Roxanne Trunnell, ranked world number one, delivered on expectations with Karen Flint and Flintwoode Farm’s Dolton by earning gold in Tokyo with a remarkable 81.464 percent for her Grade I test.
“He felt like he was really with me and a really good boy,” said Roxie, who had no idea of how he would react to the imposing stadium at Baji Koen Equestrian Park.
“I didn’t know what he would do. It surprised me how calm he has been,” Roxie said. But she simply concentrated on doing her job and let the scenario unroll, as Dolton’s fabulous walk–the key to Grade I success–took center stage.
Gold medalist Roxie Trunnell (center) with silver medalist Snikus Rihards of Latvia and bronze medalist Sara Morganti of Italy. (Photo courtesy FEI)
“I don’t really think about pressure. That’s just all noise,” Roxie explained.
“It’s just me and Dolton doing our own thing. He is loving all the attention. He is a very goofy young horse. He is temperamental but he is also easy to get along with.”
Roxanne Trunnell leaves the arena with a big smile and congratulations from Andrea Woodard after a stellar performance. (Photo courtesy FEI)
Tenth individually at the 2016 Rio Games, she is enjoying her second Paralympics, explaining, “It’s wonderful, everyone is so nice here, and helpful.”
Roxie holds two world records, for the highest scores in a freestyle test (89.522 percent) and in the Grade I team test (84.702).
Roxie had competed in able-bodied dressage and aspired to be an Olympian. But a virus she contracted in 2009 caused swelling in her brain and led to a stroke. She now uses a wheelchair to get around for the most part, except when she’s sitting tall on Dolton.
She has a master’s degree in psychology, with a focus on equine-assisted psychotherapy.
Her gold was the third for the U.S. in the Paralympics. Para pioneer Vicki Garner-Sweigert took two golds in Atlanta in 1996, the first year the Paralympics was held in conjunction with the Olympics.
A former jumper rider, Vicki sustained a spinal cord injury when the horse she was training side-stepped when was mounting and she went off the other side. Vicki no longer was able to move her legs, but did not give up her involvement with horses.
Moving on to Para-dressage, she was selected for the 1996 team, in the days when competitors rode borrowed horses. She gave the credit for gold to her mount, Miss Jane Marple.
“I believe whoever rode her would have gotten a gold medal,” Vicki stated modestly.
In Tokyo, second to Roxie and taking the Grace I silver was Snikus Rihards of Latvia on King of the Dance (80.179), while the bronze was taken by Italian competitor Sara Morganti with Royal Delight (76.964).
The only other U.S. competitor today, Becca Hart on El Corona Texel, finished 11th in Grade III. Riders are assigned a grade based on their degree of physical impairment.
“I was happy with the warm-up and how he felt going in,” said Becca, who will ride in the team competition with Roxie and Kate Shoemaker. The team event starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday.
“I felt a little tension creeping in through the ride, but overall, I love my horse and everyone who has helped me get here, but truthfully, disappointed in the score,” continued Becca.
“We’re going to stick with the same game plan and try to carry on. We’re going to add a bit more power to keep him in front of me more in the test, but the thought process is going to stay the same and we’ll move forward.”
In his first ever ride in a Paralympic arena, Tobias Thorning Jorgensen of Denmark won gold in the Grade III competition riding Jolene Hill, getting 78.971 percent over reigning two-time champion, Natasha Baker of Britain on Keystone Dawn Chorus (76.265) percent. Bronze went to current world champion Rixt van der Horst of the Netherlands on Findsley N.O.P. with 75.76 percent.
U.S. Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline commented on the team’s performances so far and what he expects for the start of tomorrow’s team competition, which will commence the hunt for a team podium position at the end of Sunday’s competition.
“Roxie and Dolton have definitely delivered. She’s done as well here as ever before and the scores are very similar to before this competition, which is fabulous. In this context, the judging is stricter, and the judges are very focused and stricter on the marks,” he said.
“We know our riders have the ability to score higher. We know that there is the ability for improvement, and we have the chance to still up our game tomorrow with the team competition.”