My last blog was about our triumphant 2024 Paris Paralympic Games for American dressage enthusiasts. Gold after gold, a brilliant week of consistent and extraordinary excellence. It was a contrast to the Olympic Games, where our team suffered the two most inconveniently timed hiccups ever, following a team selection process that required the throwing of a lot of Hail Marys. Isabell Werth aboard Wendy and Cathrine Ladrup-Dufour aboard Freestyle showed that green partnerships can achieve big results, but it wasn’t in the cards this year for the U.S.
Our 2021 Tokyo Olympic performance was stellar. Sabine Schut-Kery led the way aboard her homemade Sanceo, joining the rarified club of American riders who’ve placed fourth individually, and Adrienne Lyle with Salvino and Steffen Peters with Suppenkasper were on top form to collectively earn team silver. When the champagne flutes were put away and the confetti vacuumed up, did the conversation amongst those in power in U.S. dressage turn to the fact that Salvino was 14, Sanceo, 15, and Mopsie, 13?
Read the rest at The Chronicle of the Horse!