Para-Equestrian Pathway To Podium

 

09.09.09

The British para-equestrian dressage team maintained its 100% record in Championship competition, winning the Team Gold at the recent European Championships in Kristiansand, Norway, beating their closest rivals Germany.

The result, which leaves Team GBR unbeaten at European, World and Olympic level comes as a result of the British Equestrian Federation’s (BEF) World Class Programme, providing support including services from the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

British Paralympic trio Sophie Christiansen, Lee Pearson and Simon Laurens were joined in Norway by Jo Pitt, a non travelling member of the Games’ squad, along with Sophie Wells and Emma Sheardown, whose preparation for the Championships was featured on eis2win.co.uk last month. view here

The pair, both competing at the level for the first time, have had the full support of the strength and conditioning and physiotherapy services provided by the EIS for the past two years.

Despite their relative inexperience, both riders enjoyed individual Gold medal success, with Emma pipping teammate Sophie Christiansen in the individual freestyle in what was a reversal of fortunes from the individual event, while Sophie Wells won two individual gold medals at grade IV; a level in which Britain has struggled in the past.

David Hamer, World Class Development Programme discipline coordinator, commented: “The final placings in the team event at the European Championships couldn’t have been closer, demonstrating how the margins for success and failure are becoming smaller all the time. The aim of the World Class Programme is to have in place a sustainable system that can deliver more medals on the international stage now and in the future. These results show how well this is working.

“Sophie and Emma have progressed from the World Class Development Programme and competed at the top level for the first time, but both did extremely well and added to the Silver medal that another graduate, Felicity Coulthard, won at the Paralympics.”

Commenting on the support given by the World Class Plan, Sophie Wells said; “The World Class Programme prepares you for the ultimate challenges, so when you get the chance, like I did in Norway, you are ready to take it.

“The support staff look at even the tiniest details so when I went to the Championships I felt completely prepared. I have been on the World Class Plan since 2004 and without the funding and coaching support I have received I don’t think I would have been able to come back with the medals I did.”

BEF’s World Class Programme incorporates the three Olympic sports of dressage, eventing, show jumping and the Paralympic sport of para-equestrian dressage, aiming to provide Britain’s elite riders with the best preparation to represent Equestrian Team GBR at International level, including access to EIS services and is Lottery funded by UK Sport.

Selection to the World Class Programme is based on results combined with potential to contribute to team success at major championships. Performance is continuously assessed and riders are regularly reviewed. The Programme is divided into Development (start and potential) and Performance squads across each discipline.

For more information on para-equestrian dressage please visit the BEF website here

Photograph courtesy of the British Equestrian Federation