British Paralympic Team Horse Strong Beau Retired from Sport

Great Britain

Strong Beau, Gabriella Blake's British paralympic team horse, has been retired from competition sport. He is 17 years old.

Strong Beau is a 2009 born Connemara by Spinway Blackthorn out of Miss Ameretto (by Balda Beau). He is bred by S. Amos.

British Team horse

The grey gelding made his international show debut with Grade I paralympian Gabriella Blake in August 2019 at the CPEDI 2* in Bishop Burton, winning all three tests.

The pair consistently competed at CPEDI's in Great Britain for the next three years with starts in Keysoe, Hartpury, and Bishop Burton before crossing the Channel for the first time to attend the CPEDI Deauville in France in April 2022.

Their breakthrough year was 2023. After showing in Addington, Waregem, Kronenberg and Hartpury they were selected on the British team for the European Championships in Riesenbeck, where they were third with the team, scored individual bronze and placed fourth in the Kur.

At the 2023 European Para Championships in Riesenbeck

In 2024 they aimed for a spot on the British Paralympic team for Paris and showed in Addington, Waregem, Wellington Heckfield and Hartpury but did not makde the cut.

In 2025 they were back on the team after showing in Hagen and Hartpury. At the European Championships in Ermelo they were fourth with the team and came close to the podium by being fourth in the Grand Prix B test and fifth in the freestyle.

Retirement

Ermelo was Strong Beau's last international. Blake has decided to retire the gelding. British Equestrian broke the news.

"When I got him, he wasn't really anything – I got him from a sales livery and nobody wanted me to buy him, but I knew there and then that this was it,” explained Gabby last year. “I’ve gone a long way to get him to where he is today, but he is my horse of a lifetime. Every time I say that, I get emotional. He's literally my dream horse and he looks after me beyond anything."

“There are no words to describe how much Beau, my unicorn, has meant and given to me,” said an emotional Gabby on social media. “He has been my freedom, my legs, my best friend and teacher. He has given me the confidence to enter the world of para dressage and compete against the best in the world.

“We have had the most amazing competitive eight years together and I have learned so much from him. He was not your typical dressage horse, but he has always had such presence and tried his heart out for me, and for that I am eternally grateful. He was never short on character – a cheeky chap with a spring in his step – and that has not changed heading into his retirement.

“I feel the time has come to do the best for him – he owes me nothing and given me everything. He will be hard to replace, but the search is on for my next unicorn. Thank you Beau.”