Equestrian: Badminton riders have eye on Spain

More New Zealand riders and horses than ever are contesting the Badminton horse trials this week, as they bid for a team spot at the World Equestrian Games in September.

Nine New Zealanders, including veterans Andrew Nicholson and Blyth Tait, are competing in the top British three-day event.

Nicholson has entered three horses.

As well as riding Mr Smiffy, one of his two horses longlisted by the New Zealand selectors for the Games in Spain, Nicholson hopes to put New York and Sheff's Choice into the selection frame at Badminton.

Mr Smiffy established his credentials by winning the Burghley horse trials in 2000 and finishing a close runner-up to Blyth Tait's world and former Olympic champion Ready Teddy at Burghley last year.

Sheff's Choice won the Boekelo three-day event in Holland last October and New York has been twice placed in the top 10 at Badminton.

"Although the New Zealanders [selectors] may not like New York - I noticed he wasn't on the list for the world championships - at the end of the day they could be glad to find anything better than him," Nicholson said.

"He's consistent and always up there."

Remembering how horse after horse went lame in New Zealand's last Olympic campaign, the national selectors may need to delve further into Nicholson's large stable when they pick six team horses and two reserves for Spain.

Since Mark Todd's retirement from international competition after the Sydney Olympics, Nicholson is confident that the New Zealand riding talent on display in Badminton will be strong enough to defend the world team and individual titles.

"I think the riders we have got are definitely good enough," he said.

"Whether we have enough horsepower - that will be the tricky bit."

Nicholson and Tait, riding his 2000 Kentucky three-day event winner Welton Envoy, are the old hands of the New Zealand team at Badminton.

Four of the other seven riders - Heelan Tompkins, Neil Spratt, Kate Lambie and Matthew Grayling - are making their Badminton debuts.

Nicholson has competed there regularly since 1984.

Some years he has not had a horse to enter and last year's event was cancelled because of Britain's foot-and-mouth crisis, but he still holds the event in awe.

"It feels daunting even if you go every year. It is a place with a lot of atmosphere."

He expects Badminton's cross-country course to be even more formidable a challenge for horse and rider on the penultimate day, because it will start and finish in the main arena for the first time.

"Previously the start area was always quite flat.

"This time I've a feeling we start with a bit of downhill run which is going to make the first few fences tricky and make horses pull a bit," he said.

One New Zealand entry, Tompkins' Glengarrick, was withdrawn yesterday, but she still has Crusada, her other horse longlisted for the Games, in the Badminton field.

- NZPA