KEY POINTS:
Eventer Mark Todd has cleared the all-important first hurdle in his quest for an Olympic berth.
Todd had to qualify two of his three mounts at the Hawkes Bay pony clubs area trials held yesterday on Arran Station at Takapau in Central Hawkes Bay. He went one better, winning the advanced class on borrowed mount Tom Collins and placing third on NZB Gandalf.
It seems borrowed horses, last-minute rides and eight years away from competition don't really count when it comes to Todd. Those who know him have always said he is the consummate horseman - he showed that this weekend.
Todd was rapt with both the qualification and the results.
"The pressure was really on - I had to clear on Gandalf to get the qualification and he gave me a very nice ride. By the end I was feeling pretty comfortable and getting right back into the swing of it all."
The win however, was unexpected for Todd.
"I am just very happy to get the first qualifying thing out of the way - now we can look to the next step."
Eventing New Zealand's team manager and high-performance director Blyth Tait is also relieved to have those all-important first qualifications behind them all. "He obviously hasn't lost that winning touch," said Tait. "It's great to have that first hurdle out of the way and we are looking forward to the next step."
After the dressage and showjumping phases, John Twomey (Cambridge) and Flaunt It were leading, with Jonathan Paget (Auckland) and Clifton Promise in second place, Matthew Grayling (Taranaki) and NRM Ru Star third, Todd and Gandalf fourth and Todd on Tom Collins fifth.
Todd said he felt a little rusty as he took first mount Judge's Decision through the cross-country course. But Tom Collins and Gandalf had given him "two really good rides".
"I probably went a bit quickly through, looking back."
He enjoyed the Mary Darby-designed cross country-course, saying it was "very nice with nothing too difficult".
"It was just brilliant for my first run. Gandalf was very good on the cross-country - I'm happy with him. I have only had him a short time and we are both still learning about each other."
Todd said he would be concentrating more on the grey horse's dressage in the weeks to come, other than that, it would be both sides coming to grips with the new partnership. He is contemplating a start at Rotorua next week, depending on how NZB Gandalf comes through this outing.
"The ground was very hard here. If he is okay we will head to Rotorua - I feel I need to have another run."
That will be followed by the Kelt Capital Horse of the Year Show in Hastings the week after.
Todd was scheduled to ride Heelan Tompkins' (New Plymouth) Cuzzy Bro at Takapau at the weekend, but on Thursday Natalie Page (Levin) got the call to see if she would relinquish her ride on Tom Collins.
She bought the 11-year-old bay thoroughbred off the track as a four-year-old from Graeme Rogerson and has brought him through the grades.
Page was very excited. "Firstly to have Mark Todd ride my horse and then for him to win on it."
She and Tom Collins rode in a New Zealand young rider team to Australia in 2004. "He's a careful showjumper and bold cross-country jumper - we're working on our dressage."
Page said she wouldn't have trusted anyone else to ride her horse.
"It's awesome to have Mark back."
The area trials had their biggest crowd thanks to Todd's appearance.
