Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB kept their Olympic crown firmly in place as they danced to individual gold in the dressage grand prix freestyle with a +90% score.
Their French-themed freestyle music was a perfect fit for Paris. The crowd clapped them through the closing stages to the sound of Édith Piaf, as this prolific partnership left nothing to regret in the Olympic dressage arena.
The world number ones and reigning European Champions arrived in Paris unbeaten in their last 35 international outings – a winning streak that started when they claimed individual gold in Tokyo. They leave as only the fourth combination to ever defend an Olympic individual dressage gold medal, landing victory on 90.09% and the only combination to break the 90% barrier at these Games.
“She knows everything. She’s the most intelligent horse I’ve ever had,” said an emotional Jessica, who rides this 17-year-old doyenne for Béatrice A. Buerchler-Keller and Micaela Werndl.
“She was 1000% with me. She had no ear or eye anywhere else than me. She was listening so carefully and she really showed me that that’s what she wants to do. This is why it makes me so emotional because I don’t know if I will ever get a horse like her… she is out of this world.”
As they exited the arena after their test, Jessica wiped a tear from her eye. By the time she stepped onto the podium to receive her Olympic dressage gold medal, the tears were flowing freely.
“I’m overwhelmed and exhausted. I had to cry too much today,” said Jessica, reflecting on the difference she felt performing today as an individual compared to the pressure of riding as team anchor yesterday.
“Today I woke up and I thought, ‘it’s all about trust’. We are enough. I can trust myself. I can trust Dalera, I can trust us and it’s about letting go.
“This was a mental game change from yesterday to today. I didn’t change anything about the equipment, or about Dalera – about anything.”
Tapping her own head, she added: “It was just in here [I needed] to let go, to trust and to tell her that she is enough.”
Jessica spent the time she was pregnant with her daughter to create this freestyle.
“I was six weeks pregnant and listening to ‘Non, Je ne regrette rien’ walking on the beach in Spain with my husband. I got goosebumps on my whole body and told him, ‘this is the music – this is what I want to do’,” she said.
This pair’s bond has blossomed over the nine years they have spent together – Jessica has even been napping in the mare’s stable here in Paris. It’s a bond Jessica puts down to listening to the mare and being led by what the horse tells her.
“She tells me how long she wants to hack out or she tells me when she needs a canter – a wild canter on the galloping track – and she tells me when she wants to work. She is just too good for everyone,” she said.
“She’s so smart and so funny. I wanted to sleep in the hammock today and she was just playing with me – she was so funny, cheeky and happy.”
She added: “She knew today was the day and she just did it. I’ve not enough time yet [to fully thank her], but I will continue to just thank her again and again and again, and kiss her and cuddle her.
“I know that my husband, Franzi [my show groom], and the owner is with her and they will all just tell her that she’s just amazing. I will spoil her to the last day of her life.”
Their closest rival was Isabell Werth, the world’s most decorated Olympian, who re-wrote the lyrics of Mandy to “Oh, Wendy”, in honour of her exceptional new ride. They scored 89.61% to put the pressure on the remaining competitors.
Britain’s world champions Lottie Fry and Glamourdale sealed bronze in this gripping finale to the Olympic dressage, with a score of 88.97%.
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