Fiona Howard

Fiona Howard (born December 14, 1998) is an American paralympic equestrian. She qualified for the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

Fiona Howard

Fiona Howard US Equestrian Headshot
Personal information
National team	United States
Born	(1998-12-14) December 14, 1998 London, England
Alma mater	Northeastern University
Sport
Sport	Para-equestrian
Disability	Dystonia
Event	Dressage
Coached by	Nicole Wego Engelmeyer
Medal record Fiona Howard Medal record Para-equestrian Representing United States FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders 2013 FEI European Reining Championships Individual FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders Perrigo CPEDI3* at Tryon Summer Dressage 2022 Perrigo CPEDI3* at Tryon Summer Dressage Grade II Individual, Team, and Freestyle tests Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3* 2023 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3* Grade II Individual test
Updated on 2024-08-23

Early Life

Howard was born and raised in London, England, with her American mother and British father. She began riding at the age of three and was involved in various equestrian disciplines, including jumping, eventing, polocrosse, and polo, through the Pony Club. Her interest in reining was sparked by a family friend’s reining horses, which led her to focus on this discipline.

Career

At 14, Howard was the youngest member of the British Junior Reining Team when she won a bronze medal at the 2013 FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. She competed again in the Championships in 2016. Howard immigrated to the U.S. in 2016, where she attended Northeastern University and graduated with a degree in psychology in 2021. During her time at Northeastern, Howard was diagnosed with dystonia, a condition causing involuntary muscle spasms that left her with limited control over her limbs.

Howard's return to riding began in 2021 at schooling shows in para dressage. Under the coaching of Paralympian Kate Shoemaker, she made her FEI debut in 2022, competing at the Perrigo CPEDI3* at Tryon Summer Dressage with De Nouvelle Vie, where she earned second place in the Grade II Individual, Team, and Freestyle tests.

In late 2022, Howard began a partnership with Jagger, a Westphalian gelding, with whom she competed in the 2022 Tryon Fall Dressage, finishing as the top combination. Howard and Jagger continued their success in 2023, achieving second-place finishes in the Grade II test at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3*.

Howard debuted with several new mounts in 2024, including Diamond Dunes, with whom she earned victories in Grade II competitions across the U.S. and Europe. These achievements earned her a spot on the U.S. Paralympic Team for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

Fiona Howard receiving the AGDF 9 Zen Elite Award

Achievements

In 2024, Howard won the Grade II Grand Prix A, Grand Prix B, and Grand Prix Freestyle tests at the CPEDI in Doha at Al Shaqab, as well as at the Fontainebleau CPEDI and Hagen CPEDI.

Personal Life

Howard is based in Wellington, Florida, and spends part of the year training in Germany. She continues to work remotely for Boston Children’s Hospital as a clinical research assistant. Her experiences in overcoming severe health issues have made her a strong advocate for resilience and perseverance.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT , Fiona}} [[Category people]] [[Category female equestrians]] [[Category equestrians for the United States]] [[Category at the 2024 Summer Paralympics]] [[Category University alumni]]