Another group of Australian jumping combinations will get their first chance in front of national selectors this weekend when they compete at the Linz CSIO4* (AUT).
Australian selectors are on their way to Austria to watch the athletes who are vying for a position on the four* member team that will represent Australia at the London Olympic Games.
Currently 12 combinations are eligible for a position on the four person team but with Edwina Tops-Alexander already occupying a position through pre-selection, there are just three spots up for grabs.
Last weekend saw six riders contest the Lummen CSIO4* (BEL) and the remaining combinations will line up at Linz when the event gets underway on Thursday.
The jumping combinations that will compete at Linz CSIO4* are: Danielle Butcher and Big Higgs, Matt Williams and Watch Me VD Mangelaar, James Paterson Robinson and Qulander and Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Set.
Missing from this weekend’s team is Harley Brown who was due to start at Linz with Cassiatio.
Despite undergoing veterinary treatment for a virus, advice given to Brown by both his own vet and the Australian team was that Cassiatio was not well enough to travel to Linz.
Brown requested special consideration to miss the first jumping nomination event and continue in the selection process. EA has accepted the request for special consideration under clause four of the Jumping Nomination criteria which advises that the selection panel may exempt combinations from nomination events.
Before selectors invite the combination to proceed to the next round of the nomination process at Bourg-en-Bresse, Brown and Cassiatio must now satisfactorily compete at the Roosendaal CSI2* in France on 24-26 May to prove the horse’s fitness.
“This is disappointing news for Harley but our riders are experienced and know that an issue such as this can sometimes happen in our sport. But as always the welfare of our horses is paramount,” said National Performance Director for Jumping, Stephen Lamb.
“Our national selectors are focused on fielding the best possible team and this nomination process is a proven system which I am confident will give us the right team for London. After this weekend selectors will have a much better idea of who will be in the running for a position on what we hope will be the best Jumping team Australia has sent to an Olympic Games,” he added.
The Aussies are set to come up against tough competition this weekend with top nations Italy, Brazil, Canada and Germany among the starting line-up. Italy won the CSIO4* in Lummen last weekend and will certainly be the ones to beat in Linz.
But the real competition for our Aussie athletes will be against their fellow team members – after strong performances last weekend from the Australians, this weekend’s team will need to stop at nothing to impress the selectors.
*A fifth combination will act as the team’s reserve
Linz CSIO4* will take place from 10 – 13 May. Stay tuned to equestrian.org.au for results and highlights.
Catch all the action online on FEI TV as they broadcast from Linz – visit http://www.feitv.org/page/Live/0,,12664,00.html
For full event information visit http://www.linzerpferdefestival.at/
