British paralympians dominate at Hartpury International

The British team didn’t utilise their usual suspects to annihilate the opposition at Hartpury para international, but they still won by 554 points from the Irish, with Japan in third.

Sophie Wells, Emma Kent, Natasha Baker and Emma Sheardown were given the challenge of defending Britain’s unbroken international record, which proved a walk in the park.

Team member Sophie Wells looks set to be the best grade IV rider Britain has ever had and scored a plus-70% hat-trick with Pinocchio, previously ridden at able-bodied small tour level by Pippa Fisher.

Sophie has been selected to represent Britain at the European Championships in Norway (20-24 August), alongside team-mate here Emma Sheardown. They will be joined by Lee Pearson (grade Ib), Sophie Christiansen (grade Ia), Simon Laurens (grade III) and Jo Pitt (grade II), who all won their respective classes at Hartpury, validating the selectors’ decision.

For a full report on Hartpury’s able-bodied and para-dressage internationals, plus Premier League and Shearwater young horse classes, check out Thursday’s Horse & Hound

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now