EQUESTRIAN: Rising star shows her worth to team

25th March 2006

DIANA DOBSON

Rising showjumping star Lisa Coupe has stamped her name on the big time with her inclusion in the New Zealand Tri Nations team to travel to South Africa next month.

The 20-year-old university student from Kumeu is no stranger to representing New Zealand but her inclusion in this team is a big step up from her previous accomplishments.

Coupe has long represented New Zealand as a young rider and was also included in a senior team for a trans-tasman test, but being named alongside Olympians for the Tri Nations is something she only dared hoped for.

"I was so hoping the call would come," said Coupe, who was reserve for the opening round of the inaugural competition.

But she has earned the call up. Coupe headed off some top competition at the Horse of the Year Show in winning the super league grand prix, which was also a qualifier for the World Equestrian Games in Aachen later this year. It was the biggest track jumped in New Zealand in years.

"It feels good and exciting, but I have worked very hard for this," says Coupe. "I had what I though was a really good season on horses that could have been question marks, but you try not to get your hopes up."

She joins former Olympians Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke), who will captain the team, and the Belgium-based Daniel Meech, alongside Simon Wilson (Waipukarau).

New Zealand heads into the second leg of the competition tied with South Africa on 11 points after the Kelt Capital Horse of the Year Show in Hastings this month.

Showjumping high performance director Jeff McVean said it was great to see some of the young talent in New Zealand having the opportunity to be part of the team.

"We all know how well they ride and the amount of teams they have been in." The team will compete in Johannesburg over three days, starting April 14.

"It will certainly make the competition very exciting with South Africa and New Zealand on even points," said McVean, himself an Olympian. "The Tri Nations is a real team competition and being on borrowed horses just raises the bar that much more."