After eight years in self-imposed exile from eventing, Mark Todd will tackle his first hurdle tomorrow in the humble showjumping arena and crosscountry course at Arran Station, near Takapau in Hawkes Bay.
Those who may underestimate the gravity of the advanced class on the Central and Southern Hawkes
Bay Eventing's windswept course, based on the PPCS freezing works farm, must comprehend that if Todd stumbles then his 2008 Beijing Games dreams will be shattered even before the squad cut-off time in June. Club stalwart Virginia Caro said Arran Station was so important that if he didn't produce two qualifying scores there he could not make the next move to gaining Olympic qualification.
"There's just no room for anything to go wrong."
The Bay pony clubs' annual area trials are a vital stepping stone to the international three-star (top level) event, to be staged in Puhinui from March 13 to 16.
Todd's prolonged lay-off means that he does not have the necessary "credentials" to compete at international level and that's where the advanced class at Arran Station has been a godsend.
Caro said owners of horses who wanted to qualify their mounts for Puhunui next month pushed for the advanced classes "well before Mark even came out of the woodwork".
"It's like starting from scratch again [for Todd], as far as the FEI [world governing body] rules are concerned," she said.
Todd, who has been living in Rangiora, north of Christchurch, for almost a year, will ride his new horse, Gandalf. However, he will have two other mounts at his disposal tomorrow.
- Hawke's Bay Today
