Dame Emma Jane Brown - former international show jumper and tireless charity ambassador was back in the ring on Saturday at the Royal Windsor Horse Show – the place where she hung up her boots 18 years ago when an allergy to horses forced her early retirement.
For the last year Emma – three-times Ladies Champion - has been mentoring Karen Law – Britain’s first blind show jumper who dreams of one day competing in the Paralympics but cannot afford to buy a horse of her own.
Karen Law was born with bilateral collaboma which means that her eyes never developed properly. At the age of three she had an accident causing a retinal detachment leaving her with no vision in her right eye and only shadows in her left eye. Despite her disability, Karen is a talented and fearless rider, who has competed in the National Championships in the UK and been placed in 2011 and 2012 at La Baule – France’s prestigious International Show.
Action girl Emma recently mounted a campaign to raise funds to buy Karen a much needed horse which included sky diving.
Unknown to Karen, Emma had secured sufficient funds to buy her the coveted horse and had orchestrated an incredible surprise for her at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
A stranger to publicity, Karen found herself in front of the Royal Box where she was interviewed about her career before a delightful Belgian bred grey horse called Pearl danced into the ring and was presented to her by Emma. There wasn’t a dry eye in the stands!
Equiport supported this campaign by providing the rug Pearl wore for the presentation, with logos of the other equestrian supporters, including Townfields Saddlery, Uvex and Arena UK.
Thanks to Emma, Karen will now have the opportunity to compete as a para equestrian at the highest level.
