last updated on September 05, 2008 16:08

Four riders out of the seven-strong equestrian squad have been selected to contest the team medal, a title that Britain have held since the 1996 Paralympic Games when the events were first added to the programme. The team will be Lee Pearson, Anne Dunham, Sophie Christiansen and Simon Laurens.

Pearson has won six Paralympic gold medals at the last two Games and comes to Beijing with a new horse, Gentleman. Although the pair have only been a partnership since January this year Pearson is confident he has found something special despite also admitting that the horse is “young and naïve.”

“He is a big horse standing at 17.2 hands and he can be temperamental, he’s like James Bond with a twist. He has power and is not a spooky horse. Movement was one of the priority factors in choosing him, bearing in mind that the movement and temperament are what the judges look for in dressage.” Pearson admits that he is under pressure competing at his third Paralympic Games. “Everyone will be looking at what I am doing. I will just have to ignore everything and concentrate on getting ready for the competitions. I will have to convince him (Gentleman) that we are just at home and try to give him security and confidence.”

Simon Laurens, who joins Pearson in the team, is making his Paralympic debut in Hong Kong, where the equestrian events are taking place. He picked up two gold medals in his first senior team appearance for Britain at the 2007 World Championships and is “aiming and hoping for gold” in Beijing. “Ocean Diamond is great,” he says, “and more than a horse, he likes the show bit. It’s all to do with fitness and I try to keep him fresh for competition.”

Anne Dunham and Sophie Christiansen complete the team. Dunham has been part of the gold medal winning team on each occasion and will want to continue that tradition. Christiansen rode as an individual in Athens, claiming bronze and picked up two individual gold medals at last year’s World Championships.

The further three members of the equestrian squad, who will ride as individuals are Ricky Balshaw, Debbie Criddle and Felicity Coulthard.