Equestrian: NZ riders defending a golden record

By HELEN TUNNAH

New Zealand will defend three gold medals and veteran eventer Blyth Tait will be trying to add to his personal tally of four world titles when the World Equestrian Games begin in Spain today.

Tait has recovered from a dislocated jaw and fractured cheek bone to ride Ready Teddy at the championships in Jerez in the Spanish region of Andalusia. The duo - 1996 Olympic champions - are among the favourites to defend their individual world title.

Defending a team gold medal will be the four endurance riders, who compete next week.

Olympics dressage find Kallista Field is to open New Zealand's participation in the Games tonight.

Tait has twice won team and individual gold medals at world championships, in Stockholm in 1990 and in Italy four years ago, and is expected to provide the backbone of New Zealand's team in Spain alongside five-time Olympian Andrew Nicholson riding Fenicio.

New Zealand has just five combinations at the eventing in Spain. Injury and a lack of depth mean a sixth combination will not compete. New Zealand will name the four horses and riders to contest the team gold after inspecting the cross-country course over the next day.

Dan Jocelyn (Silence), Kate Lambie (Alibi) and Heelan Tompkins (Crusada or Glengarrick) are all riding at their first world championships, but chef de mission Wallie Niederer said the squad still had the results and experience to defend New Zealand's title.

Tait, Nicholson and Jocelyn had ridden in England for years, and Lambie and Tompkins had posted fine results at the difficult Badminton and Kentucky horse trials.

"They've already proved themselves at four-star level at Badminton and Kentucky, they certainly won't disgrace the team," Niederer said from Jerez.

"It's good to see the new blood coming through."

Although the temperatures at Jerez have pushed past 30 degrees in recent days, Niederer, a former team vet, said he was confident all the horses would cope well with the heat and humidity.

Tompkins will decide which horse to ride - Crusada or Glengarrick - after the preliminary veterinary inspection. Expected to provide the stiffest competition for the team gold are Olympic team champions Australia and Britain.

Field, 24, will ride her 11-year-old gelding Maxx Jamahl in the individual grand prix tonight.

She was a surprise performer at Sydney, posting two record New Zealand scores, and is using the exposure and experience of her second world championships as the next major step in her buildup to the 2004 Olympics.

"I intend to go to Athens and do really well there," she said from Spain yesterday.

"This competition is a stepping-stone. It's really important for Dressage NZ to come here, to be seen again by the international judges."

New Zealand's four-riders endurance team will assemble in Jerez over the next few days.

Their 160km event begins on Monday.