Jonelle Price is the top ranked New Zealand rider
The first updated squad of 2015 has been announced with New Zealand’s High Performance squad comprising;
Sir Mark Todd with NZB Campino (owned by Peter and Pam Vela) and Leonidas (owned by Peter Cattrell and Di Brunsden)
Jock Paget with Clifton Promise (owned by Frances Stead and Russell Hall) and Clifton Lush (owned by Frances Stead and Lucy Allison)
Caroline Powell with Onwards and Upwards (owned by Mary and Cameron Crawford)
Lucy Jackson on Willy Do (owned by Mark, Gillian and Charlotte Greenlees)
Jonelle Price with The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster and Mr and Mrs T Morice), Faerie Dianimo (owned by Trisha Rickards) and Classic Moet (owned by Trisha Rickards)
Tim Price with Wesko (owned by Christina Knudsen, Kate Watchman, Peter Vela and Lucy Sangster) and Ringwood Sky Boy (owned by Robert Taylor, Selwood.com and Price)
Clarke Johnstone with Balmoral Sensation (owned by the Johnstone family)
Clarke’s performances with Balmoral Sensation, the horse he bought from Donna Smith at the beginning of 2014, have put him back on the Equestrian Sports New Zealand eventing high performance squad. The 27 year old rider was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and was based in the United Kingdom for over two years before returning to New Zealand in late 2013 following injuries to his top horses
World number two ranked eventer Jonelle Price has put in impressive performances on the international stage this year with a fourth place at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, a fourth at the CCI4* at Pau and numerous top 10 placings at some of the UK’s best events.
A notable absence from the list is the world number six rider Andrew Nicholson who recently withdrew from squad participation pending discussions with ESNZ. The next squad review is in six months time
ESNZ interim chief executive Vicki Glynn has welcomed the announcement of the new squads, and particularly the come-back of Clarke Johnstone saying “It’s great to see Clarke back on the squad with such an exciting horse. It’s tough for any combination to make these top squads, but for good reason. We believe each combination named has the ability to finish in the top five individually at the 2016 Olympic Games. Our high performance target is two medals at Rio, but with such a strong squad, even more would not be a surprise.”
Also announced was the High Performance Eventing Accelerator Squad of Lizzie Brown and Jesse Campbell.
High Performance Sport New Zealand recently confirmed equestrian would receive $1.8 million annually through to 2016, as part of its four-year funding cycle for the sport.
