World class athletes selected for equestrian 2016-2018 squad
The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) has announced 34 athletes who have been selected for the UK Sport National Lottery funded World Class Podium Potential Programme for 2016-2018.
Acting equestrian Performance Director Sarah Armstrong comments; “It was fantastic to see such a great depth of talent coming forward through the selection trials this summer, and I would like to congratulate all those selected on to the 2016 cohort. The performance pathway for our athletes, both equine and human, is vital to ensure the continued success of our sport in Great Britain and on the international stage.
“The continuing evolution of the Programme, which will see more tailored coaching, and a greater emphasis on sports science introduced throughout the next Olympic cycle, is designed to ensure that through Podium Potential we are helping to develop medal winners of the future.”
This year’s squad includes Rio Olympic travelling reserve Jessica Mendoza as well as members of this year’s Olympic Ambition Programme and the Paralympic Inspiration Programme, including Hayley Watson-Greaves, Jake Saywell, Millie Allen and Natasha Adkinson. A number of the jumping athletes nominated will also be competing at Olympia next week in the Under 23 British Championships.
Among the new Podium Potential squad are Bert Bolton, Imogen Murray, Anna-Mae Cole, Charlotte Cundall, Suzanna Hext and Amanda Shirtcliffe who were on the BEF’s Excel Talent Programme, part of the rider talent pathway.
2016-2018 squad:
Dressage
Rebecca Edwards, Berkshire
Alex Hardwick, Hertfordshire
Sarah Millis, West Sussex
Sonnar Murray-Brown, Gloucestershire
Joanna Thurman-Baker, Oxfordshire
Samantha Thurman-Baker, Oxfordshire
Ryan Todd, West Yorkshire
Hayley Watson-Greaves, Gloucestershire
Eventing
Bert Bolton, Derbyshire
Rosalind Canter, Lincolnshire
Genevieve (Chuffy) Clarke, Surrey
Sam Ecroyd, Flintshire
William Furlong, East Sussex
Tom Jackson, Kent
Tom McEwen, Wiltshire
Imogen Murray, Leicester
Sarah Parkes, Warwickshire
Francesca Reid-Warrilow, Powys
Para-Dressage
Natasha Adkinson, Lincolnshire
Anna-Mae Cole, Devon
Charlotte Cundall, East Yorkshire
Suzanna Hext, Gloucestershire
Izzy Palmer, West Yorkshire
Amanda Shirtcliffe, Buckinghamshire
Susanna Wade, Lincolnshire
Showjumping
Millie Allen, North Yorkshire
Joe Clayton, Nottinghamshire
Jessica Mendoza, based The Netherlands
Harriet Nuttall, Somerset
Emma O’Dwyer, Pembrokeshire
Jake Saywell, Nottinghamshire
Louise Saywell, Nottinghamshire
William Whitaker, based Belgium
Chloe Winchester, Suffolk
Through the World Class Podium Potential Programme, athletes will receive support through world-class coaching, human and equine sports science and medicine, nutrition and sports psychology, as part of an established training pathway.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.