Already a double gold medallist from London 2012, Charlotte Dujardin went to Rio with the chance to make history – and did just that by winning a third Olympic title atop Valegro.
She missed out on a gold in the team dressage competition, where Team GB settled for a silver, but came back just days later to wow the judges in the individual competition and become only the second British woman ever to win three Olympic titles.
In the team event Dujardin and Valegro had danced to a score of 85.071 per cent, the highest of all competitors.
That qualified her for the individual competition, where she ranked second after the Grand Prix Special round, scoring 82.983 per cent, before totalling a whopping 93.857 in the Grand Prix Freestyle phase to take the gold by nearly five per cent from Germany’s Isabell Werth.
Dujardin, aged just 31, knew it would be her last Olympic ride with Valegro and was understandably emotional at that fact.
The pair have now rode their last dance together at the London Olympia International Horse Show, last week, with Valegro retiring to a life of leisure, and the odd exhibition performance.
Here we take a look at that magical moment in Rio and hear what Dujardin has to say just moments after winning gold.
“I knew he couldn’t have done any more. He felt like he’s done his very best. It’s a bit emotional,” she said.
“I was thinking this could be the last time, I’ve got to go out there and enjoy it and give everything.
"I did feel the nerves a little bit out there for the first time ever because I did know that it could be one of the last times ever with Valegro.
“But he gave me a look before and then I knew everything was going to be fine.
“He is so magical. I can’t even tell you what it’s like to ride him. He has a heart of gold. He is the horse of a lifetime.
“To go out there and just ride and have the best feeling ever is amazing. He tried so hard.
"There will never be another Valegro. I don’t want anyone to ever compare a horse that I ride to Valegro because there will never be another him. "But it will be a huge achievement to try and get to another Olympic Games, whether you win or not, just getting here is a huge achievement." Sportsbeat 2016