HEIKE Holstein’s fourth Olympic Games appearance was marked by a beautifully-ridden Grand Prix test with her home-bred mare Sambuca (Samarant x Limmerick), which received a score of 68.43% from the seven international judges.

Commentator and international dressage trainer Lucinda Green commended Heike’s achievement of getting a home-bred to the Olympic Games and said their one-time changes were “pretty spectacular”.

The combination received an eight for the piaffe, and scores of 7 and 7.5 were awarded throughout the test. Their score was not good enough to see them through to the individual Freestyle final after they finished sixth in their Group, but Heike was delighted with the performance. The top two riders in each group progress to the final.

“I am really pleased with her. I really enjoyed it. I had loads of time in the ring, I was able to ride every movement,” Heike said about her 12-year-old mare, the first foal she ever bred from her former dressage mare Astoria.

“It was one of her better tests. I have just looked back at the video, there was one change in the zig zag that wasn’t perfect, but otherwise, her piaffe was better, she walked lovely, and she did lovely changes. She has grown up a lot. She behaved really well.

“I am a little disappointed with the marks but very happy with my test, there is nothing I can do about the marks.”

Speaking about her fourth Olympic experience, Heike said Tokyo has been different in many ways, including having no spectators in the stadium. “You have social media and it really feels like the whole country is behind you and here with you.

“And because of quarantine and being locked down in Aachen and then here, the riders have bonded better. Isabell Werth wished me good luck before I went in! Everyone knows each other much better now. Usually you wouldn’t get that because you are in and out, but this is our third week together. It is more of a community feel. It is a nice feeling.”

Heike leaves Tokyo on Thursday to meet Sambuca, who flies on Friday, at the airport in Liege. She thanked her groom Frazer Kirby for all his hard work. “Frazer has done a great job looking after her, I couldn’t do it without all the support.”

Heike was wearing a yellow ribbon on her tail coat in memory of the late Tiggy Hancock.