‘We’re very, very excited’: double world medallist and husband expecting first child
The couple will welcome their first child in March 2027
Para dressage double world medallist Jemima Green and her husband Ed Chapman are expecting their first child.
“Baby Chapman” is due via surrogate in March 2027, and Jemima told H&H she and Ed are “very excited”.
“It’s quite daunting because it’s something we’ve never done, but we’re so ready for it,” she said.
“We’re not going to find out the sex, as much as Ed would love to know. I think it’s one of the biggest surprises you can get.”
Jemima said she and Ed started looking into the surrogacy process almost four years ago; it has been a long journey. The couple underwent IVF and the embryo was transferred to a surrogate mother.
“We had to go down the surrogacy route because of the amount of abdominal damage I had and I’m just now allowed to carry,” said Jemima.
“It’s been a whole new world going through the process and finding out all the legal information. Even though the baby is 100% genetically ours, there’s still so many hurdles you have to go through.
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“There’s been every kind of emotion, and just getting to terms with having to have a family in a different way, but it’s amazing that we’ve got the opportunity to do it. Ed’s been so supportive and understood from day one.”
Jemima and Ed have been at all the pre-natal appointments and scans.
“We’ve very lucky that we have a great relationship with our surrogate and we’re able to go to the scans. It’s also being mindful of hospital surrogacy rules as they’re not all the same about how many people can attend,” said Jemima.
“Last week was the first time we heard the heartbeat, so that’s a huge milestone. It would’t be the same getting it over a video, so we’re very lucky hospitals have been very accommodating of our process.”
Jemima has had a 2026 to remember, having won individual bronze and silver with Fantabulous at the World Championships in Aachen in August.
“Last year the Europeans was our first championship and I just felt so lucky to be there. It’s not that I didn’t deserve the spot, but this year I was really thinking: ‘We have campaigned well, we really deserve our place’,” she said.
“We got the silver in the freestyle and a personal best of 80%. It was bit of a whirlwind as we got home on the Monday and had the 12-week scan on the Wednesday.”
Jemima plans to keep competing with “Fanta” once Baby Chapman arrives.
“I thought about it, and as I’m not having to physically recover, I’m going to keep riding and campaigning,” she said.
“It’s going to be full-on, but we’re very lucky Ed’s mum is close by. Even if I do need to drop down to riding less days, my coach Georgie [Nicholls] helps me with Fanta and so he’ll be kept running exactly like normal. I like being organised and I love a list, so planning ahead is absolutely something I’m looking forward to doing. We’re very, very excited.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.