Kiwi eventers have scooped the pool at the biggest event on the British calendar this year, the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire.

Equestrian Star Andrew Nicholson, who turned 50 earlier in the week, won the feature class aboard Nereo and was second with Avebury. Jonathan Paget and Clifton Lush were third, Mark Todd on Major Milestone, fourth, and Clarke Johnstone and Incognito, 13th.

This is the second time World Champs bronze medalist Nicholson has won the open championship, having last won in 2002 aboard Mallards Treat.

“Well I’ve got very good horses and I enter these sorts of things with the idea of doing well, but to have 3 wins and 2 seconds at one of the biggest national events of the year is quite a bonus.”

Nicholson had a fantastic event, also winning both sections of the 2011 advanced championship – section one aboard Calico Joe, and section two on Quimbo, and was second in the novice on Omeya.

Mr Nicholson says he has great confidence in the kiwi talent moving up for the London Olympics.

"We’re very competitive you know. It’s not as if they back off when we tell them to go slowly because we would like to win.

" It’s very competitive which is very healthy isn’t it, you know to have your team mates at that sort of level, where they can push you to the limit.”