Equestrian: Kiwi eventers on track for London

A calm and polished performance saw New Zealand's three-day eventers secure two bronze medals at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky yesterday.

Veteran rider Andrew Nicholson, aboard the Libby Sellar-owned chestnut Nereo, won his first individual medal at World Games level.

German Michael Jung finished with just 33 faults overall, all of which came in dressage. Britain's William Fox-Pitt was second with 42, and Nicholson took the bronze on 43.5.

Fox-Pitt led Britain to the team gold medal with 139.40 points, while Canada was second on 151.50 and New Zealand took the bronze with 154.80.

The effort has qualified New Zealand for eventing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Nicholson has been part of many team-winning performances at Olympic and World Games level, but until yesterday individual glory had escaped him. He was ecstatic with the result, saying he had arrived in Kentucky with a good feeling.

"This is the first time I have left home really feeling I was good enough for an individual medal. It's nice that it has all come together."

He had plenty of praise for his horse Nereo, and it was his solid anchor ride that secured the bronze medal for the team, after being truly brilliant through the three disciplines - dressage, cross-country and showjumping.

"I have a lot of confidence and faith in Nereo and he is very consistent through all three, getting stronger and stronger all the time," Nicholson said.

Nereo and Nicholson were the 52nd of 55 combinations to go, and they rode into a pressure-cooker atmosphere in a packed arena filled with nearly 20,000 very vocal spectators.

With very little separating the top four riders, it was a nail-biting few minutes as the New Zealanders watched the remaining riders to see if there was to be an even better result.

Jung was untouchable at the front of the field, leading from start to finish in superb style aboard La Biosthetique-Sam FBW.

In the end, there was just 1.5 points between silver medallist Fox-Pitt on Cool Mountain and Nicholson.

American rider Karen O'Conner and Mandiba had a nightmare in the showjumping, with a stop, a rail and then time penalties, giving New Zealand the chance to move up the ranks.

It is the first time New Zealand has been on the World Games podium since 1998.

Mark Todd was "absolutely thrilled" with the podium finish: "We are all over the moon."

Todd and Grass Valley rode a polished clear round in the showjumping after he'd had to push the horse a little quicker to top level than he had planned after losing Olympic horse Gandalf in December.

Caroline Powell picked up four faults in the showjumping, but took the blame for that herself.

"I was a bit disappointed with the dressage, but thrilled to bits with the cross country."

The efforts of her 12-year-old horse Mac MacDonald, owned by Powell and Pat Melville-Evans, made up for the nasty nip he gave his rider earlier in the competition. Powell finished 22nd overall.

Clarke Johnstone and Orient Express had 13 faults in the showjumping and finished 39th.

Individual competitor Jonathan Paget, aboard Clifton Promise, rode the event of his life at his first World Games, finishing seventh overall after going clear in the showjumping.

Chef d'equipe and trainer Erik Duvander was somewhat lost for words. The bronze was his first medal in 10 years of international coaching.

But he said nerves were never an issue, as he knew what his team was capable of. "That said, there are never any guarantees, but all the preparation had been done."

Duvander said it was incredibly exciting to see the team progress so positively over the four days of competition.

"The targets we set two years ago have been achieved - for the team, they have gone beyond. It is rather unbelievable."

- NZPA