Team GB land double Olympic medal joy as ‘the real stars of eventing’ shine

Eventing delivered the first Team GB gold of the Olympics, with Laura Collett delighted to bring positivity after the Charlotte Dujardin

Much of Versaille’s gilded grandeur was made during the 1789 French Revolution but it was Great Britain who snatched the gold from under French noses at their Olympics.

Laura Collett praised her prince of a horse as he delivered another Olympic team title - and individual bronze - in the garden of France’s famous Sun King at Paris 2024.

Louis XIV’s palace seems the fitting venue for Team GB to make the top of the podium for the first time in Paris, meaning they remain the only nation that has won a gold medal at every Olympics dating back to 1896.

Collett and Tom McEwen won team gold three years ago in Tokyo and joined forces with Ros Canter to defend their title, as hosts France and Japan completed the podium.

And then Collett came back to ride her second flawless round on London 52 - who she nicknames Dan - to claim individual bronze.

“I wanted to have been sat on a nervous horse but thankfully he rose to the occasion,” said Collett.

“He loves showing off and he thinks he’s right at home with the palace in the background and everyone watching him. He’s waited three years for a full stadium.

“The noise was unreal, but it didn’t distract him at all. He’s a true professional and I think he knew what was at stake. I wouldn’t wanted to have sat on any other horse.

“We knew coming here we stood a good chance because the horsepower Team GB has at the moment is second to none, we could have fielded another team with the reserves as they could have won a gold medal.

Gold medalists Rosalind Canter with horse Lordships Graffalo, Laura Collett with horse London 52 and Tom McEwen with horse JL Dublin of Team Great Britain (Getty Images)

“It’s quite a strange feeling winning two medals, I had about five minutes to enjoy that team gold, two Olympic medals is something I’d never even dream about.”

It’s been a difficult few days for the British equestrian team in Paris, following the suspension of six-time Olympic dressage medallist Charlotte Dujardin, after footage emerged of her repeatedly whipping a horse in training.

But Collett insists the team’s performance would not be possible if horses were mistreated.

“It’s huge for our sport for people to see our horses go out there and look a million dollars,” she added,

“There is a huge team behind us that make it possible, and horses don’t perform like that if they are not happy.

“Our job was to focus on our horses and show the world that they are the real stars of the show, we are just the ones that get to enjoy these moments on them.”

Britain had a slender five-point advantage heading into the decisive jumping after Canter picked up just four penalties and McEwen went clear, meaning Collett had the luxury of knowing she could knock down four fences and still win.

Australia's silver medalist Christopher Burton, Germany's gold medalist Michael Jung and Britain's bronze medalist Laura Collett celebrate (AFP via Getty Images)

France’s final rider whipped up the crowd as Collett entered the area, the Entente Cordiale creaking, but Collett and London 52 were nerveless under the most intense pressure.

“I wasn’t that nervous watching her,” said McEwen “She jumped amazingly, I thought I would be more nervous, I much prefer doing it myself to be honest.

“But it was a class round from Laura, and it was poetry in motion.

“We came here for team gold and that’s what we are walking away.”

Collett and McEwen could also add to their medal haul in the individual event later today, sitting third and fourth in those standings.

These equestrians are made of tough stuff, Collett spent seven days in coma 11 years ago after a fall which left her blind in her right eye.

She wears special googles in bright sunlight, which she certainly needed as temperatures reached 34 degrees in Versaille.

Laura Collett of Great Britain during the medal ceremony for the Eventing Jumping Individual (EPA)

She describes London 52 as her horse of a lifetime, though he was outside her budget when first spotted in Germany. Instead, she clubbed together with co-owners Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott, training the horse at her base in the Cotswolds.

“He’s never been the bravest horse,” added Collett. “When he was a young horse, it was about building a partnership, so he trusted what I was asking him.

“When I first saw him he was very sassy but something about him caught my eye. It took some time for him to have belief in himself.”

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