Another top class performance from a New Zealand eventer yesterday rammed home the country's standing in the equine sports world, and yet qualification for next year's Rio Olympics has still to be confirmed.
Jonelle Price was as high as No2 in the world earlier this year. Yesterday the England-based riderfrom Motueka finished second at the penultimate four-star event on the calendar, the Luhmuhlen trial in Germany, riding Faerie Dianimo.
German stars Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung finished first and third, while New Zealand's veteran champion Mark Todd was fifth.
On current world standings, New Zealand have three riders in the world's top 10 - Andrew Nicholson at No4, Price at No5 and her husband Tim Price at No9. Throw in Jock Paget at No23 and Todd at No42 and several other quality performers plying their trade around Europe and New Zealand rank among the stronger chances to be on the podium in Rio.
The next opportunity for New Zealand to secure their trip to Rio is in the Netherlands at the Boekelo trial from October 8-11. New Zealand are in the International Equestrian Federation's group G, which covers South East Asia and Oceania.
Australia have already qualified for Rio; that means New Zealand's closest rival in the region is now Japan, who have no riders ranked in the world's top 200.
Should New Zealand win the team event in the Netherlands, they will be heading to Rio.
There is an alternative route early next year but there's a key reason New Zealand will want to knock this job off at Boekelo: it will allow them to take a reserve along with the four team members, which doesn't apply to the late qualifiers.
It gives a little wriggle room in the event of injury or illness to a horse in the leadup.
The number of riders in Rio has been trimmed from five in London in 2012 to four, with the top three scores to count.
Nicholson is embroiled in a standoff with Equestrian Sport New Zealand and currently not a member of its high performance group. That list will be re-released within the next fortnight.
But when the quality of riders available and chasing a trip to Brazil is considered, New Zealand should be well capable of nailing qualification in October.
