Ros is an Olympic gold medallist!
As the team anchorman Ros and Lordships Graffalo lay in sixth place after the dressage phase, team mate Laura Collett having broken the Olympic record for eventing dressage. The British trio also set an Olympic record for team scores.
Across country ‘Walter’ looked faultless, coming home comfortably inside the time – but then the news broke that Ros had been given a missed flag penalty at a brush skinny. A lengthy appeal process followed but, disappointingly, was not upheld.
“Walter was his usual incredible self,” Ros said. “He loves to run, he loves to jump and he loves a crowd, so he was in his element today.
“I did touch a flag coming out of the triple brushes in the wood, but I would have never imagined I didn’t jump the jump – I didn’t think I’d done anything but come back clear inside the time.
“I had to keep chugging on – it certainly wasn’t a breeze in the park at all, but there were so many lovely galloping stretches that I had to get Walter back a little bit more sometimes than I’ve had to in the past. He’s definitely come out this year a little bit stronger in the bridle than he has been – he hasn’t run as much and he’s a bit fresher. He came back to me really well and he was an absolute superstar. The crowd was incredible, unbelievable. They cheered you before you even got to the jump. I’ve never had that before!”
The chance of individual honours had gone, but the team were still in the lead, albeit with less of a cushion, and Ros re-grouped to jump two solid showjumping rounds. With penalties from all of the French riders, Team GB – Ros, Laura and Tom McEwen – won a convincing victory.
Photo © Jon Stroud Media/BEF