Powys Carriage Driving Group

The club is SO proud of Sue .!

Sue Johnson, a keen member of Powys Carriage Driving Group (PCDG), has been selected as an individual driver to represent Britain at the World Championships at the end of June. Sue is the only paradriver from a Welsh club ever to achieve such distinction.

Sue’s story is inspirational. She took up carriage driving five years ago when her worsening Multiple Sclerosis affected her balance so she could not longer ride safely. Determined to carry on enjoying horses, Sue had her small garden converted to a stable and turnout area for a Shire cross cob horse ‘ Toby ‘ and got herself a carriage and harness. Still working for the police at the time Sue started training with James Broome , who is also the Level 2 coach for PCDG, and attended the training for drivers with disabilities at The Unicorn Trust in Stow.

After two years Sue was taking part in horse driving trial one day events, progressing to two day club events last year and entering her first National just days after being awarded the competency card. Sue had found a sport she could thoroughly enjoy and one in which she could compete on equal terms with able bodied competitors.

The National which was at Sandringham last June was also the first selection event for the paradrivers. Sue was officially a novice driver. What a remarkable achievement to take part ! But then Sue is remarkable !

As if her MS wasn’t challenging enough Sue’s health deteriorated and she developed a heart condition that forced early retirement from the police. Not daunted she has battled on going to all the selection events on her shoestring budget. Her backstepper, also Sue, is another amazing woman. She has a dodgy leg – she jokingly maintains she was attacked by a crocodile in Africa in her intrepid youth (but other sources say it was a ski accident), but is doing this demanding job at 70 years old... so as Sue says between them they prove that disability and age are no barriers to success in sports driving! They are a totally self reliant team getting Toby to the events with everything they need crammed into the landrover and trailer and camping alongside in all weathers for the two or three days of competition and using a small camping stove to cook meals not just for themselves but for fellow competitors too!

It has been a rigorous twelve months of selection events and training and practising at as many club events as possible but nothing can match the thrill of selection for this intrepid duo! The Sues will compete alongside other paradrivers from eight nations as true ambassadors for Sports driving and as an inspiration for able bodied and paradrivers alike!