Equestrian Australia High Performance Weekly Update – 2nd March 2021
Despite the varying levels of instability faced by our riders as they continue their Tokyo 2020 campaigns, our identified athletes continue to rise above the multiple distractions in pursuit of success on the world stage.
Of special note last week was the outstanding performance by Para-dressage High Performance NEXT Squad rider Amelia White and her horse Genius 60, who secured victory in the CPEDI3* Freestyle at the prestigious CHI Al Shaqab presented by Longines in Doha. This remarkable accomplishment not only took place under strict Covid-19 constraints but also followed a rigorous journey from Germany to Doha for the event. The stringent new protocols in place to ensure the safety of all involved, and the resolve required to perform under such isolating conditions, only serves to amplify the magnitude of Amelia’s success. This experience has also allowed our team to gain a greater insight into international equine and athlete travel during the global pandemic, which we will review in careful detail to further assist us in our planning ahead of Tokyo 2020.
Australian Dressage rider Kelly Layne also stood atop the podium over the weekend after winning both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle competitions at the Global Dressage Festival CDI3* in Wellington, Florida (USA) riding Samhitas. Not only did Kelly accumulate multiple wins she also posted career high scores in both classes. The quality and consistency we continue to see delivered by our cohort of identified athletes reflects the calibre of our talent pool as we head into the selection period for Tokyo 2020.
Domestically competitions continue to gain momentum with numerous events taking place across the country. Currently national level events are providing our identified athletes with the ability to continue their competition preparation as they focus on potential team selection ahead of the postponed Games later this year. We remain engaged in open discussion with the FEI, Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia to ensure both our Australian and overseas-based athletes are able to meet all requirements of the amended Tokyo 2020 policies, including qualification criteria and confirmation results. We are now into the qualification period for the World Equestrian Games 2022 and we are also giving careful consideration as to how we best provide our athletes with opportunities to qualify across all disciplines globally.
The EA High Performance Program welcomed the announcement last week that the International Olympic Committee will enter into “Targeted Dialogue” with the Brisbane, Queensland candidature to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The opportunity to host the Games once again on home soil would provide a positive incentive for our High Performance riders and would inspire not only those in our current and future cycles but also the wider equestrian community.
EA High Performance has produced an off-horse educational program known as 'Competitive Edge’. Industry experts, who are embedded in the High Performance team and work closely with our High Performance Green and Gold Squad athletes, have created a suite of content across a wide rage of key learning areas. The ‘Competitive Edge’ platform will host, for the very first time, a national program to be rolled out across the country in each State that will support consistent messaging throughout the High Performance Pathway.
Australia has received an invitation to send a Dressage team of up to four riders to compete at the CDIO3* Nations Cup Competition being held in Wellington, Florida (USA) from 16th -21st March 2021. Therefore, we are currently seeking expressions of interest from riders; and individuals who would like to be considered for the role of Chef d’Equipe. Further information and applications forms can be found here.
As always the health and safety of our people and horses remain our priority as we work together as a high-performance community to navigate these unprecedented times.
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