The Australian Talent ID Program for 2012 will move into full swing in the coming weeks with the commencement of Jumping and Dressage talent identification days. Results from the nationwide search will assist in determining the 2013 National Futures Squads for all Olympic disciplines.
Identification and selection into these Futures Squads are intended to put promising combinations on the pathway to international success, and possibly discover a future World Champion combination.
This year’s talent identification days will commence in October starting in Queensland. Jumping riders with a horse aged between five and seven and Dressage riders with a horse aged between three and eight may be eligible to attend their discipline’s talent identification day.
For talented combinations which have the potential of reaching the highest levels of competition, a place on their discipline’s Futures Squad provides both horse and rider with an entry point into the High Performance Program which opens the door to a wide range of support services.
As well as receiving access to national clinics which assist in tracking performance, squad members are offered veterinary, sports science and sports medicine support - measures which aim to put a promising combination on the pathway to international success.
“The National Futures Squads are a vital part of the National Pathways program as they provide riders with access to many High Performance support services and staff including the National Performance Director and National Selectors,” said High Performance Manger Brett Mace.
“It is highly likely that some of the combinations selected for the Future Squads through this series of talent identification days will be representing Australia at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio,” he added.
The 2013 Futures Squads will be chosen by each discipline’s National Performance Director and National Selectors based on a set of criteria which aims to predict future success at elite levels of competition.
Further details of the Talent Identification Days will be made available on the EA website in the coming weeks.
Related Links
Dressage Talent Identification for Australian Futures Squads
Australian Youth Elite Squad for 2012 Announced