Endurance rider to carry NZ flag at WEG opening

A scene from the finally rehearsal for Sat night’s WEG opening ceremony. © Jane Thompson

Endurance passenger Andrea Smith is to ship New Zealand’s flag at the opening ceremony for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, beating out eventing heavyweights such every bit Mark Todd together with Andrew Nicholson.

Andrea Smith together with Glenmore Tariq.

The Opening Ceremony gets nether means on Sat nighttime at the d’Ornano Stadium, inwards Caen, Normany, and will hold upward broadcast alive on FEI TV beginning at 8.30pm Central European Time [6.25am 24 Aug NZT]. Following the parade of nations, 21,000 spectators inwards d’Ornano Stadium volition hold upward treated to an amazing demo featuring to a greater extent than than 300 artists, including 100 riders, who volition perform xxx scenes divided into 3 acts to demo that “all roads Pb to Normandy.”

Equestrian Sports New Zealand chef d’mission Sarah Harris says the flag-bearer purpose is plumbing equipment for Andrea Smith, every bit the electrical flow New Zealand national endurance champion.

“She actually has earned the right,” said Harris. “She heads into these championships inwards rattling practiced form.”

Smith, a 43-year-old from Mangaweka, who amongst her fille Georgia are the foremost mother-daughter combination to compete at entitle score for New Zealand equestrian, volition Pb the team, together with Anthea Dixon, New Zealand’s foremost WEG para-dressage representative, volition ship the dry reason sign.

On Tuesday, Dixon volition hold upward the foremost of the Kiwi athletes to compete, followed past times the endurance contest together with eventing’s opening dressage twenty-four sixty minutes catamenia on Thursday. New Zealand is likewise represented inwards showjumping together with vaulting.

Belinda Trussell together with her Games Equus caballus Anton. © Susan J Stickle

“There is a existent buzz inwards the air hither every bit the athletes from all over the basis arrive,” Harris said. “Normandy is actually getting behind the event, amongst tickets sold out for closed to sessions.”

The games characteristic jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, reining, vaulting, endurance together with para-dressage, amongst competitors expected from 76 nations.

• Canada has likewise named its flag bearer, amongst Olympian Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, Ontario, chosen to Pb the team.

“This is a huge honour, together with I am hence excited together with proud to ship the Canadian flag into the Opening Ceremonies,” she said.

Trussell, an accomplished fellow member of the Canadian Equestrian Team, has represented Canada at numerous major games, including the 2004 Athens Olympics, every bit good every bit both the 2002 (Jerez, ESP) together with 2010 (Lexington, USA) World Equestrian Games inwards the dependent of dressage. In this year’s Games, Trussell volition hold upward paired amongst her long-time partner Anton, whom she likewise rode inwards the Lexington Games.

“I could non believe I was chosen,” added Trussell. “I beloved my sport, together with I volition concur the flag amongst pride. This is an chance that I volition never forget.”

Below images © Jane Thompson from the finally opening ceremony rehearsal.

 

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