NZL-Melissa Galloway rides Windermere J’Obei W during the for the Dressage Individual Grand Prix Qualifier. Equestrian Dressage. Paris 2024 Olympic Games | Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. Wednesday 31 July. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

Melissa Galloway and Windermere J’Obei W have bowed out of the Paris Olympic Games with a record and a smile on their faces. The combo scored 68.914% to claim a New Zealand Olympic record for the highest Grand Prix dressage score and finish seventh of 10 in Group G qualifier.

With the dressage run over two days and split into ranking groups, the Kiwis faced a very tough task, with the highest score of the six groups coming from the Group G winner Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER) aboard TSF Dalera BB on 82.065%. The top two athletes from each group and the six next best scored (including ties) will qualify for the individual final – the Grand Prix Freestyle.

But Melissa was ecstatic with their efforts especially as she did it on a horse she bought as a two-year-old and has produced herself. “It is such a different story to the majority of people here and I don’t think many realise where we come from, what the facilities are like and the access to training, compared to what everyone has here. It is such a different world so to actually have done it and made it to the Olympics and not done a bad job, I am so, so proud and so grateful,” she said.

“The feeling in the test was just pure joy and harmony. I loved how he lifted as the crowd cheered when we entered and from then on I just enjoyed it all, as did he. Overall he felt strong and powerful, and just so with me. It was a real moment we will genuinely treasure forever.”Her highlights were the half passes and passage. “I was also really pleased with the pirouettes today. It was a shame about the mistake in the changes as that is so reliable for us but sometimes these things happen.”

It was an emotional day for the Marlborough rider, but only in a good way. “It is just unbelievable – I think that final centre line when you realise you have just done it and doing it and on the horse of your dreams with your family and so many supporters back home.”

Melissa plans to return to New Zealand with Joey to take “a bit of a breather”. “Until now it was just Paris, Paris, so we will go home and have a bit of a re-evaluation before making new plans and setting new goals. I think my entire family will be quite keen for a breather but it is certainly not over, it is just a matter of finding out which direction we go in.”

She said her achievement wouldn’t have happened without the support of so many. “It is not just me . . . it is so many people. Like my coaches Vanessa (Way) and Andrea (Raves) back home who have sent so many messages of support, and it is everybody else. It is such a team effort. It is everyone in New Zealand and everyone who rides and everyone who has a dream.”

ESNZ high performance general manager and chef d’equipe Jock Paget said Melissa had done the nation proud. “Breaking a New Zealand record at the Games is something quite special and they performed great on the biggest stage in the world. She is a fantastic competitor and looked right at home at her first Olympic Games.”

The previous New Zealand Olympic Grand Prix record was set by the late Julie Brougham aboard Vom Feinsten at Rio (2016) when they scored 68.543%.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Libby Law/ESNZ

NZL-Melissa Galloway rides Windermere J’Obei W during the arena familiarisation for the Dressage. Paris 2024 Olympic Games | Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. Saturday 27 July. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography