Great Britain’s Lee Pearson wins a World championship gold once more with a clear win over Austria’s Pepo Puch in the Hippodrome at La Prairie racecourse in Caen. Lee piloted his and his parents’ Zion to a score of 77.310% to clinch his seventh World title this afternoon, showing off a much more rideable horse who was visibly more relaxed in the arena. “I just love that horse, he just gives me everything,” he beamed, “he still was a bit aware of his surroundings in that arena but at least today he stayed really relaxed and he warmed up perfectly. The pair looked in perfect harmony and the bond they clearly have allowed Lee to ask the horse for the maximum amount of expression, “I have a few disability issues and he has a few issues too, but I adore riding him and we are two naughty beans that just make the perfect pair!” This is the first individual championship gold medal for Lee since WEG 2010 in Kentucky, “It’s been a tough competition journey, and a tough five years personally as well,” he said, “there have been some doubters about this horse and he broke my back in four places but today this gold medal will prove my faith in him and prove a lot of people wrong.” Second placed Pepo Puch socred a mark of 74.793% but was not entirely satisfied with his ride on Fine Feeling S, and rued that he could have asked for more from the 17 year old Hanoverian mare. “I am happy but I think it was only nice and not sparkly enough,” he said. Pepo has a new Freestyle test composed and is looking forward to what he calls “dancing with my horse” to some new and exciting music. “Before it was all Austrian music and now, looking to Rio 2016, we will be dancing to a samba routine and it feels like a carnival.” Third placed Dutch rider Nicole Den Dulk was overjoyed to be standing on the podium with her two idols in the sport, “I don’t know what to say, I am just so elated and emotional,” she said, “my whole aim was to qualify for the Freestyle and now I am here with a bronze medal around my neck sharing the stage with the two best riders in the World!” Nicole rode her new partner, Wallace to a score of 71.621% and is now looking forward to the Freestyle test with the 11 year old Dutch Warmblood, “this will be the first time we compete with this music we had specially made and only Wallace’s second ever Freestyle!” she said. The seven riders that go through to the Grade Ib Freestyle Test on Friday are: Lee Pearson (GBR) – Zion Pepo Puch (AUT) – Fine Feeling S Nicole Den Dulk (NED) – Wallace Katja Karjalainen (FIN) - Woikoski Double U Silvia Veratti (ITA) – Zadok Stinna Tange Kaastrup (DEN) – Steffi Graf Ricky Balshaw (GBR) – LTJ Enggaards Solitaire Joann Formosa (AUS) – Worldwide PB Sydney Collier (USA) – Willi Wesley Individual Championship Test Scores Lee Pearson (GBR) – 77.310% Pepo Puch (AUT) – 74.793% Nicole Den Dulk (NED) – 71.621%
