A flawless performance

Yasmin Ingham makes her mark, finishing on her dressage score with Banzai Du Loir to head a top-class field including the world champion and two Tokyo Olympic medallists

- LUCY ELDER

IN a phenomenal year of sporting achievements, young Brit Yasmin Ingham added her name to that exclusive list of winners with a flawless performance aboard Paris 2024 prospect Banzai Du Loir.

“I knew we were both capable of doing it. But to pull it all together in all three phases, luck has to come into the equation – and luck was on my side,” said eventing’s newest heroine, who won on her leading dressage score of 25.2.

The 24-year-old is being modest. Luck will always have its place in horse sport, yet this result came down to skill and an ability to perform under pressure.

The pair led the world-class field from Thursday lunchtime to the final showjump on Sunday afternoon. And while Yasmin freely admitted that she did feel the weight of that expectation and what she had to lose, she seemed to take strength from it.

The Nouma D’Auzay gelding clocked the fastest time across country, coming home 17 seconds inside the optimum, to secure the lead going into the final phase.

As they cantered into the showjumping arena, last to go, the combination had four seconds in hand – no more. A single-pole separated first to 10th ahead of the final day and Di Boddy’s course was taking no prisoners. There had been just five fault-free rounds from 49 in the morning.

The packed stands were silent; the only noise was the snap of camera shutters, the clinking of the flagpole rigging and the rhythm of Banzai’s footfalls. As they landed over the final orange oxer, the crowd erupted and Yasmin pointed to her horse, channelling the praise towards her equine hero.