Emma Booth

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Emma Booth fulfilled what had long seemed her destiny to become an accomplished horsewoman, but one which had taken a dramatic and violent twist just three years earlier.

Emma started riding at the age of 11, after winning pony and riding lessons on the TV show “The Saddle Club.” Having caught the riding bug and discovering a natural talent, Booth set her heart on representing her country. Such was her determination to succeed that she left Australia at the age of 20 to live and work in Germany with international dressage rider Holger Shultze.

However, In 2013 Booth was caught in a horrific car crash while driving back to Melbourne after a competition. A truck hit the car she was travelling in. She was left with bleeding on her brain, a fracture at the base of her skull, a punctured lung, fractured sternum, severe abdominal injuries and a fractured ankle. The most long-lasting damage was to her spine and spinal cord, leaving her a paraplegic.

She was back on horseback a mere six months after her accident, this time as a Para dressage rider. She competed in 2014’s three-star Hartpury competition in Great Britain and was the reserve rider for Australia’s 2014 World Equestrian Games team. Two years later at the Rio Paralympics, Booth picked up a fifth place finish, only 0.8% behind the Bronze medallist.

Emma went on to compete at the World Championships in Tryon, North Carolina in 2018, finishing in 4th position. She then represented Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics as well as the World Championships in Herning, Denmark in 2022.