Moment to savour for Team GB

Great Britain have been in scintillating form lately, and after winning gold in the team eventing European Championships in Strzegom, have claimed first place in the Grade I para-dressage.
Standing out was Julie Payne with Athene Lindebjerg. The horsewoman held her nerve to deliver a great performance to clinch the European title.
To defeat Denmark and bring home the win, she had to register a score over 75.000% and she did exactly that with an impressive 78.107% – the highest percentage in this edition of the event. Capping it all off, Julie Payne also bagged the gold in the Grade I kur.
The rest of her team-mates also shone with Sophie Wells (73.581% with C Fatal Attraction) and Suzanna Hext (from III grade with Abira 72.088% and the individual gold medal) on song to ensure Denmark had to settle for second spot. Holland were third.
As for the Italian representatives, Sara Morganti came in 4th place in the trial with music won by Britain’s Julie Payne. To continue, Suzanna Hext took gold in the Freestyle Grado III followed by Steffen Zelbig in second and Tobias Thorning Joergensen in third.
photo: Great Britain take gold in the Para Dressage Team Competition at the Longines FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden. From left to right: Susanna Hext (Grade III), Erin Orford (Grade III), Julie Payne (Grade I) and Sophie Wells (Grade V).
(FEI/Liz Gregg)
www.fei.org
(MC)