Olympics 2012: Britain Scoops the Gold Again!

In the highly anticipated Grand Prix Special to determine the team medals, the British team not only achieved their first ever medal Olympic medal in dressage, but they ended German domination of the top spot on the podium.  

Carl Hester on Uthopia set a strong mark for the top tier teams, scoring 80.540.  Each of the German riders, Dorothee Schneider, Helen Langehanenberg and Karen Sprehe, were appearing in their first Olympics and each rode strong tests for a team total of 78.216.  But it wasn't enough to overtake the Brits as Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Horjis produced a solid 77.873 and the remarkable Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro achieved the highest score of the day with 82.286.

The bronze medal Netherlands team total of 77.124 was not enough to catch the Germans who hung on to the silver.  Denmark slotted into fourth, while the US placed fifth on the strength of a powerful and fluid test by anchor rider Steffen Peters and Ravel.  The Spanish team which included crowd favorites Juan Manuel Munoz Diaz and Fuego finished seventh. 

Both Munoz and Peters finished comfortably in the top 15 and will move forward into the Grand Prix Freestyle on Thursday.

Results

Official

Rk	Bib	Rider	Horse	Result	+
1	226	DUJARDIN C	VALEGRO	83.286 Q	+
2	236	CORNELISSEN A	PARZIVAL	81.968 Q	+
3	227	HESTER C	UTHOPIA	80.571 Q	+
4	229	LANGEHANENBERG H	DAMON HILL	78.937 Q	+
5	224	BECHTOLSHEIMER L	MISTRAL HOJRIS	77.794 Q	+
6	230	SCHNEIDER D	DIVA ROYAL	77.571 Q	+
=7	254	PETERS S	RAVEL	76.254 Q	+
=7	231	SPREHE K	DESPERADOS	76.254 Q	+
9	216	ZU SAYN - WITTGEN.	DIGBY	75.730 Q	+
10	237	GAL E	UNDERCOVER	75.556 Q	+
11	219	MUNOZ DIAZ JM	FUEGO	75.476 Q	+
12	239	VAN GRUNSVEN A	SALINERO	74.794 Q	+
13	245	CARVALHO G	RUBI	74.222 Q	+
14	246	KITTEL P	SCANDIC	74.079 Q	+
15	248	VILHELMSON SILFVEN	DON AURIELLO	74.063 Q	+
16	213	KASPRZAK A	DONNPERIGNON	73.794 Q	+
17	205	MAX-THEURER V	AUGUSTIN	73.619 Q	+
18	233	TRUPPA V	EREMO DEL CASTEGNO	73.127 Q	+
19	228	BALKENHOL A	DABLINO	73.032	+
20	247	TELDE M	SANTANA	72.270 R	+
21	255	VAN OLST A	CLEARWATER	72.016 R	+
22	221	KANERVA E	SPIRIT	71.889 R	+
23	217	BARBANCON MESTRESM	PAINTED BLACK	71.556 R	+
24	210	HOLZER A	BREAKING DAWN	71.317 R	+
25	252	KONYOT T	CALECTO V	70.651	+
26	225	DAVISON R	ARTEMIS	70.524	+
27	207	FASSAERT C	DONNERFEE	70.095	+
28	251	EBELING J	RAFALCA	69.302	+
29	220	MARTIN DOCKX J.	GRANDIOSO	69.286	+
30	222	LINDH M	MAS GUAPO	69.016	+
31	223	MICHEL J	RIWERA	68.810	+
32	238	VAN DER MEER P	UZZO	67.444	+

Grand Prix Special

Results

Official

Rk	Team	Result	+
1	Great Britain	79.979	+
2	Germany	78.216	+
3	Netherlands	77.124	+
4	Denmark	73.846	+
5	Sweden	72.706	+
6	United States	72.435	+
7	Spain	72.287

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