Equestrian New Zealand has appointed Justine Kidd as its new high-performance and development manager.
Kidd, an experienced dressage rider and dressage chef d'Equipe, will work alongside technical advisor Blyth Tait, eventing coach Mark Todd and showjumping coach Greg Best to ensure New Zealand's elite riders have every opportunity to hone or
further develop their skills.
She will be based at Equestrian New Zealand's Wellington office and chief executive Larry Graham said he was delighted to have employed someone who could "hit the ground running".
While Kidd doesn't start the job until mid-July, she will attend an Olympic qualifying showjumping event in Aachen, Germany this weekend to support New Zealand riders Daniel Meech, Peter Breakwell, Guy Thomas, Molly Savill, Grant Wilson, Bruce Goodin and Richard Gardner.
"We're very lucky to have employed Justine, who has achieved a high standard of results in a variety of business, sporting and personal endeavours," Graham said.
"She's a dressage rider, so she has an intimate knowledge of the sport and the timing of her coming on board is good -- we're a year out from the Olympics."
Kidd, 31, will move from Te Awamutu to take up the role and put her own business, consultancy firm Ignite, on hold.
Kidd has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons) degree from Massey University and worked for the New Zealand Dairy Board and as a farm systems scientist for Dairy Research Corporation in Hamilton, before setting up her own business in 1999.
She won the 1998 New Zealand Animal Production Society Young Scientist Award for her work on dairy farm production systems.
She has owned her own dairy farm and is a director of a company that develops dairy farming opportunities.
As a dressage rider, Kidd won the African Federation Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2001.
She was in the New Zealand Dressage development training squad in 2001-02 and was convener of the New Zealand Dressage Young Rider Programme.
"I've developed a wide range of skills over the past 10 years with the businesses I've been involved in. I've worked in strategic planning and leadership development which are all good skills to bring to this role," Kidd said.
Her role will include keeping track of New Zealand's international riders and coordinating relevant seminars and courses throughout the year.
- NZPA
