Kirsty Johnston and Opposition Detective will be making their GB Senior Team debut in Austria
The recently announced GB Nations Cup teams heading to Austria and the USA feature plenty of new faces. Britain has used the FEI Nations Cup Series to give senior championship experience to less experienced combinations and the strategy continues in 2017
An all-female squad has been selected to represent Great Britain at the fourth competition in the 2017 FEI Nations Cup series, taking place in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, on 30th June – 2nd July.
The team, in alphabetical order, are:
Alice Dunsdon, 31 from Surrey, with Mrs Sarah Dunsdon’s 12 year old gelding Sambo III
Kirsty Johnston, 28 from Wiltshire, on her own and Denny Russell’s 14 year old gelding Opposition Detective
Georgie Spence, 28 from Wiltshire, riding her own and Mrs Suzanne Doggett’s 11 year old gelding Halltown Harley
Olivia Craddock, 26 from West Sussex, and Mrs Beverley Sheikh and her own 10 year old gelding Billy Liffy
Team reserve will be Anthony Clarke and his own and Mrs Carol Elliot’s Crambamboli.
The Austrian Nations Cup will be the first GB senior team appearance for Alice, Kirsty and Georgie, Olivia was part of the team at the opening event in the 2017 series, Strzegom, Poland, where the team finished in second place.
Changes have been made to the team originally announced to head to the FEI Nations Cup for the fifth event in the 2017 series at The Plains, USA, in the state of Virginia. The four British based riders who were to compete for GB from 8th – 9th July included Ben Hobday riding Mulrys Error and James Sommerville riding Talent, both making their senior team debut, however minor injuries to both horses have sadly ruled them out of travelling to The Plains
The team are now, in alphabetical order;
Matthew Heath, 34 from Oxfordshire, riding his own and Mrs Hazel Livesey’s 10 year old gelding One of a Kind II
Nicky Roncoroni, 38 from Gloucestershire, and Lorna McWilliam and Mrs Janey Roncoroni’s 12 year old gelding Watts Burn
Emily Llewellyn and Mrs Camilla Harries’ Emirati Nightsky.
American based British rider, Justine Dutton with Jak My Style.
Matthew will be making his senior team debut for GB
Three events in the series have now been completed and GB currently hold first place in the overall standings with 270 points following a second place finish at all three competitions with Germany in second place and France in third
The 2017 calendar:
17 - 21 May: CICO 3* Strzegom (POL) – GB 2nd place
25 - 28 May: CICO 3* Houghton Hall (GBR) - GB 2nd place
31 May - 4 June: CICO 3* Tattersalls (IRL) – GB 2nd place
30 June - 2 July: CICO 3* Wiener Neustadt (AUT)
8 - 9 July: CICO 3* The Plains (USA)
19 - 23 July: CICO 3* Aachen (GER)
10-13 August: CICO 3* Le Haras du Pin (FRA)
22 - 24 September: CICO 3* Waregem (BEL)
5 - 8 October: CCIO 3* Boekelo (NED)
