An event rider whose life was changed forever by a tragic accident is now back in the saddle and aiming for the Rio Paralympics.
Tragic accident
Emma Booth was a 21-year old veterinarian student at Monash University in Melbourne, with a talent and passion for eventing.
On 7 April 2013, Emma was travelling back from an event her friend had been competing at when their car collided with a jack-knifed truck.
The two horses travelling in the trailer were both killed, while Emma’s spine was shattered and her spinal cord severely damaged, leaving her a paraplegic.
Rehabilitation
She spent nearly four months in hospital undergoing rigorous rehabilitation and is now back at home with her family, with one thing on her mind.
“After the accident the only thing I could think about was being able to get back in the saddle,” said Emma. “Every hour of cardio, hydro and physio were all driven by this goal.”
After nearly seven months of being unable to get out of her bed or chair, Emma achieved her goal and was riding again.
Liberating
Far from being beaten by her injuries Emma is more determined than ever to make it to the top of her sport. The difference now is she competes in para dressage and needs two people to help her get on a horse.
“The feeling of being back in the saddle is unable to be described,” said Emma. “Feeling the horses movement underneath me was extremely liberating.”
Emma was soon competing again, and in her first para dressage competition at Sydney at the beginning of 2014 she won two out of three classes.
She has even travelled to England last summer where she took part in her first international competition at Hartpury, riding a borrowed horse.
Talent and determination
The 23-year-old gained the highest scores of all Australian competitors, bringing home two fifths and a sixth place, earning a place as reserve rider in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
This success, just nine months after returning to the saddle, has only made her more hungry for a place on the Australian team in the Paralympics.
As well as her talent and determination, Emma needs a horse and money to fund her training.
Prior to her accident she trained with World Cup showjumper Grant Hughes and travelled to Germany to work for international dressage rider Holger Shultze. Now she has to travel to her coach’s property, accompanied by family or friends.
Ride with no limits
“Because of these restraints I am currently lucky to ride three times a week, which in my mind is not adequate,” said an ambitious Emma.
To help her achieve her dreams, a triathlete is is about to embark on an 8,870 mile bike ride around Australia to raise money for Emma. Ride With No Limits was started by family friend Glenn Carter, who hopes his sponsored ride around Australia will raise money to fund Emma’s Paralympic campaign.
Glen, a 50-year-old electrician who has competed in four Ironman triathlons and 13 marathons, wants to help Emma achieve her dreams with ‘no limits’.
Epic journey
“To ensure she can wake up every morning and know there are no financial restrictions to achieving her goal of representing Australia in the Paralympic equestrian team,” said Glenn.
Glenn’s epic journey starts in Wantirna, Victoria on the 18 April and will take him anti-clockwise around Australia on Highway 1. He has already raised more than $65,000 out of his $100,000.