Fiona Howard

Hometown: Boston, Mass. Birthday: 12/14/1998 Sport/Disciplines: Para-Equestrian Paralympic Years: 2024

Fiona Howard’s riding career began in Great Britain. She was born and raised in England with her American mother and British father. She began riding when she was three and learned jumping, eventing, polocrosse, and polo in Pony Club. A family friend’s reining horses piqued her interest, and she shifted her riding focus when she had the opportunity to qualify for the FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. 

As part of the British Junior Reining Team, Howard was 14 and the youngest rider in the competition when she earned a bronze medal at the 2013 FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. She competed again as a junior in the FEI European Reining Championships for Juniors and Young Riders in 2016.

Howard immigrated to the U.S. in 2016 and rode in her first Para Dressage tests in 2021 at schooling shows. Now coached by Nicole Wego-Engelmeyer, Howard returned to the FEI arena as a Grade II para dressage athlete in 2022 at the Perrigo CPEDI3* at the Tryon Summer Dressage with De Nouvelle Vie; the pair placed second in the Grade II Individual, Team, and Freestyle tests.

Howard began her partnership with Jagger in the fall of 2022. Howard and Jagger were members of the Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team and the top combination at Perrigo CPEDI3* at Tryon Fall Dressage 3.

In 2023, Howard and Jagger earned second-place fininshes in the Grade II test at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3*. 

Howard debuted with several new mounts in 2024 on her journey to hopeful team selection for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. With Diamond Dunes, Howard impressed in both the U.S. and Europe, earning victories across the board in Grade II competition. The duo have steadily continued to improve their marks, which currently sit above the 74% mark in all tests, earning them a spot on their first Paralympic Team for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.