Friday, 26 May 2023
The equestrian industry relies heavily on the dedication of volunteers, from a local riding centre to international competitions. One group who work closely with British Equestrian is our para classifiers, a highly skilled team who commit their free time to help those with physical impairments to become classified and progress within the world of para dressage and driving.
Ami is one of the newest additions to the classification team. Her volunteering journey started as a teenager at her local RDA centre in North Wales. “My mum worked there and by the age of 14 – 20 years ago now! – I was volunteering, too,” she explained. “Before long, I was coaching riders, then working full-time at the centre as a groom.” During this time, Ami met a number of physiotherapists, including renowned para classifier Lynn Lawford, who would classify the athletes on site. Watching this rewarding process directly influenced her decision to study physiotherapy at university and become an ACPAT Category A Veterinary physiotherapist.
The opportunity arose for Ami to complete her classifier training for chartered physiotherapists with British Equestrian. “It felt very much like a full circle moment, with Lynn leading on teaching the course, giving me an opportunity many years later to thank her for her support when I first started within RDA,” she said. “Back then, the idea of being able to classify athletes one day felt like a pipe dream!”
Ami describes what she loves about being a classifier: “I feel very proud to explain to people who might not know much about para sport what my role is as a classifier and how inspiring the different athletes I meet are. To be able to see riders I first met within RDA go on to be internationally classified and flourish in their sport is something I feel hugely proud of. However, it’s especially lovely to meet young riders just starting on their journey with horses.”
Outside of classification, Ami works part time as a paediatric palliative care physiotherapist for a children’s hospice, and part time as an equine and canine physiotherapist – along with the occasional cat. If all that isn’t enough, Ami lives on a small holding with her own sheep, a corgi puppy, and four horses with whom she has competed at Horse of the Year Show and the Royal Welsh Show.
Ami describes the pride she feels to be able to volunteer within the para community. “I’m aware I’m a small part of the para sport journey, compared to the many horses, riders, coaches and teams the athlete will go on to meet. However, I appreciate that short time I spend getting to know the athletes. For anyone who’s ever considered para equestrianism, I always point them in the direction of watching the freestyle to music because it’s something that, as a supporter of the community first and foremost, I’ll never tire of having the privilege of watching.”
This Volunteers Week, we want to celebrate all those who volunteer in the equestrian community. Ami’s story highlights the important role that volunteering has in helping equestrian sport to flourish, from grassroots all the way to the top level.
To find out more about para equestrian sport, click here.
To find out how you can get involved in volunteering, click here.