OFFICIAL RIDER PROFILE – Sophie Christiansen MBE

SOPHIE CHRISTIANSEN OBE

D.O.B: 14 November 1987

Resides: Sunningdale, Berkshire

Grade: Ia

Current top rides: Janeiro 6: 16hh light bay gelding by Jacquare, foaled 1997. (Owner: Sophie

Christiansen)

Major Achievements at a Glance:

• Our most outstanding para equestrian at London 2012 with three gold medals

• Winner of individual gold and silver plus team gold at Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008.

• Winner of individual bronze medal at the Paralympic Games in Athens 2004 aged 16.

• Winner of three gold medals at 2005 European Para Dressage Championships

• Individual gold and bronze medallist at the 2007 World Para Dressage Championships.

• Awarded and MBE in 2009 for services to disabled sport and then promoted to OBE in 2012.

• Individual gold and silver medallist and team gold medallist at 2009 European Para Dressage

Championships.

• Individual gold and silver medallist and team silver medallist at 2011 European Para Dressage

Championships.

About Sophie:

Sophie was born two months prematurely with cerebral palsy. She took up riding as a form of

physiotherapy aged six through her local Riding for the Disabled group. At 13, she applied to join

South Bucks RDA. It was here that she was introduced to Para dressage as a sport, not just as

therapy, through the guidance of Clive Milkins. She began to compete in Para dressage and soon

went to her first international competitions.

Selection for the Athens Paralympic Games followed in 2004 at the age of 16 and Sophie took home

a bronze medal. She won three European champion medals on Martini Maybe the following year

OFFICIAL RIDER PROFILE – Sophie Christiansen MBE

and became world gold and bronze medallist with Gazel in 2007. Sophie then collected a further

two gold medals and one silver medal at the Beijing/Hong Kong Paralympic Games in 2008 on the

Para Dressage Training Trust’s Lambrusco III.

At the 2009 European Championships, Sophie won individual gold and silver plus a team gold

medal. In the same year she was awarded an MBE for service to disabled soprt in the New Year’s

Honours List. The World Equestrian Games followed in 2010 and Sophie was crowned World

Champion.

In May 2011 she graduated from the Royal Holloway University of London with a first class degree in

Maths and works part time as a statistician.

Follow Sophie on Twitter: @SChristiansen87

Major Competition Record:

Paralympics

2012 London, GBR (Horse: Janeiro 6) Team, Individual and Freestyle

gold

2008 Beijing, CHN

(Horse: Lambrusco III)

Individual gold & silver

Team silver

2004 Athens, GRE

(Horse: Hot Stuff)

Individual bronze, 4th Freestyle

World Championships

2010 Kentucky, USA

(Horse: Rivaldo of Berkeley)

Individual gold

Team gold

2007 Hartpury, UK (Horse: Gazel) Freestyle gold, Individual

bronze

European Championships

2009 Kristiansand, NOR

(Horse: Lambrusco III)

Individual gold & freestyle

silver

Team gold

2005 Soskut, HUN

(Horse: Martini Maybe)

2 x individual gold

Team gold

National Championships

2013 Hickstead British Para Championships Ia (Horse: Janeiro 6)

2011 Winter Champion 1a (Horse Rivaldo of Berkeley)

2009 National Champion 1a (Horse: Rivaldo of Berekley)

OFFICIAL RIDER PROFILE – Sophie Christiansen MBE