Para-dressage World Championship: Lee Pearson wins silver as GB finish on a high

Pearson made his World Championship debut in 1999

Great Britain secured four medals from their four freestyle tests to finish on a high at the World Para-dressage Championship in Herning, Denmark.

The team of Lee Pearson. Georgia Wilson, Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells also ensured GB's qualification for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

On the final day, Pearson and Wilson won silver and bronze respectively in their Grade 2 freestyle tests.

Baker was third in the Grade 3 event while Wells took Grade 5 bronze.

Pearson and his horse Breezer scored 78.860% to finish behind Denmark's Katrine Kristensen who managed 80.354%, with Wilson on 75.834%

"It's remarkable. I was quite adamant I wouldn't win gold so, to me, the silver is my gold here today," said 14-time Paralympic champion Pearson.

"He has got spectacular trot work, but we are aware that the walk needs to be more supple, even when he's relaxed, and with the great audiences that we've had, that just tightens his walk a little bit.

"I love my horse, I do anyway, but I love the way I rode. I think there's nothing worse as a rider than to be disappointed with your own riding. I think I rode every inch of that test and thoroughly enjoyed it.

"I'm very grateful for being here. It's also felt like a fierce competition, which has been good."

Despite finishing fourth in the team event behind the Netherlands, Denmark and the USA, the first time GB have not featured on the podium in nearly 30 years of competition, it was still enough to secure the team's spot at the next Paralympics.

"Qualifying for Paris was what we came here to to do," added Wells. "We'll go home, regroup and get the horses into some good competitions."