Strong Kiwi Eventing Team Set to Sizzle

The scene is set for medal-winning performances from New Zealand's eventers at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.


Kiwi eventer Andrew Nicholdon & Nereo cools down in Lexington

Mark Todd on NZB Grass Valley, Andrew Nicholson on Nereo, Caroline Powell on Mac MacDonald, Clarke Johnstone on Orient Express and Jonathan Paget on Clifton Promise all passed today's trot-up with flying colours and tomorrow three of the five will complete their dressage tests, and the remainder on Friday (US time).

First out for the Kiwis is Todd, who has had to give up his new-found running career after injuring his Achilles tendon this week. He was in training for the November New York Marathon, where he planned to do the run for [URL="http://www.catwalk.co.nz/"]CatWalk[/URL], and is most definite the injury does not affect his riding.

He will be followed in the dressage on Thursday by Paget and Powell, with Johnstone on Friday morning and Nicholson the last of the class late in the afternoon.
Paget will ride as an individual, with the rest making up the team. Three of the four scores count towards the team total.


Three wise men - Mark Todd, Erik Duvander & Andrew Nicholson.


Chef d'equipe Erik Duvander (Auckland) had the Kiwi riders out walking the cross country course today and has no doubt all of the 80 starters will be well and truly tested by it. “It is very much a proper world games track and exactly what we expected from (course designer) Mike Etherington-Smith,” he says.

“It's undulating, so a real test of fitness, but very fair – it's typical of his style.”

That said, it's just what the Kiwis were selected on and trained for. Duvander, who has ridden at Olympic level for Sweden and was part of the gold medal winning team at the European Championships, says his team is in a particularly good space. “This is one of the best environments to be in, and our riders are thriving. It's the perfect place to achieve.”

With that in place, it's key the riders keep their heads and stay focused. “They all know what they have to do.”

Todd will be first out of the Kiwis on Saturday for the cross country phase, and will then stay near the start box to brief the other Kiwi riders before they go out.
“There is not a better man in the world to do that,” says Duvander.

Nicholson will be the last to go in the team in the cross country. “He's just been doing so well all year...here's hoping that continues.”

The draw had been kind to New Zealand this year, which couldn't be said for some earlier games. Paget, riding as an individual, had developed incredibly within the high performance environment over the past 18 months, and Duvander said he'd have no trouble moving him up into the team if the need arose.



Jock Paget & Clifton Promise


New Zealand is represented in showjumping and eventing as well as endurance. It is the first time the games have been held outside of Europe and will attract more than 800 riders from 58 countries. It is the largest ever World Games and is expected to be worth around $US150 million to the economy.

Story & photos courtesy of Diana Dobson, NZEF.