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|
 Tomlinson in 2012 | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing Great Britain | ||
| Equestrian –Dressage | ||
Olympic Games | ||
 | 2012 Olympic Games | Team Dressage (withMistral Højris) |
 | 2012 Olympic Games | Individual Dressage (with Mistral Højris) |
| World Championships | ||
 | 2010 Kentucky | Team – Grand Prix (with Mistral Højris) |
| 2010 Kentucky | Individual – Grand Prix Special (with Mistral Højris) |
| 2010 Kentucky | Individual – Grand Prix Freestyle (with Mistral Højris) |
| European Championships | ||
| 2011 Rotterdam | Team – Grand Prix (with Mistral Højris) |
| 2009 Windsor | Team – Grand Prix (with Mistral Højris) |
| 2009 Windsor | Individual – Grand Prix Special (with Mistral Højris) |
| 2011 Rotterdam | Individual – Grand Prix Special (with Mistral Højris) |
Laura TomlinsonMBE (néeBechtolsheimer; born 31 January 1985, inMainz, Germany) is aGerman-Britishdressage rider competing atOlympic level.[1]As of 30 June 2012 theFédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) ranked her 3rd in the world ridingMistral Højris and 36th on Andretti H.[2] In that year, Tomlinson, riding Mistral Højris under her maiden name ofLaura Bechtolsheimer, won two medals in the2012 Summer Olympics in London; gold for Great Britain in the team dressage withCarl Hester andCharlotte Dujardin, the first ever Olympic team gold in the discipline for her country, and bronze in the individual dressage behind gold medalist and compatriot Dujardin.
A granddaughter of the German billionaire property magnateKarl-Heinz Kipp who founded the Massa chain of department stores, Bechtolsheimer was born inMainz,West Germany in 1985 toGerman parents Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer (who died in 2020), an entrepreneur and horse trainer, andUrsula Bechtolsheimer-Kipp.[1][3] She has three brothers, Felix, a singer formerly with rock groupHey Negrita and now withCurse of Lono, Goetz, and Till, a businessman and amateur racing driver who competes in the2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship.[3] The family moved toAmpney St Peter inGloucestershire when she was one.
Bechtolsheimer started riding aged three having been given a pony called Peacock for her birthday. [1][3] She went on to compete in Pony Club eventing and won the National Championships of Independent Schools atStonar School aged 12.[1] Bechtolsheimer attended St Marys Calne school in Wiltshire,[4] and started to concentrate on dressage aged 13. She was selected to ride at the Pony European Championship the following season, winning a team silver medal at her first major competition.[1]
In 2005, Bechtolsheimer became the youngest British dressage champion at age 20, riding Douglas Dorsey.[1] She graduated fromBristol University in 2007 with aBSc in Philosophy and Politics.[1] She competed in the 2008 Olympic Games on Mistral Højris, gaining 18th place in the Individual Grand Prix Special and 6th place in the team event and was named asBritish Dressage's Rider of the Year.[5][6]
At the2010 FEI World Equestrian Games held inKentucky, United States, Bechtolsheimer surpassed her personal best scores and gained three British International Grand Prix records with Mistral Højris getting 82.511% in the Grand Prix, 81.708% in the Grand Prix Special and 85.350% in the Grand Prix Freestyle, gaining her three silver medals, being beaten only by the celebratedEdward Gal andTotilas.[1]
In 2012 Bechtolsheimer, who scored 80.550%,Carl Hester andCharlotte Dujardin won the gold medal in theOlympic team dressage event.[7] She went on to win bronze in theindividual event with her freestyle routine, set to music from The Lion King.[8]
In 2016, she rode Rosalie B at theOlympia London International Horse Show. It was the first outing for the mare on British soil and followed a strong performance at the German CDI Oldenburg, where they won the grand prix special with 75.88%.[9]
She was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2013 New Year Honours for services to equestrianism.[10][11]
Outside of her dressage activities, Bechtolsheimer is a presenter for equine video website HorseHero.com and is considering a career inpublic relations andmarketing.[1]
Bechtolsheimer married professionalpolo playerMark Tomlinson. The couple have three children (Annalisa,[12] Wilfred[12] and Hanni) and were expecting a fourth as of 2021.[13]
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