Podium Potential Pathway - registrations open
Monday 25 July 2022
The British Equestrian World Class Programme is inviting up-and-coming athletes with ambitions to compete on future senior equestrian teams to put themselves forward for consideration to join the Podium Potential Pathway (P3) squad for 2023–2025.
Now embedded into the equestrian performance pathway, the aim of the Podium Potential Pathway is to act as a transitional level to help athletes make the progression from the well-established youth and talent programmes to the next stage in their sporting careers. Funded by The National Lottery and Government Exchequer via UK Sport and Sport England, the pathway provides athletes with a process of development that delivers the essential performance foundation skills to underpin future sustained senior championship success.
The opening of applications comes in tandem with the publication of new selection policies for Podium Potential Pathway, which include the lower age limit in the Olympic disciplines increased to 21 years. This decision has been made to allow for a more flexible process of skill development in the younger athletes who are balancing the pressures of performance sport with completing their education.
Those athletes under 21 years who achieve the selection requirements are still eligible to apply, but other training opportunities will be provided to support them through discipline-specific rider performance development camps. These will be by invitation of the relevant discipline governing body, British Dressage, British Eventing or British Showjumping.
Para dressage continues to have established age stipulation but will also have a series of rider development performance camps that will be run in partnership with British Dressage.
David Hamer, Head of Performance Pathways at British Equestrian, explains: “The continued success of our senior championship teams is very much underpinned by the pathway of development that Podium Potential Pathway provides.
“The aim of the programme is to identify and develop younger athletes who demonstrate the ability to compete on the world stage and provide support to help them to reach their potential. The unique element of equestrian sport is the requirement to have an equine sporting partner with the same potential to be an elite performer. Podium Potential Pathway nurtures the human element of the partnership and provides a broader base of skill development that helps young athletes to develop a career, as well as a skill set and profile to attract the horsepower required to progress to the next step in British Equestrian’s structured performance pathway.”
Selected athletes have access to top equestrian specialists and coaches during their time on the programme. Technical skills and knowledge are supported by a human and equine sport science team, who deliver physiotherapy, sport psychology, nutrition advice, vet and farrier support, and saddle fitting advice. Athletes also receive guidance on managing themselves and their careers, as well as their finances and public profile.
Joe Stockdale, recently selected to compete as part of the British squad at the FEI Jumping World Championship in August, is another young athlete to advocate the programme. “I’ve found my time on the programme to be hugely beneficial in broadening my knowledge in all areas of the sport,” he said. “I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to speak to experts in different areas, which has really been so valuable for me, alongside the coaching and all of those things that come with it.
“I think being on the programme has massively helped me for the future – it’s given me the opportunity to speak to other people and tap into their thoughts and opinions and get ideas from them that I might not otherwise have had. To anyone thinking of applying for the programme – definitely do it! I feel I’ve got a lot out of it, and I can’t recommend it enough.”
British Equestrian’s performance pathway features three distinct levels – Podium, Podium Potential and Podium Potential Pathway – which support athletes across the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and showjumping, and the Paralympic discipline of para dressage. Each stage of the pathway is designed to provide athletes with the specific support needed at that stage in their competitive career as they progress towards a place on the championship podium.
Join the Podium Potential Pathway
Registration is now open for athletes who would like to be considered for the Podium Potential Pathway squad for 2023–2025. For further details about the selection process and to download the registration form, click here.
1svujitxhxur8.jpg "Great Britain command victory in the Pony Nations Cup of Compiegne")
.jpg "Thrilling Weekend Kickstarts the STX-UK Pony British Novice Championship Second Round")
