Mari Durward-Akhurst shall be making her Paralympic debut in Paris, however she couldn’t ask for a extra skilled accomplice than Di Redfern’s 17-year-old all-star Athene Lindebjerg (Gribaldi x Diamant).
Athene is a bona fide legend at grade I and has already gained 9 worldwide gold medals together with her former riders Sophie Christiansen and Julie Payne.
She’s additionally a former in a position bodied nationwide elementary champion beneath Jess Thompson.
A confirmed champion
At Athene’s final Video games in Rio she gained triple gold with Sophie, and scored the very best mark of the entire competitors scoring 79.7% within the freestyle together with her lovely piano-based music that left onlookers in tears.
Rio was an emotional Video games for Sophie who had been contemplating giving up the game after a troublesome yr during which she modified coach and battled sickness.
On high of that, Athene contracted an an infection within the build-up and it wasn’t till the day the horses flew to Rio that Sophie knew for positive whether or not the horse she describes as a “grade I supermodel” could be up for it.
“A yr in the past I used to be like, ‘Yeah, I’ll win three gold medals’, however this yr has taught me that something can occur in sport, and by no means to take something as a right,” Sophie instructed Horse & Hound in 2016.
“For Athene to enter that enviornment and do this – I’m over the moon.”
Julie Payne driving Athene Lindeberg on the European Championships. Credit score: Kevin Sparrow
A yr later, Athene partnered championship first-timer Julie Payne to a different trio of gold medals this time on the European Championships.
The pair have been final to go within the group competitors, and with the stress on, knew they needed to rating above 74.6% to safe gold.
As silence descended throughout the world in Gothenburg, the pair produced a flawless efficiency, stuffed with function and leisure, to attain 78.1% – the very best rating of the occasion.
“That was the toughest check I’ve ever ridden in my life,” Julie stated. “It took completely every thing I had however Athene gave me every thing.
“My legs didn’t need to work, my pelvis didn’t need to transfer, however she simply stayed with me.”
An ideal match
Julie’s re-classification from grade I to grade II noticed her partnership with Athene come to an finish. Athene then spent a spell at stud, the place she had two foals herself, and two by way of surrogates.
When Di took Athene again from stud in 2023, Mari was the primary individual she provided the journey to.
Di has recognized Mari since she was simply 11-years-old attending coaching days at South Bucks Using for the Disabled Affiliation (RDA) at Di’s Mill Home Farm.
“I went to attempt Athene and fell in love immediately,” Mari – who’s herself a silver medallist from the 2019 European Championships – recollects.
“I’d seen and heard a lot about her so to be on her was unimaginable. Using her was much more superb than watching her – I imply that stroll!
“From the primary journey we began to kind a partnership, and with the assistance of my coach Rob Waine, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than we have been out competing collectively.”
Nevertheless, it was all plain crusing, and the mix needed to overcome some challenges.
“The grade I grand prix check had modified, and Athene has needed to change into extra uphill,” Mari defined. “That was a problem at first as I can’t use my legs.
“However now she understands my whips are my legs. I’ve needed to change into fitter and stronger in my core to journey her huge motion, so I spend my time doing rowing, energy and conditioning.”
Setting their sights on Paris
Mari and Athene’s competitors profession bought off to a tentative begin because the pair bought to know each other.
“Folks would say to me, you should be feeling a lot stress, however I simply went with it, and since we didn’t win immediately, the stress actually was off,” stated Mari.
However it didn’t take lengthy for the wins to begin coming in, and in September 2023 they have been topped grade I nationwide champions. This achievement was much more outstanding as Mari had simply been launched from the hospital following a two-week battle with a kidney an infection.
“I knew I used to be going to make it right here, I simply wasn’t positive how,” Mari stated on the time. “I used to be nonetheless a bit wibbly-wobbly after being within the hospital however she is aware of what she has to do and I used to be actually completely happy – the truth is I feel it was the very best check we’ve ever achieved.”
Since then the pair have by no means completed exterior the highest two in worldwide competitors. This June, they swept all of the grade I courses at Wellington CPEDI3*, setting private bests in all three, throughout a run of eight consecutive wins that noticed them rise to the highest of the FEI world rankings.
“Athene is a dream to journey, and her stroll is unimaginable,” Mari stated. “Her ears prick the minute we go down the centre line and as soon as within the white boards she is aware of her job and all the time reveals off her sq. halts. One of many judges has stated she seems to smile as she is doing her check!”
Their high kind and standing as world quantity ones made them shoo-ins for Paris, the place Athene will make her championship comeback and add one other outstanding chapter to her already illustrious profession.
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