Mari Durward-Akhurst

Disappointments and Triumphs

Disappointments
My biggest disappointment has to be losing my horse. I have not had a lot of luck in the past with horses as they seemed to keep breaking, but I was very lucky to be offered horses that I had only ridden a few times to compete on.

Then in 2009 I was lucky enough to have my own horse which my mum and dad had brought for me with the help of my Grandparents. She was lovely and was called Miss Daisy III she taught me an awful lot. Unfortunately not long after we had just started competing she was diagnosed with Navicular, and had to be put down as she was in so much pain.

I did very well with her though, in the very few outings we qualified for the Winter and Spring Para Dressage Championships. We came 3rd in the freestyle to music at the Winter Para Championships (against open riders). Our best performance (and unfortunately our last) was at the Spring Para Dressage Championships where we were first Restricted Rider in the warm up test and was 3rd overall and only 2% of a Paralympic gold medallist. We then went onto to finish third in the championship.

My triumphs
My biggest achievement has to be being able to ride and compete horses that I had only ridden a few times before. I was also very lucky to get to ride a gold medallist 1a horse for my Junior International.

Recently my biggest competition triumph has to be winning the Grade 3 Restricted Para Winter Championships. I have not had the ride on Woody for long and we have already been doing really well.