Toby sets his sights on Olympics (From This Is Wiltshire)

Toby sets his sights on Olympics

9:10am Saturday 19th January 2008

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Toby Bevins, a 15-year-old pupil at Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, will be travelling to France at the end of the month to compete in the Para Show Jumping Championships for disabled riders, held at the FEI World Cup meeting.

Para show jumpers are independently classified according to their impairment and grouped in classes to ensure that those with similar special needs compete together.

Toby, who will be the youngest British competitor, came second in the novices and partially sighted class of the competition and third competing against adults in the final jump-off last year. This year he tackles the open class over a 1m10 course.

In the 2007 World Cup, Toby had to ride an unfamiliar horse but this year he is hoping to take his own horse, Grange Guest.

Toby, who is epileptic, hemiplegic and suffers from dyspraxia, is keen on several sports but his real passion is show jumping and he spends most of his spare time training for competitions.

He has been riding since he was two years old, mainly trained and encouraged by his parents.

Toby says he "would love to be a professional show jumper".

Para show jumping has recently been affiliated to the National Equestrian Federation and the sport is likely to become one of the official events of the Para Olympic Games in 2016.

Toby anticipates competing in future Olympic events but, due to the sport currently lacking Olympic status, he receives no external funding, relying solely on his parents' support.

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