Lee Pearson
 Pearson at the parade in London to celebrate the achievements of British competitors at the 2008 Summer Paralympics. | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Para-Dressage | ||
Representing  Great Britain
| ||
| Summer Paralympics | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2000 Sydney | Dressage |
| | 2000 Sydney | Freestyle dressage |
| | 2000 Sydney | Team dressage |
| | 2004 Athens | Dressage |
| | 2004 Athens | Freestyle dressage |
| | 2004 Athens | Team dressage |
| | 2008 Beijing | Dressage |
| | 2008 Beijing | Freestyle dressage |
| | 2008 Beijing | Team dressage |
| | 2012 London | Mixed Team Championship |
| | 2016 Rio | Individual Freestyle grade Ib |
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2012 London | Individual championship test grade Ib |
| | 2016 Rio | Dressage grade Ib |
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2012 London | Freestyle Dressage |
David Lee Pearson, CBE (born 4 February 1974) is a 11-times paralympic games gold medallist having represented British para-equestrianism in Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London. He also has six world-championship and three European titles.
Biography
Pearson was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and first came to public attention in 1980 when then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher carried him up stairs in 10 Downing Street having awarded him a 'Children of Courage' medal. He currently lives in Bagnall, Staffordshire.
He turned professional after he was inspired by the Atlanta Olympics. He won three gold medals in the championship dressage, freestyle dressage, and team dressage events at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Paralympics. He won gold in the team dressage event at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, silver in the championship dressage and bronze in the freestyle.[1]
He noted after his failure to win gold in the freestyle competition in London that he had been voted down by the British judge but said that he would compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, on a different horse.[2]
Pearson is currently the holder of 34 Gold medals at European, World and Paralympic level.
Honours
Pearson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Staffordshire University in July 2005.[3]
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2001 New Year Honours "for services to Disabled Sports".[4] He was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2005 "for services to Equestrianism and to Disabled Sport"[5] and to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours "for services to Equestrianism and to Disabled Sport".[6][7]
Personal life
Pearson runs his own dressage yard in Staffordshire and teaches many around the country.
Pearson is openly gay.[8] He entered into a civil partnership with Mark Latham in 2010, but they separated in 2012.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ "Paralympics 2012: Lee Pearson takes dressage bronze". BBC Sport. 3 September 2012.
- ↑ BBC Sport - Paralympics 2012: Lee Pearson takes dressage bronze
- ↑ lee pearson results dressage horse disabled mbe obe
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56070. p. 21. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57509. p. 12. 31 December 2004. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58929. p. 8. 31 December 2008.
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/31_01_08_honours.pdf
- ↑ "Lee Pearson: Out of two closets, into Paralympic history". CNN. 1 July 2015.
- ↑ "Lee Pearson: 'I prepare with curry, Malibu and Coke'". The Independent. 18 August 2012.
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