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The first Para-Equestrian Inspection at Tokyo 2020 has been held with all four Aussie horses declared fit and ready to compete.
The Australian team were the first nation to present at the trot-up ahead of competition kicking off tomorrow (Thursday 26 August).
Accomplished rider Sharon Jarvis, 43, who will be riding Romanos is backing up for her third Paralympic Games after placing 4th in the Grade IV mixed dressage at Beijing in 2008 and 9th at Rio in 2016.
Emma Booth, 30, is back in the saddle with her horse Zidane, making her the only Paralympic athlete to ride the same horse at two separate Paralympic Games.
Booth and the mighty Zidane finished 5th in the Individual Grade III at the Team Open in Rio in 2016.
Victoria Davies, 37, will line up for her Paralympic debut with horse Celere alongside Amelia White, 29, who is also making her debut with horse Genius.
Davies will compete in the Dressage Individual Test, Grade II, while White will contest the Dressage Individual Test, Grade V.
White has ridden a different path to Tokyo. Shortly after taking up Para-equestrian dressage, White moved from Australia to Germany with the aim of improving herself as a rider.
“The idea behind it was to really learn the ins-and-outs of professional dressage, and maybe do a show or two to gain experience and improve my riding confidence,” White said.
She met European Para-riders for the first time and was surprised by just how committed they were to their sport.
“I realised it is a professional sport and I really needed to lift my game if I wanted to do well,” said White.
The horses looked very polished this morning ahead of tomorrow’s event thanks to the dedicated grooms supporting the team in Tokyo: Shae Herwig (groom of Davie’s Celere); Ashleigh Campton (groom of Jarvis’s Romanos); Anke Wilming (groom of White’s Genius); and Shahira Ameen (groom of Booth’s Zidane).
Watch the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games live and free on Seven and 7plus from August 24 – September 5.
Australians in action at Equestrian Park:
Thursday 26 August
16:00 (17:00 AEST) Victoria Davies – Dressage Individual Test – Grade II
17:51 (18:51 AEST) Sharon Jarvis – Dressage Individual Test – Grade IV
20:31 (21:31 AEST) Amelia White – Dressage Individual Test – Grade V
Friday 27 August
19:14 (20:14 AEST) Emma Booth – Dressage Individual Test – Grade III
Saturday 28 August
19:54 (20:54 AEST) Dressage Team Test to Music
Sunday 29 August
19:32 (20:32 AEST) Dressage Team Test to Music
Monday 30 August
*16:00 (17:00 AEST) Sharon Jarvis – Dressage Individual Test – Dressage Individual Freestyle Test – Grade IV
*17:14 (18:14 AEST) Amelia White – Dressage Individual Freestyle Test – Grade V
*18:33 (19:33 AEST) Emma Booth – Dressage Individual Test – Dressage Individual Freestyle Test – Grade III
*19:47 (20:47 AEST) Victoria Davies – Dressage Individual Freestyle Test – Grade II
*Pending qualification results
By: Paralympics Australia
Posted: 25 August 2021
