Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance eventing manager Graeme Thom is buoyed to see new combinations stepping up into the new 2020 squads.
“Our most recent squad lists seem stark with the absences of (Sir) Mark (Todd) and Blyth (Tait) but it is very encouraging to have a number of new names and faces meeting the standards of our top groups,” he said.
The High Performance Squad comprises three riders with seven horses between them in Clarke Johnstone aboard Balmoral Sensation, Jonelle Price with both Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo, and world No.2 Tim Price with Ascona M, Bango, Ringwood Sky Boy and Xavier Faer.
“It is equally comforting that they will be dipping into a pool with many seasoned and well-accomplished veterans to provide invaluable guidance,” says Thom. “In such an important year, and soon a start to another exciting quadrennial, this group of talented athletes and horses is testimony to a strong program across both hemispheres.”
He felt it was also telling of the quality of those behind the riders. “It is recognition of the invaluable support that our committed and generous horse owners provide. We must also thank High Performance Sport New Zealand for their ongoing investment in our team and its culture.”
There have been six additions to the High Performance Futures Squad with Tim Price aboard Wesko and Falco, Jonelle Price and Grovine de Reve, Clarke Johnstone and Aces High, Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, James Avery aboard One of a Kind and New Zealand-based Monica Oakley with Acrobat. The new combinations join Amanda Pottinger on Just Kidding, Caroline Powell and On the Brash, Dan Jocelyn aboard Blackthorne Cruise, Jesse Campbell on Cleveland, and Madison Crowe with Waitangi Pinterest.
Three new combinations have been added to the High Performance Potential Squad in Donna Edwards-Smith, Diane Gilder and Bruce Haskell, who join Bundy Philpott, Emily Cammock, Ginny Thompson, Joe Myer, Matthew Grayling, Nick Brooks and Renee Faulkner.
The Squads
High Performance Squad: Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Balmoral Sensation (owned by the Johnstone Family), Jonelle Price (UK) Faerie Dianimo (owned by Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and Jonelle Price), Jonelle Price (UK) Classic Moet (owned by Trisha Rickards and Jonelle Price), Tim Price (UK) Ascona M (owned by Suzanne Houchin, Lucy and Ben Sangster, and Sir Peter Vela), Tim Price (UK) Bango owned by the Numero Uno Syndicate), Tim Price (UK) Ringwood Sky Boy (Robert Taylor, Varenna Allen and Tim Price), and Tim Price (UK) Xavier Faer (Trisha Rickards, Nigella Hall and Tim Price).
High Performance Futures Squad: Amanda Pottinger (Havelock North) Just Kidding (owned by the Pottinger Family), Caroline Powell (UK) On the Brash (owned by Sarah and Andrew Tobey, Sue Smiley and Caroline Powell), Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Aces High (owned by the Johnstone Family), Dan Jocelyn (UK) Blackthorn Cruise (owned by Panda Christie and Dan Jocelyn), James Avery (UK) One of a Kind (owned by Hazel & Chloe Livesey & James Avery), Jesse Campbell (UK) Cleveland (owned by Kent Gardner and Jesse Campbell), Jonelle Price (UK) Grovine de Reve (owned by Therese Miller, Jo Preston-Hunt, Philip Hunt & Jonelle Price), Maddison Crowe (Matangi) Waitangi Pinterest (owned by the Crowe Family), Monica Oakley (Auckland) Acrobat (owned by Monica Oakley), Samantha Lissington (UK) Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ (owned by Pip McCarroll and Samantha Lissington), Tim Price (UK) Falco (owned by Sue Benson, Jackie Oliver and Tim Price), and Tim Price (UK) Wesko (owned by the Windrush Equestrian Foundation and Tim Price).
High Performance Potential Squad: Bruce Haskell (UK), Bundy Philpott (Cambridge), Diane Gilder (Auckland), Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata), Emily Cammock (Christchurch), Ginny Thompson (UK), Joe Meyer (USA), Matthew Grayling (Taranaki), Nick Brooks (UK) and Renee Faulkner (Papakura).
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