Equestrian Australia High Performance Weekly Update – 1st July 2021

It is with tremendous pride and excitement that we confirm all equestrian team members for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have been announced. Although the Games of the XXXII Olympiad will be unlike any in history we look forward to upholding Australia’s proud Olympic legacy on the world stage in Japan next month.

We wish to congratulate the combinations selected to represent Australia at the postponed Olympic Games, and to join them in celebrating the reward following years of hard work in being named an Olympic athlete, there is no higher sporting honour.

The selected Equestrian team members for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are:

Eventing

Chris Burton and Quality Purdey, owned by Claire Poole. Groom, Coriander Cousins
Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos, owned by David and Paula Evans. Groom, Clémentine Girardeau
Shane Rose and Virgil, owned by Shane and Niki Rose and Michelle Hasibar. Groom, Rachel Watts
Reserve combination: Stuart Tinney and Leporis, owned by Stuart and Karen Tinney. Groom, Karen Tinney

Dressage

Mary Hanna and Calanta, owned by Mary and Rob Hanna. Groom, Casey Gill
Kelly Layne and Samhitas, owned by Kelly and Nori Maezawa. Groom, Satomi Ishikuri
Simone Pearce and Destano, owned by Simone and Gestüt Sprehe. Groom, Emily Reudavey

Jumping

Jamie Kermond and Yandoo Oaks Constellation, owned by Kerrie Winning. Groom, Cody Mulder
Katie Laurie and Casebrooke Lomond, owned by Katie and Jackson Laurie with Sheena Ross. Groom, Ashlyn Cuku
Edwina Tops-Alexander and her own Identity Vitseroel. Groom, Reesa Pihu
Reserve combination: Rowan Willis and Blue Movie, owneed by Rowan, David and Elsa Willis, Renee Willis, Michael and Wendy Jackson and Warren Coventry. Groom, Robert Buniowski

We would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the unwavering determination and perseverance shown by all our athletes, owners and grooms who campaigned towards Tokyo 2020 team selection over the past five years. While there are limited places on an Olympic team and even less so in Tokyo owing to the new Olympic format, which allows for only three team members with no drop score, we were fortunate to have an enviable depth of talent entering the selection process. All of our athletes not only displayed resilience in their approach to the multiple setbacks and disappoints thrust upon them by Covid-19, but they also showed admirable team spirit and support of their fellow athletes, as well as embodying the core values of our sport throughout their campaigns. We are proud of all of our athletes who strove towards team selection, and with the World Equestrian Games taking place in 2022 we have no doubt that many already have their sights firmly set on the World Championships next year.

Our Tokyo 2020 cohort are not only a diverse and talented group spanning generations, we also have two athletes whose selection has made Australian history. Andrew Hoy will represent Australia at an unprecedented eighth Olympic Games, extending his own record of seven as the most Olympic appearances by an Australian athlete, while Mary Hanna becomes the first woman to make six Australian Olympic Teams. These incredible achievements are the result of Andrew and Mary’s devotion to a career spent in the pursuit of equestrian excellence, as well as the unique nature of our sport, where age nor gender hinder an athlete in representing their country on the greatest sporting stage in the world.

As our selected athletes now look ahead to preparing themselves and their horses for PEQ, travel to Japan and the upcoming competition, our EA High Performance staff ensures no stone is left unturned as our operational and logistical procedures are finalised ahead of departure. Mary Hanna will be the very first Australian athlete to touch down in Tokyo upon the official opening of the Olympic village in less than two weeks time, with the dressage competition the first of the equestrian disciplines to be contested at the Games.

We would like to thank the National Selectors, team Chef d’Equipes, EA High Performance Panel, National Discipline Committees and the EA Board for their tireless year-round work, all in a voluntary capacity, dedicating their time to overseeing various aspects of the sport. Their collaborative efforts ensure the EA High Performance Program can focus on supporting our athletes as they strive to realise their podium potential, ensuring the strongest team is nominated to represent Australia on the world stage.

We look forward to embarking on this journey with our selected athletes, horses and team members and to share the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with our stakeholders and the wider Australian equestrian community.

The Para-equestrian Tokyo 2020 FEI qualification period remains open until 5th July, after which the teams will be nominated to Paralympics Australia, and then announced in due course.

Article courtesy of Equestrian Australia