Laura Graves Scores THREE Personal Bests in her Olympic Debut

Laura Graves (USA) is leaving Rio with a team bronze medal and the bragging rights that come with a fourth place individual finish against formidable competition.

Not too shabby for a rider making her Olympic debut on her first Grand Prix horse.

Graves was one of three American riders to qualify for the individual final at Deodoro Olympic Park in Brazil, today. Riding her World Equestrian Games partner, Verdades, she scored an impressive 85.196% in the Freestyle—the score was a full three percent higher than their previous personal best.

“I am thrilled with the score! I don’t feel like I had quite as much horse as I’ve had the past couple of days. It’s obviously very hot. We’ve been here a day over two weeks, so it’s been a long time to keep our horses going like this,” said Graves.

“If I had a little more horse I think I could have snuck in a few more percentage points.”

Playing to their benefit was the high degree of difficulty in the Terry Ciotti Gallo-designed freestyle. Graves and the 14-year-old KWPN gelding executed two tempis on a 20-meter circle leading directly into one tempis on a short diagonal line.

“Because he is very honest, I feel like I can play with those things—things that other people can’t,” said the Pan American team gold and individual silver medalist. “You have to highlight them. We do it twice, showing it’s not just luck. They obviously rewarded us for it today.”

The score placed Graves just off the podium behind defending Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), 10-time Olympic medalist Isabell Werth (GER), and world #1 Kristina Broring-Sprehe.

Had she been a few percentage points higher, what would an individual medal have meant to Graves?

“Retirement” she laughed. “It would be a heck of a way to start your career on your first international horse.”

While the Rio Games is over for dressage, expect to see more of Verdades and Graves.

“He’s done a lot for me in the past three years, so we will plan very sporadically preparing only for the big events,” she said. “Hopefully, I will have this horse for another couple of years.

Team USA’s Steffen Peters and Allison Brock also competed in the freestyle, finishing 12th (79.393%) and 15th (76.160%), respectively.