EA High Performance Para-Dressage Announcement

Equestrian Australia (EA) High Performance has today confirmed the plans for Para-dressage for the 2022 FEI World Championships. 

EA High Performance, in conjunction with the National Selection panel, considered the selection of Para-equestrian athletes to compete at the 2022 FEI World Championships. In applying the Para-equestrian FEI and National Selection Policies, the National Selection Panel was directed by EA High Performance to the edict that its program is “committed to funding only genuine medal contention combinations to attend the 2022 FEI World Championships.”

Following careful review in relation to the medal target scores outlined in the Selection Policy and consideration of the scores gained by qualified Australian combinations, including where the scores were obtained geographically, the decision was made not to select horse and athlete combinations to attend this year’s Championships in Herning.

Para-equestrian is an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) funded discipline, and as such prioritises medal delivery at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. 

Subsequently, the EA High Performance Program will be conducting an off-horse programme at the 2022 FEI World Championships to further strengthen Australia’s chance of Paralympic success in Paris.    

As part of the education programme, identified athletes will travel to Herning and partake in a schedule of activities designed to develop future Paralympic medal winning performances, across all Para-equestrian Grades. It will also provide athletes who have never competed in a Championship environment the opportunity to experience the demands and intensity of a Games campaign. 

The EA High Performance Para-equestrian Program remains committed to achieving high-performance outcomes, including delivering Paralympic medals in Paris for Australian riders, and believe this plan best compliments these objectives.

The Australian Para-equestrian Selection Policy for the 2022 FEI World Championships can be found HERE.