VERSAILLES, France--Fiona Howard and Rebecca Hart concluded the Para Dressage in the Olympics with spectacular performances, winning gold in Grade II and Grade III respectively,while Kate Shoemaker won bronze in Grade IV.

Fiona Howard on Diamond Dunes (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photography)
Two more Individual gold medals on the final day of Freestyle crowned the United States’ best ever Para Dressage performance at a Paralympic Games as they led the medal table at Versailles.

Howard on Diamond Dunes and Hart on Floratina both won their third golds at this year's Games after also winning  gold in the Team event with Roxanne Trunnell on Fan Tastico H.

That took the USA’s tally to seven medals overall - five golds, one silver and one bronze – to smash their previous Paralympic Games best of two golds and a bronze achieved at Atlanta 1996 and Tokyo 2020.

Howard, 25, on her chestnut gelding Diamond Dunes delivered another remarkable personal-best performance in her first Paralympic Games to win the Grade II Individual Freestyle with a score of 81.9944% over Georgia Wilson of Great Britain on Sakura.who won silver with 79.374%, and Heidemarie Dresing of Germany, bronze on Dooloop with 76.127%..

“When I came into these Games, I just wanted to put down the best tests I could,” Howard said. “It was my first Paralympic Games and I just wanted to do my best and help out the team. But this has gone above my expectations."

“On the third day, you have to dig a little deep because my muscles are definitely tired, but I have such a great partner in Diamond Dunes and he knows his job. He gave me everything, just like the past two times. I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

 

HOWARD started her international equestrian career in reining, including appearances at the 2016 FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders.

Rebecca Hart on Floratina (Photo by Sarah Miller, MacMillan Photography)
Then she was diagnosed with a rare muscle disorder called dystonia and moved to Boston for ongoing treatment.

She was told she may never be able to ride again.

"When I was in the hospital I didn't really know what my life was gonna look like," Howard said. "You know, I was alive, but I wasn't actually living a life, and so I just took it kind of one day at a time, and people believed in me, my doctors believed in me, my support team here believed in me and you know, one day at a time and looking back I'm like, wow, I climbed a mountain."

"Our horses have been a reason to just keep going," she said. "You know, they're always there for you. Every morning I wake up and I'm grateful to be around them, and every moment I spend with them just kind of inspires me to to keep going."

"It really has been amazing and kind of surreal,"said Howard. "An incredible once in a lifetime experience, I'm not sure what comes next year. I have a few surgeries when I get back to the U.S. But then I'm really hoping to aim for the world championships in Aachen and then, you know, we have a home games in 2028, so we'll see."

Hart, 39, on Floratina in Grade III scored 83.534%, the highest individual score of the four days of competition in Versailles.

Kate Shoemaker on Vianne (Photo by Sarah Miller, MacMillan Photography)
It was tough for Rixt van der Horst, who won silver with a superb score of 83.007% on Royal Fonq, while Natasha Baker of Great Britain won bronze on Dawn Chorus on 77.140%

“It was not good for my heart,” van der Horst said of watching Hart, the final rider, deny her gold. “I was so eager to get gold today and a bit disappointed it didn’t work out, but we can be really proud. Three silver medals is pretty good.”

“That was so wonderful,” said Hart of her win..

But she had a nervous moment when Floratina spooked as she was trotting around the outside of the dressage ring before beginning her Freestyle.

 “I was a little concerned when we started cantering, but I was like ‘she will come back to me, she always does’," said Hart. "It’s just electric. I told her she was fine. She went ‘are we OK?’ and I said ‘yes, we’re fine’ and she said, ‘OK, I trust you’ and it was such a magical moment. I got her back under control and gave her a pat. I told her she was a good girl, and I could feel her take a breath.Then we hit the markers the way we needed to.”

Roxanne Trunell on Fan Tastico H (Photo by Sarah Miller, MacMillan Photography)
Shoemaker on Vianne won bronze in Grade IV, won by Demi Haerkens of Netherlands on Daula in Grade IV, with Anna-Lena of Germany on Quimbaya 6 winning silver.

"Today was my last shot for these Games, so this morning I was quite nervous," said Shoemaker. "But as soon as I got in the ring with Vianne, I was just overcome with joy and peace. I was trying to fire up he crowd at the end because I just wanted them to cheer for my horse, because I was so proud of her."

Michèle George of Belgium on Best of 8 won gold in Grade V and Rihards Snikus of Latvie on King of the Dance won gold in Grade I.

Roxanne Trunnell on Fan Tastico finished fifth in Grade I on a score of 77..307, missing winning the bronze by just .44%.