Lisa Martin's catch up on her #RoadtoRio during the Sydney CDI

We caught up with Lisa Martin, one of our Rio hopefuls during the Sydney CDI. Happy with how her weekend is progressing, she has shared her excitment to be on the #RoadtoRio and her hopes of making the Australian Para-Equestrian team.

Lisa, tell us about the good results during these two last days?

“It was fantastic competing during the Sydney CDI this weekend. It was First Famous’ second competition in Para-Equestrian and I was really happy with her. She got a bit over 73% in her first test and 71% in her second test but I was a bit frustrated with myself in the second. I thought I had changed a few things but it didn't come off the way I wanted it. The horse itself is just firing. We’re really excited. She has really not long come down from Grand Prix small tour type of work and it is very tough for her”

Who is First Famous?

"She is an 8-year-old mare. We imported her from Germany three years ago. She is probably touching out about eighteen hands now I suppose. She is the kind of mare that is very laid back. She's got an incredible personality. Nothing much phases her. She reminds me of a little old man in an armchair with a drink and kicking back a bit."

How are you getting prepared on this #RoadtoRio? Mentally, physically?

"Mentally it is tough I must say. I am keeping lots of positive people around me. I am just doing what I have always done for 39 years and I just keep going.

"The Para-Equestrian program is incredibly professional. We have a physio who is able to work on us. For example I am all strapped up right now because I had problems with my back and my neck. I had cramps in my legs last night from the heat yesterday and I had a physio session this morning. The support crew behind the program is phenomenal, really amazing."

What are your next projects?

We will have a bit of an idea of who is in the team in the next three weeks. The final team will get announced in late May. We still have riders competing overseas so we are waiting to see where we are going to sit. If I am lucky enough to get on the team - for the moment we don’t know what is going to happen – I would fly on 4 August for the pre-Games camp in Holland for three and a half weeks. From Holland we would then go to Rio. After that I would fly back to Germany to train with Christoph Koschel and then head over to Wellington, Florida to do a circuit over there and work on to all my Grand Prix work from January to April.