Not surprisingly, the following weekend the Kihikihi crosscountry venue desperately needed a course designer.
The locals made it abundantly clear to Nicholson he had to put his money where his mouth was.
Today the elder brother of New Zealand international equestrian Andrew Nicholson, 53, and a former rider in his own right, is carving a niche as a world-class course designer.
For the next few weeks, John Nicholson is in Hastings to design a three-star CIC (short) course (for 2-3 days) for the first time to be incorporated into the Horse of the Year Show's main venue at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds.
For the past four years organisers have staged the equestrian discipline at the Flaxmere Equestrian Park.
"We want to bring it to where the people are," he says as the 3900m course will take in the expansive area embracing the Waikoko Gardens and lake as well as adjacent family areas to create a picnic-like atmosphere when the Hoy Show is held from March 18-23.
The crosscountry will be held on Saturday, March 22, from 2.30pm to 5pm.
The dressage will be held a day before the crosscountry and the showjumping a day after.
Says Hoy events manager Andrew Hansen: "The Waikoko Lake will be where the horses will jump in and out of, so that'll be the highlight."
The lake will be the halfway mark of the competition, providing a vantage point for fans to throw their rugs and picnic to soak up the electric atmosphere, Hansen says.
"It'll be the big aggression of what you see when you think of Mark Todd and Vaughan Jefferis on TV1 and TV3, except you'll see it in the flesh," says the son of show director Kevin Hansen.
The riding combinations will go through the main arena, cross Elwood Rd (which will be closed to everyone for eight days, bar the six residents) to finish at the adjacent rugby and polo fields.
Hansen says the show will charge a family price of $35 for two adults and two children at the crosscountry.
"It'll be big on food and they can bring a bottle of wine if they want to."
Nicholson says despite the shift, part of his job is to ensure the course retains its degree of difficulty.
"Of course, there's the first time with anything so there'll be a degree of difficulty with the new course itself."
About 40 combinations of riders and horses are expected to enter.
Says Hansen: "Mark Todd is coming back but he'll only ride in the speed class on Sunday."
It is anticipated the crosscountry will boost the overall turnout by 4000-5000 at the Hoy Show, which beckons about 76,000 people through the turnstiles over six days.
"Where two to three thousand used to watch it at Flaxmere park, there'll be now 15 to 16,000 at the Hawke's Bay showgrounds."
Nicholson says designing courses is a dangerous exercise.
"You have to make it challenging but you also have to design it with safety in mind so that horses, too, feel comfortable.
"Horses want to understand the question. Riders can work it out for themselves.
"That's the biggest secret," he says, emphasising horses see the course once and have to digest about 550m a minute while negotiating it.
"Horses can see the course but you have to keep it simple and straightforward," he says.
After foot-in-the-mouth moment, Nicholson stuck to designing the Kihikihi course only for six years.
He graduated to Flaxmere park.
"I was nervous when I started," he says, revealing he wasn't shy to consult brother Andrew and Todd.
"They have been very good to me over the years in giving feedback."
It's imperative, Nicholson says, to listen to adroit riders offering advice.
"If you don't use it [feedback] then they stop giving it to you."
He is also game to learn from other disciplines. For instance, he consults acclaimed course designer Leopoldo Palacios, who is a showjumping expert.
"We all make mistakes but you have to change after each event and grow from it."
Nicholson worries every time he builds a new course.
The day he stops threading his worry beads will be the day he stops designing.
"I think so because I believe if others don't worry then that's because they don't care," he says, drawing parallels with conscientious drivers' mindset on the road.
Nicholson only recently broke out of his cocoon a few months ago to venture overseas to take on the different challenges a course designer can face and the feedback has been overwhelming.
"People overseas tell me I have a natural feel, a natural talent."
Countries visited include Australia, Thailand, Italy, South Korea and South Africa, although he prefers to be away only four days at a time because of the demands of his dairy farm.
"In the last 12 months I've seen countries I never thought I'd ever go to."
His latest foray was to Incho, South Korea, to design a course for the Asian Games in September.
"They don't have much in the way of horse sports and their main language is quite a challenge.
"There's not a lot of room [land] so you make do with what you have, so every country is different," he says.
The governing equestrian body, FEI, pay him to visit countries to teach people the art.
"I do it as a business. The night before, I fly in and I start work the next morning.
"I'm back at the airport four days later," Nicholson says, stressing he doesn't factor in sightseeing but "works with real people, not tourists".
He is always at the venue for competition days and doesn't come cheap.
