We will never forget this moment in time.... To watch Olivier Perreau cross the finish line with his home bred and home produced Dorai d’Aiguilly after a clear round in the Olympic team final on home soil at Paris 2024 was just the stuff that dreams are made of. “I have ridden her since she was four, and every jump she did in her life has been with me. She is a fantastic horse, she is very intelligent, has a lot of scope and when you jump a big class with her, it all feels easy for her. In addition, she is careful… In my opinion, she is a crack of a mare," Perreau told WoSJ earlier this year.

Coming in from his alternate position, when Kevin Staut's Viking d'la Rousserie failed to pass the horse inspection, Perreau made the most out of the opportunity and became the best of the French with his clear round – helping his country to finish with a bronze medal, three penalties behind USA with silver, and a little further up to Great Britain who won the gold with a team score of only two penalties.

Next to Perreau on the French team were pathfinders Simon Delestre and I Amelusina R 51 as well as anchors Julien Epaillard aboard Dubai du Cedre, while Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, Karl Cook and Caracole de La Roque as well as anchors McLain Ward and Ilex represented the U.S.

And with this photo special, we look back at how it all unfolded for the Americans and the French in Versailles – but first, a bit more Perreau-magic.

All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping. No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.