Led by the Olympic record-breaking performance of 27-year-old Charlotte Dujardin, Team GB won its first ever gold medal in Olympic dressage.

Together with Laura Bechtolsheimer, also 27, and experienced Carl Hester, 45, Dujardin broke 24 years of German dominance over the competition: Germany had won the previous seven Olympic editions.

In an event that used to produce stodgy performances by British athletes, Dujardin scored 83.236%, Hester 80.571% and Bechtolsheimer 77.873%.

Brought up in Finmere, Buckinghamshire, Dujardin rode in her first significant event only last year. She used to work as a groom for Hester.

"I wanted the gold medal so badly and I didn't want to mess it up. It is so surreal," she said after winning the gold on Valegro.

"I'm just so lucky to be riding Valegro. He is the horse of a lifetime - he finds it so easy," she said.

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Sweden's Minna Telde riding Santana

Bronze medallist Netherlands' Anky van Grunsven celebrates with gold medallist Britain's Laura Bechtolsheimer during the equestrian dressage team victory ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games in Greenwich Park

Britain's Charlotte Dujardin riding Valegro celebrates her Olympic record

Canada's Ashley Holzer riding Breaking Dawn during the Dressage competition

Germany's Kristina Sprehe won the Silver medal

Denmark's Nathalie Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein riding Digby waves at the crowd

Adelinde Cornelissen of the Netherlands riding Parzival

Gold medallists Britain's Carl Hester, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Charlotte Dujardin hold up their bouquets

Britain's Laura Bechtolsheimer riding Mistral Hojris celebrates

France's Jessica Michel rides Riwera during the equestrian individual dressage

Italy's Valentina Truppa rides Eremo Del Castegno

Britain's Zara Phillips rides her horse after receiving her silver medal during the Eventing Team Jumping