High Performance Media Portal

Equestrian Australia's High Performance Program is dedicated to the support and development of its athletes and to driving podium outcomes. In addition, the program nurtures and identifies Australia’s next generation of athletes, providing the right support at the right time to ensure Australia continues to achieve international sporting success.

In order to celebrate and communicate the many successes of our athletes a portal, and dedicated social media channels, housing High Performance content was established in January 2019 for those who have an interest in following the Australian Equestrian Team.

Follow us and tag us at:

Facebook - Australian Equestrian Team 

Instagram -  @ausequestrianteam 

For all EA High Performance Media enquiries please contact: Kirsty Pasto, EA High Performance Sports and Media Consultant, [email protected]

Chris Burton Tied for Third After Leg Two of ERM

Australia’s Chris Burton proved once again that he is a force to be reckoned with on cross country, as he delivered the fastest round of the day aboard Lawtown Chloe to move from fifth up to second place and finish on his dressage score of 28.3.

As to whether the mare will be his go-to ERM horse for the remainder of the season: “If she keeps going like this, I’ll certainly ask her to. We’re delighted that she went so well — and what a great show we’ve had in Wiesbaden.”...

Tinney Celebrates at Melbourne International 3 Day Event

Stuart Tinney was victorious at Melbourne International 3 Day Event today in the Pryde's EasiFeed CCI4*-L, after jumping clear in the final phase of the competition. Stuart lead the charge from the very beginning with his magnificent chestnut, who is aptly named, Celebration owned by Elisabeth Brinton. Stuart also placed 6th and 7th on his two other rides Leporis and Wanda, respectively.

"He jumped super in there, he had lots of energy this morning and worked really well and he jumped as well as he always does, I am very happy....

Boyd Exell Drives to Victory at Valkenswaard

Driving Valkenswaard International was a successful event for the Australian Drivers who took part in the international competition held at the grounds of Boyd Exell’s estate in Valkenswaard, NED.

Top drivers from across the globe battled it out in the dressage, marathon and cones competitions. Besides the individual competitions, Driving Valkenswaard International was also host to the only official Nations Cup for Four-In-Hand in the Netherlands...

Chris Burton Wins Again at Saumur

For the fourth time, after his 2012, 2016 and 2018 victories, Australia’s Christopher Burton wins CCI 4*L of Saumur Complet. From the beginning to the end, he dominated the dressage and the cross-country and produced a faultless round in the show jumping.

At the end of the Saumur competition, his horse Polystar I now fills the qualifying conditions for the Olympic Games in Tokyo...

New Equestrian Life Para-Dressage Leaderboards

Equestrian Australia High Performance, in consultation with rider feedback, have introduced a new Para-Dressage initiative to recognise and support Australian athletes.

In conjunction with Equestrian Life a new leaderboard has been created to recognise and encourage participation in both National and FEI Para-Dressage categories...

Double Victory for Australian Teams at Oceania Championships 2019

 It was victory on both fronts for the Australian Senior Gold Team and Young Rider Team in Taupo at the Oceania Championships in New Zealand today...

Australian Gold Team Jump to the Lead after Cross Country at Oceania Championships

Cross-country day at the Oceania Championships in Taupo, New Zealand saw a shake up in the standings for both Australian and New Zealand riders.

The cross-country course proved challenging as it undulated over 6,234m at the New Zealand National Equestrian Centre....

Amanda Ross and Dicavalli Diesel Motor to First Place

The dressage phase of the Oceania Championships in Taupo, New Zealand has come to a close with Australia’s Amanda Ross riding Dicavalli Diesel leading the charge individually with a score of 28.3, seeing them atop the leaderboard.

Under the uncharacteristic New Zealand sun the duo delivered a beautiful test, which helped secure the Australian Senior Green Team second position after day one....

Tradition, Trans-Tasman and the Journey to Oceania 2019

Next week the Australian Equestrian Team will head to Taupo, New Zealand with twelve combinations ready to take on the Kiwis at the 2019 Oceania Championships.

Originally known as the Trans-Tasman the event began back in 1985 with the very first event held at Gawler, South Australia. The original concept of the event was to give riders from both Australia and New Zealand, who had never ridden at Gawler before, the opportunity to experience the event and terrain, prior to the following year’s World Championships at the venue...

Tom McDermott Dominates Week One of Aquis Champions Tour

Picturesque Elysian Fields in Queensland played host to three full days of fantastic jumping for week one of the Aquis Champions Tour.

Riders from across Australia and New Zealand made the journey to one of the richest shows of the season. The fortnight long event will see more than 400 horses and riders step into the arena in a display of premier jumping.

Week one culminated with the Appliances Online Grand Prix, and it was Tom McDermott who jumped to victory aboard the Langbecker owned Alpha Activity. Tom was a force to be reckoned with also coming second on Yalambi Finnigan, owned by the Hovell family, and fourth riding his own Elegance de la Charmille...

Annabel Armstrong and Quaprice Jump To Victory

The final day of competition at Sydney International Three-Day Event thrilled spectators in the Olympic arena with the contest tight right down to the wire.

The John Vallance designed jumping course proved challenging, resulting in considerable movement in the standings after the jumping phase. “This is a jumping course. The time was tight which had a big impact on the result. I really enjoyed building for the event, it was great to be able to have the horses jump in the big Olympic arena which really allows the horses to move along” explained John...

Para-Dressage Champions Crowned

Today was the last day of the CPEDI hosted by Sydney International Three-Day event, which culminated with the Freestyle competition.

The indoor arena at Sydney International Equestrian Centre was filled with music this morning as the final day of competition opened the day’s event.

This was the first of the International qualifying events for Australian based riders campaigning for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and was the first FEI qualifying event in the Oceania region that will count towards a team ranking on the FEI Paralympic Ranking List...

Sydney3DE Delivers Spectacular Day of Equestrian Sport

The competitive fires were lit today with riders bringing their ‘A game’ for the cross country phase at Sydney International Three Day-Event.

The weather provided clear blue skies for perfect viewing as the spectators gathered across the 5.8km of Mike Etherington-Smith’s magnificently designed cross-country course...

Para-Dressage Competitors Shine on Day Two at Sydney 3DE

As Eventing riders prepared to head out on the cross country course this morning at the Sydney International Three-Day Event the Para-Equestrian athletes were already taking to the dressage arena on day two of the CPEDI competition, this time competing in the individual test.

The competition moved to Arena 2 bringing with it a change in atmosphere as well as scenery as the crowds gathered to watch the competition...

 

Super Sam Lyle is All Superclass on Day One at Sydney 3DE

The greatly anticipated Sydney International Three-Day Event certainly lived up to the high expectations with a beautiful sunny day providing a picturesque setting for the dressage competition on day one. Almost 500 combinations took to the arena at Sydney International Equestrian Centre for the opening phase of the competition.

The event precedes the biennial Oceania Challenge that will be held in Taupo, New Zealand on May 10-12, and offers a wonderful preparation opportunity for the three who will represent Australia in New Zealand.

Para-Dressage Team Test Opens Sydney 3DE

Sydney International Three-Day Event opened this morning with the Para-Dressage team test competition as ten combinations entered the arena in the hope of obtaining an FEI Paralympic qualifying score.

The competition marked the first of the International qualifying events for Australian based riders campaigning for Tokyo 2020. It is also the first time that a CPEDI has been run in conjunction with a major international three-day event, allowing Para-Dressage athletes to gain greater exposure to a busy atmosphere and the large crowds that are synonymous with Championship events.

Aaron Hadlow More Determined Than Ever

Australian League World Cup Jumping Champion Aaron Hadlow is back on home soil following his trip to the FEI World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden, and what he has brought back with him is an even greater determination to succeed.

As winner of the 2018/2019 Australian FEI World Cup Jumping League Aaron and his horse Vahlinvader earned themselves an invitation to compete at the Finals in April. After careful consideration Aaron decided not to take Vahlinvader overseas, but rather to go himself un-mounted. Aaron was awarded the opportunity to obtain partial funding to attend the Final as a spectator in an initiative to assist Australian based riders who win the league to learn from, and be a part of, the FEI World Cup Final experience....

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Equestrian Schedule Released

 Tokyo 2020 have released the individual event schedule for next year’s Olympics as the countdown to the Games continues to build excitement.

The Equestrian events kick off with Dressage on Saturday 25th July at 5:00pm (JST) and conclude with the Jumping Team Final on Sat 8 Aug.

With the 2020 Olympics set to run from July 24 through to Aug 9, organisers have also included two "Super Saturdays" and a "Golden Sunday" packed with medal events running back-to-back. Featuring a record 33 sports and 339 events, there will be more opportunities than ever to watch world-class athletes in action...

FEI Sports Forum: Tokyo 2020 Olympic & Paralympic Games

Tim Hadaway, FEI Director of Games Operations, opened the second session at the Fédération Equestre Internationale Sports Forum this week in Lausanne with an update on Tokyo 2020.

He spoke about the potential challenges posed by climatic conditions in Tokyo, including analysis of historical weather data combined with data collected at the venues over the past two years, as well as an outline of what mitigation measures are already in place and what is being planned.

FEI climate specialist Dr David Marlin and Chair of the FEI Medical Committee Dr Peter Whitehead spoke in great detail on ways to prevent potential heat-related issues and how to optimise performance in the equine and human athlete, as well as how these measures will also be useful for officials and spectators...

Oceania Championships 2019 Australian Teams Announced

Equestrian Australia is pleased to announce the final teams for the 2019 Oceania Championships, to be held in Taupo, New Zealand from 10-12th May 2019.

This will be the first time that three Australian teams will be competing in the challenge, the largest contingent of Australian athletes to attend the biennial event to date.

The Oceania Championships represent a critical component of the High-Performance programs preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, providing a unique opportunity for athletes to experience the new Olympic format....

 

High Performance Gen Next Coaches Leading for the Future


This week members of the High Performance Gen Next Coaching Program, and High Performance Management, had the opportunity to develop their leadership skills during a workshop focusing on sporting vision, culture, development and success.

As part of the workshop participants were invited to spend the morning at the Waratahs training grounds at UNSW, Daceyville, where head coach, Daryl Gibson, spoke to the group about the importance of athlete driven leadership, team philosophy and creating a healthy culture to bring out the best performance in a team of athletes....

Eventers "Practice Perfection" with Nelson Pessoa at Lier CSI2*

The wrath of the Belgium weather with its strong winds and torrential rain couldn’t stop our eventers as they spent the week training with jumping legend, and Australian High Performance jumping coach, Nelson Pessoa in Brussels.

UK based High Performance Gold Squad riders Andrew Hoy and Chris Burton spent a week with Pessoa focusing on a variety of exercises designed to prepare both horse and rider for the pressures of competition. This included focusing on the flexibility and adjustability of the horses, and ensuring that riders understand the mechanics of their equine partners – like a Formula 1 racecar everything should be precisely tuned...  

DaVinci L Opens the Event With A Masterpiece

  

On the opening day of the 2019 Willinga Park Dressage By The Sea CDI4*, it was the Queensland pairing of Jaydyn Brown and Lauren George’s DaVinci L who scored a well-deserved 74.676%. This overall included two scores over 75% from two of the international judges to secure the win in the Boutique Equine Prix St Georges competition held on the magnificent Otto Sport Australia Outdoor Grand Prix Arena.

Remarkably, this pair have only been together for five months after this stunning 8-year-old gelding was imported from Germany. Well credentialled before his arrival, including winning second place in the World Young Horse competition with scores of 9’s in a number of paces, DaVinci L has enjoyed success at every level...

High Performance Workshop for State Squad Riders in Queensland

Yesterday Dr Alison Alcock presented at an off horse High Performance workshop for State Squad riders in Queensland. Dr Alcock who specialises in Sports Science Medicine ran sessions on the attributes of an elite equestrian, athlete well-being, competition review and anti-doping.

"It is important to educate our emerging elite athletes so they are prepared for their career ahead. Seeing the young riders engage with important subject matter such as identifying key characteristics that are shared by elite athletes and the importance of clean sport for riders is a positive indication of the bright future Equestrian has in Australia" said Dr Alcock.  Also presenting at the workshop was 7 News Brisbane presenter Kay McGrath and Suzanne Stark from Media Potential. The workshop is the first of many State off horse workshops that will be run across the country in the coming year.

High Performance Squad Riders Jump Away the Winter Chill in Brussels  

High Performance Eventing Squad Riders who are based in Europe took the opportunity this week to shake off the winter chill and thaw out during a jumping clinic held in Brussels, Belgium with jumping legend Nelson Pessoa.

The focus of the clinic was on improving technique and the musculoskeletal function of the horses. There was a lot of practical work on balancing the bodies of horse and rider, approach to the fences, harnessing impulsion and improving the horse's shape over a fence...

Aaron Hadlow and Vahlinvader Reign Supreme  

Sale World Cup marked the end of the Australian League FEI Jumping World Cup 2018/2019 season, and it was Aaron Hadlow who topped the leader board in impressive style.

Hadlow who hails from Dapto, NSW, led the series by such a margin that the final standings were determined even before the first horse stepped into the ring at Sale... 

Clay Simmonds Named Rookie of the Year 

 

As the 2018/2019 Australian FEI Jumping World Cup™ season came to a close it was 18-year-old Clay Simmonds who was announced as ‘Rookie of the Year’.

This is the first year the accolade has been presented with the award aiming to recognise the incredible achievement of riders who have completed their first season at the peak level of jumping in Australia... 

Rozzie Ryan Wins Pacific League Final  

What a performance by the incredible Rozzie Ryan and Jarrah R who won the highly anticipated Grand Prix CDI-WLF Freestyle in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Boneo Classic 2019!

This win in the Pacific League Final qualifies Rozzie and Jarrah R to represent Australia at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final at Gothenburg in April... 

Meet The Team: Larsens Showjumping Championships  

 

This week a team of four young riders will travel to New Zealand to embark on the trip of a lifetime representing Australia at the Larsens Showjumping Championships taking place in Gisborne from 25th – 27th January 2019.

The Trans-Tasman challenge is an annual event hosted by New Zealand welcoming friendly competition and the opportunity to experience being part of a team environment. The event has traditionally seen a gripping battle between the nations in a display of exciting and close competition.... 

Australian Para-Equestrian Riders Take First Step Towards Tokyo 2020 

Para-Equestrian athletes from across the country made the journey to the picturesque Mornington Peninsula over the Australia Day long-weekend to take their first steps toward Paralympic qualification.

Boneo Classic 2019 marked the first of eight (8) selection events for the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020 Team Selection... 

 High Performance Program on Target for Tokyo 2020 

Following the successful qualification of all three Olympic disciplines at the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon, North Carolina, in September 2018, the Equestrian Australia High Performance program is firmly on track ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020..... 

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