Lyndal Oatley to Represent Australia at World Cup in Sweden
12 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Lyndal Oatley to Represent Australia at World Cup in Sweden
Lyndal Oatley will represent Australia at the World Cup Final in Sweden next month, th first appearance for the German-based rider at the only annual global championships of the sport.
Lyndal will ride Sandro Boy, the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Sandro Hit x Utopia x Argentinus) that she competed on the Australian team at the Olympics in London last summer, her first appearance at an Olympics.
“I’m hugely proud and looking forward to having such an awesome opportunity to represent our League at such a prestigious event,” said the 32-year-old rider who is married to Patrik Kittel, who will also compete at the Final in Goteborg, Sweden April 24-28.
She was invited by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to compete in the Final after Rozzie Ryan, winner of the World Cup Pacific League aboard GV Bullwinkle, opted not to go, as did the second placed Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina. Rozzie and Bullwinkle competed in Europe last summer and were reserve for the Australian Olympic team.
Lyndal and Sandro Boy rode in the Western European League and accumulated their World Cup points at two events–Kaposvar, Hungary and Olympia in London in December which was the last competition for the pair. She is ranked 18th in the WEL standings with one more of the eight qualifiers to go.
“For me it’s really important to have our League represented and it would have been great to have Rozzie over here as she has had such a successful year, and well deserved also,” Lyndal said. “Now my entire focus will be on this event and finalizing my Kur, so we can strut our stuff with the best of the best in Sweden.”
Rozzie told dressage-news.com: “I am very sad because I always take an opportunity if at all possible. Unfortunately the owners do not want him to go and also it is probably not in the horse’s best interest to travel to Europe again so soon. I completely understand their view.”
Expense, onerous quarantine requirements returning to Australia and the trip to Sweden for the hourse of 38 hours made the prospect “very lengthy, complicated and expensive.” Plus, the horse is for sale.
“So as you can imagine all these factors make the trip uninviting. Oh well! I will go to watch,” she said.
