Keeping it in the family, Dallas’s niece heads Endurance Team for Kentucky

Equestrian: Higgins to lead NZ endurance team –

World No three Alison Higgins, from Nelson, will headline a five-strong New Zealand team out to end a 10-year drought in the endurance competition.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand named the first of  its team for September’s world equestrian games in Kentucky.

The 160km endurance competition is the equestrian equivalent to the marathon, and it can take up to 13 hours to complete.

New Zealand won team gold in this event in 1998.

Higgins,  who will compete on her horse Twynham El Omar, will be joined by Pokeno’s Sue Reid, the reigning national and North Island champion aboard Makahiwi Achilles, Masterton’s Jenny Champion on Freckles, Rangiora’s Debbie Worsfold on Northwinds Bradley McGregor and Te Awamutu’s Jenny Chandler on Lace and Fineness.

Four will ride as a team, as well as individuals, with the fifth just contesting the individual title.

High performance endurance leader and chef d’equipe Madonna Harris expected New Zealand’s main competition to come from the United Arab Emirates, Spain and hosts United States.

“Our riders know what speed they need to ride at to maintain that world class level,” she says. “Now it is a matter of making it happen. We have a great opportunity to do well there.”

Endurance is one of eight equestrian disciplines taking part in the games – the others being showjumping, reining, dressage, eventing, para dressage, vaulting and driving.

More New Zealand teams for the competition will be announced over the coming months.

Otago Daily Times

From all of us here, good luck Alison and Omar.