CEO Update - February 2024

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to update you on our preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as provide an update on key projects.

With less than 5 months until teams are announced for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, athletes both at home and overseas are leaving no stone unturned as they set their sights on representing their country in Paris. The dedication and hard work displayed by our athletes as they strive to win selection in their respective discipline is commendable and we wish them all the best in their pursuits.

To this end, our High Performance Team are working to ensure that our athletes are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead and to make sure that all logistical aspects are in place. Their planning and attention to detail are crucial in ensuring that our athletes can focus solely on their performance.

Our Athletes have been attending key qualifying events which are being held across the country including the ‘Dressage by the Sea’ CDI and the Para Dressage CPEDI events at Willinga Park last month. Following the completion of the Para-Dressage tests at Willinga Park, 24 Australian athletes (36 combinations) in total have now achieved the Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and 10 of these combinations achieved their MER at this particular event. We were also delighted to welcome the Virtus athletes to this event as well as the remaining two CPEDI qualifiers that will be held in Boneo and Sydney over the coming months. Virtus is an elite sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment or autism and they have been very excited to be given this opportunity to join our para-dressage riders at these events.

Australia has qualified for four quota places in Equestrian at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. This is
the maximum number of places that any nation can qualify and will enable Australia to enter four combinations in the Individual event and three in the Team event.

A large contingent of Eventers have just returned from the Oceania Championships at the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show in New Zealand where they put in a great performance with Shane Rose and Virgil taking out the CCI4*S Individual and the Australian Senior Team winning the 4* Oceania Challenge.

Back in the EA office, I am pleased to welcome both Vireena Peacock and Roger Kane into the team to oversee the Health and Safety function nationally. Roger has a long history with the sport and the organisation and will drive the strategic development of the framework and work with National Discipline Committees and the National Health, Safety and Welfare Committee on the ongoing safety strategy. Vireena will oversee the implementation of Health and Safety initiatives into operations and relevant system and process implementations and improvements. Vireena will pick up these duties in addition to her current ENSW CEO role.

A major project underway at the national level is around digital transformation. This aims to deliver a better experience for our members, improve the security of information and streamline and modernise the way members interact with the sport.

I look forward with great anticipation to the months ahead and wish you all the best in your equestrian pursuits.