NZL Dressage Combinations Rocket Up the Olympic Group G Rankings

New Zealand riders have rocketed up the FEI Olympic Group G ranking list after the back to back CDI 3* at Taupo in March.

NZL-Wendi Williamson rides Don Vito MH. Final-2nd. Brett Kendall & Rosemary Carter -Test FEI Grand Prix Special 2022 CDI 3*. 2023 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 24 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

NZL-Melissa Galloway rides Windermere JObèi W. Final-1st. Brett Kendall & Rosemary Carter -Test FEI Grand Prix Special 2022 CDI 3*. 2023 NZL-Bates NZ Dressage Championships. NEC Taupo. Friday 24 March. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

Riders from Group G are contesting two individual places at the Paris 2024 Games, however, countries can only earn one place each. Performances at CDI 3* and above count with the best score from each of four events to count based on %. The Grand Prix, the Special and the Freestyle are all eligible, albeit the Freestyle points allocated are slightly lower. Riders from Group G have been busy competing on the Florida circuit resulting in  Singapore and Thailand already having four scores to  count, followed by Japan and two riders from Korea with three each. The Kiwis are closing in with
Melissa Galloway,  Wendi Williamson, and Gaylene Lennard in sixth, seventh and eighth place from just two starts apiece. Melissa holds the top score of 77.035% for her outstanding Freestyle with Windermere JObei W at the Bates National Championship. Both Wendi and Melissa have raised the NZL bar scoring over 70% in all classes at their two NZL based  CDI events in 2023, while other Group G riders have yet to reach the magical 70% in either the Grand Prix or the Special.

The next scoring opportunity for the top NZL duo will be the Sydney CDI from 26-28 April where they make up two of the sixteen starters in the Grand Prix CDI3* – CDI fields can be found here https://www.sydneycdi.equestrian.org.au/sites/default/files/Entry_Status_Sydney%20CDI_0304.pdf

Follow the Olympic Group G rankings here https://data.fei.org/Ranking/Search.aspx?rankingCode=D_OG_G