Nelson Yip, the 36-year-old Grade II Dressage rider, is a good example of a RDA rider who have enjoyed plenty of success in the equestrian sport.Nelson suffered from cerebral palsy and consequently has no use of his legs. However, with the training by RDA, Nelson has shown plenty of improvement in horse riding and in November 2003, he had his first highlight when he scored the highest mark for any disabled riders in the Japan Asia Pacific Dressage Championship for Disabled Riders.The individual championship went well for me but so did other Japanese competitors. There was no room for errors in such a strong competition with 16 competitions in the Game,Nelson recalled his experiences in Japan. ¨To my surprises, when the result came to the scoreboard, I had the highest percentage score.
Then in November 2005, Nelson won first in the Grade II session B Freestyle and Musical Dressage in the Australia RDA National Dressage Championships 2005. On top of this, Nelson was awarded Overall Champion in the Grade II Session B. In the final ranking of Grade II (combined session A & B), Nelson finished sixth in the freestyle.
Besides overseas competition, Nelson also participates in regularly local Dressage Competition riding both at Pokfulam Public Riding School and against abled riders at Tuen Mun Public Riding School. On December 24, 2002, Nelson won 2nd place in the Horse Class at the RDA Dressage Competition at Pokfulam Public Riding School, and won the 1st place in the Open Class at the 30th Anniversary Dressage Competition at Pokulam Riding School on December 3, 2005.
Nelson also won 5th place in the Tuen Mun Olympic Dreams Dressage Competition on January 21, 2006 (11 participants), February 25, 2006 (14 participants) and won 1st place in overall Tuen Mun Olympic Dream Dressage Competition on April 23, 2006 (13 participants) at Tuen Mun Public Riding School.
He is now one of the potential riders who will try to qualify the Paralympics 2008 in Hong Kong.
Training Progress in UK (Aug 2008)
Students from Equine are all experienced riders and always excellent companions with whom I can learn more about their unique secret of riding with different horses or ponies. As the school semester was approaching to an end, most students in Hartpury were ready to pick up their backpacks for summer holiday or simply another new page in workplace. The yard turned into a more still quiet especially when all big pets were going home with their youngster hosts. Nevertheless it seems the stillness would never apply to the sports centre. The sounds from cycling, rolling and varied physical fitness equipments were always orchestrated with the background rock/pop music in gym. The way of enjoying invisible riding is to unleash the secret of staying balance on horseback and the balance in real life was going for more local horse shows and treasures hunting from library. Setting aside time to polish the ability to learn and to think is always another cornerstone to be a better rider.
The habit of putting efforts on physical condition exercises and lunging lesson daily was proved to an indispensable path to achieve the basis for better physical fitness, core stability as well as better seat, balance, suppleness and feeling. With a few weeks to come, the fractures with my dominated hand will be in full recovery. I am eager to be in full strength to meet the challenges from the Hartpury Event in July and looking forward to telling Icy-Bet how much I have gained and prepared to go with him for Paralympics in September.
Training Progress in UK (Jul 2008)
The days approaching May 2008 was such a fabulous movie alike which was full of excitement, laughter, friendship as well as wonderous colorful memory. Right after the once-in-a life experience in witnessing the Olympic 100 Days Countdown on 30th April and followed by being 80th bearer in the Olympic Torch Relay on 2nd May, the CX255 flight has to carry me to another station in the journey of my life a mission of undergoing a period of 3-months intensive training on para-dressage in Hartpury of UWE, a college of excellence on Sports Science and Equine, in the Gloucestershire of England.
The training plan is basically to combine riding lessons on a varied horses /ponies coupled with lessons on mechanical horse with an aim to achieving better seat, balance, suppleness and rhythm whilst strengthening the core stability of the riders. Systematic physical fitness exercises on weight and cardio will also be in place on alternative basis to help build up the muscles strength and physical endurance of the rider. With those intensive training in place, it is expected that a satisfactory performance and can be attained in the Paralympic Equestrian Event in September. I am very excited and pleasant with the new page in Hartpury. My particular heartfelt thanks go to HK Jockey Club and Riding for the Disabled Association for all her staunch effort and unfailing support which do open up new challenges and horizons in my equestrian life.
