As published by US Equestrian.
Versailles, France – The U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team continued to make their mark in history at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, securing their second consecutive Paralympic team medal – this time standing atop the podium with a historic team gold. The team combinations comprised of Rebecca Hart and Floratina (Grade III), Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes (Grade II), and Roxanne Trunnell and Fan Tastico H (Grade I) each produced incredibly competitive scores, all at the 77% mark or above, in the FEI Grand Prix Test B to solidify the team’s impressive finish and collect the first team gold in program history. Their final combined score of 235.567 is the highest Paralympic team score ever recorded in the para-equestrian discipline.
“This is the completion of a long-timed, well-planned dream, going back to Tryon 2018, where we started to actually make changes. In Tokyo, when we won bronze, I had a clear plan and strategy in place, and in my mind, to earn that team medal. I just knew it had to be gold in Paris for us,” said Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline. “It has been three years of very hard work, planning, logistics, competition strategies, both for Europe and in the U.S. The horsepower, the coaches, and the whole program had to be revamped to get to this point. It’s a funny thing to think – it’s what I expected – but you never want to talk about it openly. I had it in mind that this was our goal and here we are. This feels like such an amazing accomplishment for everyone who has been involved with this program over the years.”
Roxanne Trunnell (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Fan Tastico H, were the first combination in for the United States to start their afternoon of team competition. Trunnell and Fan Tastico H, who are still a very new combination together having only been partnered since early 2024, produced a competitive score to get the team off to a strong start. The duo earned a 77.000% from the judging panel and the 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentball OLD x Weltmeyer) owned by Karin Flint and cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo, again showed his potential with consistent work in the walk with Trunnell guiding from the saddle.
“I just really concentrated on him marching,” said Trunnell of her test. “He’s so cool at only seven; it’s just going to get better and better.” Of the team’s success, she added that Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline has been a huge part of the growth and confidence for athletes in the program. “I think it’s all Michel. He got us in shape. He’s very strict. I think all his experience has helped us.”
Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes, a 2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’or x Wibella) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty, continued their dominance in Grade II competition as Paralympic debutants. The duo earned an 80%, the highest score of the week so far in any grade, and marking yet another personal-best score set by the pair this week.
“As soon as we started the first trot—even just trotting around the ring—I really was like, ‘He feels really good.’ I went in there, and I remembered what my team said, just trust him,” she said. “What a feeling when you can just trust your horse, and he kept giving and giving. At the end, my muscles were really tired, and I just was like, ‘Keep going, buddy!’ and he was like, ‘I’ve got you,’” said Howard. “He’s incredible; he’s amazing.”
The pair’s sensational jump to the top standings in Grade II has been meteoric and Howard commended the support of the team, both in Paris, and at home, for the trajectory of her success with “Dunes” and with the gold-medal in hand today, the personal-best test was just cherry on top of a very sweet week so far for the pair.
“We have an incredible support team behind us, everyone from trainers, vets, farriers, our federation, everyone is behind us 110%,” said Howard. “And obviously we have an incredible team coach in Michel [Assouline]. I think it’s really the teamwork. We all support each other and we push each other. We’re there for each other in the ups and downs and I think that plays such a big role in it.”
Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.) and Floratina, the most experienced pair on the team, and Flora, one of the only horses in history to ultimately earn team gold medals at both an able-bodied continental championship (Lima 2019) and para continental championship (Paris 2024), were tasked with the pressured position of clinching the gold medal after a neck-and-neck battle throughout the day with a very strong Dutch team. Hart and the 2008 Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz x Rubina) owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young, were determined to ensure the U.S.’s podium position stayed squarely on top. The duo earned their second personal best score of the Games, receiving at 78.567% to clinch the dream Hart’s been working towards for nearly 25 years as an athlete within the U.S. Para Dressage Program.
“It still feels surreal. It was the culmination of years and years and years of work, and I am so wildly proud of all these girls because it’s been a group effort to get this done. It wouldn’t have happened without each one of us putting our best foot forward out there,” said Hart.
When asked about the impact of the gold medal and what it could mean for the continued success of the U.S. Para Dressage Program, Hart said, “What I’m really, really hoping that this success and these medals bring for para is the recognition and the equality of the multiple disciplines within our federations, and realization that we are valuable, and we can deliver when we need to. I think that will help just grow the sport more, bring in more sponsors and horse and people, and that is what I’m hoping for looking towards the future.”
Results
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