Campaign to Uncover Jumping’s Next Superstar

Tom McDermott competing at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games on Australian Thoroughbred, Hugo.

 

Returning to Australia from the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) with a silver medal catapulted Tom McDermott into the headlines and now a new campaign is set to begin to find Australia’s next young jumping prodigy. 

The 2014 Youth Olympic Games will be held in Nanjing China and while Australia has yet to secure its start at this event, the three round series which gets underway in June will give one Australian rider the best possible chance of securing the one position which is on offer to the Australasian region (View the FEI criteria HERE)

The annual FEI World Jumping Challenge Category A class will be the qualifying competition for the Youth Olympic Games and the FEI has granted Equestrian Australia the opportunity to run two additional FEI Jumping Challenge Category A competitions around the country in order to give eligible riders every chance to qualify.

Details of the three events are as follows:

Camden Winter Show Jumping Festival

Venue: Bicentennial Park, Camden

Date:  8-10^th June, 2013

Equestrian Victoria Junior and Young Rider Show

Venue: Werribee Equestrian Park

Date: 14-15^th December, 2013

Swan River Show Jumping Club

Venue: WA State Equestrian Centre

Date: 26-27^th December, 2013

Young riders who were born between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1997 will be eligible for selection for the Youth Olympic Games provided they achieve a certificate of capability (COC) at one of these three qualifying rounds. Each athlete must obtain a score of no more than eight penalties in the first round to gain a COC.  

“Since achieving a silver medal at the 2009 Youth Olympic Games Tom McDermott has achieved success and accolades at the highest level including receiving the FEI’s Rising Star award,” said Equestrian Australia CEO, Grant Baldock.

“We hope that the 2014 Youth Olympic Games will uncover Australia’s next jumping superstar.

“Very few people get to experience what it is like to compete at an Olympic Games and this event extends this unique sporting experience to the youth of today,” Mr Baldock said.

Jumping is the only equestrian sport contested at the Youth Olympic Games and the event takes place on borrowed horses.

The 2014 Youth Olympic Games will take place from 16-28 August 2014. 

Further information on the three qualifying rounds is available on the Equestrian Australia website. 

By: Equestrian Australia