Equestrian Australia Names the New Head of Eventing

 

Prue Barrett and Navarone at the World Equestrian Games The Hague 1

Equestrian Australia's Chair Paul Cargill writes... It is with great excitement that Equestrian Australia announces that Prue Barrett has been appointed as EA's Performance Director for Eventing.

The role will see Prue take overall responsibility for the Eventing program in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics.

With equestrian being one out of only ten Olympic sports receiving additional funding for the London Games, as announced by Sports Minister Mark Abib a week ago, there is a high expectation that we will once again excel at the next Games, particularly in Eventing.

We have the riders and we have the horses and now we need the programs in place to maximise our chances of success. I have no doubt that Prue will do the job admirably for us and under her direction and guidance will be able to add to our already impressive Olympic tally of six golds, three silver and a bronze.

Prue’s appointment follows the resignation of long-term coach Wayne Roycroft in December. We didn’t want to miss a beat in our preparation for the next Olympics which is why we have been swift in appointing Prue in the role.  

Our Eventing team is still required to qualify for the next Olympics, with the qualifying competition to take place in the northern hemisphere in just a few months’ time.  

Prue has impressive credentials as an eventing rider and qualified coach. She has represented Australia twice at World Equestrian Games and was a strong contender for selection at Sydney 2000 until a late injury to her horse. She has proved she knows what it takes to win at the top level, experiencing success at the prestigious Adelaide, Lochinvar and Melbourne Three Star Events.

Prue’s potential as a coach and leader was recognised when she was named an Australian Sports Commission Scholarship Coach and recently obtained her Masters’ Degree in Coach Education from the University of Sydney.

Our new High Performance structure will get off to a good start with Prue’s appointment as the first of our National Performance Directors – with a similar structure to be in place in the coming months for the other Olympic disciplines.

On behalf of the EA Board and High Performance team we welcome Prue to the team and wish her the best of luck in her new role.
 
PRUE BARRETT BIOGRAPHY
Age: 41                        
Coaching qualifications:
Australian Sports Commission Scholarship Coach 2009-2010
NCAS Level 2 Eventing Coach, Coach Educator
NSW Institute of Sport Coach
EA National Youth Development Program Manager 2009-2010

Coaching experience:
2010 Assist Coach World Equestrian Games (Kentucky)
2003 Assist Coach Trans Tasman
2002 Assist Coach World Equestrian Games (Jerez)
 
Athlete experience:
1999 Adelaide 3 star winner
1998 World Equestrian Games (Rome)
1997 Lochinvar 3 star winner
1994 9th World Equestrian Games (Hague)
1993 Trans Tasman Team
1992   Lochinvar and Melbourne 3 star winner
*2000 Shadow Olympic Team
 
Education:
Masters of Education (Coach Education) Sydney University

Source: Equestrian Australia, Nicola Turner, Monday, 7 February 2011