KEY POINTS:
Equestrian New Zealand has qualified a team for the 2008 Olympics after a top performance at the Asian Pacific championships at the four-star Balve International Show in Germany today.
The four-strong team of United States-based Kirk Webby and Sharn Wordley alongside Sweden-based Daniel Meech and Bruce Goodin beat Japan, Korean and Taiwan in the group G qualifier.
The New Zealanders finished just two faults ahead of Japan on 27 faults, with Korea third with 40.
Webby his mount Sitah finished first equal on the individual standings, with Meech on Vornado fifth, while Wordley, riding borrowed horse Fall Khaeer, was eighth to all qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
New Zealand Showjumping high performance director Jeff McVean was rapt with the result.
"We always hope to qualify but with the amount of money the Koreans and Japanese have put into the sport, you just never know.
"We thought we would be really up against it but they just aren't as good riders as our guys."
He was particularly impressed with Webby, who had travelled to Europe with his horses for just two shows.
Webby and Meech each went clear in the first round, before picking up four and nine faults, respectively, in the second round.
Wordley had four faults in the first round and eight in the second, with Goodin retiring from the first round and picking up 12 in the second.
McVean said he felt it had been a big help having trainer Greg Best get the team together in a Belgium training camp for four days before the competition.
"They worked well together as a team and went into Balve pretty motivated."
New Zealand now have a number of individuals qualified for the Olympics.
Maurice Beatson, Katie McVean, Catherine Cameron, and Simon Wilson all qualified at the horse of the year show, while Webby, Wordley and Meech qualified with their results from today.
- NZPA
