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Anthea Dixon - New Zealand's First Para-Equestrian Rider to Compete at WEG
New Zealand’s sole para dressage rider at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games flies out on Sunday.
Thirty-two-year-old Cantabrian Anthea Dixon is the nation’s first para rider to compete at WEG.
The London paralympian says she is looking forward to being reunited with her horse Doncartier (owned by Australian Bella Robson) and getting into the final run of training before competing.
Dixon will head straight to Stuttgart in Germany where she will base between trainer Hayley Beresford’s two stables.
“I am excited to get back to Don and making it all happen,” she said. “We will be focusing on the quality of our work when we get there . . . and making a few tweaks to our freestyle test.”
Robson, who is Dixon’s main trainer, has been keeping Don “ticking over” in her absence.
“It’s great for Bella to have her best boy on the world stage.”
Dixon has been watching with interest the scores from the top para dressage competitors she is likely to come up against at the world champs in France later this month.
“There’s been no real surprises really,” she says. “It is the same four or five who are at the top tier and my goal is to be amongst them. It is definitely achievable . . . there’s not a lot in it.”
Dixon says she is incredibly lucky to have such a solid team behind her – groom Jenny Affleck, Robson, Beresford and assistant groom Jessica Brechin.
“Having that trust and confidence in the team lets me focus on what I need to do,” she says.
“It is all so unbelievable how it has all come together – to have an opportunity like this and have everything work . . . I just hope it continues right through.”
Dixon heads to the world champs on August 22. She is hopeful of catching up with New Zealand’s vaulting team, who are based not far from her in Germany for their pre-champs build-up.
The Fact Box
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The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games run from August 23 – September 7 in France.
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Para-dressage will run from August 25-29.
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It is the first time New Zealand has had a competitor in the para-dressage.
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New Zealand will be represented by teams in eventing, vaulting, endurance, para-dressage and possibly by individuals in showjumping
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WEG is held every four years in different locations..
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A record 72 countries are expected to take part, making it the world’s largest equestrian sport event.
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More than 400,000 people are expected to attend over the two weeks.
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For more information, head to www.normandy2014.com .
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