Olympic gold medallist Stuart Tinney and his mount Pluto Mio have been named as the replacement combination for Sonja Johnson and Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison in Australia’s eventing team for the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) 2014.
National eventing selectors today announced Tinney as Johnson’s substitution following her withdrawal from the team last week due to a minor injury to her horse.
Tinney is no stranger to international competition having competed at three World Equestrian Games (1998, 2002, 2010) and two Olympic Games, including Sydney 2000 where he was part of the Australian team that won gold (also Athens 2004).
The New South Wales based rider joins Olympic silver medallist Shane Rose (CP Qualified), London Olympians Chris Burton (TS Jamaimo) and Sam Griffiths (Paulank Brockagh), WEG 2010 representative Paul Tapner (Kilronan) and WEG debutant Bill Levett (Shannondale Titan) on the six member Australian team.
Natalie Blundell (Algebra) and Andrew Hoy (Rutherglen) are the team’s reserves, which in accordance with the WEG selection policy for eventing are not ranked.
National selectors have not named another reserve combination but if required will call on one from those that remain on the Nominated Entries list, which includes the following combinations (listed in alphabetical order):
- Chris Burton and Graf Liberty
- Bill Levett and Improvise
- Kevin McNab and Clifton Pinot
- Shane Rose and Taurus
