Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, was third in the ring in the Grand Prix Special on a cool and overcast morning at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Riding the 16-year-old Anton, Trussell, 44, had placed 28th in the previous day’s Grand Prix with a score of 71.286%, securing a spot in the Special. They performed a correct, elegant test, scoring 72.325%.

“I was generally really pleased with him; he went in there and did a good job,” said Trussell. “I had a mistake with the ones [tempi-changes] on the centreline which was a bit costly, so that brought us down a notch. But in general I’m proud of Anton; he went in and he did his best and he was with me even through a little bit of strange noises in the background.” She was referring to a loud coughing snort that came over the sound system as Anton passed by a flowerbox with a hidden microphone. “He didn’t flinch; he was very focussed,” she continued. “It just distracted me for a stride or two, but then I thought, ‘Okay, back to the game.’ I don’t know if he was coughing or choked on something or what. At least it wasn’t a bang [as happened in Colleen Loach’s eventing dressage test]. A bang would have been scarier.”

She talked about her piaffes, which scored a bit lower than in her previous test. “I thought they were a little flatter. He felt a little bit more tired. I think for one score higher he needs a bit more bounce.”

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