Eventing Squads Released

Attached to this document are the selection criteria for the squads. The criteria have been modified from previous years and features some significant alterations. The main alterations include the reduction in the Dressage score required for selection, the use of set objective criteria and placings at events to guarantee selection and the use of a priority ranking to fill the positions. It is important to note that these criteria will form the basis of selection for the 2002 World Games although a separate document will be developed for the World Games.

Jim Dunn, Chairman of Selectors comments that "having attended a workshop on selection with other Olympic sports I felt it was appropriate for the new group of selectors to review both the content and structure of the selection criteria for our squads. These current criteria rewards actual performance and also maintains a strong incentive for riders to keep working on all aspects of Eventing and not just rely on a strength in one or two of the phases".

The elite squad features five riders who have gained selection for the first time. English based riders Paul Tapner, Merran Wallis and Lucinda Fredericks make the list following strong results in England in 2000. They are joined by Australian based riders Megan Jones and Tarsha Hammond. Stuart Tinney’s performances in 2000 have been rewarded with two horses on the elite squad and one on the ‘A’ squad.

The ‘A’ list, which serves as a feeder into the elite list features first time selections in Niki Chapman from Queensland, Catherine Davies from Tasmania, Claudia Graham and Boyd Martin from NSW, and Seamus Marwood from South Australia. Elite squad riders Phillip Dutton, Lucinda Fredericks, Matt Ryan and Stuart Tinney also have horses on the ‘A’ squad with Phillip Dutton the stand out with a total of 4 horses across both squads.

The purpose of the elite squad is to recognise and support horse and rider combinations who have been identified as the leading combinations in contention for either World Championship or Olympic Games selection. Elite squad horses are selected onto the squad on the basis of high quality performances in the past 12 months, or in some cases as a result of selection for a World Games or Olympic Games. The criteria aims to reward combinations that have met the objective criteria at a 3 or 4 star level as well providing the National Selectors with the option of including combinations that fall outside the objective criteria but have achieved a notable performance at the 4 star level.

The elite squad will be restricted to not more than 16 horses

The objective criteria will cover the previous 12 month period

Selection Criteria

1^st Priority will be to combinations selected for the Sydney Olympic Games

(Note : For the review of the squad in January 2003 the words "Sydney Olympic Games" will be replaced by the words "World Equestrian Games 2002")

2^nd Priority will be to combinations that have achieved the objective criteria, as follows

Placed in the top four of a CCI 3 star with a Dressage score of 52 or less and a total score of not more than 62 and have jumped clear in phases B and D

Completed a CCI 4 star with a Dressage score of 52 or less and a total score of not more than 62 and have jumped clear in phases B and D

3^rd Priority will be to combinations that have completed a CCI 4 star with Dressage score of 52 or less, jumped clear in phases B and D but have exceeded a total score of 62

4^th Priority will be to combinations that have completed a CCI 3 star with Dressage score of 52 or less, jumped clear in phases B and D but have exceeded a total score of 62

In addition

Horses must be sound and fit to compete in a CCI 3 or 4 star.

To be eligible for selection horses will be in the age range of 7 to 15 years

The selectors may, in exceptional circumstances, waive the jumping criteria and extend the age criteria

The elite squad will be selected based on the priorities as listed until the squad size of 16 has been reached. If in the situation that the number of combinations exceeds 16, the selectors will decide which of the combinations from within the relevant criteria will be selected. For example, if criteria 1, 2 and 3 provide 13 combinations and criteria 4 takes the number to 20, the selectors will decide at their discretion which of these combinations within criteria 4 will be selected. The selectors are not compelled to fill all 16 positions on the squad.

The purpose of the National ‘A’ squad in Eventing is to identify and encourage combinations that have achieved noteworthy performances at CCI 3 or 4 star level which positions them outside of the elite squad criteria. In general, these horses will be in the age range 7 to 12 and are considered as potential elite squad horses of the future.

The ‘A’ squad will be restricted to not more than 24 horses

Selection Criteria

Selection to the ‘A’ squad is at the selectors discretion and will in general be based on the following criteria in priority order.

1^st Priority to combinations that have achieved the objective criteria as follows

Completed a CCI 3 or 4 star with a Dressage score of 62 or less and a total score of not more than 77 and have jumped clear in phases B and D

2^nd Priority to combinations that have jumped clear in phases B and D in a CCI 4 star but have exceeded the objective criteria

3^rd Priority to combinations that have achieved a 62 or less in Dressage but did not complete the event

Horses must be sound and fit to compete in a CCI 3 or 4 star.

The selectors may, in exceptional circumstances, waive the jumping criteria and extend the age criteria

EFA MEDIA RELEASE - 15^th March 2001