Eight-time Paralympic equestrian champion Sophie Christiansen announces retirement

Eight-time Paralympic equestrian champion Sophie Christiansen has announced her retirement following a 20-year competitive career. 

Representing Great Britain, Christiansen made her Paralympic debut at Athens 2004 at the age of 16. She won three medals at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, making her one of the most successful Para equestrian athletes ever.

“After a 20-year competitive career, I have decided to retire from Para dressage,” Christiansen said in a social media post.  “I was once told, ‘When you know, you know.’ I used to wonder what this meant, but now I realise that I am more excited about the possibilities of what I could do outside of the sport than doing another 4-year cycle of highs and lows as an athlete.”

After a 20-year competitive career, I have decided to retire from para dressage.... pic.twitter.com/PH3xY10RVQ

— Sophie Christiansen CBE (@SChristiansen87) November 5, 2024

Redefining possibilities  

Born two months premature with cerebral palsy, Christiansen started riding with the Riding for the Disabled Association when she was six years old. She said it was a “complete game changer” to find a sport that she could excel in.

“It goes without saying that Para dressage has given me so much. Sport has empowered me to redefine what I thought was possible, to keep breaking barriers in all areas of my life,” she said.

Christiansen competed at Athens in 2004, three years after taking up the sport. She won the bronze medal in the mixed dressage – championship Grade I event, which she says was a life-changing experience.

“Athens 2004 was totally different to what the Paralympic Movement has now become. I rode a horse called Hotstuff, generously lent to me by my teammate,” Christiansen recalled.

“As a teenager with a disability, I was very shy and self-conscious about my speech impairment but seeing these amazing disabled athletes getting on with their lives and joking about it at the same time, I wanted to be seen in this positive light too.

“I won an extremely unexpected bronze medal, which lit the fire in me to go on and win 24 European, World, and Paralympic gold medals for Great Britain.”

She won triple gold medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016, achieving a clean sweep of the team, championship, and freestyle events.

“To achieve my first clean sweep of gold medals at a home Games, London 2012, was beyond my wildest dreams. Having my brother and cousins start a chat of ‘We love you, Sophie!’ by 10,000 spectators was just insane. The memories still give me goosebumps,” she said.

“It was here that my double life as a Paralympic gold medallist with a career gave me a platform to highlight the barriers that disabled people face in society. I hope that, in some way, I can make a difference and create a more equitable world.

Giving back to sport

Christiansen wants to help introduce the sport to more people around the world.

“In recent years, I have wanted to give back to the sport I have loved so much. Part of this was to create a community of supporters through Sophie’s Gold Club to bring people closer to the action of Para dressage,” she said.

“I want to work alongside the RDA, British Dressage and British Equestrian to continue introducing people to the world of Para dressage so that when another ‘me’ comes along, they can also achieve their dreams.”