Para dressage is the sport of dressage for riders with a physical impairment. The word para in this context comes from the term “parallel”, referring to the Paralympics being “parallel” to the Olympics.
Para dressage athletes are classified across five grades, according to the impact their disability has on their ability to ride. Grade I is for those who are most severely impaired and grade V is for those who are the least impaired.
Para dressage in Britain
Great Britain has one of the best developed pathways for equestrian disability sport in the world, with British Dressage offering plenty of opportunities for riders wishing to get involved at any level from grassroots to international.
British Dressage also has close links with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), via which several top British Paralympic athletes begun their careers in dressage.
Para dressage on the world stage
Para dressage has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1996. Until 2018, Britain totally dominated the international stage, winning the team competition at every major champipnship. In 2018, Britain took the silver medal behind the Netherlands at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA, and the result was repeated in 2019 at the European Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Britain remains the only nation to have ever claimed Paralympic dressage team gold. At the last Paralympics in Rio 2016, Britain was represented by Sophie Wells, Sophie Christiansen, Natasha Baker, Lee Pearson and Anne Dunham.
Which nations secured Olympic and Paralympic dressage qualification at the World Championships – and who missed out?
‘It is what it is’: Sophie Wells falls agonisingly short of a second individual medal in Aachen
‘He’s extraordinary – like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’: Nicola Naylor and Humberto L sign off from Aachen with brave and demanding freestyle
‘She’s made my dreams come true’: 19-year-old mare bows out after a career like no other
‘I was expecting some massive scores – I didn’t think I’d be one of them’: Brit Jemima Green’s shock freestyle silver
‘It takes a village’: The US beat their own Paralympic record to win team gold in Aachen
Britain secure Los Angeles 2028 spot despite missing out on the team podium at World Championships
FEI admits rules error and rider taken to hospital in separate Aachen dramas
Spook leaves British rider wondering ‘where are we going?’ as para squad gets team competition under way
‘Dad would be down the pub telling everybody’: Sophie Wells returns to the top with an emotional gold
British World Championship bronze vindicates late horse swap, as Team US cruises to another gold medal
Meet the para dressage riders carrying British hopes at the World Championships
Jemima Green stuns herself with career-best bronze at World Para Dressage Championships
‘This is our story’: Mari Durward-Akhurst’s emotional silver on Britain’s opening day
How to watch the para dressage World Championships live from anywhere in the world
Can anyone beat the USA to the top of the para dressage podium at the Aachen World Championships?
‘No such thing as it can’t be done’: 71-year-old World Championships rider hopes to inspire others – and win medals
Paralympic champions among British para dressage entries for 2026 World Championship
