Top British Horse Riders
Lee Pearson
Paralympic Dressage Rider
Born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita - "the muscles in my arms and legs grew as scar tissue in the womb" - Lee Pearson has grown into one of the nation's most successful sportsmen.
Despite wearing plastic splints running down the back of his legs, from top to bottom, Pearson has won six Paralympic games dressage gold medals (three apiece from Athens and Sydney), five world championship and three European titles, plus a notable victory in an able-bodied national championship event at Hickstead.
"That meant a lot to me, as did being voted BBC Midlands Sports Personality of the Year, because it's nice to take on and beat athletes without disabilities."
BBC One's documentary series Olympic Dreams featured Para-Equestrian Dressage rider Lee Pearson on 22nd July 2008 at 10.35pm.
Emma Hindle
Olympic Dressage Rider
Emma started riding at the age of five at her aunt’s stables. She showed working hunter ponies and evented before eventually concentrating on dressage.
“When I was 13 or14, I became a complete wimp when it came to jumping. I still love jumping, but as soon as the fences get up to any height, I find it too scary.”
Emma went to train with top international dressage judge, trainer and rider Stephen Clarke when she was just 12, before making another bold move at 18 to train abroad with top dressage rider and trainer Kyra Kyrklund, who was based at the Flyinge Stud in Sweden at the time.
When Kyra moved to Britain in 1993, Emma went to Germany to train with one of Holland’s top riders and trainers, Ellen Bontje; during her time in Germany she has also trained with Jurgen Koschel.
Emma is still based in Germany and, in 2004, she moved to Andreas Rollehuf near Frankfurt, where she runs Brookhouse Stud with her partner Thomas Hoffmann.
William Fox-Pitt
Eventing
With a background steeped in horses, William Fox-Pitt's choice of career was almost inevitable.
His mother was a member of the British three-day-event team and his father also completed Badminton and Burghley.
Both sisters have represented Britain at junior and young rider level – one is now an actress and model – and his brother plays polo.
William is a product of the British youth system, having won medals at junior and young rider European championships.
Sir Michael Turner’s Chaka gave William his first taste of senior success when he came seventh at Badminton, leading to selection for the 1993 European championships.
After having to withdraw his best horse before the cross country at Badminton in 2003, William finally won the famous trophy in 2004 after a superb performance with Tamarillo to clinch the only major UK event to have eluded him following previous wins at Burghley, Blenheim, Bramham and Gatcombe.
Having first experienced the Olympic atmosphere in Atlanta in 1996 as a member of the British team that finished fifth, William missed out on selection for Sydney four years later, but has since built up a formidable string of top class horses.
