New face joins elite dressage squad

British Dressage has announced that, after a regular review, the following riders have been confirmed as members of the World Class Performance Squad 2004: Fiona Bigwood, Wayne Channon, Richard Davison, Emile Faurie, Carl Hester, Emma Hindle and Nicola McGivern.

Wayne Channon appears as a new addition to the squad following a fabulous season in 2003 on his black stallion Lorenzo CH, including scoring 70.08% in the grand prix in Brno, Czech Republic, in June and 67.83% in the grand prix at Stockholm CDI-W in November.

His selection onto the WCPP squad means that he will be given access to funding for training and travel, and the back up of the WCPP sports science, medical and veterinary teams.

Wayne, 45, took up dressage in 1991, and has put his career in high-tech and internet technology on hold to devote more time to the pursuit of his dressage career. This is clearly starting to pay off as he goes from strength to strength, and he has also been short-listed to go to Athens in August as part of the British Olympic Dressage team.

WCPP chairman of selectors, David Trott, says: “We are delighted to be able to invite Wayne to take up a place on the WCPP. He has had very good results recently with his grand prix horse Lorenzo CH.

“To give the top British combinations the best chance of producing excellent performances we will have to constantly review our plans and the focus must be the Athens Olympic Games and subsequently the European Dressage Championships 2005.”

All of the WCPP dressage riders will be competing at Addington Manor Premier League show, 7-9 May. The British Olympic dressage team will be announced following Wiesbaden, 28-30 May 2004.

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