London 2012: British gold medal as Olympic dressage team make history

Britain's dressage team made history as they brought home the country's first ever gold medal in the competition.

Team GB now has 20 gold medals; one more than the country won in Beijing.

Carl Hester, Charlotte Dujardin and Laura Bechtolsheimer managed to maintain an edge over chief competitors Germany in Greenwich park as the horse riding competition drew to a close.

A 20,000-strong crowd erupted in cheers as the home country was announced gold medal winner.

In an Olympics that has been accused of being dominated by the upper classes, the female members of the dressage team have been used as an example of how those from different backgrounds can succeed.

While German-born Laura Bechtolsheimer, 27, grew up with extensive grounds and horses as the granddaughter of a German billionaire property magnate, Charlotte Dujardin hails from Enfield, north London, and worked her way up after leaving school at 16 to take a job on British competitor Carl Hester's yard.