The team medals will be decided for the Orifarm Healthcare World Para Dressage Championships today (13 August) in Herning, with the competition still wide open.
Britain are sitting 14th on the leaderboard going into the final day, but provisional rankings are highly deceiving, as teams have varied make-ups of riders from across the grades. Therefore some teams’ four riders have already completed (in the case of Austria, currently topping the standings), and others, like Britain have had just two, or fewer, riders in action on day one of the competition.
Britain’s final two team riders, Sophie Wells (Don Cara M) and Natasha Baker (Keystone Dawn Chorus), will be in action today in grades V and III respectively, and will ride at the following times:
- Natasha Baker and Keystone Dawn Chorus (grade III): 1.17pm local time (12.17pm BST)
- Sophie Wells and Don Cara M (grade IV): 3.32pm local time (2.32pm BST)
World Para Dressage Championships times: when do the medal deciders ride?
The competition is currently wide open, but taking into account the scores already on the table and the riders yet to come, the teams looking most hot for a podium position are home side Denmark, reigning world champions Netherlands and Tokyo bronze medallists the USA. However, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain and France are also in the hunt. Here’s when some of the other riders whose scores are set to prove decisive will be in action:
- Tobias Thorning Joergensen and Jolene Hill (DEN, grade III): 1.35pm local time (12.35pm BST)
- Lotte Krijnsen and Rosenstolz (NED, grade III): 1.44pm local time (12.44pm BST)
- Frank Hosmar and Alphaville NOP (NED, grade V): 2.56pm local time (1.56pm BST)
- Michele George and Best Of 8 (BEL, grade V): 4.10pm local time (3.10pm BST)
- Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delights (GER, grade V): 4.46pm local time (3.46pm BST)
As well as deciding the team medals, combinations’ performances in this round of the championship also contribute to determining which individuals will qualify to compete in the freestyle on Sunday, in a shake-up to the format for the World Para Dressage Championships.
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