Equestrian: Dressage under scrutiny for Games

Andrew Scott on Mitavite Duncan at Puhinui. Picture / Paul Estcourt

National selector Mary Darby believes New Zealand will have to lift its dressage performances to succeed in next year's World Equestrian Games and the 2008 Olympics.

Darby, who is the chair of selectors, was at Puhinui yesterday for the opening day of the international three-day event where she and fellow selectors are eyeing up riders for next year's World Equestrian Games.

While there were good dressage performances in the three-star field, particularly from veteran Andrew Scott and Mitavite Duncan, who edged out favourite Matthew Grayling and Gordon for the lead, Darby said it was an area New Zealand still needed to work on.

"If you look at the [recent] transtasman competition in Adelaide, we only had Matthew Grayling in a competitive position.

"Overseas we have got combinations that are up with the rest of the world like Andrew Nicholson and Lord Killinghurst, but we can't rely on a couple of good individuals.

"It is not that we are not capable of it. From a team perspective looking through to the worlds, everyone needs to lift their game. They are probably sick and tired of hearing me say that, but I will keep saying it until it happens.

"But looking at Adelaide, we were behind in cross-country as well ... so it is not just in the dressage we need to get a wriggle on."

The 20-strong, three-star fleet was virtually split in two after yesterday's dressage competition. Feilding's Scott, a member of the 1990 gold medal team at the World Games, opened with a strong performance on Mitavite Westella, scoring 49, but saved his best for last when he guided Mitavite Duncan into first place with a score of 42.9, narrowly beating Grayling's 43.3.

"I was impressed with Andrew Scott's test with Duncan, a relatively young horse at this level," Darby said. "Sometimes I feel Andrew gets into the arena with his other horses, gets a little bit defensive and doesn't ride for it, but he had nothing to lose with this horse.

"I was happy to see Matthew's [Grayling's] horse Gordon ... it was probably a bit more technically correct than Andrew's, but they rewarded Andrew for free moving and going for it."

Heelan Tompkins and her 19-year-old mount Glengarrick are third. They could have been in the lead had Tompkins not incurred a couple of course errors.

Scott and Mitavite Westella are fourth, and Kate Lambie riding Charlton Noted, the national one-day and three-day champion, round out the top five.

Looking to today's cross-country and tomorrow's showjumping, Darby said she would be looking for polished performances from the experienced riders, but encouraged the young riders to go for it.

"I'd much rather see them have a crack at something than being conservative."