Paralympic Games Grade I

Lee Pearson outclassed his own previous perfomances in the Individual Freestyle Test in Grade I. The judges were thrilled by his magical programme and awarded him an amazing 87%. This was a record-breaking test by the British rider who earned his second gold medal in the Athens Paralympic Games and the fifth overall in his career.

The British rider was the last to execute his programme, right after Lynn Seidemann (USA), who was in the lead at that point of the competition.

Seidemann earned the silver medal, which is her first ever in Equestrian, with a total of 76.063%). She has already won one silver in Barcelona in 1992 in Women's doubles in Wheelchair Tennis.

Jan Pike (AUS) delighted her fellow countrymen with another solid performance. Riding DR Doolittle, she gathered 74.375% to take the Bronze medal to match with the Silver she got in the Individual Championship.

The most heartbreaking moment of the morning session of the third competition day at the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre was the participation of Valerie Salles (FRA), whose horse Arestote suffered a heart attack and died last Tuesday. The French rider was allowed to participate out of competition, when all the other riders had concluded their programmes. She rode Doonsquire Express borrowed rom Brazilian rider Marcos Alves Salles. Valerie Salles received a standing ovation from the crowd and left the arena with tears in her eyes.