The Paris Paralympics kicked off Wednesday with the opening ceremonies, and riders from 30 countries will take to the main arena at the Palace of Versailles for Paralympic dressage beginning Tuesday, Sept. 3. Three years ago, the U.S. team earned bronze—its first Paralympic team medal in history. This year the team will be looking to improve upon that finish. It goes into the Paralympics ranked No. 1 in the world, with all four team members individually ranked inside the top 10 worldwide.
In Tokyo, American rider Roxanne Trunnell earned a pair of individual gold medals in the Grade I individual test and freestyle aboard Dolton. She’s got a new horse this year in Fan Tastico H, but is still the top-ranked U.S. rider in fourth overall and third in her grade. She’s in good company though, as two of her teammates, Kate Shoemaker (Grade IV) and Fiona Howard (Grade II) are also the top-ranked riders in their grades worldwide. Becca Hart, Shoemaker and Trunnell’s Tokyo teammate, goes into her fifth Paralympics ranked second worldwide in Grade III.
When: Sept. 3-7
Medal Days: Individual medals—Sept. 3 for Grades III, II and I; Sept. 4 for Grades IV and V; team medals —Sept. 6; freestyle medals (all grades)—Sept. 7
Where: The Park at Versailles in Paris
How To Watch: NBC Paralympics Livestream (all times below are listed in Eastern Time)
• Individual Dressage:
Tuesday, Sept. 3
3-11:22 a.m. Individual tests for Grades III, II and I
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11:37 a.m.-12:37 p.m. Individual medal ceremonies for all three grades
Wednesday, Sept. 4
4-8:11 a.m. Individual tests for Grades IV and V
8:26-9:06 a.m. Individual medal ceremony for both grades
• Team Test:
Friday, Sept. 6
3:30 a.m.-12:02 p.m. Team tests for Grade IV, V, I, II, III
12:17-12:37 p.m. Team medal ceremony
• Freestyle:
Saturday, Sept. 7
3:30-4:42 a.m. Grade IV
4:57-6:09 a.m. Grade V
6:39-7:51 a.m. Grade III
8:06-9:18 a.m. Grade II
9:33-10:45 a.m. Grade I
11 a.m.-12:40 p.m. Freestyle medal ceremonies all grades
How Medals Are Decided: Three sets of medals are up for grabs in the Paralympics—individual, team and freestyle.
Unlike the three-person squads used for the Olympic equestrian events, all four of each Paralympic team’s riders, as well as individual competitors—for a total of 78 horse-and-rider combinations representing 27 countries—will compete in the individual medal test, which kicks off the Games.
Athletes are classified into one of five grades—Grade I for most impaired to Grade V for least impaired—and compete against other athletes in the same grade for both individual and freestyle medals. The tests the athletes ride change from one grade to the next, involving increasingly complex movements from Grade I (walk only) to Grades IV and V (walk, trot, canter and lateral work).
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Countries then will select three of their riders to complete the team test to determine team medals. Teams must have at least one athlete in Grade I, II or III and may not include more than two athletes from any one grade. Medals are determined by the best combined score among team members.
The top eight riders in each grade, based on placings from the individual test, go on to compete in the freestyle on the final day, riding to their own individually selected music and choreography. Within certain parameters, riders can add movements to their freestyle test that are more complex than those included in the team and individual tests for their grade.
Who Is On The U.S. Team?: The U.S. Para-Dressage Team will be made up of the following athletes. Which three will compete in the team test will be announced after the individual medal round concludes Tuesday.
- Rebecca Hart (Loxahatchee, Florida) and Floratina, a 16-year-old Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz 2—Rubina, Rubin Royal OLD), bred by Susanne Rauth, owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young
- Fiona Howard (Boston) and Diamond Dunes, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or—Wibella, Wolkentanz), bred by Klaus-Dieter Mansholt, owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty
- Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Florida) and Vianne, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Vitalis—Raureif, Ramiro’s Bube), bred by Catherine Haddad, owned by NorCordia USA and cared for by Katherine Barrett
- Roxanne Trunnell (Royal Palm Beach, Florida) and Fan Tastico H, a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD—Wehmut, Weltmeyer), bred by Markus and Sina Haverkamp, owned by Karin Flint and cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo
Want More?
• Read predictions from our para-dressage expert Stinna Tange on how the Paris Paralympics could play out.
• Read about Shoemaker’s mount, Vianne, who was bred and trained in the U.S.
