Despite the tyranny of distance, Australian eventing has a longstanding history of Championship success and with that goes a long list of top class coaches managing those teams. In 2016 Australia’s National Eventing Performance Manager Prue Barrett led the team to a bronze team medal in Rio and a Nations Cup team victory in Aachen and, while Prue is no longer at the helm, there are some very promising coaches in the wings for the future
This week two familiar faces on the Australian eventing circuit, Sam Lyle and Will Enzinger, are taking on the roles of Senior Team coach and Young Rider Team coach for the Australian teams at the Melbourne International 3 Day Event.
Sam, who has a Masters in Sports Coaching from Sydney University and is a Level 3 Coach, was Assistant Coach for the Australian eventing team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the 2006 World Equestrian Games, so is no stranger to the coaching role while Will, also a Level 3 Coach, is one of the most popular eventing coaches for riders of all ages and abilities in Australia and also coaches regularly in Japan
We caught up with Sam and Will after their first day on the ground with their team members at Werribee Park near Melbourne where the FEI Oceania Championships, formerly known as the Trans-Tasman, will take place as part of the Saddleworld Melbourne International 3 Day Event from 9th – 17th June
We talked to Will about his 'newbie' team of Young Riders, the venue at Werribee Park which he knows so well and how teams bond in a short space of time
Watch our interview with Sam Lyle here
