Para dressage is the sport of dressage for riders with a physical impairment. The word para in this context comes from the term “parallel”, referring to the Paralympics being “parallel” to the Olympics.
Para dressage athletes are classified across five grades, according to the impact their disability has on their ability to ride. Grade I is for those who are most severely impaired and grade V is for those who are the least impaired.
Great Britain has one of the best developed pathways for equestrian disability sport in the world, with British Dressage offering plenty of opportunities for riders wishing to get involved at any level from grassroots to international.
British Dressage also has close links with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), via which several top British Paralympic athletes begun their careers in dressage.
Para dressage has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1996. Until 2018, Britain totally dominated the international stage, winning the team competition at every major champipnship. In 2018, Britain took the silver medal behind the Netherlands at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA, and the result was repeated in 2019 at the European Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Britain remains the only nation to have ever claimed Paralympic dressage team gold. At the last Paralympics in Rio 2016, Britain was represented by Sophie Wells, Sophie Christiansen, Natasha Baker, Lee Pearson and Anne Dunham.
The standard of para dressage is rising every year – and with it the quality of the championship horses. Lucy Elder asks para stars what key ingredients are needed for an elite campaigner
‘It was a very hard decision to take, and terribly sad’
‘The only thing that kept me going was working out the new challenge of trying to sit on a horse and getting to compete again’
The Irish trio features two riders making their senior championship team debuts
The news comes as a result of growing interest and investment from broadcasters around the world to screen the Paralympic Games
‘I really loved a crowd getting behind me and there was a really good atmosphere, it gave me that boost to give a little bit more’
The rider was diagnosed on 11 February, underwent surgery on 15 March and is now aiming for next year’s Paralympic games
‘It’s something I’m really passionate about and it’s helped me in the saddle’
Why H&H’s dressage editor thinks para dressage is such an underrated sport
Meet the brave Brazilian rider who couldn't hold back his emotion when he secured his first medal.
Find out who passed and who was held at the para dressage horse inspection
Find out which para dressage riders and horses have been selected for the 2018 World Equestrian Games
Meet the rider who was arguably one of the busiest at the recent RDA Championships (13-15 July)
The British para dressage shortlist for this September’s World Equestrian Games (WEG) contains a mix of old names and new faces —but who does H&H’s dressage editor think will make the cut?
The Rio 2016 equine star has made a successful return to competition with the European triple gold medallist in the saddle
“I did initially think, ‘Do I just call it a day?’ But I’m not ready to. I live for my riding — it’s what gets me up in the morning”
Three exciting horses have joined the top British dressage rider’s string
Former event rider Bex Greenwood has had 18 operations and a tracheostomy
It is not known what the future holds for the multiple medal-winning gelding
