Equestrian: Dressage way back to the top

Having relied on supreme cross-country ability to keep their place at the forefront of eventing, New Zealand riders are about to undergo a re-education process.

The days of effectively using the dressage stage as little more than a starting point in the three-day event, then making the big push on the middle, cross-country day are gone.

Changes to the regulations for the cross-country - which traditionally suits New Zealand horses - have given the European horses, who tend to be less robust but better at the dressage, a leg up.

As the Puhinui international three-star event kicked off yesterday, New Zealand convener of selectors Mary Darby said riders needed to raise their dressage standard.

Dressage is about assessing the discipline of horse and rider. You don't need to know the difference between a flying change and a reinback to recognise it requires intense concentration and co-ordination.

Darby, convener since after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, believes there is no quick fix to New Zealand's dressage shortcomings but riders need to be aware ordinary performances won't do in future. Riders need to lift their game or risk finding it harder to get to the top.

"We've had it so good for so long and everyone has to know we expect a better standard," she said.

"We can't accept mediocrity any more. We've got to change the mentality of the riders in this country and it'll take a lot of hard work. It doesn't happen overnight."

Darby, from Wairarapa, hoped the re-educating part of the process would be completed in about a year but reckoned it might take until the Beijing Olympics in 2008 before the fruits of this emphasis on dressage became apparent.

Erik Duvander, former Swedish eventer and coach of their national team before moving to New Zealand two years ago, said riders needed to find a coaching system which worked for them.

Although countries such as Britain, France and Germany are formidable at dressage, Duvander believes New Zealand's riders are not too far off the pace.

"In Europe the culture is different in dressage," he said. "Here they have the talent but might not have found the right path. New Zealand riders are extremely hard workers, gutsy, but it's about finding that path to success, and they can't do it on their own."

Yesterday's test lasted about five minutes and included a collection of about 25 movements, for which points are accumulated.

Top performances at Olympic or World Games level can be as low as 30-35 points. A glance at the leaderboard after yesterday's dressage performances made Darby's point for her.

The three-star advanced field attracted 29 entries.

The early pacesetter is Whitford's Kate Strankowski, who recorded 54.2 on Double J Chatsworth in their test.

They hold a 2.6-point advantage over Christchurch's Alice Montgomery and Gordon, while experienced Andrew Scott from Feilding and youthful Matthew Anderson, a member of this year's Young Rider transtasman team, share third on 57.6.

Cross-country is today, using the shorter format which is becoming the standard measure worldwide, and showjumping tomorrow.