All four teams (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom) arrived in the Highlands late last week and were allocated their tournament horses on Saturday.

Each team was assigned to a pool of 12 horses and have spent the weekend getting accustomed to their mounts.

Players are only allowed to ride the horses for an hour per day to keep them fresh ahead of the competition which starts on Thursday.

Australia was allocated pool D, which included Thomas' horse Renegade.

"It's just a relief to finally get the horses and we can now let the serious preparation begin," the Australian skipper said.

"I'm really happy I have one of my own horses in our pool but I am not allowed to ride it so one of my teammates will be able to ride him."

Polocrosse Association of Australia's vice president and quad series horse organiser, Gil Mathie said the horse coordinators had done their best to make the four pools as even as possible.

Mathie said each horse was graded on its own and then assigned to a pool.

"Firstly we have had to rely on a lot of people, horse people and polocrosse people, to supply good quality horses and that's what they have done," Mathie said.

"All four countries here want to win and they want the best horses and we've done our best to have four even pools."

The Australian team, who are favourites heading into the tournament on the back of their world cup win in 2007, consists of four men and four women.

In the ladies section headed by Thomas is Burradoo player Alison Mathie, West Australian Jodi Tiver and Victorian Jessica Jolly.

The men's team includes the Todd and Wil Weston from Jugiong, Chris Anderson also from NSW and Queensland's Cameron Shepherd.