Portrait of out Paralympic equestrian Lee Pearson

From the Lesbian and Gay Foundation:

Lee Pearson is often described as the world’s most successful Paralympics dressage rider. He has amassed a total of 27 gold medals since starting Paralympics dressage competitions in 1998. He set an Equestrian world record by being unbeaten at three consecutive Paralympics Games. In 2003, he became the only disabled person to have won a title at the British Dressage National Championships competing against non-disabled riders when he took the 2003 elementary restricted finals.

These are amazing feats for anyone but even more so when you consider that Lee has a condition called arthrogryposis, which means his muscles didn’t grow correctly and he does not have mobility in his ankles or knees and also has restricted movement in his other limbs.

Lee had 15 major operations to straighten his limbs as a child but he has never let his disability get him down and has no plans to have any more operations at the present time.

It has never been a problem for him or others around him however, he wasn’t bullied at school and in fact was Mr Popular and even dated a girl in the year above.. oh how times have changed!

Lee recently became civilly partnered to his other half Mark Latham. He has gone on to win three gold medals at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, U.S.A in October. There seems to be no stopping this man who at just 36 years old has already achieved so much in his life.


Keep reading HERE.