KEY POINTS:
BEIJING - New Zealand's leading combination has predictably been ruled out of the Olympic Games showjumping competition after Daniel Meech's horse Sorbas failed to recover from a leg injury.
Meech, who placed 12th in the individual competition at Athens four years ago, has been replaced by the travelling reserve, American-based Kirk Webby and Sitah.
New Zealand team management decided Sorbas, which has been battling with an infected hoof, had not been able to train extensively enough at the Games equestrian headquarters in Hong Kong.
"It was not so much a matter of soundness, it was a matter of fitness," New Zealand coach Greg Best told NZPA.
"The horse looks comfortable but with the lack of exercise that he's had over the last 10 days we just had to make that call."
Sorbas was not presented at the pre-competition trot up at Sha Tin this morning but New Zealand's other four horses were "healthy and happy".
Best said Belgium-based Meech was philosophical about the setback.
"He's very disappointed with the timing of the whole issue but he's the first one to realise at this point the horse would be under prepared."
It is believed Sorbas picked up the infection during a five-week quarantine period in Germany before the horses arrived in Hong Kong on August 4.
While devastating for Meech, who achieved New Zealand's highest-ever position for a showjumper in Greece, Webby is considered an able replacement.
The 28-year-old was unlucky to miss selection when the four-member squad of Meech, Bruce Goodin, Sharn Wordley and Katie McVean were named in June.
Webby was regarded as New Zealand's No 1 prospect until March this year when Sitah fell ill and required stomach surgery.
While the rehabilitation process went smoothly, Webby was then confronted with visa issues when he sought to leave the United States to compete in Europe.
In June, just a week before he was scheduled to leave his base in New Jersey, immigration officials told him his application for permanent residency had not been approved.
If he left the country he may not be able to return until the green card was issued.
That left Webby in a quandary. With wife Robin unable to operate the couple's training and stabling operation alone, he faced the prospect of uprooting his family and abandoning his business to be in a position to realise his Olympic dream.
Fortunately publicity about his plight culminated in the US Citizenship and Immigration Service issuing Webby with advanced parole - an emergency measure enabling him to come and go.
New Zealand are aiming to improve on the 11th placing they achieved in the team competition in Athens when the first qualifying round for individuals starts at 11.15pm (NZT) tomorrow.
The next two rounds determine the team medals while the top 35 riders ride again in a bid to make the top 20 medal round next Thursday.
Meech's defection is a bitter blow though realistically New Zealand were always outsiders in a sport dominated by Europeans and defending team champion the United States.
The onus now falls on four-time Olympian Bruce Goodin and Yamoto to front New Zealand's campaign.
"We won a grand prix in Italy in April, this year is going quite well," said Goodin, who is based in Sweden.
Goodin is the now the only New Zealander boasting previous Olympic experience with Webby joining fellow debutantes McVean (Forest) and Wordley (Rockville).
- NZPA
