Galloway Selected as New Zealand's Individual Rider for the 2024 Olympic Games

Dressage

New Zealand

The New Zealand equestrian federation has nominated Melissa Galloway as its individual representative in dressage at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Galloway is New Zealand's sole submission on the FEI's published nominative entry list. No reserve combination has been listed.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee was supposed to announce her nomination officially on 1 July, but only did so on 2 July. The NZL Olympic selection process is managed by ESNZ High Performance who are required to make announcements as instructed by the the NZ Olympic Committee.

Melissa Galloway

The 31-year old Melissa Galloway has been New Zealand's most prolific rider in Europe. She travelled to The Netherlands to train with Anne van Olst during her 2022 campaign in preparation of the World Championships in Herning, where she finished 33rd in the Grand Prix with 70.978%.

In 2023 she returned home for a year and was unbeatable down under, stringing 13 consecutive victories together at five CDI's and winning the 2023 New Zealand Championships.

In 2024 Melissa shipped her horse Windermere J'Obei W pro-actively to Holland at her own expense for further training and competition in the hopes of being nominated for the 2024 Olympic Games. Her first show of 2024 was the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch where she posted 67.370% in the Grand Prix. As the Pacific League finals winner, Galloway rode the 2024 World Cup Finals in Riyadh (KSA), where she posted 68.603% in the Grand Prix and finished 9th in the Kur to Music finals. In May she competed her horse at the Aachen Dressage Days and obtained 69.904% in the Grand Prix and 70.277% in the Special.

Wendi Williamson

Galloway's rival for the Olympic spot was the 53-year old Wendi Williamson, who in the 2024 show season never scored below 71% at CDI's in New Zealand and Australia.

Williamson and Don Vito MH competed at the CDI's in Hastings (71.413% GP - 74.383% GPS), Taupo (71.696%, 73.362% which earned them the title of 2024 New Zealand Dressage Champions), and Sydney (71.065 GP, 72.149% GPS). She won nine international classes in a row.

One Nomination, One Dream

Equestrian Sport New Zealand has put Melissa Galloway forward as NZL's individual Olympic rider. No reserve was nominated.

The selectors were Helen Hughes-Keen, Margs Carline, and Justine Kidd. The Performance criteria that were set indicated that, “the Selectors will take into account competition performance record of the rider and horse as a combination at Grand Prix level during the Qualification Period” considering the “Grand Prix (excluding Freestyle) competition form from 1 September 2023 (i.e. recent form); achieving scores of 71% or greater.”

Galloway is thrilled to have been nominated:

"I burst into tears when I got the call," a thrilled Melissa Galloway told Eurodressage. "It means more to me than anyone will ever know. I feel so grateful and honoured to be representing my beautiful country New Zealand. I have had this dream since I was 11 years old, so to be finally realising that dream 20 years later is quite incredible. I am so thankful to my husband and entire family that have also sacrificed so much for this dream to become a reality."

Her choice to go to Europe on her own paid off. "It has been a self funded trip and a massive amount of sacrifice, commitment and faith in this dream," Melissa explained.

Disappointment

For Williamson her non-selection has been a disappointment.

"Basically they wanted me up in Europe so yes I guess (it is) partly financial," Williamson told Eurodressage. "We would like to demonstrate that it is feasible for riders to be selected from here as it’s not feasible for a lot of riders to get to Europe for a period of time. If we ever want to have the chance of a team we have to be able to do it from here initially."

Eurodressage asked for an official statement from New Zealand's Dressage Sports Manager Wendy Hamerton, who said she is "unable to make any comment around selections". She delegated the question to Jock Paget from ESNZ High Performance, who did not reply despite requests.