Quick facts
Birthdate
November 3, 1980
Hometown
Lincolnshire, UK
Residence
Lincolnshire, UK
Sport
Para equestrian
Classification
Grade III
Experience
Rio 2016
Tokyo 2020
Paris 2024
Roberta Sheffield, who made her Paralympic Games debut at Rio 2016, began riding at age four and due to her dual Canadian/British nationality, has had the opportunity to train and compete in both Canada and Great Britain. Sheffield started her international career by representing Great Britain but is now an integral part of the Canadian equestrian team.
Joining the Canadian Para dressage Team in 2013, Sheffield spent the next two years achieving impressive results internationally with multiple mounts, including Wonderboy, Bindro T, and Double Agent. Her 2014 season culminated by representing Canada at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, FRA, where she earned top five results and helped Canada finish eighth as a team.
In 2018, she was reclassified from grade IV to grade III, a judgement based on an assessment that the level of impairment caused by her condition – chronic rheumatoid arthritis – had increased. That’s a major change in dressage for both the rider and the horse including reduced arena size and new routines.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2016, 2020 Paralympic Games… 2014, 2018, 2022 World Equestrian Games… Lincolnshire Sport Disabled Athlete of the Year award 2014.
PERSONAL
Also a successful able-bodied dressage rider and qualified riding coach… She also holds a Politics degree from Aston University in England… Her father is a former world champion in skeet shooting…She has had rheumatoid arthritis since she was age 15…
NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
- 2022 World Equestrian Games – Grade III Individual – 5th
- 2022 World Equestrian Games – Grade III Freestyle – 6th
- 2020 Paralympic Games – Grade III Individual – 12th
- 2018 World Equestrian Games – Grade III Individual – 12th
- 2018 World Equestrian Games – Grade III Team Test – 11th
- 2016 Paralympic Games – Grade III Individual – 14th
- 2016 Paralympic Games – Team – 13th
- 2015 CPEDI 3* Mulhouse, FRA – Grade III Freestyle – 1st
- 2015 CPEDI 3* Mulhouse, FRA – Grade III Individual – 1st
- 2015 CPEDI 3* Mulhouse, FRA – Grade III Team – 1st
- 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games – Grade III Freestyle – 4th
- 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games – Grade III Individual – 6th
- 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games – Grade III Team – 8th
- 2014 CPEDI 3* Hartpury, ENG – Grade III Freestyle – 1st
- 2014 CPEDI 3* Hartpury, ENG – Grade III Individual – 1st
- 2014 CPEDI 3* Hartpury, ENG – Grade III Team – 1st
- 2013 CPEDI 2* Bishop Burton, ENG – Grade III Team – 1st