and Zoetis, is with Olympic show jumping team silver medalist Karl Cook. He and his Olympic mount Caracole de la Roque traveled to Paris as the alternate combination for Team USA. But after Kent Farrington withdrew his horse due to an allergy issue, the team decided to bring in Cook and Caracole.

For his part, Karl and the feisty bay mare had a stellar Olympic debut. He and Caracole were the sole U.S. combination to collect two clear rounds in team competition. This unequivocally helped the team clinch silver.

Karl started riding at age 8 with his mom and sister and quickly developed his lifelong passion for horses. After a successful Junior career, he made his senior Nations Cup debut at Langley, Canada, aboard Tembla in 2016. In 2022, Cook was on the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team again at Langley. And in 2023, he was on the winning U.S. team at the Nations Cup in San Juan Capistrano.

In today’s podcast, we talked to Cook about his Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games and his partnership with Caracole, and we discussed his comprehensive horsemanship program that prioritizes his horses’ health and well-being above all us.

About This Podcast’s Sponsors: Cosequin, Sentinel and Zoetis

The high-quality, scientifically researched ingredients found in COSEQUIN® products range to support joint, digestive, hoof and immune health—the areas most impacted by performance horses. To learn more, visit Cosequin.com.

Sentinel Premium Horse Feeds provide exceptional nutrition with light and airy extruded nuggets for easier digestion and formulas made for every life stage and activity level. Find the perfect feed for your horse’s nutritional needs at feedsentinel.com.

Zoetis has been supporting horses, riders and veterinarians for more than 70 years with products such as vaccines Core EQ Innovator® and Fluvac Innovator® EHV-4/1 and a stall-side testing kit called Stablelab®. Be sure to Visit ZoetisEquine.com.

To read more about our coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, click here.

Spectacular is indeed the best word to describe the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Paris Olympics kicked off with a stunning opening ceremony where the iconic Eiffel Tower served as the authentic main prop.

The Paralympic opening ceremony, taking place on Wednesday, August 28, promises to be no equally incredible. The format again promises to bring the festivities outside the stadium and into the streets. Instead of the Eiffel Tower being the main focus, however, the Paralympic opening ceremony will be centered around the famous Champs-Elysées avenue. Champs-Elysée is home to a number of Parisian trademarks, including the Arc De Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. The ceremony itself will take place at the latter, after the parade of athletes makes its way down the Champs-Elysées. It’s guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience for athletes and spectators alike.  

The Essence of Para Dressage 

Complementing the Paris 2024 Olympic spirit, Para Dressage certainly brings another spectacular element to the Games. The partnerships and level of trust displayed between rider and horse can soften even the most cynical of hearts and leave spectators in awe. Through the unique bond the riders with disabilities share with their horses, they demonstrate to the world that great riding is not based on force. Instead, it’s built over time based on love and understanding—and a lot of hard work. 

Para dressage is top sport with exquisite riding and stunning horses. And here disability is no excuse. Para dressage riders are expected to demonstrate the same correctness of riding as in able-bodied Olympic dressage. Therefore, riders with disabilities have to find solutions to work with and around their challenges to perform high-level dressage, raising the bar even higher for what we consider possible.  

Equestrian Paralympic History

Para dressage has come a long way since it became part of the Paralympics in 1996 at the Atlanta Games. Back then, riders borrowed horses provided by the host country and only rode their Olympic mounts a few times before competing.

That scenario is unimaginable today, where riders spend months and years training to establish the special bond with their horses that’s necessary to perform to the level of perfection expected to win medals.  

Paris 2024 Paralympics

Paris will see a total of 78 horse-and-rider combinations compete across the five grades I, II, III, IV and V. Grade I is designated for riders who have the least body function and is ridden in the walk only. Riders in Grades II and III compete at the walk and trot. In grades IV and V, riders perform at the walk, trot and canter. Riders in these latter grades have the highest body function. 

Common for all grades this year is the high the level of competition. We’ll see a mix of defending Paralympic champion combinations including Tobias Thorning Jørgensen and Jolene (Grade III), Michele George and Best of 8 (Grade V) and Sanne Voets on her charming Demantur (Grade IV), mixed with a high number of new horse-and-rider combinations. 

Paralympic Debutants and New Combinations 

Since Tokyo, teams have worked hard improve their chances of winning a Paralympic medal in Paris this year. Teams have been evolving and improving in several aspects, and part of that included changing both horses and riders. These new riders, horses and combinations have raised the overall level of competition. And they also present a lot of excitement going into the Paris Paralympics. But in this sport, nothing is predictable.

One of these new and interesting combinations is the American Paralympic champion from Tokyo, Roxanne Trunnell. Since the Tokyo Games, Trunnell retired her golden mount Dolton and teamed up with Fan Tastico H. The new pair had a great season and will be interesting to follow during the this year’s Paralympics. The 2024 U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team also includes Rebecca Hart and Floratina, Fiona Howard aboard Diamond Dunes and Kate Shoemaker with Vianne.

With the rise in competition in recent years and new combinations entering the scene, the Paris competition will look different. Tokyo Paralympic medallists Frank Hosmar and Alphaville and Ann Cathrin Lübbe and La Costa Majlund didn’t make the team for Paris.

Some of the interesting new riders who will make their Paralympic debut in Paris are Dutch Demi Haerkens on Daula (Grade IV), who made a memorable entrance to the para scene last year after winning the European Championships in Riesenbeck, and British Mari Durward-Akhurst on Athene Lindebjerg (Grade 1). Athene Lindebjerg is not a Paralympic debutant, however. The impressive black mare brings a lot of experience to the Games. She is a former gold medal champion from the Rio 2016 Games with Sophie Christiansen in the saddle.   

Sold-Out Venue 

Both spectators and riders are guaranteed a memorable experience when the Para Dressage riders turn down the centerline with the great Chateau de Versailles in the background. And the riders will not lack support.

The equestrian venue at Versailles was one of the first two Paralympic venues to sell out this year. The jam-packed stadium at the Paris Games will be in sharp contrast to the Tokyo Paralympics. The Tokyo studio was empty due to COVID-19 restrictions. With full support from fans to set the atmosphere and talented horses and riders in the arena, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games promise to be one to go down in history.

Para Dressage competition will take place from Tuesday, September 3, through Saturday, September 7.

To read more about our coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, click here.

Check out our photo gallery of some of the most memorable moments from Tuesday’s competition. To get a full recap of the Jumping Individual Final, click here.

Scenes From the Jumping Individual Final

For More

• For more on our jumping and eventing coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, click here.
• For more on our dressage coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, click here.