By SUZANNE McFADDEN
Two faithful old campaigners of New Zealand sport, Aspyring and Bounce, will bow out of the big time at the country's top three-day event next week.
Olympic riders Blyth Tait and Vaughn Jefferis have decided to trot out their beloved mounts one last time at the three-star event at
Puhinui, in Auckland.
Aspyring's claims to fame with Tait have been two runner-up finishes in the Burghley and Kentucky four-star events.
The horse has been based in England, but was brought home to New Zealand after the Sydney Olympics.
Jefferis has decided that 18-year-old Bounce, the former world champion, deserves to go out on a high note and will defend his Auckland Airport Qantas three-day title.
Jefferis will also compete on a borrowed horse in the international teams event, riding alongside Olympic bronze medallist Mark Todd and promising young rider Daniel Jocelyn, who had to withdraw from the Sydney Games when his horse Silence was injured.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Matt Ryan heads the Australian team, and two Irish Olympians, Susan Shortt and Trish Donegan, stand out in the British trio.
The Rest of the World team will boast an Olympic skiing gold medallist, Diann Steinrotter, who won the giant slalom at the 1994 winter Olympics, but returned to her passion for horseriding when she retired from the slopes.
Greek rider Heidi Antikazides returns to New Zealand after a tumultuous Olympics Games in Sydney.
She was in silver medal position going into the final showjumping phase, but dropped back to sixth, helping Todd's medal chances. He won bronze.
The three-star individual event has also attracted overseas riders. German Markus Schimpel will compete on his two New Zealand-based horses, and top young Australian Sam Lyle will ride Kiwi horse Mulberry Walk.
But the foreigners will find it tough up against a talented Kiwi field, including Olympic reserve Heelan Tompkins, former New Zealand stars Tinks Pottinger and Andrew Scott, and Catriona McLeod, who has returned to eventing after she made a play for the Olympic showjumping team.
The event begins at Puhinui with the dressage phase ont Friday, December 8.
