The British Equestrian Federation has chosen the 40 riders who will be taking part in the 2004 World Class Start and Potential 2004 programmes.
The BEF received 400 initial applications, from which 102 riders were short-listed to attend the ridden selection trials last month, with 20 riders chosen to take part in each of the two programmes. However, a number of other riders who didn’t make it on to the core programmes will also receive assistance.
The BEF’s World Class Start and Potential programme is open to riders between the ages of 14 and 30, who demonstrate the exceptional talent and dedication required to compete at Olympic level in dressage, paralympic dressage, show jumping or eventing. The scheme is designed to establish a development pathway to help them progress onto the Olympic Performance squads in 2008 and 2012.
Selected riders will be offered extra assistance in the form of individually tailored plans, as well as opportunities to train with international competitors nd coaches.
Vikki Kind, World Class Start and Potential manager says: “The standard of the short-listed riders was incredibly high. A number of riders who were part of the 2003 programme have been re-selected, which highlights the effectiveness of the World Class structure and training, but excitingly, some new faces have also appeared.”
World Class Start and Potential Squads
Dressage start (Chief selectors: Conrad Schumacher, Judy Harvey)
- Anne-Marie Perry (Hartlepool)
- Natalie Allen (South Yorkshire)
- Charlotte Fill (Shropshire)
- Henry Boswell (Warwickshire)
- Laura Bechtolsheimer (Gloucestershire)
Additional assistance has been offered to Samantha Harrison and Georgina Somerset.
Dressage potential
- Becky Moody (South Yorkshire)
- Sarah Millis (West Sussex)
- Jodie Lister (Hampshire)
- Maria Eilberg (Worcs)
- Spencer Wilton (Gloucestershire)
Additional assistance has been offered to Darryl Thicket.
Show jumping start (Chief selectors: Pierre Durand and Hauke Luther)
- Ryan Prater (Buckinghamshire)
- Sophie Heaven (Cardiff)
- Louise Pavitt (Surrey)
- James Billington (Cheshire)
- Charlotte Platt (Surrey)
Additional assistance has been offered to Michael Eilberg and Targa Hammond.
Show jumping potential
- Corrine Collins (Crewe)
- Jamie Wingrave (Northants)
- Paul Barker (North Yorkshire)
- Ben Maher (Herts)
- Vicky Young (Nottinghamshire)
Eventing start (Chief selectors: John Hall and Jean Mitchell)
- Emily Llewellyn (West Sussex)
- Oliver Townend (Leicestershire)
- Abigail Walters (Cornwall)
- Gemma Tattersall (East Sussex)
- Georgie Davies (Herts)
Additional assistance has been offered to Tamsyn Hutchins, Olivia Haddow and Lucinda Eaton.
Eventing potential
- Lucy Wiegersma (Devon)
- Kitty Boggis (Oxon)
- Nick Gauntlett (South Glos)
- Ruth Friend (Cumbria)
- Terry Boon (Leics)
Additional assistance has been offered to Chris King and Piggy French.
Paralympic dressage start (Chief selectors: Nicky Barrett, Ulf Wilkin)
- Daniel Manning (Oxon)
- Toby Pawson (Surrey)
- Emma Kent (Kent)
- Sophie Wells (Nottinghamshire)
- Natasha Baker (Middlesex)
Additional assistance has been offered to Rory Williams.
Paralympic dressage potential
- Sophie Franks (Leighton Buzzard)
- Sophie Christiansen (Berkshire)
- Andrew Brockman (Kent)
- Liz Stone (London)
- Vanessa Knight (Nottinghamshire)
Additional assistance has been offered to Joanne Pitt and Emma Sheardown.
