Australia’s top show jumper controversially overlooked by equestrian selectors
The controversial decision to omit Australia’s top show jumper from the equestrian team for Tokyo has been described as the equivalent of leaving Ash Barty out of our national tennis squad.
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Australia’s equestrian team will head into the Tokyo Olympics minus one of its top riders in a selection scandal that has been described as the equivalent of leaving Ash Barty out of our national tennis squad.
Equestrian Australia has been accused of overlooking two of the nation’s top ranked riders for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics team in favour of a rider with sponsorship links to a national selector.
Champion show jumper Rowan Willis was ranked 59th in the world when the Australian team was named earlier this month, but was listed as the team’s reserve rider behind Edwina Tops-Alexander (311), Katie Laurie (469) and Jamie Kermond (1150). Scott Keach (274), the nation’s second highest ranked showjumping athlete, was also snubbed.
Concerns have been raised about a perceived conflict of interest as Stephen Lamb, one of two selectors for the Australian team, works for Horsepower Feed and Supplements, which sponsors Kermond’s own equestrian business, Yandoo Park.
Mr Lamb told The Australian he had disclosed the sponsorship link from the beginning of the selection process and he had not been personally involved in picking Kermond for the team.
There is no suggestion of any wrong doing only that there is a clear perception of conflict of interest in the selection process.
Willis, who has won almost $2m competing on the international circuit with his horse Blue Movie (also known as “Carrots”), was “devastated” by the decision and issued Equestrian Australia with a “notice of dispute” indicating his desire to appeal the decision.
However, a formal appeal was not lodged by the deadline.
Blue Movie’s co-owner Michael Jackson said he was gutted by the decision, which he couldn’t imagine happening in any other sport in the world.
“I think it absolutely stinks. It’s a terrible outcome for Australia. He is the number one Australian rider,” he said. “He (Willis) is absolutely devastated but doesn’t want to jeopardise his future opportunities at the Olympics (by speaking out.)
“If it was tennis it would be like leaving Ash Barty out. He’s our number one rider and we’ve dropped him and it’s just bloody terrible. He’s one of the best in the world.”
Mr Lamb said he stood by the Australian athletes selected for Tokyo as they had best fit the selection criteria, which includes athletes performing under pressure at a high level or international events.
“As selectors all we can do is follow the policy and look at the results that are available.” he said.
Florida-based Willis regularly competes at CSI3* events and above against the world’s top riders and was part of the team that helped qualify Australia for the Tokyo Olympics at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.
Kermond’s Olympic teammate, Laurie, who became New Zealand’s youngest showjumping equestrian when competing at the 2008 Summer Games, switched allegiance to Australia in 2019.
In a statement on the body’s website Equestrian Australia said FEI World Athlete Rankings had not been included in the Tokyo 2020 Nomination Criteria.
Equestrian Australia’s conflict of interest policy says representatives “must not place themselves in a position where there is a real and sensible possibility of a conflict of interest”.
It also says such conflicts may arise where an associate may directly or indirectly derive a benefit in relation to a decision, including “companies or partnerships where the representative of Equestrian Australia is a shareholder, employee or director or otherwise derives a benefit from the company.”
The body on Friday moved to quell concerns about the selection process with High Performance Director Chris Webb confirming Mr Lamb had been absent from deliberations surrounding Kermond’s selection.
“It’s a close-knit sport and we have a pretty rigorous conflict of interest policy to ensure that we manage them and this is a prime example,” he said.
Equestrian Australia CEO Darren Gocher, who joined the organisation in May, said he wanted to improve confidence in the body following years of upheaval and allegations of mismanagement.
“We want to make sure that there’s the right level of transparency and confidence in the organisation going forward,” he said.
“We’ve got some reform to do and that’ll be part of it.”
With no guarantee that he would get a chance to perform, Willis later withdrew his position as the Tokyo Games’ reserve athlete.
“I have weighed up the options very carefully and consider it in the best interest of my horse Carrots not to undertake such a demanding global travel schedule when the EA have made it clear there is no tactical plan to start,” he wrote on his Facebook page. He did not respond to request for comment.
The sport, which has delivered Australia 12 Olympic medals, including six golds, was thrown into turmoil last year when the national body entered voluntary administration just six weeks out from when the Tokyo Games were supposed to have started.
The shock announcement came days after Sport Australia sent a letter to the body on June 3, declaring it would cease pouring money into an organisation that has been wracked by dysfunction and shoddy governance.
Sport Minister Richard Colbeck, who on Sunday travelled to Tokyo to attend the games, said Olympic nominations were a matter for Equestrian Australia and the AOC.
“A comprehensive appeal process is available to athletes for selection disputes,” he said. “I have been made aware of a notice of dispute from an Equestrian Australia athlete, however the matter has not proceeded to appeal.”
He warned the Morrison Government expected sport administrators to provide appropriate governance and treat professional athletes fairly.
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