Day one is done and dusted for competitors at the prestigious Burghley
Horse Trial in Lincolnshire, and Andrew Nicholson and his captivating grey,
Avebury, hold the top kiwi position in second place.
Leading the field is crowd favourite William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain riders on his New Zealand thoroughbred, Parklane Hawk.
Kiwi pair Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise are thirteenth, with Mark Todd and Major Milestone nineteenth. Caroline Powell and her less experienced ride, Mrs Tilly, are twenty-ninth.
Up and coming kiwi rider Jonelle Richards on Flintstar has made her mark holding thrity fifth place, and a few steps behind in thirty seventh is Craig Nicolai on Just Ironic..
Sarah Harris Equestrian Sport New Zealand High Performance director says the results are not surprising.
"It’s probably what we were expecting really because they are not necessarily their first choice horses.
"We had a couple that made a few course errors which isn’t ideal I guess, but does happen. But yeah we’re not overly worried, it’s a really big cross country track so that’s certainly going to sort a few out.”
Speaking from England Ms Harris says all eyes will not only be on defending champion Caroline Powell and Lenamore, and man-of-the moment Andrew Nicholson, and his World Championship medal-winning horse, Nereo, but also newbie on the track, Johnathan Paget with his ride, Clifton Lush. And its only day one.
“They’re sitting up there so it’s not all over by any stretch. We’ve still got Andrew Nicholson who still has to ride his best horse Nereo. which is tomorrow.
"Jonathan Paget on Lush, I think he will do something pretty special here, so I think that will be pretty good and of course Caroline Powell on Lenamore, on whom she won here last year, she’s still to ride tomorrow.
"Yeah so tomorrow is another day but there will be a couple of them up there with some really good positions which will be good leading into the cross country and jumping.”
Another crowd-pleaser will be Kiwi eventing veteran Blyth Tait on Santos II, back from a seven-year retirement, and with the Olympics in his sights.
