Dannevirke equestrian Logan Massie heads to Europe

Logan and Bravado clear the Viking hurdle at the recent Grand Prix Horse event in Dannevirke.

Right now Bravado Ego Z is resting on a farm just out of London having flown out on a long flight from Auckland to Heathrow on Tuesday, February 15.

About now his owner and rider Logan Massie is leaving to join him after attending his sister's wedding on the weekend in Dannevirke.

After a few days, the plan is to drive seven hours and cross by ferry to Ireland for a stay of two to three months with Cian O'Connor, a horse trainer and rider located just out of Dublin.

Cian is an elite equestrian having won a bronze medal in show jumping at the London Olympics and a seventh place at the Tokyo Olympics plus numerous other top positions in Europe's most prestigious events. Right now he is competing in the US.

Logan gives Bravado a final washdown.

This is not the first time Logan has stayed with Cian, travelling five years ago with another horse to train and work for two years as Cian competed throughout the world.

This time Logan wants to train and compete with Bravado saying Ireland with its great facilities and events is ideal to get used to being overseas.

In three months Logan plans to go to Germany to compete. He says every rising equestrian has a wish to compete at the Olympics and the only way to find out if you are good enough is to compete and compare with the best and Germany is where they are.

"I want to be ready if the selectors call."

He also wants to know if Bravado Ego Z is as good as he thinks he is. Bravado is an 11-year-old stallion and at 16.2 hands is small by comparison with top horses but he is very strong. If by competing and buyers are keen Bravado could be sold to defray expenses as happened with his first horse but right now the plan is to bring him home.

The plan is also not to be away two years but to be back in time for summer. Logan and partner Alexa need to come back to operate the two businesses - the Massie sheep and beef farm and Massie Stables.

Three years ago Logan bought 11 acres from the farm to set up the stables with the idea to focus on raising and training horses as well as training riders. He said the horses need to be safe from normal events on a sheep and beef farm like the odd gate left open.

He has set up a very sophisticated operation by New Zealand standards and says so far it has worked very well with a lot of top breeders sending their 4-year-old horses to him for training. That way Logan can see what is on offer.

Logan hopes Bravado would cope with the flight. He was Australian bred and has crossed the Tasman twice without too many issues. The first hurdle was an MCI fitness test (the fifth in recent months) in Cambridge before the flight. There is no quarantine but some monitoring on arrival. Logan keeps his fingers crossed that all will go according to plan.

We wish Logan, Alexa and Bravado Ego Z success.