Equestrian: Blyth Tait's tale of two horses

By EUGENE BINGHAM

Former Olympic and world champion rider Blyth Tait is causing problems for selectors due to name the three-day eventing team for Athens.

Tait's two equestrian horses, Ready Teddy and Eze, have qualified for Olympic selection - but only one can be named in the team.

Both horses beat top competition to win their preparatory events in Ireland this month, showing that Tait and his mounts are coming into form in time for what will be his last Olympic games.

"Choosing between them is going to be a matter of the dynamics of the whole team," said the 1996 Atlanta gold medallist. "But from a personal point of view, Ready Teddy has proven himself capable at that level - he's won an Olympic gold, he's won a world championship and he's won Burghley.

"Eze is probably considered his understudy in the fact that he hasn't been given the opportunity to perform at that level."

Changes to the Olympic format also have Tait leaning more towards the 16-year-old Ready Teddy.

The team and individual events will be run at the same time, although the individual medals will be handed out after a new second showjumping round.

The dressage and cross-country phases will be held as usual on the first two days of competition. On the morning of the third day, the first round of cross-country will be held to decide the team's medals.

The top 25 riders will jump again that night to decide the individual winners.

Tait, 43, said the fact that there were two showjumping rounds could play into New Zealand's hands.

"Our horses are better jumpers than they are at dressage. After the dressage is completed, there's no horse in the world I'd rather be on than Ready Teddy. He would be one of the best, if not the best, showjumping eventing horse of all time."

Another change to the competition has seen organisers drop the roads and tracks and steeplechase tests that used to be held immediately before the cross-country round.

Although some commentators have said they believed it would be to the disadvantage of thoroughbred horses such as those in the New Zealand contingent, Tait was not worried.

"So far it's proven to be untrue. They ran the Olympic format in Ireland several weeks ago and Eze won and he's a thoroughbred."

Since the crushing disappointment of New Zealand's equestrian result at Sydney, where the team failed to complete the event and Tait had to withdraw from the individual competition, the sport has been through a transition.

Double Olympic champion Mark Todd and former world champion Vaughn Jefferis have retired and a new wave of young riders and horses will try to make it in the tough eventing world.

Tait and veteran rider Andrew Nicholson (on Fenicio or Lord Killinghurst) are the most experienced of the eight riders on the shortlist for the New Zealand team and the only ones who been to the Olympics.

The others are Matthew Grayling (Revo), Kate Hewlett (Internet), Dan Jocelyn (Silence), Caroline Powell (Softly Softly III), Jonelle Richards (Mazetto) and Heelan Tompkins (Glengarrick).

Five riders will be named in the team, with another as a reserve.

Tait said he was confident about the team's chances.

"The younger riders and horses have got mileage under their belt now and they're starting to get the results.

"They're establishing themselves now at the Olympic level and I reckon we're in with a chance."

He believes the strongest contenders are Britain.

He rates Britain's Pippa Funnell and William Fox-Pitt as favourites for the individual gold.

To have won major competitions on both horses in Ireland has been a confidence booster for Tait.

"It makes everyone realise I won't just be in Athens to participate - I'll be there to be as competitive as possible."