Another Medal for Britain at The World Equestrian Games
Natasha Baker, the British para-Dressage rider, scored silver in the grade III individual dressage championship at the World Equestrian Games (WEG), Tyron, North Carolina.
The decorated Olympian rode the nine-year-old gelding, Mount St John Diva Dannebrog, owned by Emma Blundell, to second with a score of 72.47%. Baker just missed out on gold, which was clinched by Rixt van der Horst with Findsley for the Netherlands.
The WEG stage set the scene for Baker’s first championship with the mare, who she has only ridden since January this year. This year’s WEG has also given Baker her first medal since her hat-trick of gold’s at the Rio Paralympics, in 2016.
Baker had to watch for a “painful three hours”, as she was first to go in the competition. The wait paid off though, Baker surprisingly stating;
I can’t believe we’re second best in the world and it wasn’t even a clean test. I’m still getting to know her so it’s all a learning curve, but today will have given Diva confidence for the next few days and I’m just excited to get back in there.”
Erin Orford, riding for Britain in the same competition, came away with ninth on fifteen-year-old mare Dior and a score of 68.85%.
The para-Dressage competition at the WEG continues today, with the team competition. Baker and Orford, along with Lee Pearson and Sophie Wells, hope to add to Britain’s medal haul.
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Journalist and News Reporter, Everything Horse
Reporting on equestrian news stories, Abby also produces a variety of engaging content for the magazine.