Natasha Baker

Natasha Baker is a five-time Paralympic Dressage Champion and a Paralympic record holder from London 2012 and Rio 2016, in addition to being a motivational speaker and commentator. At just 14 months old, Natasha was left with permanent nerve damage, severe weakness in her legs, and loss of balance and sensation when she contracted a virus called Transverse Myelitis. Overcoming her adversity at the age of nine, she began training at a local Riding for the Disabled Association, showing great promise within a short period. Passionate about sharing her journey, Natasha eloquently speaks about overcoming barriers to become one of the leading Paralympic athletes. In the process, she hopes to change negative perceptions toward disability and inspire the next generation of Paralympic athletes.

In 2000, whilst watching the Sydney Paralympics, Natasha became very inspired, dreaming of becoming a Gold medallist Paralympic athlete in the future. She was selected for the World Class Programme in 2002 and by 2006 had a string of National and International titles to her name. Natasha met her long-term partner Cabral in 2009, which was a serendipitous occasion for her as she went on to win 11 Gold medals with him. Sadly, Cabral passed away due to an infection in 2017, and Natasha had to find a new partner, Keystone Dawn Chorus in 2019.

Accomplishing her childhood dream of winning Gold at the Paralympic Games in 2012, Natasha went on to win a second Gold in the Freestyle event, in the process setting a second Paralympic record. For this extraordinary feat, Natasha was awarded an MBE by the Queen. At the Rio 2016 Games, Natasha performed event better, retaining her two Gold medals and going on to win an unprecedented third in the Team Competition. However, Changing her riding partner for the Tokyo 2020 Games affected Natasha’s performance. Despite spending only, a short period with Keystone Dawn Chorus, she still succeeded in winning Gold at the Team Competition and double silver at the individual events for 2020, a testament to her skill as an equestrian.  In 2021 she was recognised in the New Year’s Honours List and awarded an OBE by Princess Royal for her services to Equestrianism.

As a Paralympian, public speaker, commentator, and presenter, Natasha frequently presents award ceremonies globally and makes regular appearances on TV shows such as Celebrity Come Dine with Me, Million Pound Motorhomes and The Weakest Link. Furthermore, she has commentated at the European Games for FEI TV in 2017 and presented at the World and European Championships and World Cup Finals. An exceptional speaker, Natasha inspires and motivates her audience to overcome adversity and live up to their full potential, using personal anecdotes and sharing tips and tricks she uses to improve her mental resilience.