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My name is Mary Jordan and I am a life-long equestrian and an international high performance FEI Grade 5 Para Equestrian Dressage athlete living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS.) I am the third person in my family with this neurologic disease, diagnosed in 2002. I am also a mother, wife, writer, equestrian competitor, caterer, national public speaker, advocate and volunteer for MS.
Recently I was named to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Short List for the Paris Paralympic Games. What’s next? On that journey I need to complete two paralympic qualifiers before June 19, 2024. I have an opportunity to do so with Amorico, a talented, seasoned FEI horse living in Holland, (where I have family and long-time friends) providing me with an avenue to re-enter the level with experience and access to shows overseas.
I ride for a reason: pure joy, and also to spread awareness and hope for those afflicted with MS like myself. Inspired by horses, I am fueled by the power of possibility, of what we as MS patients can do to defy the diagnosis. I have overcome a series of setbacks of not only MS, but also a hip replacement operation and recovery, and am now back to full-time training and competition. Resilience, adaptation and commitment mean I never give up –and I feel I am riding better than ever now, given the time to regroup, heal and refocus since COVID 19. I strive for excellence.
Interested in learning more?
This is my story, which several of you have seen in doctor’s offices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xCjf1D5qrg
And here is our prior video sports feature on ESPN:
My goal:
To once again represent the United States in the equestrian sport of Para Dressage at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, 2026 World Equestrian Games (WEG) and other international competitions as they unfold, as I have family and friends overseas. I am currently in the paralympic athlete pool, and work day-by-day toward my goal.
Options, Possibilities:
I am blessed with three competition horses in my life, each with their own unique stories: Rubicon, Sofia and Amorico.
Rubicon 75 came into my life in 2014 and together we have been back-to-back Grade 5 Para Dressage National Champions; three-time United States Federation Region 8 Champions in able body dressage at Third Level and Third Level Freestyle; and three times we competed at the US Finals in Lexington, Kentucky—the only Para dressage athlete to achieve that goal. We finished 8th in musical freestyles in the open professional division (I’m an amateur). In 2023 we also achieved our national U.S. Dressage Federation Silver Medal at the Prix St. Georges level—a lifetime goal of mine.
But sometimes with horses you need backup, and new talent coming into the pipeline.
Enter, Sofia. This talented Hanoverian mare is young, stunning and already a Dressage at Devon Champion, graciously on loan from her owner. We clicked the minute we met, and having only one-eye was not a worry. Our journey with Sofia started in December, getting to know her one-on-one and building a bond over the winter.
Enter, Amo. Amo is a talented seasoned FEI-level Dutch horse in Holland. This past March, I had an invite to Holland to get to know Amo and reconnect with my 2010 World Equestrian Games coach Paulien Alberts, (an international coach and judge). I successfully rode virtual tests under an Olympic/Paralympic judge. Over the course of a very short trip, we and got the scores and waivers required to compete overseas.
Riding Background - My International Experience:
On the world stage I was honored to be a member of Team USA at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky on my filly Paxton Abbey who was born in my lap. I was also an alternate for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London; an alternate for the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France; and I was a Long-Listed alternate for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.
I also was the solo US entry at the 2009 European Championships in Kristiansand, Norway, finishing in the Top 10 in the musical freestyle- a first for the US! I have represented my country on many nation's cup teams at CPEDI 3* competitions in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain and the USA…a true honor and thrill!
In 2015 I was inducted into the Kirkland Sports Hall of Fame in Central New York for my achievements as an athlete and advocate in my sport of Para Dressage, the 8th FEI (international) equestrian discipline.
My National Experience:
I have been the U.S. National Para Dressage Grade 5 (formerly Grade 4) Champion five times since 2011 and National Reserve Champion twice, once to myself! In Tryon we won the Grade 5 Freestyle Championship Class and have had other major freestyle wins from New York to Florida.
In able-body dressage, I earned national bronze and silver U.S. Dressage Federation Medals.
Earlier, I had a successful three-day eventing career up to the ½* level on my homebred mares, winning regional and national championships and national year-end awards.
Opportunities and Solutions – How You Can Help
Competing at this level involves significant costs, and sadly I am not a millionaire!
For years it has been challenging: working full-time, juggling multiple jobs, writing grants and fundraising—all while balancing training, traveling, driving by myself and competing across the country and balancing the needs of work, family and all my competition requirements.
Nobody likes to ask for money, or help—especially me. But fundraising is necessary to fuel the dream.
I realize times are tough. There’s a lot of strife in the world and an athlete cannot do this alone. But here is a chance to do something positive—support an effort fueled by desire, and backed by a philosophy and a mission of hope. I have felt and identified with the Olympic/Paralympic spirit and ideals of peace, a celebration of goodwill and quest for achievement in my bones since childhood. I not only want to represent my country and be an ambassador of the sport, but I also am focused on raising awareness for MS and Para Athletics.
If our story resonates with you, contributions of any amount will make a world of difference and will be gratefully accepted and used solely for direct horse and human athlete competition support, training and travel. I sincerely thank you!
Funding Options include:
1) This Go Fund Me page of course :)... I would be additionally grateful if you are willing to share the link with other supporters.
2) Private donations
3) Contributions of hotel and frequent flyer miles are graciously accepted!
Interested in learning more? Please check out my story and MS activities on my Facebook pages at:
I give back as much as I can, speaking with MS patients from all walks of life and volunteering for the nonprofit Mission Stadiums for MS: https://ms4ms.org/ where I am an ambassador of the sport, as well as speaking at schools, universities and doing riding demonstrations. I have loaned my former horses to those entering into the sport, and to therapeutic riding schools.
In addition to riding, I have served and volunteered in the past on four United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Committees to support our sport: Chairman of the Eligible Athlete Committee; Para Dressage High Performance Committee; Active Athlete Committee; and the Licensed Officials Committee.
We have achieved some amazing results so far, and are creating a solid momentum toward new goals…and would welcome your support! Thank you for joining in our journey and partnering with us! Thank you!
All the best!
Mary & Rubicon & Sofia & Amo
Further Background:
MS and Me …
Riding and competing are my passions, as well as a conduit to my work as a national advocate for MS, a chronic degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system. More than 400,000 people suffer from MS in the disease in the United States—the vast majority are women.
MS has affected 50% of my family since I was a child. My father, Rev. James B. Olmstead, was a quadriplegic stricken with the disease and was paralyzed from the neck down starting 6 months after I was born. That was my reality when I grew up and I never saw him stand or walk. From the age of 5 I helped take care of him along with my siblings. My older sister was diagnosed as a young adult.
In 2002 MS struck again...this time affecting me. I became the third person in my family diagnosed with this neurological disorder, which affected my hands, feet, bladder and neck, producing painful electrical zapping sensations down my spine, as well as numbness and tingling in my extremities. A botched spinal tap left me bedridden for a short period of time and unable to walk. Bouts of anxiety and depression punctuated my adjustment to this new reality – but I never gave up on my dreams.
Looking back, that first year of my diagnosis was the darkest and most challenging period of my life…especially as the mother of a young son. I never lost hope, or faith. I focused on the positive and the things that brought me joy: my family and my sport. Undeterred, I fought back and sought aggressive medical treatment immediately. I think it is important to note that my international riding career started five years after my diagnosis!
My love for my family, coupled with love of horses and passion to compete, motivated me on a daily basis to be a committed athlete. I discovered FEI Para Equestrian Dressage in 2009. I was classified as a Grade 4 (now 5), which is roughly equivalent to 3rd Level dressage within the United States Dressage Federation (USDF).
To date I have taken part in numerous medical research studies at Harvard, Brigham & Women's Hospital and a genetics project in San Francisco and other top institutions across the nation to better help understand this disease. My hope is to contribute to the research to one-day find a cure. I have had my greatest medical success personally by vigilantly battling this disease with advanced medical care, medication and my unwavering commitment to good health and exercise.
Outside of equestrian competition, I graduated cum laude with a degree in English from the University of New Hampshire, Durham. I work full-time and am a national advocate and public speaker for Multiple Sclerosis, traveling across the country in the past to share my family’s story of MS with groups of patients to inspire them and give them a message of hope.
I am not an equine professional, but work in my daily life full-time and also work extra jobs in freelance writing, public relations, accounting, catering and as a national advocate and public speaker for Multiple Sclerosis…to make this all happen.
Each day is a blessing and opportunity!