Paralympic Dressage with Sir Lee Pearson CBE

After discovering para dressage while watching the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics on TV, Lee started riding and has gone on to win team gold at every Paralympic Games he has competed at. He took the triple title (team, individual and freestyle) at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, 2004 Athens Paralympics and 2008 Beijing Paralympics, setting an equestrian world record by being unbeaten at three consecutive Paralympic Games.

In 2003, he became the first disabled person to have won a title at the British Dressage National Championships while competing against non-disabled riders when he took the 2003 elementary restricted title.

Competing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Lee came away with three medals, Team gold, Individual silver and bronze in the Grade Ib competition; 2015 saw him secure Team gold and two Individual silvers at the European Championships out in Deauville.

At Rio 2016, Lee’s career achievements were recognised when he was chosen to be the ParalympicsGB flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony, leading the team into the Maracana at his fifth Games.

Once competition got under way, Lee swiftly claimed the 13th Paralympic dressage medal of his career with a silver in the individual competition, scoring an impressive 74.103 on horse Zion as Austria’s Pepo Puch took gold to upgrade his bronze from London 2012.

Lee’s fortunes changes in the individual freestyle test (Ib) where he went on to secure his eleventh Paralympic gold medal – his 14th of any colour. Riding Zion, Lee won with a total of 77.400% ahead of Pepo Puch of Austria in silver and Denmark’s Stinna Kaastrup, who took bronze.

He received a CBE in 2009 and then in 2016, he was made a Sir, receiving a knighthood in the New Year Honours List for services to equestrianism and disability sport.

Sir Lee features in CMR Surgical’s Spotlight Series – unique and inspiring stories from across the Paralympic and surgical communities.

To find out more about CMR Surgical’s series please visit: https://cmrsurgical.com/paralympicsgb

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