Busy Week for Australian Equestrian Team at WEG

Jumping, Vaulting, Carriage Driving and Para Dressage is the focus for the Australian Equestrian Team for the remainder of this week at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon.

The Australian Jumping Team of Rowan Willis, Scott Keach, Billy Raymont and Jamie Kermond took part in an arena familiarisation session on their horses today in preparation for the start of competition tomorrow.

The team’s Chef D’equipe Todd Hinde was pleased with the outcome.

“The riders are all very confident they all felt really good in the training round today.   

"Two horses jumped and two flatted. The surface felt good and they all jumped well off it. It should make for some good jumping,” said Hinde.

“The team environment is really good. They all met on Sunday. They are four good guys and easy to get along with, it’s a great team,” he said.

The Australian Vaulting Team competed today in the individual compulsories where they performed set exercises.

Final scores were;

Ruth Skrzypek & Darkly Dreaming – 6.399

Sarah Grayson & Charles the Great – 6.004

Stephanie Dore & Lunar Eclipse – 6.510

Jamie Hocking & French Kiss– 7.410

Jamie Hocking, who is based in Europe and has been training there in preparation for WEG said;

“I am really happy that we all went in and everything went according to plan. I felt relaxed and confident.”

The Australian Vaulting Team’s Chef D’equipe Trystan Lowe was full of praise for the young group.

“It’s always really nice when the horses ago well and they are solid and reliable especially those travelling from Australia and using borrowed horses,“ said Lowe.

She also made a very interesting point about how the team has rallied during the event which has thrown up weather and logistical challenges for everyone involved.

“I think the fact that there have been some challenges with weather and the ongoing building in some ways has meant we are little more flexible than sometimes when you go into a competition and it’s all organised.”

"Having to be that flexible means we have to keep talking and working together and it can improve how we work together,” she said.

Emma Booth will compete in the Para Dressage tomorrow and we will bring you all the updates and latest.

Boyd Exell, who has arrived at the venue and exercised his team today, begins competing on September 21.