Career
He started riding at the age of eight and competed in gymkhana and show jumping with his palomino Champagne, before taking up dreassage whilst working with Gemma Green for nine years at her yard in Jersey. Laurens was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004. Within two years he began competing for the Great Britain para dressage team
Selected to compete at his first Paralympic Games in 2008, Laurens entered the individual freestyle test grade III and was part of the Great Britain quartet for the overall team championship.
Following his success in Beijing he was named the British Broadcasting Corporation South West Disabled Sports Personality of the year for 2008. Later that year he was named Disability Sports Personality of the Year at the Gloucestershire Media Sports Awards.
He announced his retirement from international para-equestrian dressage in January 2011, citing "personal and financial reasons" for his decision.