Equestrian: Eventing stable door open for Nicholson's return to elite NZ squad

Top Kiwi eventer Andrew Nicholson is based in England. Photo / Christine Cornege

Dumped eventing star Andrew Nicholson could be back in New Zealand's high performance squad by the middle of this year.

Nicholson, a six-time Olympian and winner of multiple four-star events in a stellar career, was omitted from the squad named just before Christmas after a bust-up with team officials during the World Games in Normandy in August-September.

That led to bizarre speculation that Nicholson might throw his lot in with another country.

However, Equestrian Sport New Zealand interim chief executive Vicki Glynn said yesterday it was conceivable English-based Nicholson could be returned to the squad this year.

"It is a possibility," she said. "It's up to Andrew in terms of how things pan out this year, and performances.

"Those squads are named on the basis of a whole lot of factors. There are other criteria apart from just performance."

An internal review followed the World Games trouble, in which Nicholson criticised the care of his star mount Nereo during the event.

There was a complaint about his behaviour and the result of that review, which Glynn said would not be made public, was no Nicholson when the squad of seven - Mark Todd, Jock Paget, Jonelle and Tim Price, Lucy Jackson, Caroline Powell and Clarke Johnstone - was named on December 22.

Nicholson had withdrawn from high performance consideration in October.

"We accepted that as part of an internal agreement. Nothing has changed from our perspective," Glynn said.

Asked to confirm Nicholson had since offered to put the disagreement behind them and move forward, Glynn said, "That is a question you have to ask him. I'd rather not discuss that to be honest."

She accepted that the bust-up was not a good look considering Nicholson's standing and record.

Glynn pointed out there are no major international events this year which would require a New Zealand team to be named although Nicholson would not receive funding support, estimated at up to $55,000 this year.

The ball was "absolutely" in Nicholson's court, Glynn said.

High Performance Sport New Zealand was across the situation.

"We have a very open relationship with them. We had a full discussion around our review in December and I don't think there's any other reason to have any conversations with them subsequent to that."

Glynn believed too much had been made of a remark Nicholson made to an eventing website in which switching his allegiance was raised and suspected it was in jest.

"I find it odd that story's suddenly got legs of its own," Glynn said.

She pointed out there was an International Olympic Committee rule that athletes in all sports had to see out a three-year standdown period before becoming eligible for another country.

"He can't go to Rio [for next year's Olympics] for any other [country]. Andrew is a brilliant rider but also very good at understanding the rules and what can and can't be done."

Glynn also said the imbroglio over Nicholson had meant the talented Johnstone's return to the squad had gone virtually unnoticed.

A member of the bronze medal-winning New Zealand team at the 2010 World Games, Johnstone has a classy horse, Balmoral Sensation, after a run of equine misfortune in recent years.

"I think it is sad Clarke has not got due publicity about getting back in the squad. It's fantastic to have him back with a great horse."