Deborah Criddle (GBR)&LJT Akilles - Individual Freestyle - Grade III - Dressage - London 2012 Paralympic Games - Greenwich Park, London, United Kingdom - 4 September 2012
The British para dressage riders dominated London 2012, bringing home 14 medals in total — five individual gold, five individual silver, one bronze and team gold — and making it Britain’s most successful games ever.
And to celebrate the magic of those games, the British Paralympic Association introduced National Paralympic Day, now in its third year, which is being celebrated across the country today (26 July, 2015).
Take a look back at some of those glory moments from Greenwich…
Sophie Christiansen
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Time to celebrate: Sophie Christiansen is the first British Paralympian in 2012 to win three gold medals
Sophie Christiansen
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Britain’s Sophie Christiansen, who took gold with Janeiro 6 in the grade Ia individual competition, embraces Singapore’s Laurentia Tan, who took bronze with Ruben James 2.
Sophie Wells
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Sophie Wells poses with a union flag to celebrate her silver medal in the grade IV individual freestyle, with Pinocchio. “He’s got such power and gives you an amazing feel,” she said about her ride.
Does seeing female competitors without hairnets make your stomach do a little flip? And is all your kit patent or
Deb Criddle and LJT Akilles
Deborah Criddle (GBR)&LJT Akilles - Individual Freestyle - Grade III - Dressage - London 2012 Paralympic Games - Greenwich Park, London, United Kingdom - 4 September 2012
(Image credit: Jon Stroud Media)
Soaking up the atmosphere at Greenwich: Deb Criddle and LJT Akilles take silver in the grade III freestyle competition.
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Lee Pearson and Gentleman
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Umbrellas at the ready: Lee Pearson CBE and Gentleman brave the rain in the team test.
Natasha Baker
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Grade II individual gold medalist Natasha Baker takes a lap of honour at Greenwich Park. “This is the most incredible feeling in the world,” she said. About her ride Cabral she added: “He’s just the best horser ever, a dream.”
Natasha Baker
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Savouring the moment: Natasha Baker with her gold medal. “It’s so heavy!” she exclaimed at the time. “I nearly fell over when they put it on me.”
Don’t miss our feature about how para dressage riders make it work in the 13 August issue of Horse & Hound magazine
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.
