PARA Carriage Driver to World Championships - Germany 2025

Please help Emily to achieve her dream of competing at the FEI World Para Driving Championships in Germany next September. All fundraising contributions will go towards the eye watering costs of training and key competitions (that are crucial to ensure continued progress and success)

In 2023 Emily had a fairy tale year and driving her 22 year old Welsh Section D pony Alfie she helped Team GBR win a Bronze medal at the World Para Driving Championships in Exloo, Netherlands. In a nail biting finish the team were within one point of achieving the silver medal! She was the best scoring GB competitor and fourth individually in her large class of 16 world class Grade 1 drivers.

Emily is passionate about carriage driving and promoting the sport in spite of her own health issues and disability. She wants nothing more than to have the opportunity to continue training at the highest level and to compete at the 2025 Championships .

"Unlike other Equestrian disciplines the GBR Para driving squad does not receive lottery funding and there are no Welsh grants available for talented athletes in this sport. The individual costs of getting to the World Championships are very high and it would be amazing to have some support towards these so I have set up this Gofundme. Any donation, however small, would be hugely appreciated and would greatly help our finances.

If you can donate - thank you very much for helping make my dream come true.

Emily is hoping to raise £5,000 to pay towards training costs (and entry fees for key competitions) for herself and her pony in the run up to the 2025 World Championships and your contribution – however small will help make a real difference.

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A Bit about Me and My Pony

I fell in love with carriage driving at age 8, after sitting up with the driver on a horse drawn tour around York. I was always a keen rider but once we got a driving pony I couldn't get enough of driving- although where we live on a steep mountainside in the Brecon Beacons was a challenge!

I was lucky enough to benefit from British Young Driver training and with my Section C stallion Crossfield Glory I competed internationally three times on the Welsh team and then in Austria on Team GB Young Drivers. I've had such happy times at driving trials events, driven showing, trec , scurry and trials and attelage.

I was offered Alfie when I was looking for a powerful section D pony to take me forward as a young adult in driving trials and we gelled brilliantly. With Alfie I was twice Young Driver Champion as well as the National Reserve Intermediate Champion.

Unfortunately not long after, things took a turn downhill with my health, and for five years I stopped driving. I missed it so much - but felt at a loss in how to go on.

Then in October 2022 I was offered a session with Team GB driver Robert Buck and he gave me the confidence I needed to rekindle the fire and passion for my sport!

Alfie is absolutely my perfect partner. He is spirited but responsive and has adapted so well to retraining as I've had to learn how to adapt to my disability.

I have had invaluable help and encouragement from The GB POD training group and especially Robert Buck, my trainer. Dad has kindly taken me to sessions at his yard in Gloucestershire since October, even through the worst winter weather.

I now have my international classification as a Grade 1 Para Driver. It has been an incredible come back to top level competition for me and Alfie. It took just six months from March when Alfie started training, for him to rise to World Class. We built up our confidence and skills after taking part in as many driving camps and competitions as we could afford and in August 2023 we were picked as part of the squad for the 2023 World Championships. We were delighted to become the open Para Champions at the Certius National Championships the following week and so excited to be off to the World Championships!

The 2023 World Championships at Exloo was the most amazing adventure, and an experience I will always treasure. Everyone was so helpful and supportive . It was out of this world to be picked as a team member so my scores would count in the final result and Alfie was certainly up to prove age is no barrier to success when he stormed round the marathon to get a podium place at the the of 22 years young! He went on to get a double clear in the cones and come fourth overall in our big class. What’s more our scores helped the team to win the bronze medal and finish within one point of silver!

Community impact and giving back

I am so grateful for the opportunities I have and the help I am given. I know how much it means to have encouragement and practical support. I have spent many years volunteering with driving groups giving support and training and have been active as the British Driving Society Commissioner for Young Drivers for the past ten years. I have enjoyed organising training for them, camps and their annual scholarship as well as setting up a comprehensive panel of Young Driver National Achievement Awards to help build confidence and skills through key aspects of carriage driving. During Covid I set up a full monthly online newsletter packed with news to help them keep in touch and with games, activities and useful information to help them practice skills at home. This is now an established favourite and membership has reached new heights.

I am a YELA ambassador and qualified UKCC carriage driving coach. I have assisted with RDA training and as a technical delegate in running the driving at their National Championships at Hartpury.

The Riding for the Disabled Association groups provide fantastic opportunities to people of all ages and degrees of impairment to grow in confidence and improve their physical skills and mental health through riding or driving. Since becoming a Grade 1 para driver I have enjoyed supporting other drivers with advice and practical demonstrations so they too can start to realise their dreams. I am active within the GB POD group as well as the Carriage Driving Sports Group for Drives with Disabilities. These are amazing organisations.

In October 2023 I was a finalist for the Horse & Hound Inspiration of the Year and enjoyed attending their presentations. By helping and inspiring others I feel I can make a small contribution back as a way of thanking everyone who has supported me and helped me to achieve my dreams in my sport of carriage driving.

My heartfelt thanks to you all.