The British-bred Woodlander Farouche and her rider Michael Eilberg (GBR) made history yesterday at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Verden, Germany by scoring the highest marks – 9.88% – ever recorded in the 15 years of the competition.

The Hannovarian chestnut mare, who won the five-year-old class last year, is also the only mare ever to have won the competition for both age groups, and joins the elite group of double winners that includes the stallions Florencio (WEST) and Astrix (KWPN).

The expectation for this mare was enormous. The moment she entered the arena the capacity crowd, many of whom had come especially to see her, fell totally silent. The spectators erupted with cheering and when her score, which included 10s for walk and general impression, was announced they gave her a standing ovation.

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