Top Eqestrienne Heading Home to NZ

One of New Zealand's leading female Showjumpers is heading home …. but still with the London Olympics in her mind.

Samantha McIntosh who came back to black last year in time to ride for New Zealand at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, is leaving her Europe base for the greener pastures of the Waikato.

She has been based in Europe since 1996 and rode for Bulgaria at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, five European championships and two world games. WEG 2010 was her first top level New Zealand appearance.

The 35-year-old says while she's been living the dream for 14 years, the time is right to come home.

“Excited is not the word for it,” she says. “I am looking forward to spending time with my family and plan to spend the winter eating feijoas and working with some of the exciting young horses we have at home.”

Her top horse Loxley 38 will return to his owner Horst Jaggli, who bought him as a three-year-old, and is likely to be spending more of his time eating Black Forest grass. Fifteen-year-old Loxley has been with McIntosh eight years.

While she has no world-class horses with her now, she is not discounting representation at top level again.

“You never know what is just around the corner.”

As word has leaked out about her pending return, the phone at her mother Penny Stevenson's home in Cambridge, is ringing hot with New Zealand's rising young stars hoping to spend some time training with one of the sport's top achievers.

Samantha is due back in New Zealand in early April and is pictured riding LC Horse Farm's Selle Francis stallion Lindberg des Hayettes. Click here to see LC Horse Farm's listings on Horsezone.

NZEF Media Release.

Check out Sam riding Loxley 38 at the WEG in Kentucky