Team, Open

The Olympic title was fully expected to be decided between Germany and Great Britain as the two nations had won every World, European and Olympic Championships since France won the 2004 Olympic gold in Athens. The pattern was more or less the same in every championship – Germany would stretch out a lead in the dressage phase, Britain would claw back ground over the cross-country then the title would be decided over the show jumping phase. This proved true again in London and Germany entered the final stage with a lead of less than six points over the host nation but with the added complication of both Sweden and New Zealand also in contention.

The depth of the German team proved the decisive factor as a poor round by Ingrid Klimke was rendered meaningless by the solid performances of her team-mates as Germany held on to their advantage over a British team that included Zara Phillips, the grand-daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. New Zealand’s bronze medal win was underpinned by the performance of Mark Todd who won his sixth Olympic medal 28 years after he won his first in Los Angeles.