Britain’s para-equestrian riders are on track to remain unbeaten in the team competition as they chalked up three impressive 70%-plus scores in the team test at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which are being held in Hong Kong, 7-11 September.

 

The individual test scores will be added to the best three team test results to decide the winner, but Britain has already established a commanding lead of more than 16 points over second-placed Germany.

 

Anne Dunham (pictured) and Sophie Christiansen finished first and second respectively in the grade 1a team test. Dunham, who at 59 is the most experienced team member competing at her fourth consecutive Paralympics, scored the highest percentage of the show so far, 75.18%. She has already won 11 gold medals plus countless silvers and bronzes in previous championships.

 

Dunham, who rode the nine-year-old 16hh Welsh Section D gelding Teddy, said: “It was the score I was aiming for. I hope to produce the same again on Tuesday in the individual test, maybe even higher.

 

Sophie Christiansen, 20, is competing at her second Paralympics, having won a bronze medal in Athens in 2004. Here she rode the 15-year-old 16.2hh Dutch-bred gelding Lambrusco III.

 

“I’m happy to add a good score to the team as we have won team gold on every occasion since they introduced equestrianism to the Paralympics in 1996,” said Christiansen.

 

Lee Pearson proved why he is a six-times gold medallist as he coaxed his inexperienced seven-year-old 17.2hh Hanoverian, Gentleman, through the test to score an impressive 73.29%, making him the winner of the grade 1b team test by a clear margin.

 

Pearson, who had a tough job to settle the Gullit offspring at the start of the test, said: “He didn’t seem to be keen on the audience and felt nervous. He has only done about 10 dressage tests in his life.”

 

Paralympic debutante Simon Laurens posted a strong score of 69.54% for second place in grade III, which will now be the discard score.

 

For the full results and start lists, click here.