An excerpt from EN's Friday NEWS & NOTES!
Lots of Paralympic news! All 78 horses passed the first
inspection. The four US dressage riders, Rebecca Hart, Jonathan Wentz,
Donna Ponessa, and Dale Dedrick are looking sharp. Natasha Baker of
Great Britain is sitting pretty in the top spot in the Grade II, but is
competing as an individual. Britta Napel, of Germany, and 2008's
Individual champion sits in second. US's Rebecca Hart sits in fourth.
Dutch rider Petra van de Sande is sitting in sixth in the Grade II and
isn't happy she wasn't able to familiarize her horse with the sandbags
propped against the dressage arena to keep it in place during story
weather. "This time, [familiarization] wasn't done, and I am really
annoyed with the organisers," van de Sande said. Though the sandbags may
have been a problem for some, the record crowds didn't affect the
dressage rides. Probably because the record sold out crowds only filled
half the stadium. All 10,000 tickets that were made available were
purchased, but the stadium seats 23,000. By lunch time on the second
day, the number of spectators in Greenwich will have exceed the total
number at Beijing. In carrying on the British medal style, Lee Pearson
wants to add three more Paralympic gold medals to the British legacy. [Dressage Daily] [Horsetalk] [Independent] [Telegraph] [Interview with Rebecca Hart] [Mirror-Pearson Interview]
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