He's loving being back at the show where he won back-to-back Eventer of the Year titles and is looking at competing at Aachen, Luhmuhlen and Burghley -- all with the top-ranked four-star rating.
"This is my year to rebuild, and I think I have probably three to four horses who are real candidates for the Olympics," he said.
Clifton Promise and Clifton Lush will both be getting on, and Paget says Clifton Signature continues to impress. He's aiming both Promise and Lush for Badminton but the latter is coming back from 12-18 months off with injury, so he's taking him carefully.
"I have some really good depth in my team, with just a small gap around the eight and nine-year-old mark."
He has a mixture of German sporthorses and New Zealand thoroughbreds in his stable, but Promise will always be his favourite.
"He is so special, we have done everything together."
That includes going through one of the toughest 10 months of his life.
As challenging as it was, Paget enjoyed working alongside scientists, lawyers and toxicologists to prepare his case for the FEI tribunal.
He was cleared of any wrong-doing in relation to the positive result, and is now back on track to Rio and beyond.
Paget started riding at 18, and sprang on to New Zealand's eventing radar in 2007 when he moved from Australia to Muriwai as principal rider for Clifton Eventers. He had gone from having never jumped a fence to competing at three-star level in less than two years.
He won nearly everything onshore before heading to the UK in 2010, and later that year finished as the seventh individual at the world championships.
The 2012 London Olympics delivered a team bronze, and he became just the second rider after Sir Mark Todd to win Badminton on debut in 2013.
In the past year, Paget has moved to a new base, bought new horses and expanded his team. He and fiancée Tegan will marry in November in Australia.
"It has been a big year. Now it is time to get back to business."
That includes his long-held dream of winning the Grand Slam of eventing, which encompasses Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley.
Tomorrow at HOY will see the most prestigious $200,000 Bostock International Olympic Cup presented to the showjumper of the year. All eyes will be on the golden girl of showjumping, Katie Laurie (nee McVean), who is tilting for a record-equalling six victories in the cup and on Monday leaves for Las Vegas, where she will ride in the FEI World Cup final.
But she'll be pushed by Helen McNaught-McFarlane on Carnutelabryere. The two have gone head-to-head all season.
However, the sentimental favourite will be Maurice Beatson and My Gollywog who, at 20, will ride his last Olympic Cup. Beatson has won the cup five times, and won it with My Gollywog in 2013.
