Three Events, Three Medals: Historic Firsts Highlight U.S. Para Equestrian Athletes’ First Day of Competition

VERSAILLES, France — Given its rich history with horses, every Olympic and Paralympic equestrian athlete has commented on how honorable it is to be able to compete in the shadow of the Palace of Versailles. Now, three U.S. Para Equestrian athletes can remember their experiences forever with the medals they have won.

On a rainy Tuesday morning at the grandest venue of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Rebecca Hart and her mare, Floratina, posted a personal best score of 77.900 in the Individual Championship Test – Grade III, to take home her first career Paralympic gold in her fifth Paralympic Games. Not to be outdone, first-time Paralympian Fiona Howard secured her first-ever Paralympic medal, grabbing gold in the Individual Grade II competition. Then, to conclude the first day events, three-time Paralympian Roxanne “Roxie” Trunnell secured silver in the Individual Grade I class. Trunell's silver marks the fourth career Paralympic medal (two golds, one silver and one bronze) for the three-time Paralympian, making her the most decorated Para equestrian athlete in U.S. history.

The performance today is the best for a U.S. Para Equestrian team since the Los Angeles 1984 Paralympic Games, and the first time in U.S. history that riders have earned a medal in Grades I, II and III during the individual championship test dressage event.

Veteran U.S. Equestrian athletes Hart and Trunnell were part of the squad that secured bronze in the team event three years ago in Tokyo. However, Hart, a now five-time Paralympian, noted that her first-ever individual medal is even more special to her.

“I feel like I’m in a dream. I feel like I’m going to have to wake up here in a minute,” she said. “…From how hard we fought in Tokyo for that (team) bronze medal, and then over the last four years, our team has developed so much.

“We’ve put in so much, and to have it actually to come together in the moment, in the rain, on the day that we needed it to, it was so surreal.”

Hart’s Paralympic Games career has spanned 25 years and has included international competitions all across the globe. But, even she had to stop and take a moment to soak in the majesty of competing at Versailles.

“I had to take a couple of days to get used to this venue,” she said. “It’s such a surreal experience to ride into this venue that has so much history and majesty of this arena.”

Hart has only experienced riding with “Flora,” for a little over a year. However, the veteran athlete noted that Flora has been on some of the biggest stages, and that experience helped calm her nerves when it came to competing at this historic venue.

“She’s the ultimate professional,” Hart began. “She has traveled around the world with me and other riders. She just knows her job. She is so confident in herself, and the kindest, most intelligent mare I have ever experienced.”

As competition for the Grade III class concluded, it was time for Team USA’s newest Para equestrian rider, Fiona Howard, to enter the arena for the Grade II classification test. She and her horse, Diamond Dunes, showed no signs of first-time nerves and executed all tricks, poses and movements flawlessly. The Paralympic debutante is coming home with a gold medal.

“(Diamond Dunes) did amazing,” Howard said. “We’ve done a few (events) in Europe. But, this is obviously the biggest atmosphere I’ve taken him in. And I just went in there and said to him, ‘I trust you.’

“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to do my first Paralympic Games on.”

Howard has only been in combination with Diamond Dunes since March.

With a confident horse by her side, Howard also noted how reassuring her U.S. teammates have been during her first Paralympic Games. Hart, Trunnell, Kate Shoemaker and Beatrice de Lavalette have all experienced competing on Para Equestrian’s biggest stage at least once before coming to Paris.

“It’s been incredible,” Howard said of having the veterans support her. “If I had any questions, I’d go to any of them and say, ‘how does this work?’ and they’d respond with, ‘don’t worry, we’ll explain everything.’

“They’ve just been my biggest supporters, and I’m so thankful for them.”

Howard also mentioned that Hart was one of the first athletes she contacted when she wanted to begin her Para equestrian journey.

Then, it was Trunnell’s turn to take center stage with her horse, Fan Tastico H. Starting 11th out of 22 riders, Trunnell outpaced the first 10 riders of the competition by nearly eight points, illustrating a fabulous display of beauty, grace and command of both the course and her horse. Then, it was a waiting game for the Richland, Washington, native. One after another she watched as her competitors did their best to knock her off the top spot of the podium. But, only one was successful, Rihards Snikus of Latvia.

“He felt really good,” Trunnell said of Fan Tastico H. “It’s the first big show for him, but he didn’t care at all.”

When asked about why the U.S. has started these Games so well, Trunnell said that it all came down to the team’s training.

“We’ve all been working so hard,” Trunnell said. “It’s nice to see pay off.”

Trunnell’s experience with horses can be traced back to her childhood. So, the veteran rider said the crowd changes from Tokyo to Paris did not affect her focus to perform her best.

“When I ride, it’s me and my horse,” she explained. “That’s all I think about.”

All three riders are likely to continue their success in the team event, which takes place on Friday, September 6.

Brendan Rourke is a Digital Media Assistant for the USOPC. Previously, he spent three seasons writing for the NBA's Indiana Pacers.