hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn December 2017 | Page 26

Sportsaid’s Bucks Sporting Lunch Club
awards its first Para Dressage rider
Ray Wilkins MBE presented Mari Durward-Akhurst from Amersham with a cheque for
£1,000 on behalf of Sportsaid’s Bucks Sporting Lunch Club. Created in 2011, the club is a
way for local individuals, businesses and trusts to raise money to help with training, travel
or equipment costs for young, talented athletes in Buckinghamshire.
Mari, who is 23, has cerebral palsy with
increased ataxia which affects all four limbs.
As a result, her coordination, balance and
muscle tone are all affected. Mari explains:
“I am weaker down my left side and sadly
over the last couple of years my condition
has deteriorated. I now use a walking stick
all the time and sometimes a wheelchair or
scooter.”
Mari’s commitment and dedication to her
training programme at Windmill Farm in
Chalfont St Giles impressed the judges:
‘I ride for 20 minutes maximum as that is all
my body can cope with. My mum and trainer
ride the horses for me so they are worked on
a regular basis. I have two lessons a week
with my trainer Rob Waine, I go to the gym
and I carry out my exercise programme six
times a week. It’s quite intense.’
Mari’s training seems to be paying off as
she is already a Grade 1 Gold National
Champion after competing with her horse
Sky O’Hara in September 2017. She was
also second behind a triple Paralympic gold
medalist at Hartpury
3* International in July
this year and is 19th
in the world rankings
for her grade.
cost of her trainer at competitions. Mari has
ambitions to compete at the Tokyo 2020
Paralympics and to win a gold medal and
looks to Helen Kearney, para rider for Ireland,
as her inspiration. Mari adds:
“My family, my mum and dad have always
been around to help and support me. My
sister, even though she lives on the other
side of the world, is a true inspiration to me.
My mum is my greatest influence as she has
been through so much but she never stops
fighting. We are one very determined family.”
Steve Perry from B P Collins, a trustee of
Bucks Sporting Lunch Club, said:
“Mari’s story is very inspiring. Her
determination to succeed and her
achievements impressed all of us. She is a
very deserving winner. I’m delighted that the
Bucks Sporting Lunch
Club award could
hopefully take her
one step closer
to Tokyo
2020.”
The award money
will cover her entry to
the British Dressage
Nationals and the
Mari received her award from Ray Wilkins MBE, Sky News pundit, former
England footballer and former Manager at QPR and Fulham FC, who went on
to win the Premiership when Assistant Manager at Chelsea FC.
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