Since Wednesday, the para-dressage riders have been competing for the medals at the World Championships in Herning. The gold medal was won by Katrine Kristensen from Denmark.
There were 83 pairs from 28 countries competing in the Para riders, including numerous World, European Championship and Paralympic participants.
Four starters for Germany
Four starters competed for Germany on the day. The newcomer Anna-Lena Niehues started with Quimbaya. Two other German competitors were Heidemarie Dresing with La Boum, and Gianna Regenbrecht with her experienced Fürst Sinclair. The fourth German competitor is World Championship and Paralympic bronze medallist Regine Mispelkamp with Highlander’s Delight.
The first decisions
The gold medal went to Katrine Kristensen from Denmark and “Goerklingtgaards Quater” with a score of 75.788. Pepo Puch and his “Sailor’s Blue” from Austria placed close behind. Bronze went to Lee Pearson from Great Britain.
The best German rider was Gianna Regenbrecht in 6th place. Further results can be read here.
Pepo Puch about his medal
Merging with the horse is “the most beautiful and greatest thing you can experience as a rider”, said the Austrian and silver medallist Pepo Puch.
He was already able to show what this means in Tokyo and Rotterdam with his horse Sailor’s Blue. Puch also emphasises that 80 percent of the performance is done by the horse, 20 percent by the rider. During the test, his horse only concentrated on the task. It was only during the applause that “Sailor’s Blue” was probably a little wild. Nevertheless, Punch is overjoyed about his horse’s performance at this high level.
The rider has one wish: that the para-riders should also be allowed to compete in the stadium where FC Midtjylland normally plays football. “They think they are doing something good. But we feel they have to look out for us. We want to be perceived as normal athletes,” Puch said.
Source: kleine Zeitung
