Pearson won three golds in Beijing on his horse Gentleman

Staffordshire's nine-time Paralympic dressage champion Lee Pearson has said he is delighted to have been appointed a CBE in the New Year Honours list.

Pearson, 34, who has already been made an MBE and OBE, won three gold medals at the summer's Paralympics in Beijing.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "I'm just a normal bloke from Staffordshire and I feel really lucky to do a sport I love.

"To get recognition and to receive honours from the Queen on top of that is really special."

Pearson has won three gold medals at each of the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Games and said that his success is down to a combination of skill and good fortune.

"I think it's all of luck, talent, dedication and hard work," said Pearson.

"It's a 365 days-a-year commitment. It's a lot of hard of work to keep and look after the horses."

And now Pearson has set his sights on competing in the able-bodied dressage event at the London Games in 2012.

"I think I have the talent to compete in the Olympics, but I couldn't afford a horse of that standard," said Pearson.

I think it would be an amazing story for a British Paralympian to compete in the Olympics when they were held in this country."

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