High hopes for Olympics

Katie McVean. Photo / Christine Cornege

Hopes are high New Zealand will be represented in all three equestrian disciplines at next year's London Olympics with the naming of high performance squads this week.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance director Sarah Harris said it was an exciting time for the sport as squads were named in eventing, show jumping and dressage ahead of the Olympics and the 2014 world games.

"It's the first time in a long while that all three Olympic disciplines genuinely have someone who could compete at the [London] Olympics," Harris said.

Spear-heading the charge is the 2010 world games eventing bronze medal-winning team of Andrew Nicholson, Mark Todd, Caroline Powell and Clarke Johnstone, with seventh-placed individual Jonathan Paget also in the mix.

"The eventing 2012 squad is strong and we've opted to keep them together as a team to ensure they drive each other's performances."

The in-form Katie McVean, who also rode for New Zealand at the world games last year, is the only one named for showjumping. Missing from the line-up is high-ranking Samantha McIntosh, who this month leaves her Europe base to return to New Zealand.

Two of the dressage riders named have eventing links. Penny Castle coaches Paget and fellow squad member Lizzie Brown, and Vanessa Way works with Johnstone.

- NZPA