Equestrian Athlete Fleur O’Donahue
Location: Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Trainer: Dawn Whitmore
Fleur: “It will be difficult to get to know a new horse. It’s very important to be calm so you can work together as a team.”
Fleur is 24 years old. She first sat on a horse at the age of 3. She wasn’t talking so a therapist recommended riding to encourage her speech and also hand/eye coordination. From the first time she really took to it. She has always loved all animals and now horses and riding are her passion.
Fleur has competed in equestrian events since she was 8 years old. At the age of 14 she went away to a special school which had a connection with stables and she was able to develop her equestrian skills further.
At the Special Olympics national games in Cardiff Fleur was placed fourth in three events. Four years later at the last national games in Glasgow she won 2 gold and 1 silver medal. These were in dressage, trials, and horse care and knowledge. She was also awarded ‘Best in Show’.
Fleur’s current trainer is Dawn Whitmore who owns stables near Loughborough, Leicestershire. She also spends as much of her spare time as possible helping at a local stables.
Fleur now has her own horse. Simba stands at 14.2 hands and is 9 years old. But Fleur has ridden a lot of different horses and says that’s the best way to improve and learn. In Shanghai she will face the challenge of riding an unfamiliar horse, with only a day of matching, then a bit of training and warm-up sessions.
She says: “It will be difficult to get to know a new horse and work in a very different environment. It’s very important to be calm with the horse you ride so you can work together as a team.”
Fleur says: “I’m really looking forward to going to Shanghai to represent Great Britain. I’m very excited about it, but there’s a lot of training to do before we go”
Fleur’s training will focus on improving her diagonals and dressage skills. And she is hoping to bring back a gold medal for Britain.
It will cost £4,000 to send Fleur to the world games in Shanghai. But her dad says her family, friends and supporters will do what they always do and raise whatever money it takes. And her family will be there to cheer her on.
Fleur is also an all-round sportswoman. She does athletics/running and also plays for a women’s football team.
Fleur has a moderate learning disability which is about speech and language. She understands words but has difficulty connecting them. This means she can often misread instructions or situations.
In the years since she started with Special Olympics Fleur has become very involved in the organisation, an involvement her dad says has transformed her life. Fleur is also part of the Special Olympics Athlete Leadership programme and recently underwent a training weekend. She learned how to give speeches and presentations, debate issues at board level and to listen to and represent others’ points of view.
Fleur says: “It’s important athlete’s voices are heard, by the boards who make decisions. I was very nervous the first time I had to give a speech but now I’m looking forward to giving it another go.”
But toughest of all for Fleur was: “Being away from my horse Simba for the first time.”
Fleur does daily work experience at the Hinckley Equestrian Centre. She is aiming for her level 2 NVQ in Horse Care and Management.
Apart from her riding passion, Fleur is always on the go. On Monday evenings she is training to be a St John Ambulance cadet. Wednesday p.m. she coaches a women’s football team. Thursday evenings she plays for a Nuneaton football team, mostly right back. Sunday mornings she helps at a local hospital with St John Ambulance bringing patients down to the chapel. Fleur is a big fan of Coventry F.C. Any Saturday or midweek when Coventry are playing at home she works as a steward, with duties including handing out jackets and charging radios.
TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ATHLETES OR COACHES, PLEASE CONTACT THE SOGB NATIONAL OFFICE.
TELEPHONE: 020 7696 5569 OR EMAIL TO: pr@sogb.org.uk