Fiona Howard (born December 14, 1998) is a British-American para equestrian. She competes in Grade II

para dressage Para, or PARA, may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange * Para Group, the former name of CT Corp * Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer * Para USA, formerly Par ...

. Howard is representing the United States at the

2024 Summer Paralympics The 2024 Paralympic Games, Summer Paralympics (french: Jeux paralympiques d'été de 2024), commonly known as the Games of the XVII Paralympiad, and commonly known as Paris 2024, is an upcoming international Multi-sport event, multi-sport paraspo ...

Early life and education

Howard was born to an American mother and British father in England, and was raised in London. Starting when she was 11 and continuing into her teenage years, she faced a number of health problems. Issues with her bones inhibited walking. Her digestive system was impacted by bouts of

scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a Group A streptococcus (GAS). The infection is a type of Group A streptococcal infection (Group A strep). It most commonly affects childr ...

and Lyme disease, resulting in the permanent use of a feeding tube. Howard immigrated to the United States in 2016 while pursuing medical treatment at Boston Children's Hospital. She entered

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...

in 2017, and graduated in 2021 with a degree in psychology.

Career

Howard began riding at age three, joining Pony Club age age four. As a child, she competed in

reining Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope (a version of the horse gait more commonly known worldwide as the canter), o ...

. At age 14, Howard represented Great Britain at the 2013 FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. She returned to the competition in 2016. Following time away from the sport due to health issues, Howard resumed riding in college. She began competing in para dressage in 2021. In 2022 she competed as a Grade II para dressage athlete at the FEI Perrigo CPEDI3* at the Tryon Summer Dressage. In 2023 she and her horse, Jagger, came second in the Grade II event at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3*. Howard was named to the United States Paralympic equestrian team in July 2024. At the 2024 Summer Paralympics Howard won gold in the individual championship test grade II, the individual freestyle test grade II, and the team event with mount Diamond Dunes, whom she has worked with since early 2024. Since 2022 she has trained in Wellington, Florida with fellow para equestrian

Kate Shoemaker Kate Shoemaker (born August 25, 1987) is an American Paralympic equestrian. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Career Shoemaker made her World Equestrian Games debut in 2018 and won a bronze medal in the individua ...

. She also trains in Germany in the spring and summer.

Personal life

Howard lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Outside of riding, she works remotely at Boston Children's Hospital as a clinical cardiac research assistant. She was diagnosed with

dystonia Dystonia is a neurological hyperkinetic movement disorder in which sustained or repetitive muscle contractions result in twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal fixed postures. The movements may resemble a tremor. Dystonia is often inten ...

at age 19, and uses both crutches and wheelchair. She has a service dog named Elvis.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Fiona Living people 1998 births 21st-century British sportswomen 21st-century American sportswomen British expatriates in the United States Equestrians at the 2024 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics Paralympic equestrians for the United States Paralympic gold medalists for the United States Paralympic medalists in equestrian Northeastern University alumni People with dystonia Sportspeople from Boston Sportspeople from London Wheelchair users American people of English descent