Equestrian: Olympic riders in national three-day event

Olympic rider Jock Paget will be among the leading contenders at this weekend's national three-day event in Taupo. Photo / Libby Law

Olympic riders Jock Paget and Clarke Johnstone will headline the field at the national three-day eventing championship, which starts in Taupo tomorrow.

Paget, a team bronze medal winner at the London Olympics and winner of Badminton trial at the first attempt in 2013, is back in New Zealand, and basing himself at Taupo.

He will ride his promising Angus Blue in the nationals, while Clarke Johnstone, the best-performed rider at last year's Rio Olympics, will ride his top class Balmoral Sensation.

The field for the CIC three star event is small in number but strong on quality, with Samantha Felton from Matangi having two in the field in Ricker Ridge Escada and Ricker Ridge Pico Boo.

Andy Daines of Kumeu will ride Spring Panorama and Jessica Woods of Ohaupo is aboard Just de Manzana.

Daines and Felton are on the Oceania squad, as are Paget and Johnstone and out to impress selectors ahead of the Oceania championships in Melbourne next month.

"We've got one of the biggest three star fields the event has hosted for some time," event director Sarah Bromley said.

"We're also excited about providing the final hit out for the Oceania senior squad and young rider team before they head across the ditch to contest the championships."

The CCI three start has a solid field of 13, including defending champion Amanda Pottinger of Havelock North. while 40 horses are entered in the CCI one star, and former Olympian Matthew Grayling and his daughter Victoria from Taranaki are in the two star event.

The first horse inspections are on Thursday with dressage starting on Friday. This is the last event of the eventing series.