Equestrian: Tompkins saves NZ blushes in Athens

8.00am - By MARK GEENTY

ATHENS - Heelan Tompkins could not believe her luck while a devastated Blyth Tait was cursing his as New Zealand's eventing team opened their Olympics at both ends of the spectrum today.

A stunned Tompkins had to ask twice to hear she was in early medal contention at a lofty second place in the three-day event halfway through the dressage, on 18-year-old Glengarrick in his swansong competition.

Tait meanwhile conceded his chances of adding to his individual Olympic haul of gold and bronze were all but gone after a horror round on 1996 Atlanta winner, Ready Teddy.

"It's going to be somebody else's turn this time," Tait said.

Tompkins, riding the 37th and final test of day one in a field of 75, hauled the New Zealand team up from the doldrums after Tait and Daniel Jocelyn disappointed earlier on.

Tompkins' 44.00 points at her first Olympics were bettered only by German Bettina Hoy's 32.00, while Tait posted 63.60 penalties and Jocelyn 66.80 on Silence.

A beaming Tompkins, who moonlights as a radio breakfast host in New Plymouth, fronted a crowd of the world's equestrian media showing a mix of shock and joy.

"Am I really second? It has exceeded my expectations, but I'm the kind of person who likes to do things a bit better. There were still mistakes in there by me," she said.

"This is definitely my weak spot, I don't like dressage. I love the cross country, but horses are horses, he doesn't owe me anything. If something goes wrong I won't hold it against him."

Tompkins said Glengarrick, who has been her partner in crime since 1999, was the oldest and probably the smallest horse in the field.

He had a history of hoof problems, and Tompkins was praying for a safe cross country on the hard ground to set up a dream finale in the showjumping.

"I think the showjumping will really play a huge part. It doesn't matter if you are jumping cavaletti or 1.6m jumps, this is the Olympic Games and that's scary enough."

Tait meanwhile was deflated, saying his confidence had been high after impressive dressage efforts by Ready Teddy in the past year.

But the gusty winds which blew across the Markopoulo Equestrian Centre caused havoc, and the round was a disaster as he knocked over one of the markers.

"He was training well and working in well, right up until I came into the arena. Then for the 10 minutes of my test he completely lost his confidence and I couldn't produce a quarter of what he's capable of," Tait told NZPA.

"The big disappointment for me is that I've spent 10 months of working really hard and had great results in dressage up until now."

Amid the bitter disappointment there was some hope for Tait as he cast his mind back 12 years to Barcelona.

"You only get one shot, and I have to remind myself of Barcelona when a similar thing happened and I still pulled myself up into a bronze medal."

Tait was disappointed the cross-country course for Tuesday's endurance section was not as tough as it could be, although it would favour Tompkins.

He was hoping for a tougher course to bring back some of his rivals from high up on the leaderboard.

"There's a few fences that will pose problems, but it's quite inviting and quite fair for this level.

"This course is nowhere near as difficult as Barcelona was, but anything can happen in this sport."

- NZPA