WDN News Wrap – New Zealand Selects First Olympic Representative and Norway Hopes for First Dressage Olympian in 60 Years

Posted by By WDN Staff at 10 February, at 03 : 27 AM Print

By Lynndee Kemmet – New Zealand news is all abuzz on the selection of the country’s first representative for this year’s Olympic Games. The New Zealand Herald recently ran a feature article on dressage rider Louisa Hill and her equine partner Bates Antonello. This will be Hill’s second Olympics. Her first was Athens in 2004. The highlight of the story is that Hill faced a choice of cash or possible Olympic glory and she chose the Olympics. She turned down a lucrative offer to buy Bates Antonello, which she owns with her mother Jenny and sister Anna. You can read more about her in the New Zealand Herald.

Norway might have its first Olympic dressage rider in 60 years according to the Dutch news site horses.nl. Siril Helljesen recently acquired something rather critical to surviving the long road to the Olympics – financial supporters willing to back her Olympic bid. Helljesen said the group of five supporters all have ties to the Norwegian equestrian community.

And making news in Britain is the return to competition of Lee Pearson, the world’s most successful para-dressage rider. Pearson, who has won nine Paralympic Gold Medals, had a tough past year. He fell off a horse last year and broke his back in four places and then after recovering from that, he tripped over a chicken and cracked a rib. Says Pearson now, “I’m back in the saddle, fully fit and my horses are going better than ever.” And he is now aiming for this year’s London Paralympic Games. You can read more about his comeback from Britain’s skysports.

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