Kevin Van Ham | |
Nationality: | Belgian |
Discipline: | Para-dressage |
Horse: | Eros Van Ons Heem |
Show-Medals: | yes |
Kevin Van Ham (born 22 July 1989) is a Paralympic equestrian of Belgium, competing in Test Grade V.
Van Ham was born with a piece of his left forearm missing. He has been riding horses since he was 12.[1]
Van Ham started out in the able-bodied Dressage circuit and switched to Para-dressage in 2017.[2]
Van Ham participated in his first international para-competition in 2018 and a year later he recorded his first scores above 70% at the CPEDI (Concours Para Équestre de Dressage International) competitions in Uberhernn (Germany) [3] and Stadl-Paura (Austria) [4] with his horse Eros Van Ons Heem.[5]
Van Ham first represented Belgium in an international competition in the Para-dressage events at the 2019 FEI European Championships in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, where he finished fifth in both the Individual Test Grade V [6] and the Freestyle Test Grade V.[7] [8]
Van Ham was selected for both the 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics. In Tokyo, Japan he finished 7th in the Individual Test Grade V and 8th in the Freestyle Test Grade V.[9] [10] In Paris, France he did better in both disciplines, finishing 6th in the Individual Test Grade V and 5th in the Freestyle Test Grade V.[11] [12] [13] [14]
In 2020 he participated in his first FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark finishing 4th in the Individual Test Grade V and 7th in the Freestyle Test Grade V.
Van Ham is gay and lives with his partner Jeffrey.[15] He lives near Leuven and besides riding he also teaches and works full time in retail.