RIO FOCUS: Dressage

Ones to watch:

Great Britain:

The reigning Olympic champions, who have won team medals every year since the 2009 Windsor European Championships, will once again be headed by Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester on Valegro and Nip Tuck respectively.

Charlotte and Valegro need little introduction having won Olympic, European and World gold, alongside breaking the world records in all three grand prix tests. They have only been out once this season, in order to keep the now 14-year-old son of Negro fresh, which has paid dividends with wins in the Grand Prix and freestyle at Hartpury. The duo are undoubted favourites for individual honours if they uphold their form.

Carl, affectionately known as “Grandad” by Charlotte, will be competing at his fifth Olympics with the ever-improving Nip Tuck, and they recently delivered a personal best when winning the Grand Prix Special at Hartpury with 79.216%.

Another combination to be breaking personal records is Fiona Bigwood and the Gribaldi mare Orthilia. They scored 79.196% at Saumur and continue to progress with each outing. Orthilia coped well with the electric atmosphere at the Aachen Europeans last year and Fiona has produced this promising mare in mind for these Games.

Sonke Rothenberger, who is the youngest member of the team at the age of 21, will make his senior championship debut on the equally youthful Cosmo 59.  The pair have been very impressive since their Grand Prix debut last September, having finished in the top two on all starts up to Hagen in April.  The former young rider European champion clearly thrives under pressure and will make an exciting addition to Germany’s team.

Netherlands:

The reigning European Champions have selected an experienced team for Rio with the London 2012 individual silver medallists Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival heading the team.

The now 19-year-old has been a fantastic servant for Adelinde, winning European and world gold medals alongside her Olympic silver and bronze. Formerly seen by many as unrideable, Parzival always rises to the occasion but the worry is whether the gelding is slightly past his best. However, the duo always perform a beautifully choreographed freestyle to music.

Hans Peter Minderhoud, who won individual bronze medal in the Grand Prix Special at the Europeans last year, is selected to ride the exciting stallion Johnson. The 14-year-old has been reaching the high 70s in the Grand Prix test and it is surely a matter of time before they reach the elite club to score over 80%. 

Edward Gal, the former world champion with the spectacular Totilas, will ride Voice at his second Olympics, and not his expected mount Undercover. The Dutch maestro, who has a talent for instilling confidence in the most tense and difficult horses, has been on flying form of late.

Former Junior European gold medallist Diederik Van Silfhout makes his Olympic debut with the 11-year-old stallion Arlando N.O.P. Having finished third in the Grand Prix and Special tests at Rotterdam with plus 76% scores, the partnership have gone on to score 78.36% and 79.475% at the National Championships and be crowned Dutch National Champions.

Sweden

Patrik Kittel will head the Swedish team with the promising Deja, who recently finished a good ninth and fourth in the Grand Prix and Freestyle in Rotterdam.  The partnership retired at last year’s Aachen Europeans after the 12-year-old mare got her tongue over the bit but has shown promising form this season ahead of Rio.

Another Olympic partnership, Tinne Vilhelmson and Don Auriello, have been selected for their second Olympics after winning the Freestyle at Rotterdam with 79.750%. At the age of 14, Don Auriello has been consistent at the highest level, having been placed at numerous Olympic, world and European championships.

Senior championship debutants Juliette Ramel and Therese Nilshagen take the other two places on the team and have impressed chef d’equipe Bo Jena with their continued improvement this season.

At the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of experience, Laura Graves has rapidly reached the top level with a string of high profile successes. Riding 14-year-old Verdades, the pair won individual silver and team gold at the Pan American Games last year. They also proved they can mix with the best when finishing fifth in the freestyle at the 2014 WEG.

California’s Kasey Perry-Glass is another to make her Olympic debut after consistent performances in the Nations Cup at Rotterdam, Wellington and Compiegne. Riding the 13-year-old Dublet they have performed creditably on the European stage.

Last, but by no means least, Allison Brook and Rosevelt make up the final place of the team, having finished an excellent third in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at Rotterdam in front of riders like Andelinde Cornelissen and Michael Eilberg.