Para dressage rider Victoria Davies will make her Paralympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games where she will compete in the team test to music and the Individual test – Grade II events.
Hailing from Bolong in Shoalhaven NSW, Victoria’s love of horse riding started early. Her mother was a successful rider and her parents breed horses. She started competing at age three but at age nine she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and was too weak to ride.
Following two hip replacements, Victoria was able to start riding again when she was 19 and shortly afterwards she attended a high performance squad camp where she was inspired by the para riders training for the Paralympics. She decided then and there that she wanted to be a Paralympian.
Victoria has gone on to win multiple state and national titles and is a six-time CPEDI (International) FEI Para Grade II Champion.
The NSW scholarship holder was on the cusp of achieving her sporting dream when she was shortlisted for the Rio 2016 Paralympics but just days before the European qualifiers she was forced to withdraw after being diagnosed with a life-threatening neck condition. Despite this Victoria has continued to ride, following her dream of competing at the Paralympics.
At the 2021 Sydney International Para Dressage Event Victoria and her stallion Celere won three classes in their division and were named the overall champion in Grade II. In July 2021 Victoria was officially named on the Australian Team for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she will ride Celere and be supported by groom Shae Herwig.