Equestrian: Death of mount spurs dream of Olympics

By Suzanne McFadden

Devastated by the death of her horse, top New Zealand equestrian Catriona McLeod was ready to quit.

That was three weeks ago, but now McLeod is using the tragedy to push her towards the 2000 Olympics.

The Martinborough rider lost NRM Hundalee, her back-up eventing horse for the Sydney games, in a road accident in England.

"He was hit by a truck and killed instantly. It's been very hard because he was very dear to me," she said.

"I was all set to throw in the towel. But it's changed my whole outlook.

"I realise life is too short, and you shouldn't think `what's the best thing to do?' From now on I'm going to do what I want to do, and have fun doing it."

So 27-year-old McLeod accepted a last-minute invitation to compete at the World Cup showjumping final in Sweden next month, flying her top jumping horse, NRM Falcon, across the world.

While they are there, they will also try to qualify New Zealand for next year's Olympics.

McLeod has always had her heart set on competing at the Olympics in three-day eventing. She made the short list for last year's World Games but narrowly missed a place in the New Zealand team who won gold.

With world champions Blyth Tait, Mark Todd, Vaughn Jefferis and Andrew Nicholson pretty much settled in, McLeod knows it will be almost impossible to make the three-day Olympic team.

So she will pursue the showjumping route to the games, through the Olympic qualification event in the Falsterbo Horse Show, also in Sweden, in July.

"You've got to keep your finger in lots of pies. You never know when your chances will come," she said.

The trip to Sweden was never planned for McLeod and Falcon. The pair finished first equal in the national World Cup series, with Olympic veteran John Cottle.

Cottle got the nod for the trip on countback, but turned it down because of commitments at home. McLeod decided to snaffle the opportunity.

"I'm realistic that we're not going to be heroes at the World Cup. NRM Falcon is a one-in-a-million horse, but we're still going to be the Mini against the Porsches of the showjumping world," she said.

"Forty of the best horses in the world will be there, and if we can get among the top 20, it will be a huge achievement for a New Zealand horse."

It would be a huge reward for McLeod and her 14-year-old horse, who have been through some trying times.

"In one of our first grand prix events, we cantered into the ring and he spotted the donkeys next door. He hates donkeys, so he dropped me on my ear," she laughed.

"But I have to say he's getting wiser in his old age. He likes the red ribbon these days - he's won his last six starts."

The pair scored their sixth win on Thursday, winning the Norwood Gold Cup at the Horse of the Year show in Hawkes Bay.

While she's in Europe, McLeod will stop off in England to work with her eventing rides, Win For Me and Oliver Twist.

She intends to ride them at Badminton, and improve on her 15th place from last year.

McLeod laughs when asked which discipline she prefers - eventing or showjumping?

"I prefer to go where I'm winning," she said. "That comes down to horsepower.

"At the moment I'm lucky to have star-rated horses in eventing and a very good jumping horse. But the horses aren't here forever - their competing days are much shorter than humans.

"You get very attached to the ones who work for you, the ones who have a heart." NRM Falcon is one of those horses.