Final Selections near for Equestrian World Champs

MEDIA RELEASE – 12thAugust 2010

Final Selections near for Equestrian World Champs team

It's coming down to the wire for New Zealand combinations hoping for selection for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky next month.

Six of the seven eventers on the short list will start in the United Kingdom this week in the Hartpury Horse trials in Gloucestershire.

The very in-form Andrew Nicholson leads the charge at the prestigious five day event that features many of the world's best from 17 nations.

Nicholson is likely to start his entire A string of Nereo, Avebury, Mr Cruise Control and Armada, among others in the lower grades.

Also hoping to impress the New Zealand chef d'equipe Erik Duvander and convenyor of selectors Andrew Scott, will be Mark Todd on Grass Valley, Annabel Wigley on Black Frum, Caroline Powell on Mac McDonald, Jonathan Paget on Clifton Promise and Joe Meyer on Snip and Clifton Lush.

The only other rider in contention is Clarke Johnstone aboard Orient Express who lines up at the CCI3* International Three Day Event in Sydney at the end of the month.

From that line-up, selectors will name a team of five for the games, which all riders have no doubt will one of the best world games ever.

There are just four in contention for the show jumping team and all are offshore doing their best to get noticed.

Europe-based Samantha McIntosh has been in fine form on Loxley, including second by a snip at the highly-ranked San Patrignano CSI5* grand prix in Italy recently. The 34-year-old Kiwi was welcomed back to black earlier this year when she traded her Bulgarian passport for a New Zealand one. McIntosh and Loxley will start in another five star in early September.

Showjumper of the Year Katie McVean and Dunstan Delphi have been regulars on the podium at Spruce Meadows and other Canadian shows. They're heading towards the $250,000 Hampton Classic grand prix in New York early next month.

The US based Guy Thomas and Peterbilt have shone with their form this season, making history as the first ever winner of the Triple Crown of Showjumping in Northern California.

Maurice Beatson and Apollo Van Evendale are also proving very consistent in their performances throughout the United States and will be pushing to continue it.

Jody Hartstone, New Zealand's only WEG dressage hopeful, has had to make the heart-breaking decision to relinquish her quest to make selection for the 2010 games, sending Whisper V back to New Zealand, but is already looking towards the 2012 London Olympics.

With the three-strong endurance team already named, its flat-out fundraising for Alison Higgins, Jenny Chandler and Debbie Worsfold. Their chef d'equipe Madonna Harris is leading by example at the front of the Mongol Derby, a 1000-kilometre endurance ride that is considered the toughest on the planet. As soon as she finishes that, she'll be back to New Zealand in time to back up her troops for Kentucky.

The World Games run from September 25 to October 10 and feature eight disciplines – showjumping, dressage, endurance, eventing, para dressage, reining, driving and vaulting.

These will be the sixth world games, and the first outside of Europe. The games are held every four years and are expected to attract more than 800 riders from 57 countries and more than 600,000 spectators.

ENDS

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