Ricky Balshaw

Biography

Balshaw was born with cerebral palsy which has restricted the muscle movement in both his legs and hands. He also has very little natural balance. With what he does have, he has been taught through physiotherapy to walk with the aid of two sticks.

When Ricky was 4 years old, his physiotherapist recommended that he took up horse riding as a part of the physio. Ricky, confused by what he had just heard decided to give to go. He started riding at Brockton Court RDA Group (Riding for the Disabled Association).

At the age of 10 Ricky was the 7th person in Europe to be selected for a state of the art operation on his spinal cord. The procedure involved opening his back up and then artificially stimulating each nerve ending to see which made the worst results on his muscles, in theory, see which muscles were working against him. Once identified, they were to cut the nerve effectively killing to muscles. This being a relatively new surgery could have put Ricky out of commission, leaving him wheelchair bound, unable to walk again but the surgery was a success, though Ricky had to learn to walk and ride again.

Ricky made his debut in 2002, the following year he was a member of the British team.

When Balshaw turned 14 he was put on the World Class programme and was pretty much sent all over the world competing and training to gain experience. In 2003 he was named first reserve for the World Championships. When called he was under a great deal of stress at that point, not only finding out that he was to replace a very close friend who could not make it there due to health reasons, but being given less than 3 weeks to prepare. Ricky describes that moment as "one of the most bittersweet moments, he's experienced". He was in the Grade ii category, his first big opportunity, and missed out on a bronze by the skin of his teeth.

The grade boundaries had changed and Ricky was now a grade 1b rider. With this new grade Ricky was given his second opportunity at the World Championships in 2007. Riding his horse Deacons Giorgi, Ricky and his steed smashed all expectation and gained a bronze medal. In 2008 the greatest opportunity that all male and female athletes work towards was now on the books for Ricky. Ricky and the British Para Dressage team were now on an airplane heading to Beijing Paralympics. Excited and what he described as "one of the best experiences of his life" Ricky and Deacons Giorgi (retired) flew back home to the UK with a Silver medal in hand, coming second to Lee Pearson a fellow British Paralympics team member.

Shortly after coming back from Beijing Ricky had put Giorgi into semi-retirement and started training on a new horse named "Bungle". During one of his training sessions Ricky fell off the horse, got his foot stuck in the stirrup and was dragged by his horse resulting in a few broken ribs as well as smashing his knee, which required yet another operation. The horse was an ex-show jumping horse and threw Ricky again, this time he cracked his skull. Ricky as one of those people that has pure drive about himself. After he recovered, he got back on his new horse "Academy Award" after the hard decision of having to give up "Bungle" and made the WEG FEI World Equestrian Games selection in 2010, and yet again ranked Silver.

In the later end of 2011, Ricky was thrown from his horse and broke his back, not realizing at the time he proceeded to get up and tried to mount his horse and as much as he tried he then realized that something was majorly wrong. He phoned an ambulance, when they arrived at the yard, they were astonished that he moved and gave him a stern talking to. Doctors told Ricky that it would be at least 8-9 months before he could ride again. Heeding the advice he got back on his horse 12 weeks later (Ricky's not someone to be told not to do something). Ricky was back in training but unfortunately due to the broken back he missed out on the selection of the London Paralympics 2012 games.

He resumed training now and in fantastic shape, riding his latest horse LJT Engaarrds Solitaire (Sid for short). Ricky and Sid recently won double silver at the FEI European Championships 2013 in Herning, Denmark coming second to Pepo Puch.

He initially intended to pursue qualification for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but did not participate, deciding to retire from the sport after a series of further injuries. Balshaw, whose home is in Telford, Shropshire, took up employment as a car salesman for a firm of motor dealers, Furrows of Shrewsbury.

Quotation

He lends me his legs and we take on the world- Ricky Balshaw

Awards and Trophies

TV Appearances