GB Qualify Two for Individual Dressage Final
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The British dressage team finished today's final team competition in sixth place and although this leaves them outside the medal standings, two Team GB riders - Emma Hindle and Laura Bechtolsheimer - have qualified for the individual final, which begins on Saturday.
In today's competition, the final rider for the British team, Laura Bechtolsheimer (riding Mistral Hojris) scored 65.917 to leave Britain on a final score of 66.805.
In the electric atmosphere Laura's test showed glimpses of the excellent form they are both capable of, scoring 9's for the first extended trot work. However, an error of course early on unsettled them both and Mistral Hojris seemed to become more powerful and extravagant as the test went on with Laura showing great presence to contain him.
She was disappointed with the test. She said: "It was on the borderline of what we could achieve. It's a fine line between what I can manage and brilliance. Sometimes it's very hard to get the right amount and he can be so big and extravagant. My lack of experience at this level showed but I had to go for it."
However, Laura's Games are not over yet as the score was good enough to qualify her for the individual final where the qualifying score will not be counted as part of the final mark.
Also, making the individual final is Britain's Emma Hindle who rode the test of her life yesterday (Wednesday) to qualify in an impressive fourth place with a score of 71.125.
Germany and the Netherlands were hotly tipped to fight it out for the top two places in the team competition and Germany were the eventual victors with Holland taking silver and Denmark taking the bronze.
Final Team scores
Gold - Germany - 72.961
Silver - Netherlands - 71.750
Bronze - Denmark - 68.875
4th - USA - 67.819
5th - Sweden - 67.347
6th - Great Britain - 66.806
