Kiwi reserve gets show jumping call-up
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Equestrian
New Zealand will field a team of four to contest the Olympic show jumping first individual qualifier at the Sha Tin equestrian venue in Hong Kong tomorrow.
US-domiciled reserve Kirk Webby, who has been on standby in Hong Kong, was called up after injury to Daniel Meech’s horse Sorbas ruled the combination out.
The New Zealand combinations - Bruce Goodin and Yamato, Katie McVean and Forest, Sharn Wordley and Rockville and Webby and Sitah all successfully passed the final vet inspection this morning.
McVean, Wordley and Webby will be making their Olympic debuts while the experienced Goodin is attending his fourth Games.
"The horses trotted well today, they all look healthy and fit and happy. We’re looking forward to starting the process tomorrow," New Zealand coach Greg Best said.
The well-performed Webby was right in the frame for selection after spearheading New Zealand’s Olympic qualifying campaign in Europe with stunning success earlier his year.
It has since been a race against time to get Sitah healthy again after the mare underwent emergency surgery for colic.
"Kirk’s horse had arguably been our first or second horse until recently.
So, while losing Daniel’s experience was a blow, by bringing Kirk back in we don’t lose a lot," Best said.
"Daniel is a fantastically experienced rider. Kirk is not so experienced but has been there at crucial times in the past couple of years for New Zealand and performed very credibly.
"So I think the net effect on the quality of this team is not a very big effect at all."
Meech produced New Zealand’s most successful Olympic showjumping result when he placed 12th in Athens four years ago.
The New Zealanders have been in Hong Kong for nine days and Best, a former US double Olympic silver medalist, said the facilities were second to none.
The team spent a lot of time practicing under lights while the horses were in quarantine in Germany prior to leaving for Hong Kong.
In general, the New Zealand riders have little experience of performing at night. McVean, 22, is a rarity, having successfully campaigned for an Olympic spot from New Zealand. The others have all been based offshore for many years.
"These guys are seasoned competitors and although Katie hasn’t spent as much time outside of New Zealand as the rest of them, she’s ridden on an awful lot of teams’ competitions and feels pretty comfortable being part of the team," Best said.
"She’s going to be our No 1 rider, she’s going out first. I have a lot of respect for her and feel very comfortable sending her out in that trailblazing role."
The showjumping comprises of individual and team competitions.
The best three results count for the team score and during the qualifying competitions rider’s scores are carried over. One round will be held in tomorrow’s first individual qualifier with jump heights at elite five star level, ranging between 1.40—1.60m.
"There’s no easing into it," Best said.
"But I am confident of our build-up. Bruce won a grand prix just before coming into quarantine and Sharn has had some very strong results in the US.
"Katie has been the one that has struggled the most of recent and I attribute that to the travel and acclimatisation aspect.
"She’s had six weeks now to get the horse fitter and more comfortable and I’ve not seen him looking better."
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