Richard Ham

I’ve always had a sense of adventure.

Growing up on the south coast of the UK, I was drawn to anything that got me outside — skateboarding, ocean swimming, camping, exploring, and generally chasing whatever adventure came next. The outdoors has always been where I feel most at home.

As I got older, that sense of adventure took me to the mountains of Europe, snowboarding with mates and constantly looking for the next experience.

Today, I live in Perth, Western Australia, with my family. I’m very much a family man, but adventure and the outdoors have never stopped being a huge part of who I am.

More than ten years ago, I discovered paragliding.

What started as a passion quickly became a way of life, taking me to coastal sites and inland XC flying around the world. There’s something addictive about being in the air — reading the wind, finding lift, working with the conditions and seeing the world from a completely different perspective.

But it was the huge coastal dunes of Western Australia that really captured me.

There’s something raw and wild about flying these places, with the wind coming off the Indian Ocean and nothing but sand, sky and coastline stretching ahead of you.

Then parakites came along, and I was completely hooked.

Suddenly, sections of coastline that had previously been unflyable became possible. Rock walls, groynes, buildings and complex terrain became part of the playground. Flying fast and low, carving the terrain, foot-dragging endless stretches of fresh powdery sand and exploring places most people will never experience from the air completely changed the way I looked at coastal flying.

It brought together so many of the things I’ve always loved — flying, exploration, freedom and adventure.

A few years ago, I met Bryan in Denmark. Since then, I’ve followed the Dune Rider journey closely, watching the idea develop, the adventures unfold and the passion behind it grow into what it is today.

To now be part of that journey myself is something I’m genuinely proud of.

For me, Dune Rider is about much more than the wings we fly. It represents adventure, exploration, progression and the freedom to look at a stretch of coastline differently and wonder, “Where can we go next?”

Most of all, it’s about sharing those places and experiences with people who understand why we do this in the first place.

I’m honoured to be part of the Dune Rider journey — and I can’t wait to see where the wind takes us next.

If you'd like a demo, or you just want to discuss what sizing may be right for you, please reach out anytime. 

Rich