Canada's Belinda Trussell Rides to a 66.00% - Grand Prix Day 2

Canada's Belinda Trussell rode to a 66.00% in her Olympic debut aboard Royan II. Debbie McDonald and Brentina have put in a super test for the USA team effort and scored 73.375%.  McDonald's individual scores ranged from a low of 71.875%(Vincenzo Truppa) to a high of 75%(Stephen Clarke). This is a great boost to the American team medal effort.  Germany's Martin Schaudt gets 73.417% to help retain Germany's lead.  As results come in, Spain is scoring great marks with 2 scores over 71%. This has put them in front of Great Britain after 3 rides for each country.

Debbie McDONALD (USA) - team member
On her perfomance with BRENTINA
"I was hoping for a better score, but I am quite happy with my perfomance. I felt very good out there and kept the energy going, but I feel a lot of pressure. I did a mistake in the first pirouette and I guess that blew my score up"
 
On her Team
"I hope the others will keep up with the good form we have. Hopefully Robert (DOVER) will do better than me".
 
On the Olympic Games
"It is fantastic. I was trying hard to tell myself not to be nervous. I have always felt that it would be a lot nicer if I had had a lot more rides in Olympic competition".
 
 
Victoria MAX-THEURER (AUT) - team member
On her perfomance with FALCAO
"My perfomance was very good, I am happy with the score. My horse was amazing in his first Olympic competition. He was not annoyed by the applause of the public. He was completeley listening to me during our test".
 
On the Olympic Games
"I am 18 years old and I am competing in my first Olympic Games. Here I have been told that I am the youngest ever Dressage rider to compete in the Olympic Games. Everything is amazing over here and in the Olympic village".
 
Richard DAVISON (GBR) - team member
On his perfomance with BALLASEYR ROYALE
"I am satisfied, my horse did a very good job. It was a clean and reliable test. I felt I should have asked for more, which I finally did. My horse was not affected by the heat, maybe because I haven't overtrained her".
 
On his team
"The problem is that with my score we need Nicola (McGIVERN) to get 75% in order to keep our medal hopes alive. After Carl's (HESTER) performance yesterday, I felt the burden of the team's bronze medal hopes on my neck".
 
Jon PEDERSEN (DEN) - team member
On his performance
"Generally I am content. The extended trot was not very good, the half pass could have been better and we had a problem in the canter. I also did a small mistake during the first piaffe".

Gerta LEHMANN (GRE) - Individual rider
On her performance with LOUIS
''I am not very happy with my score. I was expecting at least 62-63%. I was very tired because he was not going forward enough and I had to push him all the time. My horse felt tired also, maybe because of the heat. We were very well prepared to ride yesterday but then we found out that we would compete today. It was confusing''.
 
On the Olympics
''I am very excited to compete in my first Olympic Games. It is great being here among the top riders of the world. I wish that riding will become more popular in Greece after these Games''.
 
On the favourites 
''If nothing goes wrong I believe that Anky VAN GRUNSVEN will win the gold and that the German team will win the team competition''.
 
Juan Antonio JIMENEZ (ESP) - Team member
On his performance
''I am quite pleased although it didn't go as planned. I don't know what the problem was. Maybe the heat was too much for us. I just hope to get a medal with my team but we will not know until the last minute''.
 
Martin SCHAUDT (GER) - Team member
On his performance 
''It was very hot today and my horse was a bit nervous. I think our performance was good but we can definitely perform a lot better. His walk was fine and apart from the first piaff the rest was pretty good''.
 
On his horse 
''I bought this horse when he was three years old and now he is ten. This year it has been a bad year for him because he had an injury which kept him out of competitions. I always knew that this is the best horse I ever had'.
 
On team perspectives
''I am very proud to be in the team. It is quite hard to get in the German team so I feel honored. I believe that we will win the team competition but Spain and USA have also very strong teams''.
 
On the Olympic experience
''It is my second participation in the Olympic Games after Atlanta. Competing in the Olympic Games means that you receive much more pressure. The atmosphere is different and the team spirit is stronger''.