IRISH Olympic dressage rider Anna Merveldt and Esporim placed fourth in the Grand Prix Special at the four-star international dressage show in Achleiten, Austria last Sunday, producing a personal best score of 71.426%.

The result comes off the back of another personal best score (74.74%) in the Freestyle to Music at the FEI World Cup show in Mariakalnok, Hungary, the previous week. The talented 11-year-old Lusitano stallion, Esporim, is owned by Mario Greco, Giovanna Mazza, Merveldt’s sister Lorli Higgins and her brother-in-law Michael.