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Australia’s quest to regain Olympic eventing gold finally gets back on track tomorrow, at the first major Beijing Games selection event since horse flu devastated the sport.
The Australians won their last team eventing gold at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre in 2000, and riders this weekend will no doubt be hoping some of that magic will rub off as they vie for selection for the Olympic event being staged in Hong Kong.
Five places are up for grabs in the eventing team, which clinched gold in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney, but missed out in Athens.
Four locally-based equestrians will be out to impress selectors at the Bates Sydney International Three-Day Event, which starts tomorrow, and 11 Australian riders based in Europe will be assessed at the Badminton Horse Trials in the UK between May 1-4.
Shane Rose, who is based in NSW, is confident he and his star horse All Luck will put in a strong performance across the three disciplines that make up eventing – show-jumping, cross country and dressage.
All Luck, as well as Rose’s other horse Ladybrook Remington, were struck down with horse flu last year.
They were stranded at Warwick, south-west of Brisbane, for around two months but were given the all clear in October.
“It (horse flu) has been majorly disruptive for many people but we’re pretty resilient people in Australia, and we’ll find a way to come out of it hopefully the best we can,” Rose told AAP.
“I think we will have one of our strongest teams at these Games that we’ve had for many, many years.”
Rose is yet to qualify for the Olympic Games and hopes to do that this weekend.
“All Luck is confident in all three phases, which is fortunate. He is going very well and I’m hopeful that if I do a good job then we’ll be very competitive over the weekend,” he said.
Wendy Schaeffer, who was part of Australia’s gold medal-winning eventing team in Atlanta, was fortunate her three eventing horses – Koyuna Sun Magic, Koyuna Sun Dancer and Koyuna Sunshine – escaped equine influenza.
The South Australian-based rider said the outbreak had dramatically affected the sport and made her realise not to take anything for granted.
“It will be make us (Australia’s equestrians) stronger and more hungry for success at the Olympics,” she said.
Koyuna Sun Magic has had success at an elite level in Australia and the United States, while Koyuna Sun Dancer and Koyuna Sunshine are less experienced horses.
Megan Jones (SA) and Sonja Johnson (WA) are also in contention.
The dressage portion of the eventing discipline will be held tomorrow, with cross country Saturday and show jumping Sunday.
The Australian Olympic equestrian team will be revealed on July 4.
It is the first time Australia has qualified a team in all three Olympic events – eventing, show jumping and dressage.
Australia’s main competition in Hong Kong is likely to come from Britain, Germany, the United States and New Zealand.