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The once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for Para-equestrian continued on Friday at the Chateau de Versailles for the team event, in which Lisa Martin, Stella Barton and Bridget Murphy competed for Australia.
A field of 48 athletes including some of the world’s most experienced and decorated combinations, representing 16 countries, took to the outdoor arena on the Etoile Royal esplanade in the centre of the Palace’s gardens.
The first combination for the Australian trio was dual-Paralympian Martin (Grade V) with the unproven but talented seven-year-old, Vilaggio – who was looking tremendously sleek and beautiful thanks to the efforts of groom, Maddison McAndrew.
The dark chestnut gelding was a little shy on entering and made a couple of costly mistakes, which no doubt impacted the combination’s overall score of 68.868%; but Martin seemed satisfied with their performance.
“The stuff that he did well, he did really well – I was really happy with the half passes, his lateral work was quite good, as was his medium and extended canter. But his walk got a bit tight, and his simple changes were a bit abrupt, which cost us quite dearly.”
Looking ahead positively to the individual freestyle on Saturday, Martin is “quietly confident” about her routine and thrilled to get another opportunity to ride at Versailles.
Next up for Australia was Barton on ‘Lord Lamarque’ (Bug) in Grade I, and it was truly profound to see the pair dance together on the world stage again, showcasing their unique bond. They performed beautifully to score 70.375% however, it would’ve been more if nature hadn’t called for Bug.
On completion of their test, the transfixed crowd erupted into rapturous ‘butterfly waving’ – the para-equestrian equivalent of the crowd going wild, but keeping quiet to not upset the horses – while Barton descended from cloud nine.
“It was amazing. I really enjoyed it out there, the atmosphere was amazing,” said Barton, beaming with pride.
“Coming out of the arena I caught sight of my brother [Jasper] and Dad [Geoffrey] in the stand and that made me so happy to see them cheering me on – it meant the world to me,” she added.
Barton and Bug will now prepare for their freestyle test, and when asked what they would tweak before tomorrow, Barton’s coach Sally Francis responded; “We’ll definitely try to make him go to the toilet before our test,” she said.
“He was a bit keen on the crowd today, so we’ll really have to keep him concentrating to get the correct outline when he’s marching in the walk. But I think the music tomorrow will help that,” she added.
The third and final combination to enter the arena was Murphy and her 13hh part-bred Welsh superstar, ‘Penmain Promise’ (Macey), who were on a mission to deliver a score.
After having made a positive start on Tuesday, the focus and confidence was clear as the debutant Murphy more than proved her mettle in producing an encouraging routine to score 67.1% with her young star.
“It was definitely more intense out there today, the atmosphere from the crowd was a lot more, but I genuinely loved it. It might not have been the best test we’ve ever done, but I rode as best I could with the horse I had, and she gave it her all – I couldn’t ask for more from her. She’s probably chomping at the bit for a nap before we go again tomorrow!” Murphy said.
The US won team gold ahead of the Netherlands (silver) and Germany (bronze). The Australian team finished 12th overall with a total score of 206.343%.
In other news, Dianne Barnes, who was not selected to compete today, announced she will be retiring after Paris.
“The mare [Sorena] tried her hardest, I tried my hardest, and I’m really happy to be retiring after riding at Versailles,” said Barnes.
The Victorian, however, won’t be lost to the sport having recently been appointed as the Athlete Representative on Equestrian Australia’s Para Dressage Committee.
“Hopefully I can make a difference, talking to the athletes, trying to put forward things to better the sport for the athletes so they’ve got a real voice in it,” Barnes added.
The final day of equestrian competition on Saturday will feature Martin, Barton and Murphy competing in the individual freestyle – the first time in Australia’s Paralympic history that three athletes have qualified for this event.
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By: Ashley Gillespie, Paralympics Australia
Published: 6 September 2024
