Home crowd delighted by rider’s Paris Olympic eventing dressage result (2024)

  • Paris 2024 Olympic Games
  • Frenchman Stéphane Landois delighted his home crowd when rocketing into provisional second after his Olympic eventing dressage test at the Paris Games. Riding SCEA Ecurie Du Cerisier Bleu and Eric Landois’ Chaman Dumontceau, he impressed the judges with an accurate and fault-free test to score 24.4.

    “There is an emotion about this place, and we can all feel it. When I went into the arena, I felt so proud to see all the people enjoying our sport and appreciating it so much,” explained Stéphane of the gelding he took over the ride on after the tragic death of his previous rider, 22-year-old Thaïs Méheust, who was killed in a fall with this horse in 2019.

    “You can really feel the emotion. There’s a lot of atmosphere in the arena, but for my horse, it was a great thing, because at the end of the warm-up I didn’t feel I had him quite where I wanted him to be, and then when I went in, it gave him that extra lift, and so he did such a good test.”

    Following Laura Collett’s simply sublime Olympic eventing dressage test with London 52, there were a number of other great tests that went into the top 10. One of those was Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa, who slotted into second at that point with Pippa Funnell’s 2019 Burghley winner MGH Grafton Street on 25.5, before being overtaken by Stéphane.

    “He knew that today was the time to show something, so I’m very happy,” said Yoshi, who rides 16-year-old ‘Squirrel’ out of Pippa’s yard in Surrey. “It’s a very new partnership – my first competition with him this year was in March, so it was a bit challenging for us, but it has all gone well.”

    New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone was another to put in a very polished performance with the elegant Menlo Park, scoring 25.7 to put them into provisional fourth.

    “I have been dreaming of doing a test like that at the Olympics because he’s been training so well,” said an emotional Clarke, who tragically lost his partner Codey at the end of 2023. “My horse has been so with me and feeling amazing in his body and calm too, so I’ve been thinking he could do a test like that, and to actually do it – I’m just so, so proud of him and proud of myself.”

    Clarke explained that he almost changed his mind about Menlo Park’s Olympic eventing dressage preparation earlier today.

    “I watched the first few go and I thought it looked very electric in the main arena and maybe I should pre-ride him. But we decided to stick with what we’ve been doing, which has been steadily getting the scores lower and lower over the last couple of years, and he was just so with me. He did have a little look at the gate stewards before we went into the ring, but he brought it back and he was just a delight to ride in there – really on the aids and just giving me everything.”

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    Gemma Redrup


    H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor

    Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.

    Home crowd delighted by rider’s Paris Olympic eventing dressage result (8)

  • Home crowd delighted by rider’s Paris Olympic eventing dressage result (2024)

    FAQs

    What is a good dressage score in eventing? ›

    On average overall scores of 70% or over for a dressage test are considered very good, scores of 60-70% are considered good, and if a horse and rider are consistently scoring 65% or over at a level of dressage competition, this indicates they may be ready to move onto the next level.

    What level dressage is Olympic eventing? ›

    Riders will complete the 2024 Olympic Games Dressage Test—a test considered to be five-star level but, at 3 minutes, 50 seconds, much shorter than the tests used at CCI5*-L competitions—on Saturday.

    What is eventing dressage? ›

    The Olympic sport of eventing is best described as an equestrian triathlon. The sport originated as a cavalry test and is comprised of three phases: dressage, cross country and show jumping. The first phase – dressage – shows the graceful partnership of horse and rider through a sequence of movements on the flat.

    Who won individual gold eventing? ›

    Christian Kukuk wins equestrian individual jumping title for dominant Germany at Paris Olympics.

    Is 69 a good dressage score? ›

    Scoring Trends

    (According to the zero-to-10 scale of marks, a score of 5 is “marginal.”) Scores in the 50-to-59-percent range accounted for 28 percent of the total rides, with 62 percent of all rides earn- ing scores of between 60 and 69 percent. Figure 1 shows the curve for all scores.

    What is a bad dressage score? ›

    For each movement, the respective marking scale looks something like this: 0 = not performed. 1 = very bad. 2 = bad.

    What is the easiest dressage level? ›

    Introductory is the easiest level where you perform your test in walk and trot. Canter comes in at Prelim and at Novice, lengthened strides come.

    What level dressage is 5 * eventing? ›

    Five-star. What it involves: The top level of eventing is five-star. The dressage test includes half-pass, multiple flying changes and much more. The maximum height of the showjumping is 1.30m and the cross-country is up to 1.20m and are both of ultimate technicality.

    What height is 1 * eventing? ›

    International classes are identified by the class code CCI followed by the star level from 1* which is at 105cm level up to 5* which is the highest level for the most advanced horses and riders.

    How many people have died in eventing? ›

    Between 1993 and 2019, we know of the circumstances in which 62 riders died while eventing. Only 3 of these fatalities did not occur at a jump. We know whether the rider deaths resulted from a rotational horse fall.

    What is a dressage rider called? ›

    An equestrian is an expert horseback rider. If you only go riding for an hour while on vacation you aren't an equestrian, but the person leading the group and riding the flashy horse probably is.

    Is eventing hard on horses? ›

    Speed: “Eventing is a galloping discipline like racing, polo and foxhunting. Speed increases the risk of soft-tissue injuries,” he says, particularly tendon and ligament injuries. Jumps: They're immovable, so traumatic injuries occur from hits and falls.

    Who won gold in dressage? ›

    Following Germany's team dressage victory yesterday, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl was back on top of the Paris 2024 podium on Sunday, 4 August, having clinched the individual dressage gold medal in Versailles.

    Who won gold on pommel? ›

    PARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) - It was all smiles, and a few happy tears, for Rhys McClenaghan as he struck gold on the pommel horse on Saturday at the Paris Games, earning Ireland their first ever Olympic gymnastics medal.

    Who won the individual show jumping at the Olympics in 2024? ›

    Equestrian: Christian Kukuk (GER) wins individual jumping gold!

    Is 32 a good dressage score? ›

    About half of Novice starters (47%) get a dressage score between 31 and 37. Half of Novice show jumping starters keep all the poles up and finish within the time. Nearly two in three Novice cross-country starters (63%) finish clear and within the optimum time. This is the highest percentage of any U.S. national level.

    What is the ideal dressage conformation? ›

    For dressage, a more upright build and a shorter neck are desirable. I look for a strong back end with a forward-sloping femur for impulsion, a more compact back for collection and structural balance with the horse's feet standing squarely under him for ease with repetition and cadence in the movement.

    What is a good seat in dressage? ›

    If you're a chair-seated rider, you'll want to try to sit a little taller and almost 'hollow' your back a little. Always try to keep your chest up and keep your upper body behind your knees." With your reins, it looks best to have your hands in front of the saddle and just above the horse's wither.

    References

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