James Paterson-Robinson and Lanosso Photo: Nicol Taylor
Australia’s Equestrian team which will compete in London is starting to take shape with another two horse and rider combinations gaining automatic nomination to the Jumping team overnight.
The combinations of Julia Hargreaves and Vedor and James Paterson-Robinson and Lanosso were the top two performing Australian combinations after two nomination events and as such will be automatically nominated* to the AOC for a position on the four member Jumping team.
Already occupying a position is Edwina Tops-Alexander, who is the sixth ranked Jumping rider in the world and a member of the Australian team which finished seventh at the Beijing Olympic Games.
The fourth combination will be decided by Australian selectors who face a difficult decision when they meet to finalise the team in the coming days.
On his way to gaining automatic nomination, James-Paterson Robinson and his 13 year old gelding Lanosso, also won the Bourg-en-Bresse CSI4* Grand Prix in France last night.
The victory is among the best of the 32 year old’s career and he won it convincingly after an emphatic display in a four strong jump off.
After Friday’s leader Amy Graham finished the Grand Prix round with three rails down, Paterson-Robinson knew he had to produce a clear round to gain automatic nomination.
“I was a little bit nervous because it was a difficult course and there weren’t too many clear rounds but the incentive to jump well for the Olympics was stronger than the nerves,” said Paterson-Robinson.
Equestrian Australia’s National Performance Director for Jumping, Stephen Lamb said, “To finish the nomination process with a victory is a great morale boost for the team. It was a tough day for the riders who faced very wet conditions and James has done a fantastic job to jump clear and win here.”
Julia Hargreaves and Vedor Photo: Nicol Taylor
The third member of the Jumping team, 26 year old Hargreaves, has learnt from the best in the business and is a former student of two time Olympian George Sanna and her now Olympic Games team-mate Edwina Tops-Alexander.
“I think it hasn’t really hit me yet - I will wake up tomorrow and it will hit me. It’s a huge relief and I’m very happy,” she said last night after the competition.
Julia’s hard work has certainly paid, off, with Lamb commenting that, “This is a great opportunity for Julia, she’s been working very hard and she’s earned this position so she’ll do great in London.
Six of the seven combinations contesting nomination were in action in last night’s Grand Prix. One combination that didn’t make the trip to the French alpine town was Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Set. Schaeffer, an Olympic gold medallist in Eventing, withdrew from the nomination process on veterinary advice after her mare sustained a suspensory ligament type injury at the first nomination event.
*The nomination is subject to both horses passing a veterinary check which will take place on Monday morning local time.
Michelle Cook, Equestrian Australia
