Equestrian: Kiwi squad to unite from around globe

Sam McIntosh says riding for Bulgaria was a hard choice to make but the right one for her career. Photo / Duncan Brown

The first order of business when New Zealand's showjumping quartet get together for the World Equestrian Games will be introducing themselves.

They are drawn from three parts of the globe. The most intriguing selection is Sam McIntosh, formerly of Cambridge, who has been based in Europe for 15 years.

She represented Bulgaria at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, as well as five European championships and two World Games. The Kentucky trip will be her first top-level New Zealand appearance. The Bulgarian experience came about through her German employers.

"The boss was a German riding for Bulgaria and they needed another strong person on the team so they offered me the chance," McIntosh said from Brussels last night. "It was a hard decision at the time but certainly a good one to make."

The choice was: grab the chance to push herself at the highest level of a seriously expensive sport, or potentially stay riding smaller shows with younger horses. It has certainly helped her establish herself in the top echelon, with her world ranking sitting at 17 a few years ago.

"I've been able to build up a good name for myself, to ride international shows and get nice horses. It's all snowballed," she said.

That said, McIntosh, 34, who has lived most of her European time in Germany, aims to head home once her competitive days are over.

"The sport is the only thing keeping me here," McIntosh said. She'll ride her 15-year-old gelding Loxley, whom she has had since he was 8.

"He's got all the ability. He did used to be very difficult, but we understand each other quite well nowadays," she quipped.

But despite the lack of familiarity she'll have with her teammates - veteran Maurice Beatson, fast-rising Katie McVean and California-domiciled Guy Thomas - who have never ridden as a team before, McIntosh rates the prospects highly.

"Considering the results we've all been getting in the last four or five months, it's looking pretty bright."

JUMPING FOR GLORY
New Zealand's World Games showjumping team:
Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) and Dunstan Delphi; Samantha McIntosh (Belgium-based) and Loxley; Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) and Apollo van Evendael; Guy Thomas (California-based) and Peterbilt.

* The World Games are in Kentucky from September 25-October 10. New Zealand will compete in eventing, showjumping and endurance.