United States Paralympic Equestrian Team Earns Top Scores at Largest Attended Paralympics

London, England - "It has been exciting to compete at the home of Para-Dressage,"  was the phrase echoed among athletes at the 2012 Paralympic Equestrian Games. It was Great Britain that developed Para-Dressage from the grass roots first and created an entire Para-Equestrian culture. It was Great Britain who aligned with their able-bodied Equestrian association, and it was Great Britain who earned Team Gold every year since the first inclusion of Para-Dressage at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics. The growth within Great Britain is an example of the growth around the world and in the United States for the high performance discipline of Para-Equestrian Dressage. Taking risks, riding infallible tests, and suffering unexpected losses were all pieces to their success at the London Paralympics.The Great Britain team was noted for saying how impressed they were with the other countries. They explained that everyone really stepped-up their game since the 2008 Paralympics and it was unexpected that they would have to work so hard to earn the Gold. With teams like the United States clicking the heels of historically supreme athletes, it is only time before the competition becomes more than just an accurate test.

With a sold-out equestrian venue at Greenwich Park in London, the United States fielded a team of four Para-Dressage riders who were chosen within the most successful year for Para-Dressage in history. The team included Chef d'Equipe Missy Ransehousen, equestrians Jonathan Wentz of Richardson, TX; Rebecca Hart of Unionville, Penn.; Donna Ponessa of New Windsor, NY; and Dale Dedrick of Ann Arbor, Mich.. The United States successfully marched down the centerline each day, which was subsequently the Prime Meridian, from August 30-September 4th completing one of the most successful Para-Equestrian years in history.
 
The first day of Team Test competition for Para-Dressage competitors was a day of nerves, new sights and sounds, and sold-out seats for spectators. Riders had familiarized themselves and their horses with the venue the prior day before competition, but nothing would prepare them for the ambiance and pressure of the first day of competition. Over six days 78 horse and rider combinations from 26 nations would compete at the 2012 London Paralympic Equestrian Games. The ante had been upped since the 2008 Beijing Games and included impressive horses, well-prepared teams, and top scores that were only differentiated by a thousandth of a point at times. The United States had a thrilling week with riders just missing the chance to step onto the podium for a Paralympic Games Medal.

The Team Test was the first competition followed by the Individual Test. Both of these scores were counted and combined towards the Team Overall score. The top three rides of each team would be added together and compared to the other countries for a Team Medal score. The final day of competition included the Freestyle Test to music. Dr. Dale Dedrick was the first U.S. rider in the ring and drew an early spot in the start order on the first day. Her mount Bonifatius was a little uneasy at times but Dedrick took a breath and finished her Grade II Team Test. Dedrick took her notes from the judging panel and used them to create an even better Individual Test. Dedrick noted about her Individual Test, "It was a much more forward and obedient test. We still had a lot of Erik's, 'Oh, no what's happening now?'. But I was much more prepared for it today, I knew he was going to pull and I was ready to attack the minute he tried that and I said, 'no, no get in there, get in there, get going.'" Dedrick's last medium trot was the highlight of her Test finishing down centerline to an abrupt halt.

On the final day of competition Dale and Bonifatius put forth their best freestyle and earned their highest score of the week. "It's just horse showing," explained Dedrick. "You have good days and bad days. None of us get a lot of opportunities to practice at this level or ride in front of an audience this huge."
 
She continued, "The final day was a dedication to my amazing trainer Roz Kinstler, who without her I would not have competed, my groom Meagan Szarek who got a dirty horse sparking white, and to the British people who brilliantly put together a fantastic Paralympics. I am also thankful to Missy our Chef d'Equipe who was that extra-educated eye tweaking items we may have looked over in everyday training."

Past Paralympian and Captain of the United States Team, Rebecca Hart was second to complete the Team Test in Grade II with Jessica Ransehousen's Lord Ludger. The duo performed a 69.095% on the Team Test placing them in the fourth place position overall. When Rebecca entered the arena for her Individual test she explained, "I lost his focus a bit when we were doing our tour but I was able to get him back and refocus on me. I was happy that I was able to take him back from the brink." Hart focused on the walk during her Individual Test due to the judge's commenting that she needed a little more impulsion. "I needed a little more in the walk which was the comment on the first day which we tried to remedy, but we just weren't able to get there, so that was a little disappointing."
 
Jonathan Wentz and Kai Handt's Richter Scale were the third U.S. pair to ride for the red, white, and blue in Grade Ib. Wentz and Richter Scale scored a 70.364% on the Team Test placing them in the fifth position overall for Grade Ib. Although they had a solid test they were given lower scores than desired on specific elements of his test. When Wentz and NTEC Richter Scale trotted down the Prime Meridian for his Individual Test the pair was energized. Wentz explained, "During the Team Test we got hit for being too conservative but during the Individual Test we went too much the other way and hit too hard on the accelerator. We got way too wobbly in the trot-work but on the walk-work we finally scored the way we were hoping. Unfortunately the trot work hurt us; We did have great turn on the haunches and an accurate halt."

Wentz ended the week with his most accurate, expressive, and technically difficult Freestyle he had ever performed. Just before the Paralympics Wentz and Kai Handt (trainer and horse owner) went back to the drawing board to develop a new freestyle with new music. " We wanted something that highlighted each of the movements," smiled Wentz. "A little more organized, a little more grandiose for Richter. It is the Paralympics and it needed to be perfect. We made it technically difficult with a lot of 10-meter circles and extensions in to a 10 meter circle. An extension into a 10-meter circle is a movement that is really hard to do even for able-bodied riders."
 
Jonathan made history for the United States Equestrian Team as the highest placed equestrian athlete while in London. Out of the Show Jumping, Eventing, Dressage Team, and Para-Dressage Team, Wentz earned the highest ranking of all U.S. athletes.
 
"It's a dream come true," noted Wentz. "I started riding horses for therapy at age two then began riding horses for sport. At age 12 I was told that horses were part of the Paralympics and that may be something I would be interested in for the future. From that day on I set a goal and it has taken eight years to get here. It's an achievement, we are the best in the country, we are blessed to represent our country, especially here in London where the Paralympics movement is huge. Richter was amazing and I want to thank my mom and my trainer/horse owner Kai Handt for getting me here. We came to him, he said he would get me here, and he delivered better than I ever expected. I never thought I would be in the top five at the second largest sporting event in the world."
 
Donna Ponessa and Wes Dunham's horse Western Rose were the last U.S. combination to compete. Donna performed a fifth place Team Test at 70.235% and then completed an Individual Test scoring a 69.200 placing her in sixth in the Grade Ia competition. "We gave it our all but it could have been a lot better," declared Ponessa. "There was some improvement over the Team Test and some things we didn't do as well," said Ponessa. "It's a learning process."
 
Ponessa and Western Rose, owned by Wes Dunham, were the only Grade Ia pair to include trot music within their freestyle. Ponessa commented, "Rosie is a really smart mare and she gets bored with walking. The walk has no natural impulsion to it so I can feed off of the trot work because she is using her back-end. That makes my walk a little more fluid with more impulsion. She has an effortless trot and she is one of the few horses can actually trot on. I also learned a lot from the judge's comments including the idea that my test is not a race and the accuracy needs to be spot on. I took my trainer Wes Dunham's advice that faster doesn't not mean bigger; 'Go for the big without rushing,' said dunham. At last when I entered that ring Wes looked at me and said, 'Make this the best ride of your career and enjoy every second of it.' I was shocked how relaxed I was and how much fun I had in my freestyle."

The United States had one of their best years in history at the Paralympics. With the intense competition from all of the countries, everyone had to work hard to achieve top scores in front of international FEI judges President Kjell Myhre (NOR), Lillian Iannone (ARG), Freddy Leyman (BEL), Anne Prain (FRA), Gudrun Hofinga (GER), Sarah Rodger (GBR), Carlos Lopes (POR), and Kathy Amos-Jacob (FRA) as the reserve member. Chef d'Equipe Missy Ransehousen touched on how she felt about the U.S. Team, "I think they were quite good. Each of the riders really rode to their best ability. Overall they are going to come out of this as stronger athletes, a stronger country, and come out of this ready to prepare for the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy."
 
The United States Paralympic Team finished in seventh place behind Great Britain who earned Gold, Germany for Silver, underdog Ireland who took home the Bronze only tenths of a percentage ahead of fourth place, The Netherlands. Belgium and Denmark would follow for fifth and sixth place with the United States in seventh ahead of Canada and France. This was an important year for Para-Dressage not only because Para-Dressage came full circle but because of the intense competition. Lee Pearson, nine-time, Gold Medal winner who earned both a Silver and Bronze noted, "I really did think 11 medals were possible for our team. I was hoping for all Gold Medals but I didn't know the game play was at such a high level. I am happy we have the quality and did how we did."
 
Deborah Criddle agreed, "The horse power and level has certainly gone up. This is something we are going to have to really look at. Sophie Wells concurred, "The other nations have put a lot of money into their horse power and I think from my point of view most of us brought younger horses to compete here against high-level horses."
 
Wells added, "This Games shows the world-class program a lot of us have come through thanks to the funding form U.K. Sports. This is something we need to look at to try and stay ahead of the game."

With the Paralympic movement coming home Lee Pearson remarked, "It's been wonderful to have the sport come home. We've always been a satellite location where people travel specifically to see us. Location wise, having this Games in the middle of London really shows the amount of equestrianism in our country. Equestrian is a difficult sport, unique, and we work hard, It's been great to be this close to London and show the world our sport. The temporary facility that was created, we would never have dreamed of. We wish we could split this place into five so each of us, Natasha, Sophie (Wells), myself, Deborah, and Sophie (Christansen) could have a piece of this brilliant facility."
 
James Dwyer, who competed as one of the four team members for Ireland and earned a 74.4% on his freestyle with Orlando remarked, "It is absolutely super that we won a Bronze Medal. We are over the moon. This is our first team to ever come to the Paralympics and to go home with a bronze medal is amazing; This will be really good for Ireland. I actually think we are the only Irish Team to receive a Medal at this games so our team that heads to Rio definitely has something to live up to."

As the Paralympic Summer Games comes to a close this week the memories created and lessons learned will forever impact each one of these Para-Equestrian athletes. The teams will head back to their countries, celebrate their wins and begin preparing for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France. Equestrians from Show Jumping, Eventing, Dressage, Para-Equestrian Dressage, Vaulting, Combined Driving, Endurance, and Reining will compete at the largest Equestrian event in the world August 24-September 7, 2014.
 
USA RESULTS:
(#)- denotes placing within division
Grade Ia
USA 014 PONESSA Donna WESTERN ROSE 70.235 (5) 69.200 (6) 70.750 (8)
Grade Ib
USA 115 WENTZ Jonathan RICHTER SCALE 70.364 (5) 70.348 (4) 73.000 (5)
Grade II
USA 223 HART Rebecca LORD LUDGER 69.095 (4) 68.286 (11) 73.250 (5)
USA 222 DEDRICK Dale BONIFATIUS 60.286 (19) 64.619 (17) 69.150 (10)
 
USA - United States Team Score 417.528 (7th Place) 
Number, Name (Last, First), Name of Horse, Grade, Team Test Score, Ind. Championship Test Score, Total Points
 
115 WENTZ Jonathan, RICHTER SCALE, Grade Ib 70.364, 70.348 140.712
223 HART Rebecca, LORD LUDGER Grade II 69.095, 68.286 137.381
014 PONESSA Donna, WESTERN ROSE, Grade Ia 70.235, 69.200, 139.435
222 DEDRICK Dale, BONIFATIUS Grade II 60.286, 64.619, 124.905
223 HART Rebecca, LORD LUDGER Grade II 69.095, 68.286 137.381
 
OVERALL RESULTS:

TEAM MEDAL
GOLD GBR - Great Britain
CHRISTIANSEN Sophie JANEIRO 6
CRIDDLE Deborah LJT AKILLES
PEARSON Lee GENTLEMAN
WELLS Sophie PINOCCHIO
 
SILVER GER - Germany
BRENNER Hannelore WOMEN OF THE WORLD
NAPEL Britta AQUILINA 3
TRABERT Angelika ARIVA-AVANTI
ZEIBIG Steffen WALDEMAR
 
BRONZE IRL - Ireland
BYRNE Eilish YOURI
DWYER James ORLANDO
KEARNEY Helen MISTER COOL
SAVAGE Geraldine BLUES TIP TOP TOO
 
MEDALIST BY EVENT
Event Name, Grade, Date,
Medal Ride (Last, First) Horse NPC
 
Ind. Championship Test Grade Ia 2 SEP 2012
GOLD CHRISTIANSEN Sophie JANEIRO 6 GBR
SILVER KEARNEY Helen MISTER COOL IRL
BRONZE TAN Laurentia RUBEN JAMES 2 SIN
 
Ind.Championship Test Grade Ib 1 SEP 2012
GOLD FORMOSA Joann WORLDWIDE PB AUS
SILVER PEARSON Lee GENTLEMAN GBR
BRONZE PUCH Pepo FINE FEELING AUT
 
Ind. Championship Test Grade II 1 SEP 2012
GOLD BAKER Natasha CABRAL GBR
SILVER NAPEL Britta AQUILINA 3 GER
BRONZE TRABERT Angelika ARIVA-AVANTI GER
 
Ind. Championship Test Grade III 2 SEP 2012
GOLD BRENNER Hannelore WOMEN OF THE WORLD GER
SILVER CRIDDLE Deborah LJT AKILLES GBR
BRONZE DALSKOV Annika AROS A FENRIS DEN
 
Ind. Championship Test Grade IV 2 SEP 2012
GOLD GEORGE Michele RAINMAN BEL
SILVER WELLS Sophie PINOCCHIO GBR
BRONZE HOSMAR Frank ALPHAVILLE NED
 
Freestyle Test Grade Ia 4 SEP 2012
GOLD CHRISTIANSEN Sophie JANEIRO 6 GBR
SILVER TAN Laurentia RUBEN JAMES 2 SIN
BRONZE KEARNEY Helen MISTER COOL IRL
 
Freestyle Test Grade Ib 3 SEP 2012
GOLD PUCH Pepo FINE FEELING AUT
SILVER KARJALAINEN Katja ROSIE FIN
BRONZE PEARSON Lee GENTLEMAN GBR
 
Freestyle Test Grade II 3 SEP 2012
GOLD BAKER Natasha CABRAL GBR
SILVER NAPEL Britta AQUILINA 3 GER
BRONZE TRABERT Angelika ARIVA-AVANTI GER
 
Freestyle Test Grade III 4 SEP 2012
GOLD BRENNER Hannelore WOMEN OF THE WORLD GER
SILVER CRIDDLE Deborah LJT AKILLES GBR
BRONZE DALSKOV Annika AROS A FENRIS DEN
 
Freestyle Test Grade IV 4 SEP 2012
GOLD GEORGE Michele RAINMAN BEL
SILVER WELLS Sophie PINOCCHIO GBR
BRONZE HOSMAR Frank ALPHAVILLE NED

Grade Ia COUNTRY, NUMBER, NAME(LAST, First), Horse's Name, TEAM SCORE%, INDIVIDUAL%, FREESTYLE%, Overall ranking
 
NOTE* Overall Ranking is not reflective of the individual medals or team medals this is just an overall ranking based on all scores.
 
Grade Ia (TEAM SCORE, INDIVIDUAL, FREESTYLE)
GBR 005 CHRISTIANSEN Sophie JANEIRO 6 83.765 (1) 82.750 (1) 84.750 (1)
SIN 012 TAN Laurentia RUBEN JAMES 2 74.235 (2) 73.650 (3) 79.000 (2)
IRL 007 KEARNEY Helen MISTER COOL 72.235 (3) 76.700 (2) 78.450 (3)
ITA 009 MORGANTI Sara ROYAL DELIGHT 69.824 (6) 68.650 (8) 73.900 (4)
IRL 008 SAVAGE Geraldine BLUES TIP TOP TOO 68.000 (10) 68.800 (7) 72.300 (5)
LAT 010 SNIKUS Rihards CHARDONNAY 68.118 (9) 70.400 (4) 72.050 (6)
BRA 002 FROES RIBEIRO DE OLIVA Sergio EMILY 71.353 (4) 67.700 (10) 71.150 (7)
USA 014 PONESSA Donna WESTERN ROSE 70.235 (5) 69.200 (6) 70.750 (8)
AUS 001 OAKLEY Rob STATFORD MANTOVANI 57.588 (14) 67.300 (12) 68.550 (9)
SWE 013 JOHNSSON Anita DONAR 67.941 (11) 68.050 (9) 66.800 (10)
 
Grade Ib (TEAM SCORE, INDIVIDUAL, FREESTYLE)
AUT 102 PUCH Pepo FINE FEELING 73.636 (2) 75.043 (3) 79.150 (1)
FIN 106 KARJALAINEN Katja ROSIE 70.909 (4) 69.739 (5) 74.250 (2)
GBR 109 PEARSON Lee GENTLEMAN 74.682 (1) 75.391 (2) 74.200 (3)
AUS 101 FORMOSA Joann WORLDWIDE PB 71.955 (3) 75.826 (1) 73.700 (4)
USA 115 WENTZ Jonathan RICHTER SCALE 70.364 (5) 70.348 (4) 73.000 (5)
CAN 105 GOWANLOCK Ashley MAILE 67.955 (8) 69.304 (6) 68.800 (6)
FIN 107 KIVIMAKI Jaana GRIVIS 63.727 (14) 65.957 (10) 68.700 (7)
NOR 111 DOKKAN Jens Lasse LEOPOLD 65.409 (12) 69.000 (7) 68.450 (8)
FRA 108 SALLES Valerie MENZANA D'HULM 69.500 (6) 68.087 (8) 67.900 (9)
BRA 103 FERNANDES ALVES Marcos LUTHENAY DE VERNAY 65.682 (11) 62.609 (14) 67.800 (10)
 
Grade II (TEAM SCORE, INDIVIDUAL, FREESTYLE)
GBR 207 BAKER Natasha CABRAL 76.095 (1) 76.857 (1) 82.800 (1)
GER 208 NAPEL Britta AQUILINA 3 72.571 (2) 76.048 (2) 77.400 (2)
GER 209 TRABERT Angelika ARIVA-AVANTI 67.143 (9) 76.000 (3) 76.150 (3)
IRL 210 BYRNE Eilish YOURI 67.714 (7) 73.429 (5) 75.250 (4)
USA 223 HART Rebecca LORD LUDGER 69.095 (4) 68.286 (11) 73.250 (5)
BEL 203 MINNECI Barbara BARILLA 68.571 (5) 70.095 (8) 73.100 (6)
NED 217 BOLMER Gert VORMAN 66.143 (11) 70.143 (7) 71.650 (7)
CAN 205 BARWICK Lauren OFF TO PARIS 72.095 (3) 71.857 (6) 71.500 (8)
RSA 221 MOLLER Wendy FIRST LADY VAN PRINS 64.429 (13) 66.000 (15) 69.900 (9)
USA 222 DEDRICK Dale BONIFATIUS 60.286 (19) 64.619 (17) 69.150 (10)
 
Grade III (TEAM SCORE, INDIVIDUAL, FREESTYLE) 
GER 307 BRENNER Hannelore WOMEN OF THE WORLD 75.741 (1) 73.467 (1) 81.700 (1)
GBR 306 CRIDDLE Deborah LJT AKILLES 72.926 (2) 71.267 (2) 78.550 (2)
DEN 302 DALSKOV Annika AROS A FENRIS 72.889 (3) 71.233 (3) 76.950 (3)
NED 310 VOETS Sanne VEDET PB 72.037 (4) 68.767 (5) 75.400 (4)
DEN 303 SUNESEN Susanne THY'S QUE FAIRE 71.333 (5) 69.700 (4) 73.550 (5)
FRA 304 LETARTRE Jose WARINA 69.370 (6) 67.800 (6) 72.600 (6)
FRA 305 VINCHON Vladimir FLIPPER D'OR 69.333 (7) 67.433 (7) 68.300 (7)
GER 308 ZEIBIG Steffen WALDEMAR 67.667 (8) 66.233 (8) 67.150 (8)
NZL 312 STOCK Rachel RIMINI PARK EMMERICH 65.481 (9) 65.733 (9) 66.850 (9)
ARG 301 GUGLIALMELLI LYNCH Patricio NIRVANA PURE INDULGENCE 59.519 (12) 60.200 (11) 62.050 (10)
 
Grade IV (TEAM SCORE, INDIVIDUAL, FREESTYLE) 
BEL 403 GEORGE Michele RAINMAN 72.906 (2) 77.065 (1) 82.100 (1)
GBR 408 WELLS Sophie PINOCCHIO 75.906 (1) 76.323 (2) 81.150 (2)
NED 412 HOSMAR Frank ALPHAVILLE 71.781 (3) 73.097 (3) 78.600 (3)
DEN 406 JORGENSEN Line DI CAPRIO 69.406 (5) 70.258 (5) 76.800 (4)
BEL 404 VERMEULEN Ciska WHOONEY TUNES 66.750 (9) 71.613 (4) 75.000 (5)
IRL 410 DWYER James ORLANDO 69.719 (4) 68.516 (6) 74.400 (6)
FRA 407 BIZET Nathalie RUBICA III 67.281 (8) 67.581 (10) 73.500 (7)
GER 409 WEIFEN Lena DON TURNER 68.281 (7) 67.581 (9) 72.100 (8)
BEL 402 DEKEYZER Ulricke CLEVERBOY VAN D'ABEL 68.625 (6) 68.000 (8) 69.550 (9)
CAN 405 ELSTONE Eleonore ZARENO 66.688 (10) 68.226 (7) 68.750 (10)