Equestrian: HB rider returns for HOY Show

TOUGH CHOICE: Logan Massie has Kiwi Ludo on the market but says he was the "building block" of his career. PHOTO/HOY Show

LOGAN MASSIE has had quite a year.

The 21-year-old from Dannevirke is not long back from 21 months with top Irish showjumper Cian O'Connor.

Massie left just after the 2014 Horse of the Year Show and took with him his star horse, the Hawke's Bay-bred Kiwi Ludo, which he co-owned with Annette Scott.

Massie has come home older and wiser, having been knee-deep in the world of top-class showjumping. It was while he was with O'Connor - who won an individual bronze medal at the London Olympics - that a jump steward ran in front of the rider at the European Championships in Germany, and he then had the next fence down. It meant Ireland missed out on qualifying for the Rio Olympics.

Ireland lost two protests but the case was then heard before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The hearing was held in the middle of last month and a decision is expected some time this month.

If successful, Massie says he will be on the first plane to Rio to help his friend and mentor.

But for now, he is happy to be back in New Zealand and putting together a strong team of horses.

He's back based on his parents' farm at Dannevirke. He has just one competitive horse now, Mr Marmite (owned by Jock MacLennan), who he is confident will be lining up at grand prix level at the coming 2016 Farmlands Horse of the Year Show.

It is a show that Massie has done extremely well at - winning the young rider title two consecutive years on Kiwi Ludo and taking the hat-trick the third year aboard another horse. That was the year Ludo was second.

It was tough leaving behind the chestnut who he describes as the "building block" of his riding career, who will be sold.

While offshore he competed on him in France, Germany and Holland, with some solid results in world-ranking classes.

Massie has also learnt a lot working for O'Connor while they travelled Europe and to the United States to some of the biggest shows in the world.

"It took my knowledge to the next level, particularly when it comes to the management of top horses."

He's putting that to good use too as he travels the country looking for new horses.

"It's about finding the right one. I have done a lot of looking for new horses since I got home.

"I am looking for young horses with the potential to go international - and I need a bigger more powerful horse to suit my style of riding."

Massie's plan was always to come home and while he may do stints in Europe or the US, he won't live there long-term.

"It's pretty cool to be back home."