The British Paralympic dressage team for Paris 2024 has been announced, with Games debutant and current world number one Mari Durward-Akhurst selected alongside Georgia Wilson plus team stalwarts Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells.
It’s not yet been revealed which three riders will be part of the team who contest the team medals, but all four will ride the individual test (grand prix A), which determines the first set of individual medals. The top eight from each grade in the individual test will also contest the freestyle for a second medal opportunity.
Britain has won team gold at every Paralympic Games since the discipline joined the programme. Natasha and Sophie were part of the gold-medal-winning team in Tokyo and both will ride the same horses they did then.
Sophie, riding at her fourth Games, will be on Don Cara M, with whom she also won individual bronze and silver at the 2022 World Championships and individual silver in Tokyo.
Natasha will also be competing at her fourth Games and will be riding Keystone Dawn Chorus. It’ll be an emotional occasion for Natasha who returned to riding a year ago after the birth of her son and only returned to competition in May this year.
Georgia will be riding Sakura, who she won two bronze medals (individual and freestyle) with on her Paralympic debut in Tokyo.
Mari will be riding the super-experienced Athene Lindebjerg who won three gold medals at the Rio Games with Sophie Christiansen.
Para equestrian’s team leader, Georgina Sharples, said: “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.”
Mari Durward-Akhurst with 17-year-old Athene Lindebjerg
Owner: Diane Redfern, Nick Durward-Akhurst and Rob Waine
Breeders: Mr and Mrs Bech
Breeding: by Gribaldi, out of a mare by Alberte Lindebjerg
Georgia Wilson with 10-year-old Sakura
Owners: rider, and her parents Geoff and Julie Wilson
Breeder: G Eilberg
Breeding: by Supertramp, out of a mare by Rockstar
Natasha Baker with 13-year-old Keystone Dawn Chorus
Owners: Joanna Jensen, Christian Landolt, and Natasha’s parents Phil and Lorraine Baker
Breeder: S Lavendera
Breeding: by Dimaggio, out of a mare by Escudo
Sophie Wells with 15-year-old Don Cara M
Owner: Rowland Kinch
Breeder: HM Melis
Breeding: by Don Jovi, out of a mare by Rafurstinels
You might also be interested in:
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the Paris Olympics, Royal International, Burghley and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now