The prestigious Land Rover Burghley Horse Trial is about to begin in Lincolnshire, in England, and New Zealand fingers are crossed top eventer Caroline Powell and trusty steed, Lenamore, can keep the top title they won there last year. Can they make it two in row?
Sarah Harris, Equestrian Sport New Zealand's High Performance Director, says the chances are exceptionally good.
"She’s got the same horse, Lenamore, he’s just stepped up this year. She’s given him a bit of an easy time after Burghley last year, but then stepped
him up again, and brought him back into competition where he got 6th at the
big Aachen festival, and now is starting here. She’d have to be a top contender.”
New Zealand’s top equestrian riders will be hot contenders for the prestigious Burghley title, given their form already this year.
Mark Todd won at Badminton on his young ride, NZB Land Vision, and the man with the Midas touch, Bronze medalist, Andrew Nicholson, has had a stellar year, winning almost every competition he’s been in recently.
Andrew's most recent win was at the International Hartpury Horse Trial.
“He’s won everything in sight almost if you like this last season and, in fact, of his last 3 starts he won them pretty much back to back.
"He’s one of the kiwis that’s done the most but then again done the least, in terms of big competition, so let’s hope this is his turn.”
And then there’s young Clarke Johnstone, who has just taken out the FEI World Cup eventing series in France, and Jonathan Paget, who placed 7th at
the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky last year.
Sarah Harris says that she is confident the Kiwis will do well against the other 83 horse-and-rider combinations at Burghley.
And with the 2012 Olympics less than a year away, it’s anyone’s bet, as to who of the talented 2012 squad will make the top 5 to represent New Zealand in London.
“From my point of view the programmes working really well the guys have set really hard targets but they’re meeting them. Obviously we’ve still got lots of work to do but at this stage I’m really, really pleased with the way it’s going.”
