Equestrian: Tait keen to be back in saddle

By HELEN TUNNAH

World champion eventer Blyth Tait says he is still keen to defend his title at the World Equestrian Games next month despite being badly injured in a riding accident.

Tait underwent reconstructive surgery on his face yesterday, after damaging an eye socket, fracturing a cheekbone and dislocating his jaw when his horse Lily The Pink tossed her head and struck him.

"I was very lucky, all the damage was from the eye downwards," he told the Herald from his hospital bed in England.

"They think the recovery will be very quick and they're predicting I could be competing again in four weeks.

"At this stage I'm still very keen and looking towards the worlds, but I don't know how much else I'll be doing. The first few hours were pretty horrendous because they weren't able to give me any pain relief because of neuro problems, but the ... scan was as good as gold.

"Luckily I was wearing a hat."

Tait won the individual and team gold medals at the 1998 world championships, a feat he had previously achieved in 1990. The Games in Spain will almost certainly be his last world championships, as his career nears an end.

Tait's 1996 Olympic champion and world champion horse Ready Teddy is being exercised by friends until he can ride again.

The New Zealand eventing team for the world championships is due to be named this month.