Team GB remained cool under the pressure and rising temperatures on the first day of equestrian dressage at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with two impressive tests and one guaranteed place in Sunday’s individual final.

A quality test by Olympic debutant and Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb earnt the pair a very respectable 74.938%. The combination scored two nines and led their qualification group, the final 10 riders of the day.

The pair only stepped into the British side just days before the Games began and Becky had never competed in a senior championship. Today’s impressive performance secured them an all-important place in the Freestyle, where individual medals will be awarded.

“That was insane!” Becky commented following her test. “What a stadium, what a crowd, it was just an amazing experience. And what a horse, he’s so special to me because I bred him so we have done everything together.

“We were both a little bit nervous and apprehensive, but we helped each other out and I’m just so proud of him. He loves to be out there, the more people watching him the better, so he had a great time.”

Jagerbomb is a big and powerful horse, “about 17.3hh”, but “one of the sweetest horses on the yard”.

“If somebody that was a little bit of a beginner wanted to have a sit on something then the Olympic dressage horse would be the one because he just looks after everyone, he is amazing,” the 44-year-old continued.

“I bred him 10 years ago, and at that point in my life I might have been partial to a Jagerbomb. But also my grandad, who was called Norman, we all called him Bomb, I don’t know why, so it was a little bit of a homage to him as well as to the alcoholic beverage!”

Fellow Briton Carl Hester and Fame went before Becky, securing third position within their group, with a beautiful test scoring 77.345%. The 57-year-old dressage legend is riding in his seventh Olympic Games at Paris.

Carl narrowly missed out on direct qualification for the individual final — this goes to the two highest placed riders in each group of 10 — by just 0.419%. For Carl to now qualify he must be within the top six next best-placed combinations when the Grand Prix has played out by the end of tomorrow.

The final Team GB member, Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale, will perform their Grand Prix test tomorrow at 9am (BST).

An impressive start, disqualification and a moving tribute

Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Zepter achieved the highest score on the opening day. They were second to step into the arena, posting a score of 78.028% that was never bettered.

“I think I had a really good solid test without big mistakes but also plenty of room for improvement,” she said. “I think in my changes I couldn’t have done a lot better, but in piaffe-passage and the pirouettes there’s still room for asking for more.”

Germany, the reigning team champions, made a formidable start with Frederic Wandres, who scored 76.118% with Bluetooth Old, earning himself direct qualification for the Freestyle.

“I have to say thank you to all of those spectators sitting there and watching for hours, this is what makes the atmosphere so special and I really felt that Bluetooth enjoyed it to go in there — he became proud and I was very happy,” he said.

“It is 35 degrees but maybe I had a little bit of a plus point because I was already now four seasons in Wellington (Florida, USA) for our winter season so he’s a little bit used to perform in higher temperatures, but always those hot temperatures are something special.”

Germany’s other two riders, Isabell Werth and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, will enter the ring tomorrow at 10.25am (BST) and 2.20pm (BST).

Shortly after Frederic’s performance, the US team’s chances for a dressage medal were lost when Marcus Orlob and Jane were disqualified. Blood was spotted on the inside of the mare’s fetlock, which may have been caused by Jane stepping on herself when she entered the arena.

“She is back in her stable, relaxing, and the cut is no longer bleeding,” the US Equestrian Federation said earlier this afternoon.

Adrienne Lyle and Steffen Peters will now compete as individuals for the US.

Later in the day, Belgium rider Larissa Pauluis dedicated her ride on Flambeau to the memory of her late husband. Grégoire Naslin died from a heart attack in 2020.

‘I promised you’ and ‘I did it’ were written onto the palms of Larissa’s gloves with a heart, which she held up to the crowds upon completing her test. Larissa scored 72.127% and went into third position within her group.

Larissa explained that before her husband passed away, she promised him she would compete in Paris.

“It was really a challenge, he never saw me competing even in Grand Prix and I’m here — so it’s wonderful,” she said.

The second day of Grand Prix dressage action at the Games kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday 31 July) with Britain’s Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale riding their test at 9am (BST).

The Grand Prix Special takes place on Saturday (3 August), and is the team medal decider, while the Freestyle takes place on Sunday (4 August) and is the individual final. No scores are carried over from the Grand Prix to the weekend’s finals.

View the live dressage scores here.

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