So the World Equestrian Games Dressage medals have been awarded - what do they mean in the broader sense of the sport?

For Australia it means that they have qualified to go to the Olympic Games in 2008, thanks again to German-based Australian Kristy Oatley-Nist who was the highest placed Australian rider, just missing out on a chance to perform in the Kur.

Kristy sits so comfortably in the company of the world's best - she rides exceptionally well and her horse is one you would not kick out of the barn for dropping hay on the floor!

Australian based Matthew Dowsley and Cinderella performed extremely well and should be well pleased with making it to the Special - rumour has it that Matthew has asked his owner, Claudia Harper, whether he can stay based in Germany for longer, her answer is as yet unknown for publication.

The 10 year old Cinderella could only benefit from staying in Europe as could rider Matthew Dowsley - the improvement in both of them would surely see an excellent result at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Germany has again won the Team Gold and Individual Gold went to Germany's Isabell Werth so they almost made a clean sweep of the Dressage. The Gold medal for the Kur was awarded to Holland's, Anky van Grunsven.

But the talk of the Dressage has definitely been the awesome grey mare, Blue Hors Matine ridden by Andreas Helgstrand. This 9 year old mare has a future ahead of her which could cause great upset in the world of International Dressage by unlodging Anky and Isabell from their stanglehold on the top placings. Matine is the singularly most exciting horse to come into the dressage in many many years. Her lightness off the ground, her athleticism and her obvious love of what she is doing give her the WOW factor which has the spectators on the edge of their seats. Some of the mares movements are perhaps, as yet, not quite established but this will not be for long - her piaffe and passage are something she seems to do for play and her own pleasure, they are extraordinary!

Dressage has long needed a draw card for the non-dressage spectator and this mare is definitely the one! She is vibrant and enthusiastic and this draws crowds - as she piaffed her way out of the arena in Aachen today the crowd roared their approval as they clapped in time to her movement - it was exciting to say the least and the mare grew taller and lighter and more expressive with every beat of the crowds clapping.

Watching Anky perform her Kur after Matine, it was plain to see the pressure on her - Matine is exceptional and Anky had to produce a test which would beat the relative newcomer to the elite end of Dressage. Anky's test was accurate and fluent with few misses - and she even managed to produce a halt as she entered the arena, albeit a quick one - her test was excellent but lacked the true showmanship which Andreas produced - look out Anky and Isabell, there is a new star gaining on you both!