A Brecon para carriage driver has been honoured with two major awards recognising her success on the international stage and her contribution to disability sport.

Emily Ham received the prestigious Birt Spooner Cup from the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), the charity’s highest national award.

The trophy was presented by Anne, Princess Royal during the organisation’s annual general meeting in Coventry, attended by more than 200 delegates from RDA groups across the UK.

The award recognises people who have made “remarkable contributions to RDA and para equestrianism”.

Seven nominees were shortlisted this year, but the judging panel chose to present the 2025 award to the Great Britain Para Driving team.

Emily attended the ceremony alongside fellow para driver Deborah Daniel and assistant chef d’équipe and trainer Sarah Howe, who runs a long-established RDA centre in Kent. A third team member, Jane McGarvie from Scotland, was unable to attend.

Speaking after the event, Emily said the team had not expected to win.

“We were so honoured to be nominated and invited to the conference,” she said.

“The other nominees were exceptional and showed such commitment and dedication, so it was a complete surprise to us to actually win this amazing award. We are all absolutely thrilled. I don’t think it has really sunk in for any of us yet.”

Following the ceremony, the Princess Royal spoke with the winners over lunch and asked about the team and their journey to international competition.

“She was very interested to hear about the team and the whole squad,” Emily said.

“The princess wanted to know about the seven women who represented Great Britain at the World Championships. As someone who has ridden eventing at top level, she understands the work that goes into preparing for a championship in the driven version of the sport.”

Para carriage driving involves three demanding phases and competitors must prepare their horses to perform across all of them.

The award also recognised the team’s achievements at the Para Driving World Championships in Lahden, Germany, where they won a bronze medal.

Individually, Deborah finished fourth while Emily placed fifth with her 24-year-old Welsh cob, Alfie, in a field of 17 international drivers.

The team were also praised for their long-standing links with the RDA, which supports more than 39,000 disabled children and adults across the UK each year through horse-based activities.

Emily has also recently received international recognition for her career in the sport.

She was awarded a Silver Badge of Honour by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), the global governing body for equestrian sport, after representing Great Britain at four European or World Driving Championships.

The honour was presented at the British Carriage Driving annual meeting and awards evening.