Roberta Sheffield
{{short description|Canadian Paralympic equestrian}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Roberta Sheffield
| nickname =
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| national_team =
| sport = Para-equestrian
| disability =
| disability_class = {{plainlist|
- Grade IV (until 2018)
- Grade III
}}
| event =
| club =
| coach =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|11|03}}
| birth_place = Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
| retired =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| pb =
| country = Canada
| website =
| show-medals =
| medaltemplates =
}}
Roberta 'Bert' Sheffield (born November 3, 1980) is a British-Canadian Para-equestrian, who has competed for Canada at international competitions including the Paralympics.
Early life and education
Sheffield has had dual citizenship with the United Kingdom and Canada since birth.{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Becky |date=2013-07-11 |title=Profile - Roberta Sheffield |url=https://horsesport.com/magazine/profiles/profile-roberta-sheffield/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}} She was born in the UK to a Canadian mother.{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Jennifer |date=2022-03-17 |title=Roberta Sheffield Kicks Off 2022 With a Pair of Wins |url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/roberta-sheffield-kicks-off-2022-with-a-pair-of-wins/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}} She began riding at age five at Gaddesden Place Riding for the Disabled Association Centre.{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=Robert |date=2016-09-05 |title=Para equestrian: Q&A with Roberta Sheffield |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/para-equestrian-qa-roberta-sheffield |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=International Paralympic Committee |language=en}}
Sheffield has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 15.{{Cite web |last=Bryan |first=Polly |date=2016-09-12 |title=Tales from Rio: 'I never thought I was disabled enough' |url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/rio-2016-paralympics-dressage/tales-rio-roberta-sheffield-596204 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse & Hound |language=en}} She read politics and public policy at Aston University.
Career
Sheffield joined the Canadian Para-dressage team in 2013, after competing for Great Britain. At her first international competition competing for Canada, the 2014 World Equestrian Games, she placed fourth in the freestyle test aboard Bindro T.{{Cite web |last=Anstey |first=Jennifer |date=2022-08-12 |title=At The Worlds: Roberta Sheffield, Grade III Para Athlete |url=https://horsesport.com/magazine/profiles/worlds-roberta-sheffield-grade-iii-para-athlete/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}} In 2015, she purchased Fairuza, a six-year old Gelderlander mare. She made her Paralympic debut in 2016, competing with her nine-year-old Donnersohn mare, Double Agent. She placed 14th in the Grade III individual event.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-07-19 |title=Canadian Para equestrian team named for Tokyo Paralympic Games |url=https://paralympic.ca/news/canadian-para-equestrian-team-named-tokyo-paralympic-games/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Canadian Paralympic Committee |language=en-US}}
Sheffield was reclassified from grade IV to grade III in 2018 after an assessment determined that her level of impairment had increased.{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=Rob |date=2018-06-29 |title=Roberta Sheffield adjusts to new classification |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/roberta-sheffield-adjusts-new-classification |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=International Paralympic Committee |language=en}} She was named to compete for Canada at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the grade III classification. On the Canadian Para-equestrian team with Lauren Barwick and Noni Hartvikson, Sheffield placed tenth in the team test.{{Cite web |last=Ferguson |first=Dan |date=2021-08-30 |title=Aldergrove’s Lauren Barwick and South Langley’s Noni Hartvikson ride to a top-10 finish at Paralympics |url=https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com/sports/aldergroves-lauren-barwick-and-south-langleys-noni-hartvikson-ride-to-a-top-10-finish-at-paralympics-2555762 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Langley Advance Times |language=en}}
Sheffield was named to Canada's equestrian team for the 2022 integrated FEI World Equestrian Championships, her first competition after the Paralympics.{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-08-05 |title=Three Paralympians to ride for Canada at World Equestrian Championships |url=https://paralympic.ca/news/three-paralympians-ride-canada-world-equestrian-championships/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Canadian Paralympic Committee |language=en-US}} She placed sixth riding Fairuza.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-19 |title=Team Canada Worlds Wrap-Up |url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/team-canada-worlds-wrap-up/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}} At the 2022 CPEDI3* Keysoe International, Sheffield won the grade III team test and the grade III individual championship test and came second in the freestyle competition. At the CPEDI3* in Waregem, she and Fairuza placed second in the team test and fourth in the individual test.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-26 |title=Canadians-At-Large: Driving and Para-Dressage Wrapup |url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/canadians-large-driving-para-dressage-wrapup/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}} She placed second in the team, individual, and freestyle events at the CPEDI 3* event in Deauville that year.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-05 |title=Canadian Paralympian Roberta Sheffield Embarks on European Tour |url=https://eurodressage.com/2022/04/05/canadian-paralympian-roberta-sheffield-embarks-european-tour |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Eurodressage |language=en}}
She was named "owner of the year" for 2022 by the Canadian Equestrian Federation.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-27 |title=Roberta Sheffield Named Canadian Owner of the Year 2022 |url=https://www.eurodressage.com/2023/05/27/roberta-sheffield-named-canadian-owner-year-2022 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Eurodressage |language=en}} At the CPEDI 3* Mannheim in 2023, she won first place in freestyle with a score of 74.489%. She also won the Para Grand Prix B and the came second in the Para Grand Prix A.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-10 |title=Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza Shine at Mannheim CPEDI 3* |url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/roberta-sheffield-fairuza-shine-mannheim-cpedi-3/ |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}}
Sheffield competed with Fairuza at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-27 |title=Canadian Paralympic Dressage Team for Paris 2024 Announced |url=https://eurodressage.com/2024/07/27/canadian-paralympic-dressage-team-paris-2024-announced |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Eurodressage |language=en}} She placed sixth in the para equestrian individual freestyle grade II{{Cite web |last=Mandarino |first=Alex |date=2024-09-07 |title=Canada finishes Sixth in the Para equestrian individual freestyle |url=https://paralympic.ca/news/canada-finishes-sixth-in-the-para-equestrian-individual-freestyle/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=Canadian Paralympic Committee |language=en-US}} and in the individual dressage grade II.{{Cite web |last=Grundy |first=Dash |date=2024-09-03 |title=Roberta Sheffield rides Fairuza to 6th in Paralympic Dressage |url=https://torontoobserver.ca/2024/09/03/roberta-sheffield-rides-fairuza-to-6th-in-paralympic-dressage/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=The Toronto Observer |language=en-CA}} Sheffield, representing Canada with Jody Schloss riding El Colorado and Austen Burns with Happy Feet 3, finished 11th in the team event.{{Cite web |last=Maat |first=Sarah |date=2024-09-06 |title=Canada Finishes 11th in Para equestrian Team Event |url=https://paralympic.ca/news/canada-finishes-11th-in-para-equestrian-team-event/?Itemid=xmxbugaiceczpruz |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=Canadian Paralympic Committee |language=en-US}} She received the 2024 Equestrian Canada Para Dressage Award for Athlete of the Year; Fairuza also won for horse of the year.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-24 |title=Sheffield, Blakiston Houston, van Essen, Allen Receive 2024 Equestrian Canada Para Year-End Awards |url=https://eurodressage.com/2024/12/25/sheffield-blakiston-houston-van-essen-allen-receive-2024-equestrian-canada-para-year-end |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Eurodressage |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{CPC profile|roberta-sheffield}}
- {{IPC profile|roberta-sheffield}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheffield, Roberta}}
Category:Sportspeople from Lincolnshire
Category:Equestrians at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Category:Equestrians at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Category:Equestrians at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Category:Paralympic equestrians for Canada
Category:21st-century Canadian sportswomen
Category:Canadian people of British descent