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To celebrate and coincide with the Paralympics Games, Bailiwick Express is sharing the inspiring stories of local athletes who take part in accessible sport.
Taking place until 8 September, the Paralympics Games is an iconic and important sporting occasion that highlights and champions disabled athletes from around the world.
Although none of the 215 athletes representing Great Britain at the 2024 Paralympic Games are from the Channel Islands, there are plenty of inspiring athletes in Jersey...
Pictured: "He lives for sport," said Ryan's mum.
Ryan Le Monnier has Verbal Dyspraxia and Autism, but what that has prevented him from doing in communicating with other people has allowed him to flourish in his connection with animals as a dressage athlete.
"Ryan has always loved animals," his mum, Karen Le Monnier, told Express, "He lives for sport and riding has changed his life."
When Ryan was seven, Karen explained that his family were told by Great Ormond Street Hospital's speech department that they shouldn't expect that he would be able to speak.
"They said he’d never speak and to give up, but he talks now – albeit sometimes with difficulty, but he has proved them wrong."
Now aged 27, it is Ryan's determination that has led him to achieve such success in disabled riding.
Having only started to take on serious UK competition in the last couple of years, in 2024, he has gone on to qualify for Regional and National Championships before placing fifth overall in the British Dressage Para Championships this summer with an impressive average of 68.69%.
Pictured: Ryan has been borrowing black and white horse Lexi when competing in UK competition this year.
“Riding gives him a purpose in life and it is a really positive thing for him to be good at sport,” his mum continued.
Highlighting the importance of the Paralympic Games as a platform for awareness and sporting success, she said: “The Paralympics gives people like Ryan a real aim in life and a chance to be included in something and work towards."
Having started out with Jersey's Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), Ryan quickly showed his potential and began training in the UK with the North Cornwall RDA Centre.
Pictured: Ryan has "a real connection" with horses.
Karen said that the horse community on the island had been "so supportive and welcoming" and was a key part of his journey to where he is today.
“Jersey’s horse community has been so supportive and welcoming of him. Without this sport he would be extremely anxious and, like a lot of people with his conditions, he would suffer with worse low self esteem.”
Having already benefited from Blue Island's Flight Funding programme, Karen believes there still remains barriers to disabled people in Jersey to access competitive sport, due to funding and exposure.
“[Flight Funding] has been really good. Ryan couldn’t travel by himself so Blue Islands funded my flights as well to support him."
For indeed, these are athletes. Although the Paralympics showcases the talents of sporting men and women from around the world, Karen explained how some may think that those achieving Paralympic medals do not receive the same recognition as athletes in the Olympics or other major sporting events.
“The footballer or Olympic athlete is going to get an awful lot more exposure and recognition,” Karen said.
Pictured: Ryan came fifth in the British Dressage Para Championships this year.
“I don’t think [British Para Equestrian] Simon Laurens has had the same level of recognition as [British Olympic Equestrian] Carl Hester. Although they’ve both received gold medals,” she added.
But, what she did appreciate was the inclusion of the Paralympics as part of the recent Performance Programme announced by Jersey Sport which will support chosen talent to become world-class athletes.
“I think it’s a very positive step that they’ve included the Paralympics in the programme eligibility and it’s a step forward."
The Jersey Sport Performance Programme aims to support local talent who are already competing, or have the potential to compete at a high level, with funding to continue reach world-class standards in their sport(s). They have included the Paralympic Games as part of the route in the eligibility criteria.
“In one way I think funding [for disabled athletes] should be separate, but I don’t think they’ll ever be offered the same amount as able-bodied athletes.
“They should be looked at equally, if one person is a top footballer and another is competing in disabled riding, those levels are equal to those different people."
Karen explained that Ryan's next steps will continue into next year with qualification for the 2025 British Dressage Para Championships and she will be applying for the Performance Programme.
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