The British Equestrian Federation has named the eleven dressage athletes who have been selected onto the 2014-2016 UK Sport National Lottery funded World Class Development Programme. Six of them are part of the "start squad".
With selection across each of the three Olympic sports – dressage, eventing and showjumping and the Paralympic sport of para-equestrian dressage, this year has seen one of the largest intakes since the Programme’s inception, as 49 young athletes come on board ahead of the 2015 season.
The Programme looks to provide coaching and support to athletes – through human and equine sports science, nutrition and sports psychology – as part of an established training pathway.
Gordon Burton, Head of Performance for the BEF commented; “This year’s applicants raised the bar yet again and we saw some exceptional talent coming forward during our selection trials. It is great to see such a depth and breadth of ability coming up through the ranks and bodes well for the future of equestrian sport in the UK."
For dressage the athletes selected are Hannah Biggs, Rebecca Edwards, Maria Eilberg, Lara Griffith, Alex Hardwick, Emily Harris, Olivia Oakeley, Alice Oppenheimer, Maisie Scruton, Ryan Todd, and Hayley Watson-Greaves.
British youth riders Edwards, Hardwick, Harris, Oakeley, Scruton and Todd have been named on the World Class Development "Start Squad".
Photo © Astrid Appels
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