OEPS Does a 180°: Removes Two Riders from Announced Austrian U25 Team

Dressage

Austria

The Austrian Equestrian Federation (OEPS) has done a 180 and removed two riders from the already announced Under 25 team for the 2023 European Under 25 Championships in Pilisjaszfalu (HUN) on 11 - 16 July 2023.

Austrian Under 25 Team

On 18 June OEPS announced that the dressage selection committee has selected four riders for the Austrian team: Jonas Frick (Juno), Sophie Marlene Francz (Der Romantiker), Fiona Spranz (Santiago) and Lukas Fuchs-Benes (Gogogachetto Chippendale).

Today, the Austrian website Eqwo posted that the board of directors at OEPS have made changes to the team and decided to send only two individuals and no team for the Europeans. The decision was made based upon the rules, which seemingly had not been carefully checked on 18 June.

Let's Look at the Rules After we Announce the Team

The rule for team selection reads that the scores of the two mandatory selection trials (CDI Gossendorf, CDI Achleiten) as well as one CDI of choice count towards team selection. The results of the Inter II and Short Grand Prix are totalled and averaged (six scores). The average need to be at least 67% for team nomination.

Eqwo explained that there is no question about Jonas Frick's scores (Gössendorf, Olomouc and Achleiten) who has an average of 67.784%.

Sophie Marlene Francz on Der Romantiker
at the 2023 CDI Gossendorf

Lukas Fuchs-Benes scored an average of 67.709%, but he did not compete at the CDI Gössendorf. He did three CDI's in Mariakalnok, St. Margarethen and Achleiten. Despite missing the first mandatory trial, he's been nominated by OEPS for Pilisjaszfalu.

Spranz and Francz Removed from Team

Both Fiona Spranz and Sophie Marlene Francz have been kicked off the team.

Fiona Spranz is the reigning Austrian Under 25 champion and she competed Santiago (by Spielberg x Houston) at the CDI Gossendorf, CDI Olomouc and CDI Achleiten. In the first two shows she scored four times between 67.333 and 68.382% However at the CDI Achleiten, Santiago twice scored 64%.

Sophie Marlene Francz competed Der Romantiker in Gossendorf (68.00% and 65.07%), CDI Stadl Paura (66.275% and 66.068%), CDI Mariakalnok (66.23 and 67.545%) and at the CDI Achleiten (66.882ù and 65.385%).

No official statement was made on the OEPS website but Spranz and Francz were notified privately of them being pulled from the team.

Paul Jöbstl with Bodyguard on Nominative Entry List for EU Young Riders

Paul Jöbstl on Bodyguard at their last
show a year ago, the 2022 European YR
Championships

Another surprise move from the Austrian equestrian federation is that Paul Jöbstl has been put on the nominative entry list for the 2023 European Young Riders Championships in Pilisjaszfalu, even though the rider has not competed his medal winning horse Bodyguard since the 2022 Europeans in Hartpury last July.

Jöbstl has decided to make the move to Under 25 with his new horse Elastico (who unfortunately is sidelined with an injury) while sister Florentina took over the ride on Bodyguard and competed him at the CDI's in Gossendorf, Ornago and Achleiten.

Florentina is nominated on the Austrian Junior Riders team with two horses, Floortje and Bodyguard, but also Paul is on the entry list.

According to Eqwo, selector Diana Wunschek was the one who nominated Paul without any recent scores delivered or participation in the mandatory selection trials.