Baker and Wells included in GB Para-equestrian squad

Reigning champions Natasha Baker and Sophie Wells will bid for more success at the Paris Games after being selected on the Great Britain Para-equestrian team.

Both riders will be appearing at their fourth Paralympics having made their debuts at London 2012.

Baker is back in the international fold after giving birth to son Joshua in April 2023 and will be hoping to add to her six Paralympic golds and two silvers in the Grade 3 division on Keystone Dawn Chorus.

Lee Pearson, a 14-time champion and Britain's third-most successful Paralympian, has not competed since March 2023 and was not considered for selection for Paris.

Pearson, who won two individual golds and was part of the victorious team with Wells and Baker in Tokyo in 2021, is currently suspended by British Equestrian.

Baker said: "Returning for what will be my fourth Paralympics Games, now as a mother, makes me incredibly proud.

"To be at the top of my sport again is such an incredible feeling, especially with Joshua as my number one supporter.

"I’m so grateful to my team for enabling me to go through such an amazing journey over the last couple of years and supporting me more than ever before. I’m really excited for the new challenge and to see what we can achieve in Paris."

Wells has four Grade 5 golds and four silvers to her name since her first Games appearance and will ride Don Cara M.

She and Baker will be joined by Welsh rider Georgia Wilson, who was a late replacement for Tokyo with her mount Sakura and went on to win Grade 2 individual bronze and freestyle bronze on her debut.

The quartet is completed by Mari Durward-Akhurst who will compete in her first Games at Grade 1 on Athene Lindebjerg, who helped Sophie Christiansen win triple gold at Rio 2016.

Durward-Akhurst’s only previous international appearance was at the 2019 European Championships where she won team silver alongside Wilson and Wells. She is currently number one in the world in her division.

GB topped the sport's medal table in Tokyo with eight medals including three golds.