Lee Pearson
| Sir Lee Pearson CBE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Pearson in 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | David Lee Pearson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Para-dressage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 4 February 1974 Cheddleton, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Horse(s) |
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Medal record
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Sir David Lee Pearson CBE (born 4 February 1974) is a Paralimpic champion on horse riding. He won fourteen gold medals.[1] He is called the "Godfather" of para-dressage.[1][2]
Early life
[change | change source]Lee Pearson was born on 4 February 1974 in Cheddleton, England, with a medical condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.[3] In 1980, when he was 6, Margaret Thatcher carried (lifted) him up the stairs in 10 Downing Street.[1][2] Thatcher also gave him the "Children of Courage" award.[2]
Career
[change | change source]He wanted to go to the Paralympic Games since he watched the 1996 Summer Paralympics.[2]
Pearson won three gold medals at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, three golds at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, and three more golds at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.[1] He and his horse Gentleman won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London.[1] He and his horse Zion won a gold and a silver at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.[1] He and his horse Breezer won three gold medals at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.[1] Pearson raised Breezer since he was a foal (baby horse).[2][3]
Personal life
[change | change source]Pearson is gay.[2][3][4] He was the first British Paralympic champion to come out, when he was 20.[2][4] He is also a LGBTQ+ rights activist.[4]
Related pages
[change | change source]- Natasha Baker – another English para-equestrian
- Sophie Wells – another English para-equestrian
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Lee Pearson". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Bennett, Charlie (25 August 2021). "Lee Pearson: Godfather of para dressage has eyes on Paralympic gold once again". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 MacInnes, Paul (26 August 2021). "'Love has to prevail': Pearson sends LGBTQ+ message of support after gold". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Smirnova, Lena (1 June 2022). "Pride Month: Sir Lee Pearson on speaking out to create a better world". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
Other websites
[change | change source]
- Lee Pearson at FEI
- Lee Pearson at FEI (alternative link)
- Lee Pearson at Paralympic.org
- Lee Pearson at the British Paralympic Association
- 1974 births
- British dressage riders
- British LGBT rights activists
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- English equestrians
- English LGBT people
- Gay men
- Knights Bachelor
- LGBT sportspeople
- Living people
- Paralympic bronze medalists for Great Britain
- Paralympic equestrians for Great Britain
- Paralympic gold medalists for Great Britain
- Paralympic silver medalists for Great Britain
- People from Staffordshire