Horse of
the Month:
Zion

10 January 2019

We take a closer look at Para-Dressage legend Zion, the giant who has helped Lee Pearson to Paralympic and WEG glory...

Zion is part of Para-Dressage history. This is thanks to his partnership with Paralympic Dressage rider Lee Pearson, who owns Zion along with his parents and Gillian Chinn.

 

Zion, a huge, 17.2hh KWPN, is 15 years old and was born in 2004 by Flemmingh and out of Thalor.

 

Lee Pearson is the most successful GB Para Dressage rider. He rides at Grade 1b level and was inspired to become a Paralympian after watching the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta.

 

In Sydney in 2000, Lee took the triple; the team, individual and freestyle. He did it again in 2004 in Athens and remarkably again in Beijing in 2008, setting a new world record. Lee was unbeaten at three consecutive Paralympic games.

"He's a sensitive
thug and my
best mate"

Lee was at the top of his sport when Zion came along. The dark bay giant had plenty to live up to, but Zion has proved himself, on a world stage, repeatedly.

Zion and Lee first competed at a FEI competition in 2013 at Hartpury in the UK. He won on his debut and went on to top the leaderboard at his next 23 FEI outings.

 

This included success at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France in 2014.

 

Lee and Zion won the triple - golds in the team, freestyle and individual events.

 

Lee has described Zion as a “a sensitive thug and my best mate.”

 

A year later at the Europeans in Deauville the pair finished in second place, winning silver in the individual 1b behind his long-time rival, the Austrian rider, Pepo Puch.

 

Lee in his gracious style was delighted with the result. He knew Zion was tired, so to gain a podium place was a welcome surprise. Lee said: “We’ve experimented a little with the warm-up a bit this week, but today he didn’t feel on full form and I didn’t actually expect to be in the medals, so to get a silver, I’m over the moon.”

 

The pair also went on to win silver in the freestyle and European team gold.

letters-zion-1001

At the Rio Paralympics in 2016, Lee was honoured to be asked to be the Paralympic GB flagbearer at the opening ceremony, recognising his achievement of making a fifth Games.

Zion won individual silver, once more finishing second to Puch. Again Lee was thrilled with the result and with his then 12-year-old gelding. He said: “That was the best test he’s ever done. Zion gave me everything he possibly could. He’s a big horse at 17.2hh and we were possibly a little late in some of our downward transitions, but they were still balanced and flowing. We just have such a fantastic partnership.”

 

The gelding had a spook just prior to entering the arena, breaking into canter, but Lee who knows him better than anyone, settled him quickly, riding straight into the test. It was harmonious and consistent, with no score below a seven.

 

“I’m really proud of him to go in that lions’ den and come up with the goods and I’m over the moon with silver,” he said. “I’m taking the best horse home, no matter what colour the medal.”

 

 

“I love him,” said Pearson, gesturing affectionately towards Zion. “He did his best and I couldn’t have asked for any more. I am so, so proud of my horse. This is for him and for me.”

 

Adding to that individual silver, they won gold in the freestyle – it was Lee’s 11th Paralympian gold and 14th medal of any colour.

 

Zion has contributed greatly to that tally and for that he will always be a part of GB’s Para-Dressage history.

 

Keep up with the latest from Para Dressage on the @FEI_Global Twitter profile...

 

Words by Katie Roebuck

Images by Liz Gregg

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