IRELAND's Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K rode their hearts out for Ireland today, scoring 75.696% in the Olympic Dressage Freestyle to Music Final at the Rio Olympics today.

It was another great performance from the Kildare rider (35) and her 14-year-old Jazz gelding, owned by her delighted parents Joe and Kathleen Reynolds. As always supported by her husband, Patrick Heavey, and an army of Irish dressage fans, Reynolds was sixth to go in the first batch of six riders today in the 18-horse final.

With the heavy-hitters of the dressage world out in force for the final, today was always going to be an uphill battle but Reynolds and Vancouver strutted their stuff with another polished performance. Judy hugged JP and waved to her supporters in the stands afterwards, finishing in 18th place in today's Olympic final.

Reynolds and Vancouver K set a new Irish Grand Prix Special score of 74.090% last Friday to book their place in today's individual final. They became the first Irish combination in 24 years to qualify for an Olympic final, following in the footsteps of Anna Merveldt and Rapallo, who achieved the same feat at Barcelona in 1992.

As expected, a huge performance from Britain's London 2012 gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin (31) and the 14-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding Valegro (by Negro) later this afternoon saw the duo post the incredible score of 93.857%.

Germany's Isabell Werth took silver, her third individual silver medal, with the 10-year-old Weihegold OLD on a score of 89.071% while the bronze went to Germany's Kristina Broring-Sprehe and the 15-year-old Black Hanoverian stallion Desperados FRH (by De Niro) on a score of 87.142%.

Speaking to the BBC afterwards, Dujardin said: “I have just had the best ride, Valegro has given me absolutely everything, I felt so emotional doing the last bit. I know I’ve done my best, Valegro could definitely have not done any more."

Her victory gave Team GB their 16th gold medal at Rio and added to her silver team medal haul.

Tears flowed from the gold medal winner on the podium as the Union Jack was raised at the Deodoro stadium and afterwards Dujardin enjoyed a victory lap waving the second Olympic gold individual medal of her meteoric career.

Show jumping is now the final Olympic equestrian discipline to be decided in Rio with Tipperary's Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global (ISH) set to line out in Rio on Tuesday.

They will be aiming to finish among the top 45 in order to advance to Wednesday's third round.