Laura Graves (30) has been threatening the supremacy of German superstar, Isabell Werth (48), for some time now and today, when it really mattered, the American pinned the most medalled athlete in the history of equestrian sport into runner-up spot in the Grand Prix at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2018 in Paris (FRA).

Riding her beloved gelding Verdades, Graves was runner-up to Werth and her brilliant mare Weihegold at the 2017 Final in Omaha (USA) a year ago, and a few months later they actually pipped the German duo on Werth’s home turf in Aachen so there was always a question about whether they could do it again. This afternoon they proved that indeed they could, as the big horse she calls “Diddy”, and who she has owned since he was a foal, carried the Florida-based rider to a personal-best winning score of 81.413 with a performance that just oozed everything that’s great about a long-established partnership.

But when Graves was asked at this evening’s press conference how it felt to have Werth sitting beside her in second place, she replied, “It feels very scary, especially with such a fierce competitor because I know she’s going to ride even harder tomorrow!” and she’s probably right about that. Werth didn’t flinch when asked what it was like to be runner-up for once – “well since we are in France I just say, c’est la vie!” she replied. But all joking apart you could tell that today’s defeat may well be turned to her advantage, because this is a lady with ice in her veins.

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