KEY POINTS:
The odd man out ended up man of the moment for New Zealand's eventing team when the final day of dressage dawned at Sha Tin yesterday.
While Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson count a dozen Olympic Games experiences between them, it was the lesser known Joe Meyer who was instrumental in guiding New Zealand to a respectable sixth placing ahead of today's cross-country endurance test.
Meyer and Snip made light of their first Olympic assignment, accruing 43.90 penalties in the dressage. The Surrey-based rider and his 16-year-old grey gelding drew the same 6.30am slot which Todd and Gandalf had on Saturday.
"It's just weird here, you have to have a sleep in the afternoon to cope with these early mornings," Meyer said, when reflecting on one of the best dressage tests of his career.
The 37-year-old trumped both Todd and Nicholson, who returned the second best mark of 44.60.
Todd and Heelan Tomkins (Sugoi) had their scores discarded after New Zealand incurred 136.50 penalties.
Dressage is historically New Zealand's weaker phase, with the riders performing better in the demanding cross-country, a 4560m test at Beas River this Olympics.
New Zealand's chef d'Equipe Blyth Tait believed the ground work had been laid after the dressage, saying New Zealand's fully fit contingent was occupying a "nice, handy position".
"The riders have done really well. We're much closer to the dressage nations than we have been in the last few years," he said. "We were a lot further back at Aachen [World Games 2006]. I think we're within striking distance and with the record the horses have in the cross-country phase, we're pretty happy."
Australia lead with 102.80 penalties - thanks to individual pacesetter Lucinda Fredericks (Handley Britannia) receiving a mere 30.40 penalties. Germany (110.50) and the United States (115.60) were next.
Originally from Masterton, Meyer moved to the south of England 13 years ago believing the experience would help him qualify Southern Star for Atlanta.
He failed, and then missed selection with Snip for Athens four years ago.
The duo have consistently placed highly in Europe, with a seventh at Badminton last year their best in elite competition.
Caroline Powell, downcast after Lenamore was handed 48.00 penalties, had been expected to provide New Zealand's leading dressage score yesterday. Instead it was Meyer, provisionally 19th in the field of 69, who caught the eye of the grand jury.
"Joe got off to a great start, he was very consistent," said Tait, the individual gold medallist at Atlanta. "We're not surprised, he's very capable."
Meyer, whose horse breeding parents John and Gay owned stallion Tara Mink, sire of the legendary Charisma, credited the influence of Briton Richard Barrett with finessing his dressage skills.
Barrett's involvement was indicative of the more serious approach New Zealand riders are taking to what has been a weakness.
"For us in the Northern Hemisphere, if you can't do dressage, you don't win any prizes," Meyer said.
He could only recall one more efficient test, at a three-star event in Scotland last year - and he won't be dwelling on today's effort.
"So far so good, but I hope I'm still making a contribution on the last day," he said. "You can do so many circles and get excited about the dressage, but some double clear rounds is what we really need."
- NZPA
