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Australia heads to Pratoni with Olympic medallists aiming for more glory


  • The Australian Tokyo Olympic medal-winning team is among the squad that will contest the 2022 World Eventing Championships in Italy next month.

    Equestrian Australia (EA) has revealed its squad of five, plus three reserves. Its selection panel, in consultation with the chef d’equipe, will select the team of four and one individual from the squad either at, or before, the first horse inspection in Pratoni (15 to 25 September).

    Andrew Hoy (Vassily De Lassos), Kevin McNab (Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam) and Shane Rose (Virgil), who secured team silver at last year’s Olympics, are named as part of Australia’s World Championship squad for 2022.

    The full squad, plus reserves, from which the Australian team and individual will be selected for the 2022 World Eventing Championships are as follows:

    Andrew Hoy with 13-year-old gelding Vassily De Lassos
    Owners: Paula and David Evans
    Groom: Clémentine Girardeau

    Shenae Lowings with 12-year-old gelding Bold Venture
    Owner: rider
    Groom: Olivia Barton

    Kevin McNab with 14-year-old gelding Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam
    Owners: Scuderia 1918 and Kevin’s wife, Emma McNab
    Groom: Lucy Hartley

    Kevin has also been selected with direct reserve ride, 15-year-old gelding Willunga
    Owners: Samia Murgian and Emma McNab
    Groom: Lucy Hartley

    Shane Rose with 17-year-old gelding Virgil
    Owner: Shane’s wife Niki Rose, and Michelle Hasibar
    Groom: Jamie Atkinson

    Hazel Shannon with 17-year-old gelding Willingapark Clifford
    Owner: Terry Snow
    Groom: Bronte Buttel

    Reserves:

    Sammi Birch with 12-year-old gelding Finduss PFB
    Owner: Parkfield Breeding
    Groom: Helen Tagg

    Sam Lyle with 12-year-old gelding BF Valour
    Owner: Charlotte Mavris
    Groom: Natalya Bretherton

    Jessica Rae with 14-year-old mare Fifth Avenue
    Owner: rider
    Groom: Laura Munt

    Shane Rose with 10-year-old mare Easy Turn
    Owners: Angela Shacklady and Niki Rose
    Groom: Jamie Atkinson

    It is 16 years since Australia won its last world eventing medals, when Clayton Fredericks took individual silver with Ben Along Time and the Australian team won bronze at Aachen in 2006.

    Andrew Hoy, who is on this year’s squad with his Tokyo individual bronze and team silver medal-winning ride Vassily De Lassos, was part of the Australian team that won bronze in 1986 with Just James, and Master Monarch in 2006, where Australia again collected team bronze.

    This will be a first senior championship for Hazel Shannon and Shenae Lowings.

    EA high performance director Chris Webb said that the breadth of experience is an “indication of the strength of Australia’s developing talent”.

    “It is fantastic to see not only our successful Tokyo 2020 eventing team medallists named, but also combinations who are making their FEI World Championships debut, demonstrating the depth of our eventing talent,” he said.

    “Furthermore, Sam Lyle and Jessica Rae, who have been named on the reserves list, recently travelled overseas with the support of the EA high performance program and subsequently had the opportunity to compete on a Nations Cup team at Haras du Pin, providing them with valuable team experience that will benefit their future championship campaigns.”

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