Eventing And Dressage Head New HP Equestrian Squads

Eventing And Dressage Head New HP Equestrian Squads

Eventing and dressage take another step towards the London Olympics in the latest high performance squads announced by Equestrian Sports New Zealand today (Friday).

Unsurprisingly the 2012 eventing squad features Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson, Jonathan Paget and Clarke Johnstone. All have been solid in their performances and would need a disaster to not be named for London.

Caroline Powell, a member of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2010 World Champs, has slipped off the 2012 squad. She is without her stars Lenamore, who she won Burghley on in 2009, and Mac MacDonald, who she had at World Champs, but has a good team in the making and been named on the 2014 squad.

Lenamore is not entirely out of the mix either, with a decision on his inclusion in the squad expected after Badminton International Horse Trials in May.

Dressage rider Louisa Hill is the newcomer to the 2012 squad after her sterling efforts in Australia including helping qualify a team slot for New Zealand at London. She has met the criteria for London but as yet is undecided when she will head to the UK or Europe to continue her campaign.

One who will be hoping to make the step from the 2014 squad to 2012 is dressage rider Vanessa Way (Taranaki) who with her horse KH Arvan just this week left for the United Kingdom where she will base with Carl Hester.

ESNZ high performance director Sarah Harris says it tough for rider to make the top squads.

“The high performance squad criteria remains deliberately hard for all disciplines so that we drive our programme out of performance and into high performance,” she says.

“Announcing all squads together like this is an exciting new initiative that allows the standard in each discipline to be viewed as one.”

There are a number aiming for the 2014 World Championships in France, including riders from showjumping, endurance, dressage, eventing and para-dressage.

Full squads and details can be found by clicking the following links:

Eventing Dressage Para-Dressage Showjumping Endurance

ESNZ 2012 high performance squads, eventing: Andrew Nicholson (Waikato/UK) Nereo, Avebury, Mr Cruise Control, Armada; Clarke Johnstone (Otago/UK) Orient Express; Jonathan Paget (Muriwai/UK) Clifton Promise, Clifton Lush; Mark Todd (Waikato/UK) NZB Grass Valley, Major Milestone, NZB Land Vision.

Dressage: Louisa Hill (Clevedon) Bates Antonello.

ESNZ 2014 squads, eventing: Andrew Nicholson (Waikato/UK) Shady Grey, Quanza, Calico Joe; Caroline Powell (Canterbury/Scotland) Boston Two Tip, Porthill Rusty Nail; Clarke Johnstone (Otago/UK) KS Secrets, Incognito; Jonathan Paget (Muriwai/UK) Bullet Proof; Jonelle Richards (Canterbury/UK) Flintstar; Lizzie Brown (Waikato) Henton Attorney General; Lucy Jackson (UK) Animator II, Kiloltrim Ambassador, Willy Do; Mark Todd (Waikato/UK) NZB Campino; Neil Spratt (Wellington /UK) Upleadon.

Dressage: Vanessa Way (Taranaki) KH Arvan.

Endurance: Andrea Smith (Taihape) Glenmore Tariq, Jenny Champion ( Masterton) Freckles; Phillip Graham (Canterbury) Wolfgang Amadeus, Sarah Hamer (Oamaru) Diam'id, Sean Trafford ( Taranaki) Sayfwood Rolling Stone.

Para-dressage: Rachel Stock (Auckland) Bates Rimini Park Emmerich, Bates Donnergrollen; Frances Dick (Wakefield) Oxford Belle, Witzana.

ENDS