Kristy Oatley leads Aussie Dressage nomination series

ODENSE, Denmark | Three-time Olympian Kristy Oatley was the best performing Australian at the first nomination event to decide Australia’s Dressage team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Riding Du Soleil, Oatley earned a score of 69.520% which gives her the number one ranking with one nomination event to go. 

After a strong performance with horse Remmington, Australian based rider Sue Hearn has bolstered her chances of making her first Olympic team at age 60. Hearn and her 2016 Sydney CDI Grand Prix Champion horse scored 68.820% which has the pair ranked second of the Aussie rankings list.

The US based Australian rider Kelly Layne and her horse Udon P are ranked third. Four-time Olympian Mary Hanna has two eligible horses in the running for Rio and is ranked fourth with Boogie Woogie 6 and fifth with Umbro.

Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina 4 occupy sixth position on the rankings list while Brett Parbery is ranked seventh of the combinations which competed at the first event.

Parbery said the feeling amongst the Aussie contingent had been positive.

“We have a fabulous team vibe here and I'm very proud to be an Australian," he said.

Olympian Lyndal Oatley did not participate in the event after withdrawing horse Sandro Boy prior to the start of competition.  As a result and in accordance with the nomination policy Oatley will be attributed a ranking score which is the average of the three lowest scores of this event (see below).  

Kristy Oatley and Du Soleil - 69.520
Sue Hearn and Remmington - 68.820
Kelly Layne and Udon P - 67.880
Mary Hanna and Boogie Woogie 6 - 67.540
Mary Hanna and Umbro - 66.920
Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina 4 - 66.100
Lyndal Oatley and Sandro Boy - 66.067
Brett Parbery and DP Weltmieser - 65.180

There are four Australian team positions available to the highest ranked combinations at the end of the two round nomination series.

Nomination policy