Sophie Wells

Rider Profile

Name:
Sophie Wells
DOB:
May 1990
Competition Grade:
5

Sophie started riding at the age of eight at her local riding school and took up able-bodied 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. Sophie received an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours list for her achievements in para-dressage.

In 2017, Sophie helped the team to a seventh consecutive European team title and took freestyle gold and individual silver. This was followed by triple gold at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018 with C Fatal Attraction, then the pair achieved triple silver in Rotterdam at the 2019 European Championships. 

Horse

Don cara m

  • Stable name: Donnie
  • Details: Dark bay gelding
  • Height: 16.3hh
  • Age: 12yrs
  • Breeding: s. Don Jovi
  • Breeder: H M Melis (NED)
  • Owner: Roland Kinch
  • Travelling grooms: Liz Walsh and Jade Lockwood