Sydney Collier

Paralympian 2016

Athlete Bio#

Height

5'1"

Age

Hometown

Ann Arbor, MI

Education

Skyline High School (Ann Arbor, Mich.) Dutchess Community College ‘17, Psychology

classification: Ib

Personal

Collier began riding at seven-years-old with dreams of competing at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. A routine vision screening altered that goal when the doctor diagnosed her with Wyburn–Mason syndrome, a very rare congenital birth defect affecting less than 0.14% of the world’s population. In 2007, she underwent medical treatments and hospitalizations to get rid of the arteriovenous malformations that characterize Wyburn-Mason syndrome. As a result, Collier completely lost the vision in her right eye and suffered a stroke that caused the loss of the use of the left side of her body....After attending the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and meeting Paralympian Jonathan Wentz, Collier became inspired to compete in para-equestrian dressage…Collier trains with Wes Dunham out of his Woodstock Stables in Millbrook, N.Y…She takes every opportunity that comes her way to speak to groups about overcoming challenges…Plans to become a special education teacher…Loves to volunteer as an aid in special education classrooms …Journey, her service dog, loves to go to the barn a visit with the horses.

Career Highlights

2016 National Champion in the High Performance Division with Western Rose at the 2016 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championships
Won the Grade Ib Team and Individual Tests at the Wellington CPEDI3* with Western Rose during week two of Global Dressage Festival
Won the Grade Ib Team Test and Grade Ib Individual Test at the Wellington CPEDI3* with Western Rose during the first week of the Global Dressage Festival