last updated on September 23, 2009 13:24

The last British team member to ride, Emma Hindle performed a polished test under enormous pressure with her 16 year old Olympic partner Lancet to bag the silver medal for GB with a score of 72.936%. On paper the Brits had always been hoping for a medal but this expectation only intensified after Carl Hester and Laura Bechtolsheimer broke British records and personal bests to put GB in with a shout of leap-frogging the Germans into second place.

Third team member Laura Bechtolsheimer raised hopes this morning, riding a confident test with poise and flair for 76.59% on her chestnut gelding Mistral Hojris. She commented:

"Our consistency this season has been our strength and I was really hoping that it would all come together for us here. We knew on paper we had a good chance and today I felt fully prepared and in control. Alf is the best horse I've ever ridden and he was absolutely with me and focused today; he's a lot of horse and very sensitive but his piaffe and half pass especially were fantastic. To do it all here in front of a home crowd makes it extra special."

Emma Hindle also kept her cool commenting:

"Being the last team rider the pressure is on to ride a risk free test but on the other hand you have to do enough. Maybe I was too cautious in parts - Lancet felt very good but perhaps lost a little sparkle as a result - but I will definitely go for it more in the individual when the team result is not at stake. There's been a lot of expectation coming into the Championships in Britiain with such a proven and consistent team but to ride at Windsor is amazing and a dream come true."

With two team members posting scores of plus 80% the Dutch team did what they set out to do, taking the gold medal on a combined score of 238.59%, while the British team finished on 221.659% pipping Germany to bronze with 219.234%. The result is a historic day for British dressage - the first time ever we have beaten the Germans and the best medal position for 16 years.

It was a nail biting competition from start to finish and admidst it all Dutch rider Edward Gal wowed the crowd with a faultless ride on the stunning black stallion Moorlands Totilas for a world record score of 84.085%. His Dutch team mate Adelinde Cornilessen finished second individually on 80.638% and our very own Laura Bechtolsheimer came in third with her own PB and British record score of 76.638%.

For full results click here
Read Will Connell's blog here

The results of the team competition see the top 30 riders from the competition through to the grand prix special on Thursday including all four British riders as follows:

Maria Eilberg, Two Sox 10.00
Carl Hester, Liebling II 13.35
Emma Hindle, Lancet 14.15
Laura Bechtolsheimer 15.35