Para Dressage squad
Mari Durward-Akhurst
- Age: 32
- Based in: Amersham, Buckinghamshire
- Classification: Grade 1
- World ranking: 3 (all grades) and 1 (classification grade)
Mari started riding with at her local Riding for the Disabled Association group as a form of therapy in 2005. Her disability had made it difficult for her to make friends because she couldn’t keep up with other children, but she found that riding not only helped her on a physical level, but also improved her mental wellbeing because it was something she could excel at. Once she started competing, she was hooked.
Mari made her British team debut in 2007 at Junior International level. Since then, she has achieved a number of national and international titles.
In 2019, Mari was selected for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Rotterdam, the Netherlands with Sky O’Hara, where they helped the British team take silver.
Mari formed a partnership with Athene Lindebjerg at the start of 2023 – the experienced mare, famed for her exceptional walk, previously took triple European and Paralympic gold with Sophie Christiansen in 2015 and 2016, then another three gold medals with Julie Payne at the FEI Para Dressage European Championships in 2017. In all their competitive outings, Mari and Athene have never finished off the podium, helping them in their selection campaign for Paris 2024 – a Paralympic debut for Mari.
In Paris, they pulled out three great performances, coming away with a freestyle bronze medal on the final day and achieving Mari's childhood dream of becoming a Paralympic medallist. At last year’s FEI European Championships in Ermelo, the duo picked up two individual bronze medals.
Out of the saddle, Mari can often be found in the gym. She enjoys para rowing and has won multiple medals representing Wales at home international level. She’s also a keen public speaker and enjoys mentoring up-and-coming para dressage riders.
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Previous senior championship appearances
- FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2025 (individual and freestyle bronze)
- Paris 2024 Paralympic Games (freestyle bronze)
- FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2019 (team silver)
Athene Lindebjerg
- Known as: Athene (or "the Duchess" to her friends)
- Owners: Diane Redfern, Nick Durward-Akhurst and Romilly Hart
- Colour: Black
- Sex: Mare
- Age: 19yrs
- Height: 17hh
- Bloodline: Gribaldi x Diamant
- Breeder: Ulla and Kristian Bech DEN
Athene began her dressage career with Jessica Thompson in 2014, competing at Novice and Elementary level. She made her para dressage debut in May 2015 with Sophie Christiansen and they remained virtually unbeaten throughout their partnership, which included the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where they won triple gold in what was then Grade 1A.
In 2017, the reins were passed to Julie Payne, who was also a Grade 1 athlete. After just one international outing, they were selected for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Gothenberg, Sweden, where they took three gold medals.
In 2018, Athene had a period away from the competition arena, which included some injury recovery and a spell as a mother.
Her maternity leave came to an end in June 2023, when owner Di Redfern offered her to Mari Durward-Akhurst. They had one international outing that year, to Hartpury CPEDI3*, where they finished third in all three tests.
After a winter spent consolidating their partnership, they returned to the white boards in 2024 with their eyes firmly fixed on selection for Paris 2024. Of their five international outings, which included a trip overseas to Waregem, Belgium, they've never finished outside the top three.
Selection for the Games meant that Athene helped Mari achieve her childhood dream of becoming a Paralympic medallist, when they picked up freestyle bronze together.
The duo were called up for last year’s FEI European Championships in Ermelo and they helped the team to fourth place, before going on to claim two bronze medals in the individual and freestyle ranks.
International Personal bests
| Grand Prix A | Grand Prix B | Grand Prix Freestyle |
|---|---|---|
| 77.500% | 78.958% | 83.867% |
| Hartpury (2026) | Wellington (2024) | Hartpury (2026) |
Jemima Green
- Age: 37
- Based in: Arlesford, Hampshire
- Classification: Grade 2
- World ranking: 6 (all grades) and 3 (classification grade)
Jemima grew up in Devon on the family farm with her parents and three brothers. She quickly developed a love of horses and got her first pony, Dinky, when she was two. As she grew up, she took part in Pony Club activities, gymkhanas and grooming for her dad when he played polo. In school, she was very sporty and particularly enjoyed rounders and hockey.
After completing her GCSEs, Jemime went to college for an equine studies course, afterwhich she got a job on an eventing yard. She progressed from a working pupil position to head girl and second rider, which was a dream come true. She worked and competed on the eventing circuit for a number of years, reaching Intermediate and the former CCI1* level.
In 2015, Jemima was involved in a vehicular accident that left her paralysed from the waist down and in a wheelchair. The doctor's didn't believe she'd ride again, but this wasn't an option for Jemima – she worked hard to improve her strength and balance, with help from a neuro physio and lots of Pilates and gym sessions. She progressed to riding three times a week, even if it was just for short periods, and eventually discovered para dressage as a way to continue with her competitive ambitions.
In 2021, Jemima was selected for the World Class Programme – this was also the same year she married her now-husband, Ed. In previous interviews, she cited her goals as ‘to be on a British team and win medals for a country’ and, last year, she realised both. With her rising star Fantabulous, she was selected for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Ermelo and the duo went on to take two bronze medals.
Jemima and Ed now live in Hampshire with their pack of poodles, while Fantabulous is based with her coach, Georgie Nicholls.
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Previous senior championship appearances
- FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2025 (individual and freestyle bronze)
Fantabulous
- Known as: Fanta
- Owner: Jemima Green
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Age: 8yrs
- Height: 16.1hh
- Bloodline: Foundation 2 x Furst Romancier
- Breeder: Rainer and Angelika Alhers GER
Fanta was purchased by Jemima as a young horse. He was first competed in 2022 by Jemima's trainer at the time, dressage rider Anna Miller, before Jemima started competing with him in para dressage classes in 2024. They won both classes on their first outing at Hartpury in January of that year, followed by another two wins at Wellington in February.
Their first international outing was at Hickstead CPEDI3* in May of 2024, where they finished third in the Grand Prix A and B, and second in the Para Grand Prix Freestyle. They also contested Wellington and Hartpury later that year.
This year, with eyes on selection for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship, they started strong with a second at Addington in April, followed by two wins at the same venue just a month later. In June, Fanta and Jemima contested their first overseas competition together at Hagen, Germany, where they finished third in the Grand Prix A and fourth in the B test and Para Grand Prix Freestyle.
Their final selection event was Hartpury CPEDI3*, where they were third in the Grand Prix A and second in the Grand Prix B and Para Grand Prix Freestyle. Three personal best scores helped to secure Jemima's coveted place on a British team. In Ermelo, they had a debut to remember when they announced their championship credentials with two individual bronze medals.
This season, they’ve continued to develop their partnership and were part of the British contingent who travelled to Aachen for the para test event in preparation for the iconic venue hosting the World Championships. In July, they consolidated their improving form with two personal best performances by over 2% in the Grand Prix B and Freestyle tests. On the back of this, they got their call up for a World Championship debut.
International personal bests
| Grand Prix A | Grand Prix B | Grand Prix Freestyle |
|---|---|---|
| 75.230% | 76.067% | 78.440% |
| Aachen (2026) | Hartpury (2026) | Hartpury (2026) |
Nicola Naylor
- Age: 65
- Based in: Ashford, Kent
- Classification: Grade 4
- World ranking: 8 (all grades) and 2 (classification grade)
Nicola grew up with horses and began riding when she was very young – her mum was a BHSAI and her dad was a polo player. She started at her local riding centre and had ponies throughout her childhood.
Her passion was jumping but, with her visual impairment, this became increasingly difficult when she moved onto horses and had to work to see a stride into fences. At the age of 18, she gave up any hope of an equestrian future and went away to university.
Her remaining sight gradually faded through university, and Nicola spent her twenties and thirties building a non-equestrian career. It was only when her daughter started having riding lessons that the desire to get back in the saddle was reignited. She became classified as a para dressage rider and developed a system that allowed her to compete successfully navigate the arena without the benefit of sight.
In 2022, she was selected for the reserve list for the FEI World Championship and has since appeared on nominated entry lists for European and Paralympic championships before getting her first team call up at last year’s FEI European Championships, where the team was fouth and Nicola won individual bronze.
Nicola also regularly competes in Small Tour dressage and became the first blind rider in the UK to contest a Grand Prix class in January 2025.
Previous senior championship appearances
- FEI Para Dressage European Championship 2025 (individual bronze)
Humberto L
- Known as: Humbo
- Owners: Rosalind Emery Kay and Nicola Naylor
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Age: 14
- Height: 16.2hh
- Bloodlines: Cachet L x Haarlem
- Breeder: J. Lamers NED
Humbo and Nicola began their competitive partnership in 2021, although he had previously ridden two international Grade 5 tests in Germany with Italy's Alessio Corradini.
The pair have been competing consistently since then and have a number of overseas trips on their record, including Deauville (2022), Waregem (2023, 2024), Kronenberg (2023) and Hagen (2025).
On only one occasion have they not finished on the podium since April 2024, including when they made the trip overseas to Hagen in June 2025, where they achieved two seconds and a third.
On their senior team debut last year, they finished third in the Grand Prix A, helping the team to overall fourth place while individually they were just off the podium in fourth in Grand Prix B and the Freestyle.
| Grand Prix A | Grand Prix B | Grand Prix Freestyle |
|---|---|---|
| 73.889% | 75.811% | 78.560% |
| Hartpury (2025) | Hartpury (2025) | Hartpury (2025) |
Sophie Wells
- Age: 36
- Based in: Harby, Lincolnshire
- Classification: Grade 5
- World ranking: 10 (all grades) and 1 (classification grade)
Sophie started riding at the age of eight at her local riding school and took up dressage at the age of twelve. In 2008, she became the first para dressage rider to win a non-disabled international competition, after she finished first in the Junior international class at the Hickstead Under-21 international. She was the first para dressage rider to compete on both an able-bodied Junior team and the para dressage team in the same year (2010), competing on the dressage Young Rider European team, as well as being selected as part of the World Equestrian Games para dressage squad.
Sophie was selected for her first Paralympic Games in London 2012, where she won team gold along with silvers in the individual and freestyle competitions. She was also picked for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, where she took individual gold and freestyle silver, and helped the team defend their team gold. She has been on the British team at every senior championship since 2011, picking up an impressive 35 medals along the way.
Sophie was selected for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with World and European medallist C Fatal Attraction, but a late fitness concern for 'Jorge' saw inexperienced Don Cara M step up to take his place. The pair pulled out all the stops to help the British team retain their Paralympic title, and also took individual silver.
Sophie and Don Cara M travelled to Tokyo for the 2020 Paralympic Games, where they succeeded in helping the team gain a gold medal, plus an individual silver medal. The pair joined the squad again in Herning for the FEI Para Dressage Word Championships in 2022, missing out on a team medal but managing to qualify for Paris 2024.
In 2023, Sophie brought forward new ride LJT Egeberggards Samoa for the FEI Para Dressage European Championship in Riesenbeck, where they took team and freestyle bronze. This led to selection for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where they picked up individual and freestyle bronze.
In addition to her para dressage career, Sophie competes in able-bodied dressage and has a busy coaching schedule, training a number of athletes to podium placings at the highest level. Away from the yard, Sophie is dedicated to her personal fitness and enjoys spending time with her number one fans, her Chihuahuas Bailey and Ginny.
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MSJ Gold Standard
- Known as: Gracie
- Owner: Emma Blundell
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Mare
- Age: 10yrs
- Height: 16.2hh
- Bloodline: Governer x Furstenball
- Breeder: Mount St John Equestrian LLP GBR
MSJ Gold Standard, or Gracie, was bred by Emma Blundell at her impressive Mount St John Stud in North Yorkshire, with impeccable dressage bloodlines including Governor and Furstenball. Her early education was in the hands of Holly and Amy Woodhead, who the used the British Dressage Young Horse classes to give her a great foundation. In 2021, she finished runner up in the five-year-old championships and she finished fourth as a six-year-old the next year.
She progressed up to Medium level, where she won the majority of her starts, going on to finish 10th in the National championships in 2023 with Amy. She continued her training alongside breeding duty with breeder and owner Emma and, to date, she’s had six foals by embryo transfer.
In late 2025, Sophie Wells enquired about Gracie upon hearing she was for sale and went to try her. She was instantly hooked but, sadly, couldn’t quite raise the funds to make the purchase. Just before Christmas, Sophie took a chance and messaged Emma saying she’d love to campaign Gracie in para dressage and Emma agreed. By mid-January, Gracie was in Sophie’s yard in Lincolnshire and the building of their partnership began.
In their first outing at a pick-your-own para test at Vale View in Leicestershire, they won with a super 72.56%. A few months later, in April, they headed to Belgium for their first CPEDI together at Waregem and they finished on the podium in all three of their tests. A summer spent consolidating their form at international shows followed, with all scores 70%+. At the all-important Hartpury CPEDI in early July – the unofficial selection trial – the progress in their partnership was underlined with personal best scores in all three tests, with the freestyle topping out at 80.27%.
Sophie says she’s a super chestnut mare – like so many, if you get a good one, there’s nothing better – and she adores her food! One of the key elements of their training is a good variety of work ,with plenty of hacking, polework and a spot of jumping.
International personal bests
| Grand Prix A | Grand Prix B | Grand Prix Freestyle |
|---|---|---|
| 74.051% | 74.395% | 80.265% |
| Hartpury CPEDI3* 2026 | Hartpury CPEDI3* 2026 | Hartpury CPEDI3* 2026 |