Germany won the Olympic team dressage gold medal, their 7th successive Olympic title, holding off a strong challenge from the Netherlands at Shatin Equestrian Venue Thursday night.

The silver medal went to the Netherlands and the bronze was taken by Denmark.

German rider Hinrich Romeike and horse Marius jump during eventing jumping competition of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games equestrian events at Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Sha Tin) in the Olympic co-host city of Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 12, 2008. Germany won the first Olympic Eventing Team gold medal in the three-day eventing here Tuesday night with a total penalty of 166.10.

Germany's best three riders finished on 72.916 percent ahead of the Netherlands on 71.750 percent. Denmark secured third place on 68.875 percent.

Up to now, the Germans have already bagged three gold medals in the on-going equestrian competitions. They took two gold medals in the team and individual eventing earlier.

"I was very happy with the canter but had small hickups in trot and both piaffes were not quite right. Three mistakes make 70 percent. Normally Elvis (the horse) is good for 73 or even 74 percent. They were only small mistakes, but at the Olympics this is not good enough", Nadine Capellmann, one of the German team riders, told reporters.

On her horse being distracted, Capellmann said "I don't know why my horse looked to the side twice. I think something happened on the left side, and that distracted him."

German rider Ingrid Klimke and horse Abraxxas jump during the eventing jumping competition of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games equestrian events at Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Sha Tin) in the Olympic co-host city of Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 12, 2008. Germany won the first Olympic Eventing Team gold medal in the three-day eventing here Tuesday night with a total penalty of 166.10.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2008)