Germany edges Denmark to win a third straight Olympic team dressage title

VERSAILLES, France (AP) — Equestrian star Isabell Werth helped Germany win the Olympic team dressage title for the third consecutive time with a narrow victory over Denmark on Saturday at the Paris Games.

For Werth it was an eighth Olympic gold medal and increased her overall medal tally to 13, all in dressage and more than any equestrian.

Werth, riding Wendy, was joined on the podium by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Frederic Wandres. Bredow-Werndl was on Dalera, the horse which helped her win individual dressage gold at the Tokyo Games three years.

Germany’s overall score was 235.790, just 0.121 ahead of Denmark on 235.669. Britain took the bronze medal with 232.492.

The German team had qualified for the final in first place and held off strong pressure from Denmark, which was led by the top-ranked Cathrine Dufour-Laudrup on Freestyle.

She had the best performance of the day with 81.216, making her the only rider among the 10 teams to score 80 points.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen on Vayron and Nanna Skodborg Merrald were Denmark's other medalists.

The British trio were Becky Moody (Jagerbomb), Carl Hester (Fame) and Charlotte Fry (Glamourdale).

The 57-year-old Hester competed at the 1992 Barcelona Games, where he was the youngest British rider ever to compete at the Olympics. Werth also competed at Barcelona, where she won her first Olympic gold in team dressage.

Snoop Dogg was part of the equestrian crowd at the Palace of Versailles, where he wore a black riding helmet and sunglasses.

Bredow-Werndl will be aiming to defend her individual gold in Sunday’s dressage final, which features 18 riders.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games