British Paralympic Dressage Team for Paris 2024 Announced

Great Britain

ParalympicsGB has confirmed the four British para equestrian athlete and horse combinations set to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The all-female squad features three medal-winning combinations from Tokyo 2020, in addition to the current para dressage world number one, who will be making her Paralympic Games debut.

While all four combinations will compete for individual honours, three will also contest the team competition. The decision on this will be made before the start of competition in Paris.

Grade 1

Mari Durward-Akhurst (30) with Diane Redfern, Nick Durward-Akhurst and Rob Waine’s Athene Lindebjerg (black, mare, 17yrs, 17hh, Gribaldi x Diamant, Breeders: Mr and Mrs Bech DEN)

Grade 2

Georgia Wilson (28) with Geoff and Julie Wilson and her own Sakura (chestnut, mare, 10yrs, 16hh, Supertramp x Rockstar, Breeder: G. Eilberg GBR)

Grade 3

Natasha Baker (34) with Joanna Jensen, Christian Landolt, Phil and Lorraine Baker and her own Keystone Dawn Chorus (bay, mare, 16.1hh, 13yrs, Dimaggio x Escudo, Breeder: S. Lavendera GBR)

Grade 5

Sophie Wells (34) from Harby, Lincolnshire, with Rowland Kinch’s Don Cara M (dark bay, gelding, 15yrs, 16.3hh, Don Jovi x Rafurstinels, Breeder: H. M. Melis NED)

Liz Geldard and Beth Revill will act as travelling grooms for the horses in Paris.

Para equestrian’s Team Leader, Georgina Sharples, who is leading the squad for her second Games, commented: “It’s been a very strong campaign for all the British combinations aiming for the Games this year and they certainly didn’t make this an easy decision for the selection panel. However, I must offer my congratulations to Mari, Georgia, Natasha and Sophie for being the chosen four and the achievements that lead them to this point.

“There’s a great balance of experience and potential between our four athletes, and I look forward to seeing what they can achieve when we reach Versailles. The competition from other nations has never been fiercer, but we go to Paris with every intention of challenging for podium placings and hopefully we can do everyone proud.

“None of this would have been possible without the support of our horse owners and the athletes’ home teams, who play such a vital role in our quest for success on the world’s biggest sporting stage.”