Australian Horses Selected for 2023 World Young Horse Championships After Last-Minute Deadline Change

Dressage

Australia

The Australian equestrian federation (EA) has announced the three horses which have been selected to represent Australia at the 2023 World Championships for young dressage horses in Ermelo (NED) on 3 - 6 August 2023.

The new national selectors - Lone Jorgenson, Dirk Dijkstra, and Mary Jane Crabtree - made their final pick

5-year old

Simone Pearce on No Limit, a Westfalian by Geniaal x Florestan, bred by Marcel Roerdink in The Netherlands, owned by Thomas Ritzinger

6-year old

Maree Tomkinson on Imagine II, an Oldenburg by Ibiza x St. Moritz, bred by Gerhard Dustmann in Germany, owned by the rider and Susan Gorst.

7-year old

Alicia Ryan on Merricks Sonique, an Australian Hanoverian by Stedinger x Donnerschwee, bred by Sally Jones of Merricks Warmbloods in Australia, owned by Susan Ryan

Australian Criteria

For five and six-year-old young horses to be considered for endorsement to the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Dressage Horses, they must have a minimum of 1 performance of at least 80% at the national selection procedure event (Australian based horses) or a CDI-YH (overseas based horses) with at least 7.5 for each pace.

Tomkinson on Imagine II at CDI Achleiten

For seven-year-old young horses to be considered for endorsement they must have a minimum of 1 performance of at least 70%, at the national selection procedure event (Australian based horses) or a CDI-YH (overseas based horses).

The national selection procedure event is the 2023 Australian Young Dressage Horse Championships.

Just like with all other nations, preference would be given to Australian born and bred horses, as part of the policy of the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses (WBFSH).

"The aim of advancing Australian Dressage is multi-factorial and includes supporting the intent of the FEI to encourage breeding programs in a wider range of nations and encouraging the success of Dressage horses bred in Australia," EA communicated. "To this end, Equestrian Australia acknowledges the breed societies: Australian Continental Equestrian Group inc (ACE), Australian Warmblood Horse Association and Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia."

Questions Asked

Although the panel was new, the Australian NF fell into old habits and again caused quite a stir with their team nomination. This year the selectors changed the qualification deadline five days before the cut off date.

An expression of interest to be considered for Australian WCYH team selection, together with a show plan, had to be sent to Dianne Saunders by 15 April 2023. Foreign based riders had until 20 June 2023 to send in their scores to the EA Office. A decision regarding the Nominated Entries would be made by the selectors no later the 22 June 2023, as initially communicated.

However on 15 (!!) June 2023 EA sent out an email to the candidates that the deadline of 20 June would be extended, this due to "approval for inclusion of the Poland event on 22-25 June, and a large amount of tests will be ridden over the weekend. Selectors will need extra time to review and complete a robust discussion on your results," as written in the email.

Deadline Extended : Ryan vs Rooke

Rebecca Rooke and Pour Andrig at
the 2021 World YH Championships

The sudden extension of the date was seemingly made to accommodate the riding schedule of Australian Alicia Ryan who competed the Australian Hanoverian Merricks Sonique at the CDI Sopot, Poland, on 22 and 23 June.

The other team candidates had no chance to prepare or enter in another CDI that weekend (to get better/higher scores), knowing the extension just a few days ahead of time. This created an unlevel field of play and some question the legality of the rule change.

Ryan and Merricks Sonique rode in their first CDI in Sopot and scored 69.507% in the 7-year old preliminary test and 70.257% in the 7-year old finals test. The latter result was their first and only qualification score as the pair did not compete at the national selection procedure event (Australian Young Dressage Horse Championships).

The only other contender for the 7-year old slot was French based Rebecca Rooke on Pour Andrig de Barroue (TRAK, by Donauruf x Sponeck). Rooke had collected four CDI scores and her top mark was 72.572% in the finals test at the CDI Jardy on 17 June. Her horse, however, is Trakehner bred and preference is given to the Australian bred horses. However, Ryan was only able to achieve her qualification score thanks to the selectors' last minute extension of the qualification date.

What About Hope Beerling?

Online there was mumbling and grumbling from Australians who were displeased that the selection criteria were changed last minute, an ingrown habit of Equestrian Australia officials, it seems. Many felt that the higher scoring Australian Hope Beerling had been put at a disadvantage and lost her spot to Ryan, but upon inquiry this is incorrect.

Hope Beerling on Vianne
(Photo © Sue Stickle)

Australian Hope Beerling has been trying to qualify through the U.S. selection process and it is an FEI/WBFSH rule that a combination can only try for the World Championships through one country (and figuratively not bet on two horses/NFs).

Beerling is based in the U.S.A and her horse Vianne (AHS, by Vitalis x Ramiro's Bube) is bred by American Catherine Haddad-Staller and owned by the horse dealing company NorCordia.

Beerling scored a 74.415% in the preliminary test and a 77.772% in the finals test at the CDI Lexington on 20-21 May 2023.

"We talked to Australia about the possibility of nominating Vianne through the winter because Hope is an Australian rider," Catherine Haddad told Eurodressage. "However, the WCYH rules also state that a horse can only compete in one country’s qualification process. So we chose to compete in the US qualification process. I knew the horse would be good enough. She was Reserve Champion of the USA as a 5-year old and has morphed into a top 7-year old and international prospect for top sport this year. Vianne is in fact qualified for the USA and is the only American-bred horse to qualify. She has the second highest average in the county and the highest score in the Final Test."

Beerling has not yet received an answer from the U.S. Equestrian Federation if she is selected to go to Ermelo.

So Who Else was Vying for a Spot?

For the 5-year old spot Simone Pearce and No Limit competed in one CDI class in Samorin and scored 86.00% to win the preliminary test. The other contender was Rebecca Rooke on the Hanoverian mare Forever Young Hanovria (by Furstenball x Foundation) who earned 83.40% in the finals test at the CDI Jardy.

For the 6-year old spot it was Maree Tomkinson on Imagine II against Warwick McLean on Abtwald's Goetterfunke (by Grand Galaxy Win x Sandro Prinz). Tomkinson got 87.00% in the preliminary test at the CDI Achleiten on 17 June as high score, while McLean posted 81.600% in the 6-year old preliminary test in Le Mans.