Andrew Hoy and Vassily De Lassos at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Australia has joined the list of big six nations that have released a long list of horse-and-rider combinations for next month’s World Championships for Eventing, which will be held at Italy’s Pratoni del Vivaro from September 14-18. Australia, who won team silver at last year’s Olympics, have put forward a strong line-up of fifteen, made up of both experienced European and Australian-based competitors — including individual Olympic bronze medalists Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos — and exciting up-and-comers, including Lissa Green, who makes her Australian team debut in the Nations Cup at Haras du Pin this week with her long listed horse Billy Bandit.
The long list is as follows, in alphabetical order:
- Sammi Birch and Finduss PFB – 12-year-old KWPN gelding (Saffier x Belle Miranda, by Sarantos), owned by Parkfield Breeding and Sharon Bishop
- Lauren Browne and Sky’s da Limit – 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Hurricane Sky x Our Cutey, by Carry A Smile), owned by the rider
- Clayton Fredericks and FE Coldplay – 10-year-old Brandenburg gelding (Casskeni II x unknown dam), owned by Diana Crawford, Hugh Wrigley and the rider
- Lissa Green and Billy Bandit – 14-year-old British-bred Sport Horse (Billy Congo x Furisto Clover, by Furisto), owned by Katherine Coleman and The Bandit Syndicate
- Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos – 13-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding (Jaguar Mail x Illusion Perdue, by Jalienny), owned by Paula and David Evans
- Bill Levett and Sligo Candy Cane – 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Sligo Candy Boy x Castlemly Lass, by Visa Aldatus Z), owned by Elisabeth Murdoch
- Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture — 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Devaraja x Royal Zam, by Zamoff), owned by the rider
- Sam Lyle and BF Valour — 12-year-old Warmblood gelding (breeding unknown), owned by Charlotte Mavris
- Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam — 14-year-old KWPN gelding (Quidam x Nairoby, by Amethist), owned by Scuderia 1918 and Emma McNab
- Kevin McNab and Willunga — 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Olympic Lux x Ringmoylan Beauty, by Coevers Diamond Boy), owned by Samia Murgian and Emma McNab
- Jessica Rae and Fifth Avenue — 14-year-old Warmblood x Irish Sport Horse mare (Raphael x Tia Breeze, breeding unknown), owned by the rider
- Shane Rose and Easy Turn — 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Casall x Ressina, by Coriano), owned by Angela Shacklady and Niki Rose
- Shane Rose and Virgil —17-year-old Warmblood gelding (Vivant x unknown dam), owned by Niki Rose and Michelle Hasibar
- Hazel Shannon and Willingapark Clifford — 17-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Passing Shot x unknown dam), owned by Terry Snow
- Gemma Tinney and Diabolo — 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Diarado x Roulett M, by Aljano 2), owned by Tim Game and Karen Tinney
Equestrian Australia’s High Performance Pathways Manager Will Enzinger says: “It is very exciting to see riders from the Generation NEXT Squad named on the nominated entry list for the FEI World Championships. Not all of these athletes will have the opportunity to compete at the World Championships next month, as only eight combinations will make the final cut, but by being nominated and capturing the attention of selectors it shows that they have taken a huge step in the right direction. We are really proud of the High Performance Program and feel that we are starting to see the results pay dividends.”
The final lineup of five — four team riders and an individual — will be announced on August 17th.
