Mixed results for Australia’s Jumping Elite
Friday, 11 July 2014
Australia’s two round jumping nomination series continued overnight producing mixed results for riders vying for automatic selection to the Australian team for the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG).
Leading into this weekend’s Spangenberg (GER) CSI3* there were three riders eligible for two positions offered through automatic selection – Amy Graham, Jamie Kermond and James Paterson-Robinson. But with penalties from the overnight Grand Prix qualifier added to each of the riders’ running scores it is Amy Graham and Jamie Kermond who remain in contention for these positions.
Graham and her mount Bella Baloubet were the standout performers of the Australians picking up one time penalty and finishing 12th in the class of 88 starters. Jamie Kermond and Quite Cassini had 8 penalties while Paterson-Robinson and Boris picked up 12.
With only Sunday’s Grand Prix to contest, the overnight results give Graham some breathing space as she has now accumulated 9 penalties in the series thus far. It is a nervous time for Kermond who has a total of 17 penalties and he has little room for error in the Grand Prix, which he still needs to qualify for if he is to be eligible for automatic nomination (in accordance with the selection policy only combinations that produce a total of 20 penalties or less from the qualifier and Grand Prix from each nomination round are eligible for automatic nomination).
It is not the end of the road for London Olympian and WEG 2010 representative Paterson-Robinson who carried 12 penalties leading into the overnight qualifier. He is eligible to be considered by national selectors for discretionary nomination to the Australian team.
Although not eligible for automatic nomination, combinations from Australia’s jumping short list are also still in contention for discretionary nomination to the Australian team and the following combinations competed in the overnight Grand Prix qualifier at Spangenberg and produced the following scores:
Julia Hargreaves & Vedor - 2 Thaisa Erwin & Matilda - 12 James Passey & Yirrkala Cortina - 12 David Goodwin & Warrego Jericho - 13
Australia’s Jamie Winning and Wirragulla Nickalus also stepped out at the event finishing on a score of 5 penalties.
Riders selected to Australia’s Jumping Team for the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games through automatic and discretionary nomination will join Edwina Tops-Alexander who earned early nomination to the Australian team. (Read the process of selection HERE).
Michelle Cook Communications and Commercial Manager Equestrian Australia
