The Germans successfully defended their title by securing the 2018 WEG dressage team gold medal Sept. 13. | Photo: FEI/Liz Gregg

Brilliant performances from Sonke Rothenberger (23) and Isabell Werth (49) secured the Helgestrand dressage team title for Germany at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games 2018 in Tryon, today. The defending champions threw down the gauntlet when Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s (32) leading score with TSF Dalera BB was backed up by another great result from Dorothee Schneider (49) and Sammy Davis Jr. yesterday. And this evening their national anthem rang out across the US Trust Arena when their compatriots wrapped it up to secure Germany’s 12th victory in the 52-year history of the world dressage championships, and their seventh in the eight editions of FEI World Equestrian Games.

It was a gritty battle for silver and bronze, with only a whisper separating the British, Americans, and Swedes going into the closing stages. And it was the Swedes who lost out on a podium placing when Laura Graves’ last-to-go effort saw the host nation pin them back to fourth by an agonizing 0.15 points.

Werth has won more medals than any other athlete in equestrian sport, but today’s success with her beloved 14-year-old mare Bella Rose, who was already rising to the very top before suffering an injury that put her out of action for more than three years, was something very special to her. Werth burst into tears after posting 84.829 to put the result beyond doubt with the biggest score of the competition