Young riders stepping up to fill gaps

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

New combinations are stepping up to fill some big boots in the Equestrian Sports New Zealand high-performance eventing squads.

That's the view of ESNZ high-performance. eventing manager Graeme Thom.

“Our most recent squad lists seem stark with the absence of Mark (Todd) and Blyth (Tait) but it is very encouraging to have new names and faces meeting the standards of our top groups,” he said.

The High Performance Squad comprises three riders with seven horses between them. Clarke Johnstone has Balmoral Sensation, Jonelle Price has Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo, and world No.2 Tim Price has Ascona M, Bango, Ringwood Sky Boy and Xavier Faer.

Thom said it was comforting that many seasoned and well-accomplished veterans would be available to provide invaluable guidance

He also paid tribute to the support of “committed and generous” horse owners, and the ongoing investment of High Performance Sport New Zealand in the team.

Six additions have been made to the High Performance Futures Squad — Tim Price with Wesko and Falco, Jonelle Price with Grovine de Reve, Clarke Johnstone with Aces High, Samantha Lissington with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, James Avery with One of a Kind and New Zealand-based Monica Oakley with Acrobat.

The new combinations join Amanda Pottinger with Just Kidding, Caroline Powell with On the Brash, Dan Jocelyn with Blackthorne Cruise, Jesse Campbell with Cleveland, and Madison Crowe with Waitangi Pinterest.

Three new combinations have been added to the High Performance Potential Squad — Donna Edwards-Smith, Diane Gilder and Bruce Haskell. They join Bundy Philpott, Emily Cammock, Ginny Thompson, Joe Myer, Matthew Grayling, Nick Brooks and Renee Faulkner.

Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Balmoral Sensation (owned by the Johnstone Family); Jonelle Price (UK) Faerie Dianimo (owned by Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and Jonelle Price); Jonelle Price (UK) Classic Moet (owned by Trisha Rickards and Jonelle Price); Tim Price (UK) Ascona M (owned by Suzanne Houchin, Lucy and Ben Sangster, and Sir Peter Vela); Tim Price (UK) Bango (owned by the Numero Uno Syndicate); Tim Price (UK) Ringwood Sky Boy (Robert Taylor, Varenna Allen and Tim Price); and Tim Price (UK) Xavier Faer (Trisha Rickards, Nigella Hall and Tim Price).

Amanda Pottinger (Havelock North) Just Kidding (owned by the Pottinger Family); Caroline Powell (UK) On the Brash (owned by Sarah and Andrew Tobey, Sue Smiley and Caroline Powell); Clarke Johnstone (Matangi) Aces High (owned by the Johnstone Family); Dan Jocelyn (UK) Blackthorn Cruise (owned by Panda Christie and Dan Jocelyn); James Avery (UK) One of a Kind (owned by Hazel and Chloe Livesey, and James Avery); Jesse Campbell (UK) Cleveland (owned by Kent Gardner and Jesse Campbell); Jonelle Price (UK) Grovine de Reve (owned by Therese Miller, Jo Preston-Hunt, Philip Hunt and Jonelle Price); Maddison Crowe (Matangi) Waitangi Pinterest (owned by the Crowe Family); Monica Oakley (Auckland) Acrobat (owned by Monica Oakley); Samantha Lissington (UK) Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ (owned by Pip McCarroll and Samantha Lissington); Tim Price (UK) Falco (owned by Sue Benson, Jackie Oliver and Tim Price); and Tim Price (UK) Wesko (owned by the Windrush Equestrian Foundation and Tim Price).

Bruce Haskell (UK); Bundy Philpott (Cambridge); Diane Gilder (Auckland); Donna Edwards-Smith (Te Kauwhata); Emily Cammock (Christchurch); Ginny Thompson (UK); Joe Meyer (USA); Matthew Grayling (Taranaki); Nick Brooks (UK); and Renee Faulkner (Papakura).