In preparation for Athens 2004, the Australian Paralympic Federation and Riding for the Disabled Assn of Australia are currently competing in the 2002 Dutch Open in Helvoirt, The Netherlands.     A squad of two riders (Jodie Brazier from NSW and Georgia Bruce from Qld), the APC coach (Gill Rickard) and the newly appointed traveling manager (Sue Cusack) will compete over the next few days.  

 The competition is an “own horse” competition, as will be the World Championships in Belgium in 2003 and the 2004 Paralympic Games.   This squad, as well as competing on unfamiliar horses, will be trying to source horses for both forthcoming major events.

The Dutch Open is a major event, and the major placings after the warm up test are as follows

 Grade 1 ( 7 starters ) Lee Pearson (GB) with 75%   Lee rode his own buckskin.  The Australian coach commented that Lee would have scored extremely well in able bodied competitions.  Lee was a TRIPLE gold medal winner in Sydney

 Grade 2 ( 17 starters )  Hannelore Brenner (Germany) 62%.  Hannelore rode her own horse.  She also competed in Sydney

Grade 3 (24 starters ) winner Debbie Criddle from GB 72%.   Australian Jodie Brazier from Wauchope (NSW) riding a borrowed horse finished 5^th with 65%.

 Grade 4 (32 starters ) A dead-heat between Denmark and Norway on 67%  with Australian Georgia Bruce from Kuranda (Qld) finishing 9^th with a score of 62.1%

Judy Cubitt - 'fearless leader'

 For further information contact:
Judy Cubitt
+61 (0)2-99483017
0417-060758

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