Australian Team Named for Dressage Olympic Qualifier

Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster on their way to winning the Grand Prix Special at the 2011 Sydney CDI (Photo: Franz Venhaus/EA)

Friday will be an important day in the road to the 2012 London Olympic Games for the Australian Dressage Team with the start of the Olympic Regional Team Qualifier at the Bates Australian Dressage Championships to be held at Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park.

The national selectors have named the team to contest the Group F/G Group Team Qualifier. Due to quarantine restrictions it is necessary to hold the qualifier in two parts, one in each hemisphere as riders and their horses are based in both Australasia and Europe. 

The first leg, held in Sydney on 28 October in the Grand Prix CDI-W at the Australian Dressage Championships, will commence at 1:30pm and conclude at 5:40pm.  The second leg of the Olympic qualifier will take place in Ermelo, Netherlands, on 2 November.  Australia will field two riders at each competition.

The two best placed teams from the Olympic Group F/G qualify to send a team of three horses and riders to the 2012 Games. Each nation will name four riders to compete at either Sydney or Ermelo, with the best three scores to count toward the team score.

Australia will be competing against New Zealand and South Africa, Japan has withdrawn.  Australia and New Zealand will be fielding team members at the Sydney qualifier, whilst South Africa and remaining Australian team members will compete in Ermelo.

Judging at each leg of the qualifier will be FEI 5* judges Stephen Clarke (GBR) who will also be the President of the Ground Jury at The London Olympic Games in 2012, Gotthilf Riexinger (GER), Susan Hoevenaars (AUS) as well as FEI 4* judge Mariëtte Sanders-van Gansewinkel (NED) and Raphaël Saleh (FRA).

The Australian team will be as follows:

• Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster - Sydney
• Chantal Wigan and Ferero - Sydney
• Mary Hanna and Sancette - Ermelo
• Lyndal Oatley and Potifar - Ermelo

Riders who are part of a team successful in the team qualifying event are not necessarily the riders who may represent the Australia at the London Olympic Games.

The New Zealand team to compete in Sydney will be as follows:

• Shiwon Green - Gosh (Cambridge)
• Louisa Hill - Bates Antonello (Clevedon)
• Nicki Pope - Fabarchie (Whitford)
• Vanessa Way - KH Arvan (Oakura)

 

About the Australia Team

Rachael Sanna - Age: 38 Hometown: Glossodia, NSW

Sanna has been competing in dressage professionally since the age of 19. She is one of Australia's most accomplished and experienced competitors, having competed in 1999 World Cup Final, Sydney 2000 Olympics, 2002 World Championships, 2006 World Championships, 2010 World Championships. Sanna is married Olympic Showjumper, George Sanna in 2001 and together they have two children. They run Sanna Equestrian Bloodstock, riding, training, competing, mentoring and selling showjumpers and dressage horses.

Jaybee Alabaster - 1999 Chestnut gelding Owners: Bev and John Edwards of Jaybee Farm Breed: Hanoverian Sire: Alabaster Dam: Gloria (imp) Performances: 2011 World Equestrian Games GPS 27th, 2011 Sydney CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle 1st, 2011 Sydney CDI3* Grand Prix Special 1st, 2010 Sydney CDI3* Grand Prix 2nd

Chantal Wigan - Age: 37 Hometown: Cleveland, Queensland
Wigan was born outside Brisbane where her family owned and operated a state of the art equestrian centre.   She holds several degrees from the British Horse Society.  Wigan is no stranger to the international circuit as she lived and trained in Europe throughout her career.   Wigan's returned from her most recent training and competition tour of Europe in 2010 after winning the Vierzon CDI3* in France.  Also in 2010 she and Ferero won the World Cup Pacific League Final. This year they won three consecutive Pacific League World Cup qualifier events.

Ferero - 1998 Dark bay gelding Owners: Mr. G. Fairman & C Wigan Breed: KWPN Sire: Ferro Dam: Lou Lou Performances: 2010 CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle Vierzon FRA 1st, 2010 FEI World Cup Pacific League Final 1st, 2010 CDI-W Grand Prix Equitana 1st, 2011 CDI3* Grand Prix Boneo Park AUS 1st, 2011 CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle Boneo Park 1st, 2011 CDI-W Grand Prix Melbourne1st, 2011 CDI-W GP Freestyle Melbourne1st

Mary Hanna - Age: 55 Hometown: Bellarine, Victoria
A three-time Olympian, three-time World Equestrian Games representative and three-time competitor at the FEI World Cup Finals Hanna is no stranger to the international stage. Hanna was born into a very horsey family in the Western District of Victoria and rode from an early age. She now lives with husband and business partner Rob at their beautiful equestrian property Statene Park on the Bellarine Peninsula in Drysdale. Hanna works as a full time equestrian coach and dressage trainer. She holds a bachelor of teaching and gives much of her time in the sport as an NCAS Level III dressage instructor and is currently the coach for the Victorian Dressage Team.

Hanna was originally a jumping and eventing rider, converting to dressage in her 20's.  Hanna has been the Australian National Grand Prix Champion on six occasions. She is currently based in Europe training towards London 2012.

Sancette - 2001Bay gelding Owners: Mary Hanna Breed: Hanoverian Sire: Sandro Hit Dam: Cascade Performances: 2011 CDI3* Grand Prix Biarritz (FRA) 4th and Grand Prix Special 2nd, 2011 CDI3* Saumur (FRA) Grand Prix Freestyle 7th, 2011 CDI3* Leudelange (LUX) Grand Prix 9th, 2011 CDI5* Hickstead (UK) Grand Prix Special 5th, 2011 CDI3* Compiègne 5th, 2011 CDI3* Sydney 3rd, 2010 CDI-W Freestyle Werribee 2nd.

Lyndal Oatley - Age: 31 Hometown: Nottuln, Germany. Formerly from Galston, Sydney
Oatley is following in her family's tradition of representing Australia in dressage as her cousin Kristy Oatley has so successfully done in years past.  Whilst watching the 2000 Olympics she decided that dressage would be her new focus. Until this, Oatley competed show horses, twice becoming Australian Champion and was nominated for the Young Australian of the Year in sports for her achievements in the sport.  Potifar is Oatley's first Grand Prix horse, and together have grown as a pair reaching the Australian team for the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA. Oatley has a degree in Business, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Business Management.  She is based in Germany with and husband and trainer Patrik Kittel.

Potifar - 1997 16.3hh Bay gelding Owner: Mr. Andrew Oatley & Mrs. Carol Oatley Breed: KWPN Sire: Jazz Performances: 2011 CDIO5* Aachen Grand Prix 31st, 2011 CDI3* München-Riem Grand Prix 13th, 2011 CDI4* Lingen Grand Prix 15th, 2010 World Equestrian Games Grand Prix 46th, 2010 Aachen team 7th.


Spectators are welcome so come along to support the Australian team.

 

Quick Link

• Event information and live scoring can be found at http://www.dressagensw.com.au/?page=14324