MacCarthy claims national dressage title

MacCarthy, 27, who regularly wins advanced classes against able-bodied riders, was encouraged by her impressive national victory at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, which is the biggest event of its kind in the world.

MacCarthy, who works in Leamington as a paralegal for solicitors Wright Hassall, fought off stiff competition after booking her path to the finals by winning a regional qualifying competition at Solihull Riding Club.

In previous years, the championship has proved a springboard to the Paralympics and many of the current Team GB have competed there.

MacCarthy was a talented able-bodied rider before being partially paralysed after breaking her back, hip and pelvis aged 19, when a horse fell on top of her.

Despite her injuries, she was back in the saddle within 12 months.

She now competes at grade 4, the least severe level of disability, but has had to cope with a string of setbacks in her quest to reach the top of her sport.

Her own horse, Whisper, ruptured a ligament in January 2010 but after a television appeal, MacCarthy, was loaned Conquestadore, nicknamed Carlos, an advanced dressage horse whose owner flew him over from Germany.

With support from several top riders and sponsorship from her employers she has successfully trained Carlos, who was previously ridden only by able-bodied riders, to understand the Paralympic commands.

The pair also finished an impressive third overall in the highly-competitive 2-star international at Bishop Burton in Yorkshire last weekend, beating several of their rivals who were using the event as a warm-up for London.

“I was over the moon when we won the Riding for the Disabled National Championship,” said MacCarthy.

“It was a real boost after the disappointment of missing out on the Paralympics and Carlos went really well on the day.

“It was also a thrill to be placed so high in the Bishop Burton international, even though my disability caused me a few problems on the third day which affected our placing.

“When I am on a horse I have little use of my right leg and I am limited through my lower spine so it’s great that Carlos has learned the Paralympic commands so well as he, like most horses, had been brought up to carry people who can apply full pressure through both legs.

“He’s got so much talent, I really hope we can go even further in the sport and maybe compete in the 2016 Paralympics.”