‘It’s important to enjoy it’: classy Olympic dressage debut secures freestyle place for ‘extraordinary horse’

France’s top-ranked dressage rider Pauline Basquin will carry the home nation’s hopes in Sunday’s individual Olympic dressage final after a delightful grand prix performance with Sertorius De Rima Z.

Paris is the first Olympics for this established partnership, who represented their country at the 2022 World Championships and 2023 Europeans, and the buoyant crowd celebrated this milestone debut with a roar.

As Pauline exited the spectacular Versailles arena, she raised both hands to the camera, revealing the names of her two sons Arthur and Camille written on the palms of her gloves.

“It was unbelievable to do a test like that in Paris,” said Pauline, adding the Sandro Hit son “tried from start to finish”.

“He has so much generosity and he is an extraordinary horse. To do that at Versailles was unbelievable. I smiled throughout the trot work and I was able to feel the pleasure of being there. I had to concentrate, but we work so hard that it is important to enjoy it and take pleasure in the moment.”

The 13-year-old gelding, owned by French Horse and Riding Institutee, had his ears pricked throughout and their light, elegant test was rewarded with a score of 73.11%, which is in keeping with their previous grands prix performances and put them second in Group G. Reigning Olympic champions Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera led the group and overall standings on 82.065%.

“There was a little fault in the flying changes – already in the extended canter he was backing off a little bit as he was spooking at the screen, but I’m so proud because he kept it together. I’m so proud of my horse, I’m so happy for my team who support us all the time,” said Pauline, an instructor at the Cadre Noir.

She added that Sertorius De Rima Z showed so much promise as a young horse that he was intended for the Cadre Noir. She was concerned he was a little on the small side, but this little jewel has proved a tough diamond. In the years that followed, he overcame illness and colic, with Pauline crediting his mindset for helping him pull through.

“He is a real warrior,” she said. “Here, I have been in my bubble and tried to stay really concentrated. I knew it wasn’t a given that we would qualify, nor that the team would qualify. I didn’t look at [the rider before me] Steffan’s marks because I didn’t want to think about it, I just wanted to do the best I could.

“The flying changes are often a problem for us, I didn’t want to anticipate and when [the mistake] happened, I said, ‘it’s not over – keep concentrating’ and he came back to me. He left nothing out there.”

No individual final for Hans Peter Miderhoud

Hans Peter Miderhoud and Toto Jr, who become the first licensed son of Totilas in 2013, were third in this group (72.58%) and have just missed the cut for the freestyle.

The Dutch rider explained that the breeding stallion has been on great form all week, but his attention drifted after spotting a mare during the warm-up. They changed warm-up arenas and did their best when it was time to go in.

“I didn’t have big mistakes or anything, but it was just not so smooth,” he said. “Towards the end of the test, I just felt the energy was a bit out.”

This was the final qualifying group of the grand prix, meaning the 10 countries that will go forward to Saturday’s (3 August) grand prix special to decide the team medals are now decided, as are the 18 individual finalists for Sunday’s freestyle.

The French and Dutch sides have both made the team final.

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