U.S. Dressage Team Eliminated
The U.S. Dressage Team was knock out of the Olympic dressage competition on Tuesday, July 30th after the unfortunate elimination of Marcus Orlob and Jane. Without the option of using a drop score, like in other senior championships, each combination’s score counts.
The team will not be able to compete in Saturday’s FEI Grand Prix Special, and though fellow team members, Adrienne Lyle and Helix, and Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper were able to continue on as individuals, neither scored high enough to qualify for the individual final.
Picture Left: Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper during the Tokyo Olympics.
Day 1 Leading Teams
Denmark led the competition on Tuesday with a score of 154.938 percent. Nanna Skodborg Merrald & Zepter’s 78.029 percent proved to move the needle for the team taking the high score of the day. Great Britain sat in second place at 152.283 percent, with help from veteran, Carl Hester and Fame, who scored 77.345 percent to keep the team in the running for the medals. Team Sweden rounded out the top three teams at 145.870 percent heading into Wednesday.
Day 2: Germany Takes The Lead
The defending champions from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Frederic Wandres was the first of the team to show on Tuesday scoring a 76.118 with Bluetooth OLD. Defending Individual Olympic champions Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl & TSF Dalera BB showed on the second day of qualifying dressage competition on Wednesday laying down the highest score of the day with an 82.065 perfect. Fellow teammate and most decorated equestrian Olympian of all time, Isabell Werth, and her mount, Wendy scored a 79.363 percent to solidify the team’s lead.
Picture left: Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl & TSF Dalera BB at the Tokyo Olympics
Qualifying
The top 10 teams from the Grand Prix test on Tuesday and Wednesday qualify for the Team final on Saturday. The FEI Grand Prix Special will decide who goes home with gold, silver, and bronze.
The qualifying teams are:
- Germany
- Denmark
- Great Britain
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- Belgium
- France
- Austria
- Finland
- Australia
Germany leads with a score of 237.546 percent, Denmark follows with a score of 235.730, and Great Britain rounds out the top three with 231.196 percent.
Equestrian competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics continues Thursday, August 1st with the first day of show jumping featuring the Team Qualifier. Olympic Dressage continues on Saturday, August 3rd with the Grand Prix Special – Team Final.
