Belgium reining team claims silver at World Equestrian Games

Belgium clinched a silver medal in the team reining discipline at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, which ended yesterday.

Cira Baeck, riding Colonels Shining Gun, posted an impressive 221.0, but her teammates – Piet Mesdagh, riding Spat Man O War; Bernard Fonck, riding Sail On Top Whizard; and Ann Poels Fonck, riding Nic Ricochet – failed to match her score. The Belgian team (pictured) was beaten to the gold by the United States, which has long dominated the discipline, loosely based around cattle ranching.

Staged every four years and alternating with the Olympic Games, the World Equestrian Games is the biggest horse-riding event in the world. Baeck, Poels and Fonck were also the Belgian side that won the reining silver at the 2010 Games in Kentucky.

There were also two gold medals for Belgium in the para-equestrian section of the games, with Michèle George winning in both the individual para-dressage championship test grade IV and the individual para-dressage freestyle test grade IV.