The first event of the ESNZ Eventing Super League season will be staged at The Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre in Taupo this weekend.
As always at the beginning of a competition year, there are new horse and rider combinations to watch with interest, as well as those stepping up to new heights.
Following a "wild" dressage test at Hastings last weekend, Clarke Johnstone will not compete his Rio Olympic mount Balmoral Sensation, opting instead to limit 'Ritchie' to a demonstration dressage competition of the Eventing CCI4* test.
Johnstone was not unhappy with the horse, saying, "He is very fresh, and loving being out again", so the plan is to prepare him for the Adelaide CCI4* next month.
The Super League class, the NRM CIC3*, has attracted eight entries, including Havelock North's Amanda Pottinger on Just Kidding, who had the satisfaction of winning the Lumberjack Logging CNC2* Plus at Hastings, ahead of Johnstone on Balmoral Sensation.