Olympics: Dressage Grand Prix (Day 1)

Team & Individual Dressage: Grand Prix

Individual Dressage

Titans of the sport will clash in a potentially historic individual dressage competition. World No. 2 Isabell Werth from Germany enters the Paris Games as the all-time leader in equestrian Olympic medals, having captured 7 gold and 12 total medals over the course of her six previous Games. In her seventh — and possibly final Olympics — Werth will look to reclaim the Olympic title and extend her all-time lead after finishing second in Tokyo. She enters the Games with two consecutive Grand Prix wins under her belt. Challenging Werth will be Tokyo Olympic champion and world No. 1 Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, the defending European and World Cup champion. Von Bredow-Werndl has held the world No. 1 ranking since June 2023 and looks prepared to fully establish herself as Werth’s successor to the dressage throne.

No. 3 Charlotte Fry (GBR) will also be in contention for a medal in Paris, entering the Games as the reigning World Champion. The youngest ever dressage World Champion and the 2023 European Championships silver medalist will look to challenge the German duo this summer. She will be joined by British teammates No. 10 Carl Hester and No. 15 Becky Moody, who replaced No. 4 Charlotte Dujardin.

Five-time Olympian and three-time medalist Steffen Peters will lead the way for the United States after returning from a health scare in December 2023. He will be joined by two-time Olympian Adrienne Lyle and first-time Olympian Marcus Orlob.

Team Dressage

No team has won more medals in Olympic team dressage than Germany, which enters the competition as the heavy favorites to win a 14th medal. The German team has won the dressage gold in every Olympic Games since 1984, with the exception of the 2012 London Games where they placed second. Its two stars, Werth and Bredow-Werndl, will be joined by first-time Olympian Frederic Wandres.

Chasing Germany will be the United States, which will look to make history and secure its first ever team gold medal in Olympic dressage this summer. Despite having the second most total team medals in Olympic dressage history with 9, the United States has never won gold, and its silver medal in Tokyo was tied for the team’s best-ever finish. The U.S. will try and unseat the Germans after brining back two of the Tokyo medalists in Peters and Lyle.

Great Britain and Denmark will also enter the competition as medal favorites and title contenders. After claiming bronze in Tokyo, the British team led by Fry secured gold at the 2023 European Championships and silver at the 2022 World Championships. As the only team to beat Germany to an Olympic team dressage gold since 1984, Great Britain will depend on its stars to give them an edge. Meanwhile, the Danish have had a strong comeback since finishing fourth in Tokyo, claiming gold at the 2022 World Championships and third at the 2023 European Championships. With a roster that includes world No. 5 Nanna Skodborg Merrald, No. 7 Cathrine Dufour and No. 9 Daniel Bachmann Andersen, Denmark will be a tough team to beat in Paris.

*Dressage rankings of July 1, 2024.

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*Please note: Times here are South African, and end times are best guess