Anne Watts and Santana MH. 2026 Bates National Dressage Championships and Webb Equestrian Para Dressage Championships. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography
Anne Watts has forever dreamt of donning the silver fern and riding at the Paralympics . . . this weekend she takes a definite step towards making that happen in 2028 at the Los Angeles Games. She’s chased it before, but now, mounted on a more suitable horse who has shown some exceptional talent, she’s more determined than ever. She and Santana MH – Carlos to his mates – are in Australia at the 2026 Para Dressage World Champs Qualifier CPEDI 2*/3* at Boneo Park. The Grade IV para rider needs two qualifying marks to start her on the qualification path for LA.
“You have this dream and luckily equestrian people can still be old and ride,” says Anne. “One of my first dressage instructors said it takes a lifetime to ride properly, and I have that firmly established in the back of my mind. I pull it out all the time, especially when I think I am past it. That really does keep me going.”
She says it can be interesting watching the reactions of people when she says she’s chasing a paralympic berth. “You can see their minds ticking over and I am never sure if they are thinking of my age, the money or whether it will be worth it!” Anne is always thinking of the next competition and something to work towards.
The 2012 London Games were the first ones Anne looked at chasing, followed by Rio and Paris. “Since I had my accident in 2011 I have been thinking about it all the time. Any time I am riding . . . you always dream. You imagine what it would be like. Just to be there . . . it would be the best thing in the world. It certainly is something to strive for.”
A lifetime horsewoman, Anne had a fall while hunting resulting in incomplete tetraplegia due to spinal cord damage that limits her motor and sensory functions. Anne has had
Carlos for two years now and just the other day got 72% at the Clevedon Amateur Champs. “He is good. He can stick to that high scoring where Joseph was more up and down.” Carlos, who was bred by Judith Matthews of Matthews Hanoverians, was previously ridden to Level 6 by Cindy Wiffin. “He has been trained so well and is established. He does spook but not as violently as Joseph! He is very reliable.”
Anne Watts and Santana MH. 2026 Bates National Dressage Championships and Webb Equestrian Para Dressage Championships. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography
Over the last 13 or so years, she’s competed a good handful of times at Boneo aboard her other horse Joseph’s Dream, so feels very comfortable heading back there. “It is like another home but it would also have been nice to go somewhere different and check other places out,” she says. While her long-time coach Julie Malcolm won’t be on the ground with her in Boneo, Anne says she will certainly be there in spirit.
Accompanying her is her long time friend and groom Rina Estall. “Without friends and family, the para world is very hard. I have to have so much support and family backing . . . it is so much more work that able-bodied.” One of those key supporters is her partner Graham. The couple has a 350 acre dry stock farm at Pukekawa in south Auckland and also hunt together. The competition in Boneo gets underway on Friday (May 8).
EVENT: Leader Equine Dressage Spectacular, featuring the 2026 Para Dressage World Champs Qualifier CPEDI 2*/3*
WHERE: Boneo Park Equestrian Centre, Boneo, Australia
WHEN: May 8-9, 2026
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND DRAWS
By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Libby Law/ESNZ
2nd May 2026