Olympic equestrian selection snafu over sponsorship

Top-ranked equestrian jumper was overlooked for the Tokyo team in favour of a rider with sponsorship links to a selector.

Rowan Willis of Australia on Blue Movie Picture: Martin Dokoupil

Australia’s top-ranked equestrian show jumper was overlooked for the Tokyo Olympic team in favour of a rider with sponsorship links to a national selector.

Major names in the equestrian community have questioned the decision not to select Rowan Willis, ranked 59th in the world when the team was named earlier this month, describing it as a “terrible outcome” for Australia.

Willis was listed behind Edwina Tops-Alexander, ranked 311th, Katie Laurie, ranked 469th, and Jamie Kermond, currently 1013th in the Federation Equestre Internationale rankings.

Steven Lamb, one of two national selectors, is marketing manager of an equine nutrition company that sponsors Kermond’s Yandoo Park business.

Another highly ranked show jumper, Scott Keach — ranked 274th earlier this month — was also overlooked for selection.

Sources said Willis had raised concerns about the selection process with Equestrian Australia, but had not lodged a formal complaint before a deadline passed.

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.

The Australian is not suggesting there has been any wrongdoing, only that there is a clear perception of a conflict of interest in the selection process.

Michael Jackson, the co-owner of Blue Movie — the horse Willis rides — said he was gutted by the decision. “I think it absolutely stinks,” Mr Jackson said.

“It’s a terrible outcome for Australia. He is the number one Australian rider. (Willis) is absolutely devastated but doesn’t want to jeopardise his future opportunities at the Olympics. 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 stood by the athletes selected for Tokyo as they had best fit the selection criteria, which includes 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.” Mr Lamb said.

Equestrian Australia, which says it did not use FEI rankings as a selection criteria for Tokyo 2020, said Mr Lamb had not been involved in Kermond’s selection.

Chris Webb, who run’s Equestrian Australia’s high-performance program, said: “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.”

The organisation’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 says conflicts arise where associates 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”.

Despite being selected as a reserve member of the equestrian team, Willis later withdrew his position. “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 a request for comment.

Florida-based Willis regularly competes at international events run under FEI rules and was part of the team that helped qualify Australia for the Olympics at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

Kermond’s Olympic teammate, Laurie, who became New Zealand’s youngest showjumping equestrian at the 2008 Summer Games, switched allegiance to Australia in 2019.

Equestrian Australia chief executive Darren Gocher, who joined the organisation in May, said he wanted to improve confidence in the body following years of upheaval. “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.”

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.

Sport Minister Richard Colbeck said nominations were a matter for Equestrian Australia and the AOC. “A comprehensive appeal process is available to athletes … I have been made aware of a notice of dispute from an Equestrian Australia athlete, however the matter has not proceeded to appeal,” he said.