The hopes of all The University of Queensland (UQ) and a little of its expertise will be riding with the Australian equestrian team as they saddle up for a record-extending fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Leading animal physiotherapist and lecturer in the profession at UQ Narelle Stubbs was today farewelled by staff and students at the University’s Gatton Campus before departing to take up responsibilities as the Australian equestrian team’s physiotherapist.
Ms Stubbs will play a key role in keeping the team – horses and riders – performing at their very best throughout the gruelling three-day team eventing and individual showjumping and dressage competitions.
“My job is focused on injury prevention, the treatment of any injuries that do occur and performance enhancement,” Ms Stubbs said.
“At this elite level of competition, half a point could be all the difference between a gold or silver medal, a medal or no medal, so it’s critical to ensure the team is fit and not impeded by any aches, pains or injuries.”
Considered warm favourites to achieve further medal success at the Athens Olympics, Australia’s equestrian team of Olivia Bunn, Rebel Morrow, Stuart Tinney, Claudia Graham, Andrew Hoy and Phillip Dutton and their horses, will again be in a pair of the best hands in the business.
Ms Stubbs has been the equestrian team’s physiotherapist since 1998, having served in two World Equestrian Games in Rome in 1998 and Yerez, Spain in 2002. The Athens Olympics will be her second after Sydney in 2000.
As well as her national equestrian duties, Ms Stubbs lectures in UQ’s Masters program for Animal Physiotherapy – acknowledged as the better of only two such courses in the world. She operates her own animal physiotherapy clinic, regularly travels overseas to share her expertise and is completing a ground-breaking PhD in back pain in horses.
“Using physiotherapy to treat animals is no different to using it to treat people. The physiotherapist works very closely with the doctor or in the case of animals, the vet, to assist the body’s recovery and extract peak performance,” Ms Stubbs said.
Naturally, UQ is proud to have such an accomplished expert in the physiotherapy field within its ranks.
Professor Roger Swift, Executive Dean of UQ’s Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science, of which Narelle is a member, today paid tribute to her achievements so far.
“Narelle goes to the Olympics with the very best of all our wishes. She is at the top of her profession, she is an achiever and we at UQ are all very proud of her,” Professor Swift said.
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