Latest from Horse & Hound in New-zealand

Five-star winners and medallists feature on New Zealand’s eventing squad for 2026 World Championships

Lucy Elder — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:54:53 +0000

The New Zealand eventing team for the Aachen 2026 World Championships has been confirmed, featuring the four Kiwi riders who won medals at the last worlds.

Five-star winners Tim Price and Falco spearheaded the New Zealand team to bronze four years ago, when they claimed an individual medal of the same colour – recording the same finishing score as Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who came fourth. Falco is 17 years old now and a seasoned warhorse, so another brace of medals will likely be the aim again.

Falco has been a great friend to Tim over their decade of international competition together. He was hardly an ingénu at Pratoni 2022; he had already won Pau CCI5* and had a wealth of four-star form. Since those medals in Italy, he has come through an operation to remove a tumour, was sixth at the Paris Olympics, had his front teeth removed and finished second at two five-stars – most recently at Badminton 2026.

Tim has said he wants to be a “heavy contributor” to New Zealand’s quest for a team medal; an individual one would go nicely with that.

Monica Spencer and 15-year-old thoroughbred Artist were also on the bronze medal-winning squad in Italy and have contested seven CCI5*s since then, finishing in the top 10 at five including second at Maryland 2025. They have experience at Aachen, should be in the mix after the first phase and have a superb cross-country record. The final phase can be costly, but they can jump clear.

Clarke Johnstone and Jonelle Price were also on the team podium at Pratoni and are back again for Aachen with a pair of greys who look to be coming into their prime. Clarke is named with Rocket Man, an 11-year-old with solid four-star form, Jonelle with 12-year-old Senor Crocodillo, who has impressed at CCI4*-S and at Luhmühlen five-star in recent years.

Samantha Lissington will make her senior championship debut at the Aachen World Championships aboard the promising Lucas Stone, with whom she won a CCI4*-L at Strzegom in October. Samantha shared on Sunday that her top horse, Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, was out of contention for the squad owing to injury. Lucas Stone joined Sam’s string as a three-star horse with a view to his being a potential back-up ride for LA28 and Aachen will be the biggest stage the 10-year-old has experienced in his career. But his results at both long- and short-format four-star are excellent and he will be one to watch with interest both at these championships and beyond.

All riders, with the exception of Monica, also have horses on the reserve list.

It’s a strong squad, backed up by an impressive list of reserves – choosing who to leave on the bench will have been no easy task for selectors.

Could the New Zealand challenge for team gold? On paper, that tussle is likely to be between home side Germany and the Brits, neither of which have named their teams yet. At this stage of crystal ball gazing, they should start as favourites for a spot on the team podium, probably silver or bronze, and have some live individual chances for a medal of any colour. The countdown is on…

New Zealand eventing squad for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

The full squad, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Clarke Johnstone with 11-year-old gelding Rocket Man

Owner: Jean and Rob Johnstone

Breeder: Nicole Nehm

Breeding: by Diacontinus, out of a mare by For Pleasure

Samantha Lissington with 10-year-old Lucas Stone

Owner: Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, Claire and Andrew Dubowski, rider and her husband Brayden Lissington

Breeder: Kaisa Kiviniitty

Breeding: by Concreto

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old gelding Senor Crocodillo

Owner: Joe and Alexander Giannamore and Jonelle Price

Breeder: Utersum/Foehr

Breeding: by Connor 48, out of a mare by Exorbitant XX

Tim Price with 17-year-old gelding Falco

Owner: Sue Benson and rider

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: by Cardenio 2, out of a mare by Weinberg

Monica Spencer with 15-year-old gelding Artist

Owner: Spencer Eventing

Breeder: Windsor Park Stud Ltd

Breeding: by Guillotine, out of a mare by Volksraad

New Zealand eventing squad reserves for Aachen 2026 World Championships:

James Avery with 12-year-old Dallas 13

Owner: David and Karie Thomson

Breeder: Amy Woodhouse

Breeding: by Dimaggio

Jesse Campbell with 12-year-old gelding Speedwell

Owner: Karen Marguerutte Coumbe, Hannah Caven, Colin Graves, Deborah Strang and rider

Breeder: Ronan Tynan

Breeding: by Cobra, out of a mare by Warrenstown You 2

Clarke Johnstone with 12-year-old gelding Sparky Lad

Owner: Waratah Equestrian PTY Ltd

Breeding: by Smart Missile

Caroline Powell with 14-year-old gelding High Time

Owner: Ruth Armstrong, Serena Greenwell, Jo West and rider

Breeder: Annie Allen

Breeding: by Hemmingway

Samantha Lissington with 12-year-old mare Delarado

Owner: Kate Maitland, Rachel Bessell, rider and her husband Brayden Lissington

Breeder: Kate Maitland

Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Handsome Stranger

Tayla Mason with 15-year-old Centennial

Owner: Sue Rutter and Sonya, Kyle and Tayla Mason

Breeder: Sonya Mason

Breeding: by Euro Sport Centavos, out of a mare by Moonwalker

Jonelle Price with 14-year-old gelding Capitaine De Hus Z

Owner: David and Karie Thomson

Breeder: Haras de Hus

Breeding: by Cosinhus, out of a mare by Fergar Mail

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old gelding Chilli’s Midnight Star

Owner: Nikki Axon and Merrill Halstead

Breeder: Mrs N E Axon

Breeding: by Chilli Morning, out of a mare by Laban

Tim Price with 12-year-old Jarillo

Owner: Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good

Breeder: R.Vriend

Breeding: by Dantos, out of a mare by Alicante

Tim Price with 16-year-old Vitali

Owner: Alexander and Joe Giannamore and Tim Price

Breeder: Fielmann Guenther

Breeding: by Contender, out of a mare by Heraldik

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Our hearts hurt’: five-star runner-up out of contention for World Championships

Lucy Elder — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:24:20 +0000

Samantha Lissington’s stable star Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ has been ruled out of contention for the New Zealand eventing squad at the 2026 World Championships (11 to 23 August).

The 15-year-old gelding, whom Samantha owns with husband Brayden and Pip McCarroll, recorded a career high when finishing second in the CCI5* at Longines Luhmühlen last year. This month, they were also runners-up to Tom McEwen and JL Dublin in Defender Bramham’s CCI4*-S.

Samantha has an exciting string and four-star form with several other horses, so this does not mean the end of her own journey to selection for Aachen. But it is a blow. At Bramham, she spoke of her hopes of getting to the worlds with Sooty, the horse who she owes “a lot of credit for my career”.

Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. (Image credit: Bex Pattenden)

Yesterday (28 June), Samantha said that she was “heartbroken to share that Sooty has picked up an injury” and will not be making the trip to the eventing World Championships this year.

“A 10-year partnership together, taking on the world. The most genuine little sidekick I could have asked for, solid as a rock through the ups and downs of my learning curves,” she said.

“He gave us our first five-star podium last year in fantastic company, then showed all his class at Bramham a few weeks ago – our hearts hurt for what could have been in August.

“For now he will enjoy some well-earned rest in the field, we will see what the future holds.”

She added that Sooty is “happy and comfortable” and will “no doubt” enjoy bossing her retired five-star campaigner, Ricker Ridge Rui.

“A huge thank you to Pip McCarroll, what a journey we’ve had – it’s been an absolute privilege to ride him, and to have you by my side all the way,” she said.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Some may think I’m mad’: top rider moves across the world ahead of Paris 2024

Becky Murray — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 20:33:39 +0000

New Zealand five-star eventer Monica Spencer is making a “sink or swim move” to the United States as she “gives it her all” for Paris 2024.

This week Monica, who was part of the New Zealand bronze medal-winning squad at the 2022 World Championships, flew to the US with her husband Andrew, and the couple’s two-year-old son Gus, on a “family adventure with a high performance twist”.

Last year Monica was based in Pennsylvania at Somehowe Yard with her top horse Artist, but she has now made a more permanent move, and will be based in Ocala, Florida, at the same stable as her countryman Edward Ewbank.

Former racehorse Artist is already in Florida and is being hacked out by Edward in preparation for the start of the season. Monica’s up-and-coming rides, Marvel (owned by Sanda and David Ray, and Monica and Andrew), Aviator (owned by Monica and Andrew) and Valkyrie (owned by Ken Quigley, and Monica and Andrew), depart for the US on 12 February.

“Some may think I am mad taking three two-star horses up there with me but I am covering my bases. I think all of these horses have Olympic potential,” she said.

“This is the big move – sink or swim!”

The plan is that Monica and her family will be based in the US through to the LA Games in 2028.

“Artist will only be 16 then too, so may be a contender as well,” said Monica.

Monica is now focusing on the CCI5* Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event on 25 to 28 April, which she will be targeting with Artist. It will be the pair’s Kentucky debut, and third start at five-star together. They were seventh at Maryland 5 Star in October.

Monica has found the US “hugely welcoming”.

“There’s a real hype around eventing there and they have two five-stars now so that’s cool,” she said.

“The climate suits me and I see it as a good place to build a business and prepare for pinnacle events. It is certainly close enough to Europe with US riders having made it pretty easy to shoot over and do the big ones. There is a lot of opportunity in the US and that excites me.”

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘Spectacular, but fair’: inside the mind of the Paris Olympic course-designer

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘His abilities are undisputed’: Olympic medallist to coach elite team ahead of Paris Games

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

‘I thought I’d ruined him’: emotional return to top form for Olympic horse

Becky Murray — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 08:16:17 +0000

New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell got emotional as he explained that his Tokyo Olympic ride Diachello is back on back on top form after fears he “had ruined him”.

Jesse and the 13-year-old Diarado son delivered a stunning dressage test at Pau five-star to score 26.9, and slot into fourth place ahead of today’s (28 October) cross-country. The event is the gelding’s return to the top level.

Jesse has produced Danny since 2018, and the gelding made his five-star debut with Jesse at Kentucky in 2021, where they jumped clear across country to finish 11th. The following year they represented New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics, where they finished 22nd individually.

But following the Olympics things were not smooth sailing and Jesse noticed a decline in Danny’s performance.

“To be honest I’m quite emotional about him because when we first bought him and we took him to four-star he was so generous, and he was quiet and easy and everything like that,” said Jesse after his Pau test.

“And then we took him to Kentucky and he was okay, it was his first five-star, and then I sort of put the pressure on him to go to the Olympics and he just didn’t feel very good.”

Jesse started veterinary investigations to get to the route of the problem.

“He’s not the type of horse to show your typical ulcers, but we got him scoped because we had exhausted everything else, bone scan, the whole thing,” said Jesse. “And we found he was riddled with ulcers. We sort of went back to basics with him, and I really thought I’d ruined him.”

Jesse said Danny “let him train him back up” and they have since returned to form. The pair shone during their Pau test, with the eye-catching gelding looking relaxed in the arena.

“Every day he feels better. This week he’s been feeling awesome, and I’m really happy,” said Jesse, adding that he was particularly pleased with Danny’s flying changes in the test.

“With his flying changes where I think he probably would have been uncomfortable in the past we had to be quite conservative, but now he’s really throwing them and letting go. It’s just lovely that he’s feeling happy – that’s the main thing,” he said.

Jesse is first out on the Pau cross-country course today with his first ride, Jay Jaffar’s 11-year-old gelding Cooley Lafitte, who is making his five-star debut.

“As pathfinder there’s a lot of responsibility to do a good job so everyone else can see what the track should ride like, so I’m excited about taking on that role with my first horse. He should give me some really good knowledge for how to ride Danny,” said Jesse.

“They are two very different horses; Danny is quite cold but the other guy’s pretty hot like you saw in his dressage. But they’re both really long striding, so these Pierre Michelet’s distances should be not too bad. It’s Cooley Lafitte’s first five-star but he’s a machine across country, and he jumps for fun so we’ll see if that pays off. It should be a good day.”

The Pau five-star cross-country gets under way at 11.30am local time (10.30am British time). Check out the cross-country times.

Foal washed away in floods comes home – but thousands hit by ‘unimaginable devastation’

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:47:38 +0000

During the misery and destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand, one three-month-old foal who was washed away came home – but thousands of equestrians are still affected.

A national state of emergency was declared after the storm described as a “once in a century” disaster hit the north-eastern area of North Island on 12-13 February. Some areas were relatively unaffected at first, but were hit by flooding when rivers burst their banks.

Adele White, stud manager of New Zealand Performance Horses in Hawkes Bay, told H&H a storm was forecast but “I don’t think we expected as much ruin as we got”.

“It’s bizarre; some places were absolutely flattened but in our hose bay, the bottles of shampoo weren’t touched,” she said. “It’s like another world; like something you see in another country and think ‘Those poor people, how can I help them?’ We never thought it would happen to us.”

Adele returned from a show in South Island knowing from the forecast that she needed to “batten down the hatches”. The following day she moved as many horses as possible away from streams to areas that had never flooded before. But the next day, she could not get to her yard.

“Friends came down to help and they said the photos and videos don’t do it justice; you don’t realise how bad it is until you see it yourself,” she said.

New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on 14 February as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) (Image credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Adele lost one foal and although the stables are still standing, the farm is under two metres of silt. But she said the local horse community has pulled together to help.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Friends, local people, the horse community have come in their droves. We were walking the mares and foals up the road and people were getting out of their cars to help.”

Adele has heard that one friend tied himself to a post to be able to hold on to and save his horses. Other friends were affected days later.

“She’s a hairdresser so they went to her salon above their big shed when the rivers burst,” Adele said. “They had no time; they could see the water coming so they let their ponies out. They had a mare and foal round the corner and they witnessed the foal being swept away. They rang and said ‘The foal’s gone’.”

But the next day, the foal was found two roads away, having been washed over fences, without a scratch.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Adele said. “The mare, Star, had a bad cut but it’s healing – and the other horses came back too. They’d watched them swimming, but when the floods receded, they came home. There needed to be some good stories in all the bad.”

Posted by on

Other good stories are the overwhelming donations; rugs worth about $40,000 (£20,600) have been bought to donate to affected horses, and “everything you can think of is streaming in”.

But more help is needed. Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) has set up a relief fund.

“We are absolutely heartbroken for our community throughout the east coast of North Island, and we feel it’s time we come together to help,” a spokesman said. “ESNZ has today established a relief fund to help our two and four-legged friends who have been struck by unimaginable devastation from Cyclone Gabrielle. If you’d like to help with providing horse feed and veterinary support, as well as further support as and where it is needed, you now can. ESNZ will donate 100% of the proceeds to those on the ground in these regions who need our country’s support the most during this time.”

To donate, visit the ESNZ website

‘They’re irreplaceable’: five-star event mares retire ‘at the top of their game’

Becky Murray — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:48:01 +0000

World number two eventer Jonelle Price has announced the retirement of the two “phenomenal” five-star mares Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo.

Trisha Rickard’s 19-year-old Classic Moet (Molly) and 17-year-old Faerie Dianimo (Maggie) have become household names in eventing, both making team appearances with Jonelle for New Zealand on the world stage – and racking up five-star victories and top placings.

Jonelle and Classic Moet won Badminton in 2018, and this year completed the event for the fourth time, finishing 11th. They were fourth at Burghley in August, the mare’s third Burghley completion.

Faerie Dianimo, who Jonelle rode at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was third at Luhmühlen in June, which was her final event.

Jonelle pictured on Faerie Dianimo at Luhmühlen Horse Trials 2022 (Image credit: Libby Law)

Badminton final scores

Jonelle said with the season drawing to a close the time had come to officially call time on the “incredible” mares – and “break the news to Molly that she won’t be going to Badminton”.

“You never want to go one too many. It was a difficult decision to make, both have come through this year remarkably well. They’re both obviously still at the top of their game, but it’s better to stop one less, than [go] one more,” Jonelle told H&H.

“They’ve both just been such stalwarts and kept going. For Molly to do both Badminton and Burghley in her 19th year is pretty phenomenal. If you’d told me we were going to do that 12 or 24 months ago I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

“Of course it’s very sad, but you’ve got to look at all the positives we’re taking away and just remember how lucky we are.”

Classic Moet, who features in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine spotlight (on sale Thursday 10 November), made her mark on the world stage in 2014 at the World Equestrian Games in Caen, when Jonelle was called up as a reserve individual rider. The pair finished fourth.

“Winning Badminton has to be the main highlight – it’s something you dream of, but one of the most memorable moments was my cross-country round at Caen in 2014. She was very much a wildcard and unknown at that point, but I think that’s where she really broke onto the world scene and people took note of who she was,” said Jonelle.

“Her cross-country record speaks for itself, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Faerie Dianimo made her five-star debut at Pau (then CCI4*) in 2014, finishing fourth. She was second at Luhmuhlen the following year, and provided Jonelle with her second five-star victory of 2018 when she won Luhmühlen, the month after Jonelle’s Badminton win on Classic Moet.

“Luhmühlen was Maggie’s happy hunting ground; she’s been there three times and had a one-two-three, which is pretty good going. She wasn’t the easiest, she’s taken a lot of work her whole career because she’s quite hot. She developed melanomas in the later years, which restricted her a little bit, but she’s just such a fighter,” said Jonelle.

“There was nothing quite like going into the ring on her on a Sunday, you could be in the warm-up feeling like you’re up against it, but you would go into that ring and jump the first fence and you’d think ‘Bloody hell, we’re on!’. She could rise to any challenge, so that was a pretty remarkable feeling for sure.”

Jonelle said both mares have returned to Trisha and will be used for breeding duties in the future. Maggie, who was bred by Trisha, is by Dimaggio and out of Faerie Dazzler VII, who is also a mother to Tim Price’s five-star ride Xavier Faer.

“It will be interesting what they can produce. If they’re half as good as their mothers then everyone will be happy,” said Jonelle.

“Maggie comes from a pretty impressive line of horses from her mother. We just took Faerie Magnifico through to four-star, so it’s been a very good family and hopefully Maggie will carry on that line.”

Jonelle said it will be different not having those two mares on the circuit next year.

“They’re irreplaceable. I’m not being derogatory to my present horses or what will come along, but over the past nine years they’ve just been five-star stalwarts for me. They’ve never missed a beat really and that will be very hard to replace for sure,” she said.

“I will miss them hugely and forever be indebted to them for all that they did for me.”

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: www.SarahFarnsworth.co.uk)

Jonelle Price claims first four-star title with Badminton victory

The New Zealand rider and her British-bred mare have taken the 2018 Badminton Horse Trials title in a gripping conclusion

NZL-Jonelle Price rides Faerie Dianimo during the Cross Country for the CCI5*. Interim-6th. 2022 GER-Luhmuehlen International Horse Trials. Salzhausen, Germany. Saturday 18 June 2022. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography (Image credit: www.SarahFarnsworth.co.uk)

‘I had a bit of a score to settle’: former Luhmühlen-winning veteran event mare sparkles in five-star cross-country performance

(Image credit: www.SarahFarnsworth.co.uk)

‘I treasure every moment’: Classic Moet’s groom on tending the no-fuss veteran star

(Image credit: www.SarahFarnsworth.co.uk)

A lost shoe, a broken stirrup and a ticking clock: how teamwork saved the day

Lucy Elder — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 16:50:45 +0000

There’s keeping cool under pressure – and then there’s keeping Kiwi team cool with a broken stirrup and a ticking clock.

The phrase “teamwork makes the dream work” has perhaps never been quite so fitting as to how the New Zealand eventing side secured a podium finish in Boekelo last month.

Amanda Pottinger and the aptly named Good Timing were warming up for cross-country at the final leg of the FEI eventing Nations Cup series, when a tack malfunction struck.

“I was the second rider out for the team and I had already spoken to Jonelle [Price], who was our first to go, about the course when she came back,” Amanda told H&H.

“Everyone had gone in to watch the screens, so there was no-one in the warm up with me at the time.”

She added she had done about 90% of her warm-up, but there was a corner brush she particularly wanted to jump as there was a tough question involving a similar fence out on course. But as Amanda turned to it, her stirrup snapped.

“I looked down and it took me a while to realise what had happened. I looked around and there was just no-one – there were lots of other people there, but nobody I recognised as part of my team or my mum, who was grooming for me.

“I cantered back down towards where I knew our stables were, and there was a big high security fence around them. Just by chance, Dan Jocelyn was going into the yard and I yelled to him, ‘can you grab Jonelle’s stirrup?! Mine’s just broken.’ I couldn’t take anyone else’s as nobody else had gone yet.”

Dan threw Jonelle’s stirrup over the fence and Amanda, who had jumped off, tried to switch the tack as quickly as she could with her adrenaline running and the clock ticking.

“A person, who I don’t know and want to say thank you to, appeared and said, ‘look, you hold the horse, I’ll sort your tack’.

“Dan asked if I wanted Jonelle’s other stirrup, so I wasn’t riding in odd ones, but I didn’t have time.”

After making sure she was about level, Amanda whizzed back to the warm-up – arriving in the collecting ring with two minutes to go.

“I was a bit stressed,” she said, adding that she didn’t want to come straight to the corner, so popped a few other fences then jumped it – taking the flag out.

By this time, the Prices were at the collecting ring, with Tim coming to the rescue by “bolting over” to put the flag back on just in time for Amanda to have one final, ideal shot at the corner. Jonelle told her to breathe and Amanda had 30 seconds to collect her thoughts before she was off, producing a clear round inside the time.

Amanda and the 11-year-old gelding, owned by the Volunteer Syndicate, followed up on their cross-country performance with a faultless showjumping round, finishing on their dressage score and helping the New Zealand side to second place.

“It’s part of the sport – there’s pressured situations and things don’t always go to plan,” she said. “You have to learn to adapt to get the job done.”

After Amanda’s clear, the Kiwis joked that perhaps everyone should ride with Jonelle’s day-saving iron.

“When you think about it, I was very lucky as it could have happened as I was approaching the first fence. The horse also pulled a shoe off in the stable that morning, so when the stirrup broke as well, I was thinking, ‘should I be running today?!’,” she added, with a laugh.

“It’s one of those things where if you pull it off, it’s pretty cool – but it was very stressful at the time!”

‘Two small town kids dreamt they could take on the world’: husband and wife top eventing world rankings

Becky Murray — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 11:03:30 +0000

New Zealand husband and wife team Tim and Jonelle Price have become the first couple to hold the top two spots of the FEI eventing world rankings.

Tim has taken the number one position from Oliver Townend, who has been in the top spot for the past three years. Jonelle has moved into second and sits 41 points behind her husband.

“The last time Tim was at the top of the world rankings was in August 2019. Since then, Tim has been able to perform at the highest level, which has allowed him to maintain a position in the top 10 of the eventing world rankings,” said an FEI spokesman.

The Prices have enjoyed a very successful 2022. Tim took individual bronze at the eventing World Championships in Pratoni on Falco. He was third at Burghley with Vitali, and has enjoyed a number of top 10 places at CCI4*. He won the CCI4*-L at Boekelo (6-9 October), and helped New Zealand take silver – behind the Brits – in the Nations Cup competition.

Jonelle, who was also part of the Kiwi squad at Boekelo riding Killbunny Andy, was 11th at Badminton and fourth at Burghley on the much-loved 19-year-old mare Classic Moet. Jonelle was 10th individually at the World Championships with McClaren.

Tim and Jonelle made the permanent move to the UK in 2005, and the couple married in 2013. They became the first husband and wife to ride together on the same Olympic team, at Rio in 2016. They have since welcomed two children, Otis and Abel.

Commenting on the new world rankings, the Prices said: “Once upon a time, two small town kids dreamt that together they could take on the world. And they did. The end.”

Oliver Townend is now ranked third in the world, Ros Canter fourth, and US rider Will Coleman is fifth. New individual world champion Yasmin Ingham has moved up from 20th to eighth. Tom McEwen has also moved into the top 10, and sits ninth.

‘If it’s always like this, I’ll do another one!’ says debutant on team that takes world gold

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 15:42:20 +0000

“If it always feels like this, I’ll do another one!” was the verdict of Germany’s Christoph Wahler, after his team won eventing World Championships gold.

After a day – and a week – of scores and positions changing by the round, it was Germany who took the team title on a score of 95.2, over a fence ahead of silver medallists the United States.

The team comprised Christoph (Carjatan S), Sandra Auffarth (Viamant Du Matz), Michael Jung (FischerChipmunk FRH) and Julia Krajewski (Amande De B’Neville).

Sandra and Viamant Du Metz lowered three showjumps, on what she said was an “exciting day”.

“I did not have not the best round; I have a really good showjumper but today he was a bit not concentrating, and impressed by the atmosphere,” she said. “After that we were all quite tense, it was exciting and then we were very happy at the end that we made it.”

Michael, who was in individual gold this morning but lowered two fences to finish fifth, said: “To lose and win a medal at the same time is a strange feeling .

“I’m very happy, it was a great day. My horse jumped amazing, he was in super form, all of us were in good form. We had good preparation, and thank you to all the big team we have around us, behind us, they helped us to come here, to have a good performance and to win the gold medal with the whole team is amazing.”

Christoph added: “This is my first World Championships; if it always feels like that, I’ll try to do another one!”

The US took silver, a first Olympic or world team medal for the Americans since 2004; Will Coleman (Off The Record), Tamie Smith (Mai Baum), Lauren Nicholson (Vermiculus) and Boyd Martin (Tsetserleg TSF) finished on a total of 100.3.

“I’m very proud to be American,” Boyd said. “To have five clears across country yesterday [including individuals Ariel Grald on Leamore Master Plan] was amazing.

“I’ve been on many championship teams and been so close, it’s just a massive sigh of relief. I can’t be prouder, it’s just awesome, I’m very thankful to the team of America and grateful to be here.”

Will added: “I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this group and part of US eventing; hopefully this is a great step forward for us as a country and we can build on it, it’s been magic to be part of it this week.”

It was also a first world or Olympic eventing team medal for New Zealand, who took bronze, since 2012. Tim Price (Falco), Jonelle Price (McClaren), Monica Spencer (Artist) and Clarke Johnstone (Menlo Park) finished on a total of 100.7.

“I’m happy to be here, always the biggest goal to come to a World Championships and win a medal, it’s been my focus and all our focus for a long time,” sad Clarke. “And to pull it off and get a medal round our necks for the first time in a long time is an amazing feeling.”

Tim added: “We’ve focused on this for years, this kind of major event with the team behind you, with a nation behind you, it means absolutely everything.”

Eventing World Championships 2022 team medals

Gold: Germany – 95.2Silver: US – 100.3Bronze: New Zealand – 100.7Fourth: Great Britain – 100.9

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

British team finishes off the podium on rollercoaster World Championships final day

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘The dream finish’: fairytale result as Britain celebrates new world champion in Pratoni

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout the World Eventing Championships with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report (on sale 22 September) including opinion from Mark Phillips and ground jury president Christina Klingspor.

New Zealand rider scores ‘emotional’ personal best as nation fields first dressage World Championship team in 24 years

Lucy Elder — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 10:54:42 +0000

Melissa Galloway scored a new personal best on her senior championship debut to strengthen New Zealand’s hopes in the nation’s first team appearance at a World Dressage Championships in 24 years.

Melissa and Windermere J’Obei W were second into the arena on day two of the team competition at Blue Hors FEI World Dressage Championships in Herning (Sunday, 7 August), scoring 70.98% in the grand prix.

“I’ve had him since he was a rising two-year-old and we have just done everything together,” said Melissa, 29, who owns the Johnson TN gelding with Anne and Rodney Parkes.

“We’ve won a few championships in New Zealand and have slowly built our way up through the grades together. It makes me a bit emotional. It’s crazy to be here and I’m overwhelmed, actually.”

The bouncy 12-year-old chestnut set the tone with a solid start, springing comfortably through the trot half-pass and showing off his huge, elastic walk. The pair kept their cool through a minor blip in the canter strike off and from here on, the duo showed some of their best work. Their neat changes were a highlight, rewarded with 7.5s by the judges, and their final trot work upped a gear in power and activity.

The huge smile that grew on Melissa’s face as she soaked in the atmosphere and the achievement after finishing her test spoke more than words.

“I’m so happy with him, he was amazing,” she said, her voice choking with emotion after her test.

“He just felt so easy and peaceful and it was such a nice feeling. I was really happy with all of it, I felt an overall peace and harmony with him, I thought ‘it’s all good, he is in tune with me’.”

New Zealand last fielded a dressage World Championship team in 1998 and Melissa spoke of the significance of what it means to be riding as part of a squad in Denmark.

“It’s the best,” she said. “The whole team spirit, being able to do that for our country and actually to think about what we are doing for the future – for other young people that want to be on a team, I just think it is amazing.”

There was an anxious moment earlier in the week when the side’s third horse, Jax Johnson ridden by Gaylene Lennard, was not presented at the initial trot-up. They had the opportunity to present yesterday (Saturday) morning instead, and passed.

“Everyone is so supportive of each other,” said Melissa, adding they are “so excited” to watch Gaylene compete later today.

Japan’s Shingo Hayashi kicked off the second day with his Tokyo Olympic ride Scolari 4, scoring 67.87% in the World Dressage Championships results.

Badminton winner steps back from competing to coach New Zealand eventing team

Lucy Elder — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 16:00:22 +0000

Badminton winner Sam Griffiths has taken on a major new role as New Zealand’s eventing head coach, as he reveals he will be stepping back from riding at top-level competition.

The Australian Olympic bronze medallist told H&H he is “really looking forward to it”.

“I have had a quite a long eventing career and in a way, this is a next step,” said Sam, who turns 50 this year.

He added that this is not the end of his time in the saddle and he will be “keeping my eye in” with some competing at lower levels.

Fiona Tibone has also joined Equestrian Sport New Zealand’s eventing arm as high performance manager. The pair’s appointment follows the departure of New Zealand high performance eventing manager Graeme Thom in November, after five years in the position.

“He has left everything in a really good place to move forward,” said Sam.

The 2014 Badminton champion will continue to be based in the UK and the job will include helping New Zealand riders transition from the southern to the northern hemisphere.

Sam’s eventing career highlights also feature top 10 finishes in every European five-star, as well as two World Championships and two Olympic Games – including helping the Australian team to bronze at Rio 2016.

“Like anyone from the southern hemisphere there are two things you want to do – win Badminton and an Olympic gold. Winning Badminton really was a dream come true,” he said.

“In my heyday I had a lot of horses but over the last few years I have been doing more coaching. I am really excited about this.

“They are such talented riders and if everything comes together we should be able to get some good results. I am looking forward to the challenge.”

He added that his new role is “not about changing everything”, but helping with the “extra one per cent”.

“Being an Antipodean, I have always had an affinity with southern hemisphere riders,” he said. “New Zealand has a lot of very talented riders and I know quite a few of them so feel I have a good rapport with them.

“I was never the most talented rider. I really had to learn how to manage myself and what had to be done to be competitive to a high level. I bring that experience and knowledge, knowing how to find a way to work through a challenge to get to where you want to go.”

Equestrian Sport New Zealand high performance general manager Jock Paget said Sam’s understanding of all layers of the sport is a huge bonus.

“He knows how to prepare different types of horses, how to transition them from the southern to the northern hemisphere, which is a big part of us,” said Jock.

“He has a great way with people so will fit well into the team. It is exciting to have someone with his experience on board.”

Jock added that Fiona has a “real wealth of knowledge and experience” and will be “such an asset to the team”.

Fiona’s background includes experience across the sport, from riding, coaching, owning, and in logistics and leadership.

She groomed for Blyth Tait at the Stockholm World Equestrian Games, where he won gold, and was with the team at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Fiona has also worked with the US and Italian teams at major and championship events.

“This new role is for me a perfect opportunity to continue my journey with New Zealand,” she said.

“With horses as the best levellers, there will be challenges but we’ll all be more than ready to interact with the curve balls that come. Focusing on every detail will be of the utmost importance.”

Both roles are focused on delivering championship results.

Jock added that the new appointments are another big step forwards for New Zealand’s eventing programme.

“These come out of an extensive debrief following the Tokyo Olympic Games and understanding the context we are in within the high performance programme – like what the barriers are, what the riders need and how we best support them,” he said.

“The riders have been heavily involved in shaping that need, so this is all completely linked to both the debrief and the strategy going forwards.

“The interview process was very enjoyable with a chance to speak to some real high-quality people about the sport and their vision. It’s great for New Zealand to have that sort of international interest.”

Equestrian Sport New Zealand chief executive Julian Bowden said it is exciting to have “such talent” joining the high performance team.

“I am very excited about the opportunities and knowledge Sam and Fiona bring,” he said.

“Their credentials and track records will certainly bring real value to our entire squad. These appointments show a true commitment to ensuring our eventing programme remains successful going forwards and has the necessary support to perform on the world stage.

“We believe this team will give us the best opportunity and structure to do well at championship level in the future.”

Tributes paid as ‘inspirational’ Olympic dressage rider dies aged 67

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:03:10 +0000

New Zealand Olympic dressage rider Julie Brougham has died from cancer, aged 67.

Julie became New Zealand’s oldest Olympic rider when she competed at the Rio Games in 2016 with her German-bred gelding Vom Feinstein, whom she bought in 2009. The pair, who were only New Zealand’s third dressage combination to compete at an Olympics, finished 44th individually.

In February 2018 Julie and “Steiny” claimed the grand prix title at the New Zealand national dressage championships and the following month won the grand prix at the New Zealand Horse of the Year Show. In May that year Julie had a hip replacement following a fall from a pupil’s horse, but four months later she and Steiny were New Zealand’s sole dressage combination at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA. They scored 68.991% in the grand prix for 36th place.

The combination’s many other achievements included winning the FEI World Dressage Challenge in 2011, taking the New Zealand Horse of the Year Show grand prix freestyle and grand prix special titles with national record-breaking scores in 2015, and winning the freestyle title again the following year, setting an Australasian record at the time with 76.3%. The pair also enjoyed a top 10 placing at the Aachen CDI4* in 2016.

Following WEG, Julie was diagnosed with abdominal cancer and underwent chemotherapy and several operations. In September 2019 she made a winning return to competition with Steiny at the Dressage Central Districts championship show. Steiny was retired from competition after winning a grand prix and grand prix special with Julie at a national show in 2021.

“Julie has been many things to many people within our sport – a fellow athlete, a friend, judge and an inspiration in everything she strived for and achieved,” said a spokesman for Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ).

‘He loved life’: final farewell to successful event horse

Becky Murray — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 20:03:32 +0000

Tributes have been paid to event horse Henton Attorney General, who has died from a heart attack, aged 21.

The Hanoverian gelding by Anamour, owned by Lizzie Green, New Zealand rider and daughter-in-law of Lucinda Green, died in the field yesterday (6 December) “surrounded by his friends” at Fiona Campbell-Fraser’s yard, where he had spent the last few years, having joined the Onslow family.

“Frank” was bred in New Zealand by Dave and Bridget Sutton and in 2006 became the ride of then 17-year-old Lizzie, who later bought him. The pair moved up the grades and enjoyed international success including winning the CCI** (now three-star) at Blair Castle, and the Boekelo CCI*** (now four-star) in 2013. They were also placed in a number of grands prix in showjumping and the lady rider of the year class at the New Zealand Horse of the Year Show in 2011.

In 2016 Scottish rider Rosa Onslow, then 17, was offered the ride on Frank and the pair competed in junior trials and up to three-star level. In May 2017 Rosa and Frank were leading the way after the cross-country in the young rider class at Houghton International but it was discovered the gelding had sustained a ligament injury and he did not complete the event. Following this he retired from eventing, and went to join Fiona, Rosa’s aunt, with whom he competed in dressage and was still competing at advanced medium level four weeks before he died.

Cindy Onslow, Rosa’s mother, said Frank had the “most unbelievable character”.

“He was just the happiest, most positive horse you could ever meet. He loved life,” she told H&H. “He had one obsession – Polos. The sight of a packet and he’d do anything, but he was also a real character and didn’t suffer fools gladly. You had to be able to ride, and then he would give you his all.

“Rosa had the most amazing time with him, and thanks to the leg up he gave her she went on to ride at five-star level. He put her on the map to realising that she could ride at that level.”

Frank amassed 742 British Eventing points and was known for being talented in all three phases.

“His dressage was incredible, if you rode well his showjumping was incredible, and his paces would lead a class,” said Cindy. “Even in showing, a judge once rode him and said he was the nicested she had ever ridden.”

Cindy said Frank was loved by all who met him.

“We used to get stopped at events all the time with people coming up and asking ‘Is that Frank?’. He was a horse that got under your skin, every day was the best day of his life,” she said. “He wanted to go everywhere and he was such an enthusiast.”

In a tribute, Lizzie said the then “gangly six-year-old” became her “horse of a lifetime” and thanked his breeders.

“Frank went on to become a very good jumper, he was so scopey and had an incredible back end. His showjumping in the end was his forte and he gave me a great thrill jumping, placing in several grands prix,” she said.

“His dressage prowess made him very competitive after the first phase so he taught me about dealing with pressure pretty quickly!”

Lizzie added it takes a special horse to take a young rider up through the grades and put up with “all the mistakes along the way”.

“Some he was very forgiving of and others not, I learnt so much. I guess that’s the case when you have a Ferrari as your first horse there will undoubtedly be some dents along the way. Together we experienced the highest highs and lowest lows and travelled all around the world together,” she said.

“Frank was so lucky in his later life to be adopted by the Onslow family and Fiona Campbell-Fraser. He gave Rosa some great eventing mileage and up until his last days he was still enjoying being ridden and competing with Fi in British Dressage with success. It was so hard to leave him behind in England but they gave him the best life he wanted for nothing.”

Lizzie said Frank had a “zest for life” that anyone lucky enough to have known him or looked after him will remember for ever.

“His goofy white face and white eye sticking out over his stable door, he never had an off or grumpy day,” she said. Along our journey there were many many amazing people we met and worked with that played a huge part in our lives and I have to say a big thank you for all that you did for the both of us and for riding our ups and downs with us. My family, coaches, grooms and those that looked after him, thank you.”

‘I was hoping there weren’t too many things broken’: five-star eventer recovering from cross-country fall

Becky Murray — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 06:33:05 +0000

New Zealand eventer Dan Jocelyn is hoping to return to the saddle before the end of the season following a cross-country fall in which he broke his leg.

Dan and the 10-year-old gelding Duke of Champions, owned by Joyce Snook and Jo Preston-Hunt and Philip Hunt, were competing in the CCI4*-S at the NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials (12-15 August) when the pair fell at the corner combination at fences 13 and 14.

Dan, who represented New Zealand at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, told H&H Duke of Champions had been having a great season, and went to Hartpury fresh from Burgham International where they were third in the British intermediate championship.

“Hartpury was supposed to be the build up for Blenheim (16-19 September) and possibly his last event before we went there. He had been carrying some good form and was more than capable of what he was being asked. We had a good solid dressage test the day before, and he jumped well in the morning with just one pole down in the showjumping,” said Dan.

“I was excited for the cross-country having come from a great run at Burgham and thought the style of the course suited him and was very similar. We had a great warm-up and start to the cross-country. There was some big bold fences including the water in the first quarter and some skinny arrow heads down the hill and he felt good halfway round the track.

Dan said he did not recall anything “out of the ordinary” happening as they came down the hill to approach the corners.

“We jumped in and for some reason or another he picked up on two strides instead of three. I didn’t ask him to do that – if I analyse it, I possibly could have been one beat slower in my approach to the first corner,” he said.

“It was only the horse’s second ever cross-country fault in the six years I’ve had him. We certainly got punished quite heavily for whatever mistake it was.”

Dan sustained a broken tibia, partially collapsed lung and severe bruising to his ribs. Duke of Champions went on to jump a number of cross-country fences and a car bonnet before he was caught, but did not suffer any injuries.

“I was in a lot of pain and knew something was broken, I was just hoping there weren’t too many things broken,” he said.

“I think Duke of Champions was probably in a little bit of shock because something like that had never happened to him before. He hadn’t seen crowds of people for a while, and while he’s not a horse usually fazed, I think with all the factors put together and the open space, he was a bit overwhelmed by what happened.”

Dan underwent surgery on his leg and was released from hospital on 17 August.

“It’s a pain as it obviously puts me out for a while, but I was weight-bearing the day after the operation. I had the stitches out and an X-ray on Wednesday (1 September) and the surgeon is more than happy with the recovery,” said Dan.

“I’ve asked a couple of friends to help with a bit of riding of the Duke and Giovanni Ugolotti is going to ride him at an event in a couple of weeks. Certainly my dream of going to Blenheim with this horse is over, but I’m not writing off the autumn season and I have a plan in mind. I’m thinking of an alternative three-day event for us – this is a horse that I am hoping will represent New Zealand in the not too distant future, so we want to keep his mileage going and not let him be too affected by what happened. I’m very thankful to my small group of owners and supporters who have been understanding.”

Dan and his wife Emma have recently moved to a new base at Minety, Wiltshire.

“I spent the first while housebound with my leg up but the last week I’ve been going down to the yard for a couple of hours. I’m quietly itching away now to do a bit more, but it will be more for my leg than myself. I’ve had a lot of injuries and understand the pain and frustration, but I also understand the recovery and allowed myself a bit of time to rest and recover properly,” he said.

“Now the stitches are out I hope to get on a bike and in the pool and build the strength back up. You can lose a lot of fitness and core strength in two-and-a-half weeks and I really want to get back so that I can give the horse the best chance and have a go at the end of the season.”

‘She deserved her place’: horse eliminated from individual Olympic showjumping under blood rule

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 13:38:50 +0000

New Zealand combination Daniel Meech and Cinca 3 were eliminated from the Olympic individual showjumping final last night (4 August) as blood was found on the mare.

The FEI announced that blood was detected on the 12-year-old Holsteiner at the post-competition check, and that under FEI jumping rules, this is automatic elimination.

“Elimination under this rule does not imply there was any intent to injure the horse, but the rules are in place to protect the welfare of all competing horses,” the FEI stated.

Daniel told H&H the mare was not hurt at all, and sent pictures showing that she had no wound, rub or sore.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Cinca deserved to keep her place for history,” he added. “It was a tough track and she jumped amazing, I thought the heat just caught up with us in the end. I was first out and it was still very hot.

“It ruined what was a really proud moment for my team and country. I look forward to tomorrow’s team competition and doing my best again.”

Daniel, who competed at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics, and Cinca were the only New Zealand combination to make it through to yesterday’s individual final, completing the qualifying round with just two time-penalties.

Daniel said after that first round: “I was proud of her. It’s by far the biggest occasion ever for her. She took a little time on some jumps, and we went over time, but really I couldn’t have asked for more – she was perfect tonight.”

They went on to lower three rails and clock up time-faults in the final.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand appealed against the elimination, which was heard by the ground jury but dismissed.

H&H has previously reported on the controversial “blood rule”, under which a combination can be eliminated for “almost invisible” marks on a horse.

Cinca passed today’s (5 August) trot-up for the team competition, which starts tomorrow, in which she and Daniel will compete, along with Bruce Goodin on Quasimodo Z and Uma O’Neill on Clockwise Of Greenhill Z.

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Calls for review of FEI blood rules after Olympic showjumper’s appeal H&H Plus

An interesting case brought before the FEI Tribunal has once again given rise to concerns that the current blood rules

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Blood rules: riders call for stewards to have discretion

The proposed changes would also mean sanctions dependent on the severity of the violation

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘The blood rule has to change’: top British rider disqualified

Global Champions League co-founder Jan Tops said the rider is ‘great with his horses and didn’t deserve that at all’

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

‘The most incredible journey’: Tokyo contender retired following injury

Becky Murray — Thu, 20 May 2021 17:30:43 +0000

A Tokyo contender who enjoyed top-five finishes at Badminton and Aachen has retired from the sport following injury.

New Zealand rider Clarke Johnstone announced his 17-year-old gelding Balmoral Sensation, known as Ritchie, sustained an injury at the Sydney International Three-Day Event (6-9 May).

“After jumping a fantastic clear cross-country with his ears pricked all the way to the finish flags like he always does, unfortunately it became clear that Balmoral Sensation had picked up an injury and he wouldn’t be continuing in the competition,” said Clarke.

“Sadly this has also ruled us out of Olympic contention for the Tokyo Games.”

Clarke said after all of the “wonderful moments and memories” Ritchie had given him, the “very sad” decision had been made to call time on the gelding’s “brilliant” eventing career.

Badminton final scores

Clarke and Ritchie enjoyed many top placings in New Zealand and Australia since 2014. The pair were fifth at Badminton Horse Trials in 2016 and fifth at the Aachen CICO3* in 2018. In 2016 the combination made their Olympic debut as part of the New Zealand squad in Rio alongside Sir Mark Todd, and Tim and Jonelle Price. The team came fourth while Clarke was sixth individually, the highest-placed Kiwi rider.

“More than owing me nothing, I owe Ritchie a huge debt of gratitude and he has gone home now to start his retirement that he has so thoroughly earned,” said Clarke, adding that it was hard to put into words what Ritchie means to him.

“In the seven years I have ridden Ritchie he has taken not just me, but my family and friends on the most incredible journey. All over the world; from Adelaide and Aachen to Badminton, Brazil and Belgium, and always in the prizes. Through the highs and lows of sport, the triumphs and the tears, Ritchie has been the most amazing teammate. Brave, honest and so clever. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for me or me for him.”

Clarke said “without a doubt” the “crowning glory” of the pair’s career was the Rio Games, and although the gelding tied up on arrival in Rio and felt “flat” in the dressage, he gave Clarke the “most incredible” ride across country

Continued below…

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Five-star winner out of Tokyo contention as he retires from top-level competition

‘We have had so much fun together, so I have a lot to be thankful for. Above all he’s my

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Potential Olympic medallist ruled out of Tokyo

“This year we will have to take a break from competition. We are very sad and need patience now”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“He just never missed a beat from start to finish,” he said. “That was the best feeling of my life at the time, jumping clear around the difficult Olympic course with my mate. Probably only bettered by our clear round in the team showjumping the following day to put New Zealand in gold medal position. Sadly the team medal wasn’t to be and then Ritchie was completely out of gas in the individual jumping, and I made a dumb mistake so no medal there either. Ritchie gave his absolute best though and I was so proud to be taking home the best horse in the world in my eyes.”

Clarke said Ritchie is “way more” than the wins and the placings, and that even people who did not know the gelding loved him.

“It’s the end of an era for me and Ritchie. It’s been a great one,” he said.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Badminton winner to take over the reins of Sir Mark Todd’s World Equestrian Games ride

Lucy Elder — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:52:14 +0000

Sir Mark Todd’s 2018 World Equestrian Games ride McClaren has been taken on by 2018 Badminton winner Jonelle Price.

The 16hh 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, by Clarimo, finished second with Mark at Saumur CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2018 before heading to the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, where he helped the Kiwis secure their Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification.

“[Jonelle is] the perfect fit for McClaren in many ways – not only in stature either,” said Mark.

“It is very fitting that she will now have the ride as originally I tried to sell him to her, but pulled out of the deal when I decided to keep him for myself. I am looking forward to seeing this partnership develop as both are super talented and feisty.”

Mark, 63, officially retired from eventing in an emotional ceremony in the main arena at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials on Sunday (8 September).

He thanked the horse’s “incredibly supportive owners” David and Karie Thomson.

“We are sad to lose Toddy as ‘Mac’s’ master but we are also very grateful that he saw the potential in this little pocket rocket and invited Karie and me to be his owners,” said David. “Mac has been amazing.”

Mac, who was bred by Hotze Dirk, started his international career with Sir Mark in 2017 and went from BE100 to three-star (now four-star) in one season.

He was on the New Zealand team that won the CCIO3* (CCIO4*-L) FEI Nations Cup final Military Boekelo-Enschede in The Netherlands in 2017, where he finished seventh individually.

At the time, Mark described him as “truly phenomenal” and a “brilliant” horse for the future.

When Karie and David were told by Mark that he planned to hang up his eventing boots their hearts dropped.

“Of course we had a very emotional response, but the first question of business was then who would be his (McClaren’s) new trainer and rider who would continue to develop his potential to support our New Zealand team objectives for Tokyo and beyond?” said David, adding they discussed whether it would be best for the horse to go to an established rider or up-and-coming talent.

“Jonelle became the obvious choice because Mac is still relatively fresh to four-star experience,” said David, adding he is very pleased that his groom, “the talented and delightful” Jess Wilson, will move to the Prices’ stable with him.

“Karie, Mark and I are delighted that Jonelle accepted our offer. We believe he will develop his true potential under Jonelle’s tutelage.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Sir Mark Todd waves farewell to eventing in emotional Burghley retirement ceremony

An official retirement ceremony was held for the eventing legend in the main arena at the 2019 Land Rover Burghley

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Jonelle Price: 9 things you need to know about the 2018 Badminton winner

Here’s everything you need to know about eventing’s latest golden girl...

Jonelle said she has “always admired the horse”.

“Having seen him work and compete, as well as being on teams with Toddy, I am very excited about the future and the opportunity this presents,” she said.

“I am massively grateful to the owners for their major support of Team New Zealand both with McClaren and beyond.”

Equestrian Sport New Zealand high performance eventing manager Graeme Thom thanked David and Karie for their ongoing commitment to Jonelle and the wider team.

“It is fantastic news that McClaren will remain in the Kiwi camp,” he said.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

Sir Mark Todd waves farewell to eventing in emotional Burghley retirement ceremony

Lucy Elder — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 09:58:29 +0000

Sir Mark Todd officially retired from eventing in an emotional ceremony at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials on Sunday (8 September).

The eventing legend rode into the main arena on his London 2012 team bronze medal-winning ride, NZB Campino, ahead of the final jumping session.

“Kinky, as he is known at home, is the last horse I finished a three-day event on and that was here at this event last year,” he told the packed stands, before he was overcome with emotion.

“Now I’m heading back into the racing world as I did 19 years ago when I last retired, here at Burghley and the kids and Carolyn were much younger then! We left on that Monday morning with 20 suitcases and headed back to New Zealand, before I rode in the Sydney Olympics, which was to be my last ever event.

“Eight years later, I came back and it has been a wonderful 11 years.”

Sir Mark announced his second retirement from the sport after New Zealand won the Irish leg of the FEI Nations Cup series at Camphire in July.

“It has been an amazing 40 years. I know there’s a lot of people here who were probably little then and have grown up since I first rode here. You are an amazing crowd and have always got behind me and made me feel very welcome,” he said.

“I want to thank all the event organisers, the volunteers, the trainers, the grooms — including my latest groom, Jess Wilson, who has done an amazing job — and the owners. It is very easy for me to stand here, but it is all the work that goes on behind the scenes and I’m just the one who gets the glory.”

The six-time Olympic medallist, who won individual gold at both the 1984 and 1988 Olympics on Charisma, joked he seems to “make a habit” of Burghley retirement ceremonies.

“I’ve retired twice here, I’ve had two horses retire here — maybe it’s because it’s the end of the season and it’s a fitting time,” he said.

“[All my victories here] have been so different. When I won on Face The Music it was a year when nobody made the time. He was well down after the dressage and he was an incredibly fast horse, so he pulled up the leaderboard and we ended up winning it.

“When Welton Greylag won here it was for some wonderful owners, the Welmans, and that was their only four-star (now five-star) big win. When Broadcast News won it was the open European Championships here, and of course when I won on Welton Fair and was second on Charisma that was the only time I’ve done a one-two at a major three-day-event. They have all been special.”

The five-time Burghley and four-time Badminton winner, who will now focus on training racehorses, said he “honestly cannot say one highlight”.

“If I had to pick anything, I guess it would be the back-to-back [Olympic] gold medals with Charisma,”he said. “But also coming back after eight years off and going to Badminton with NZB Land Vision and winning again, when I didn’t expect it and I don’t think anybody else expected it. That was amazing as well.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Pippa Funnell takes second Burghley victory by 0.1 of a penalty: ‘it’s been an amazing journey’

Pippa Funnell has taken her second Burghley title, 16 years since her first win at the Lincolnshire CCI5*-L

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘A mix of sadness and relief’: eventing legend Mark Todd retires (again)

‘I won’t miss that sick feeling in the stomach on Badminton and Burghley cross-country morning!’

The 63-year-old added he is not totally divorcing himself from the sport and is still mentoring a couple of riders.

“For the moment though, I’m just want to get myself set up in the racing and get that going, then I can look to see what I can do,” he said.

“The encouraging thing is there are a few younger ones following on. We saw Sam Lissington have her first Burghley here, it wasn’t probably what she hoped but she showed a lot of promise, and there’s a couple of others coming through.

“Maybe with me moving out of the way it will give them a chance to shine.”

Don’t miss this week’s issue of Horse & Hound — on sale Thursday, 12 September — for the full report from Burghley, plus all the usual news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more

Suffolk stallion in global bid to preserve the endangered breed

Lucy Elder — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 05:29:57 +0000

Efforts to save the Suffolk horse from extinction have taken an international turn as genetics from a popular rare breed stallion are sent in New Zealand.

Frozen semen from Suffolk stallion Craikhow Hall Jensen is in the process of being imported to New Zealand.

Breeding specialists EquiBreed NZ revealed the news yesterday (10 August).

“We are thrilled to announced this semen is also for sale and should be with us early in the breeding season,” a company spokesman said on social media.

“As well as boosting the [Suffolk horse] gene pool in NZ, we think he would make a fabulous cross with other heavy horse breeds, or over thoroughbreds etc perhaps to breed hunting types.”

The spokesman added that the company has been working with “a dedicated group of rare breed enthusiasts”, including the Suffolk Horse Society, Stallion AI Services, the Thorpley Irish Draught and Rare Breed Stud and the Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand.

Craikhow Hall Jensen, owned by Bruce Langley McKim, hit the headlines on his hunting debut with the Fernie last winter.

The nine-year-old chestnut has also been helping to preserve the breed in the UK — as well as standing at Thorpeley Stud, he has also spent time at Stallion AI Services so his semen can be collected and preserved.

This is part of a joint venture between the horses’ owners, the stallion centre, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) and the Suffolk Horse Society.

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Trio of Suffolk stallions donate genes to help save rare breed

‘With greater ability comes greater responsibility — we are serious about using our technological and scientific advances as a force

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Rare Suffolk stallion makes his hunting debut

The Suffolk is one of a team stallions — whose owner has dispelled one myth about entire males in the

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Big Star and other elite stallions: behind the scenes at Stallion AI Services [PICTURES]

Horse & Hound goes behind the scenes of the Shropshire Stallion AI Services centre and meets some famous faces too

Tullis Matson, managing director of Stallion AI Services and RBST trustee, told H&H the move to export Suffolk horse genetics to New Zealand is “really exciting”.

“There are only 72 breeding females left in the country and only 300 in the world,” he said, adding that he hopes to export semen to the US and Australia in the near future.

“I was at a Livestock Conservancy meeting in America recently [where it was discussed that] one of the only ways we can try to protect the Suffolk horse is to spread their genetic pool around the world.”

He added while there are “a lot of hoops to jump through”, Stallion AI Services is experienced in exporting semen across the world and understands the import, export and biosecurity measures that go with shipping semen internationally.

The RBST has also welcomed the news.

“We are very pleased to hear that Craikhow Hall Jensen will be helping to increase genepool diversity within the registered Suffolk horse population in New Zealand,” RBST field officer Richard Broad told H&H.

The Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand added this is “one more wonderful step” towards reviving the Suffolk horse in New Zealand.

“Thank you to Lee of Equibreed NZ Ltd, not only for arranging these straws of the most amazing stallion, but for her belief in the [Suffolk horse’s] place in NZ.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

Olympic champion returns as fierce Kiwi squad named for WEG

Lucy Elder — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 11:55:37 +0000

Olympic gold medallist Blyth Tait is heading to his first senior championship since “retiring” from eventing 14 years ago.

The 57-year-old Kiwi rider has been named as one of the five-strong New Zealand squad for this year’s World Equestrian Games (WEG).

He will ride the 14-year-old gelding Dassett Courage, with Havanna as his reserve horse.

“I am absolutely delighted,” said Blyth. “It has been a long time. I am very honoured to be part of such a strong team and plan to take the opportunity and give it my all.”

Blyth announced his retirement from the sport after the 2004 Athens Olympics following a glittering career, but returned to competition in 2011.

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

WEG cross-country length at risk as weather hits groundworks

There has to be something there if we are going to have a successful Games

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Long-list for British eventing team for World Equestrian Games released

The senior selectors have given the first indication of who might make the British eventing team for WEG in Tryon,

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

More British riders revealed as WEG draws closer

‘They are both riding tried, tested and talented horses, so I feel Great Britain will be well represented’

He joins a host of other eventing legends on the seriously competitive New Zealand squad.

Double Olympic champion Mark Todd, 62, is named on the 11-year-old gelding McClaren, with his Rio 2016 ride Leonidas II and Kiltubrid Rhapsody, who finished sixth at Badminton 2018, as reserves. This will be his 16th senior championship.

Both Mark and Blyth were on the New Zealand squad at the first ever WEG at Stockholm in 1990, where they won team gold and Blyth also took the individual title.

“I am delighted to be on another WEG team and excited to be part of this great bunch of people,” said Mark. “Everything crossed now for the next four weeks to get there safely and in top form.”

World number five Jonelle Price, 37, is named with her 2018 Badminton winner Classic Moet. Her husband, fellow four-star winner and Tim Price, is named aboard the 11-year-old Cekatinka, with whom he finished third in Aachen, helping the NZ team to victory.

Tim, 39, who is currently the top-ranked New Zealand eventer in the world at number four, also has Ascona M and his Rio Olympic horse Ringwood Sky Boy as reserve rides.

Dan Jocelyn, 47, has been named aboard the 10-year-old Irish-bred gelding Grovine De Reve, with Dassett Cool Touch and Blackthorn Cruise in reserve.

The non-travelling reserves are Caroline Powell, 45, (Up Up And Away) and 28-year-old Jesse Campbell (Cleveland).

New Zealand has a successful history at WEG — the team won gold in 1990 and 1998 as well as bronze in 2010.

Individual gold medals have been won by Blyth Tait on Messiah and Ready Teddy in 1990 and 1998 respectively, and Vaughn Jefferis (Bounce) in 1994. Mark Todd and Broadcast News won silver in 1998, with Andrew Nicholson and Nereo claiming bronze in 2010.

This year’s Games take place in Tryon, North Carolina, from 11 to 23 September.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

New Zealand acts to bring an end to tight nosebands

Lucy Elder — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 14:37:45 +0000

Action to prevent tight nosebands being used in dressage competitions is being taken by the New Zealand equestrian federation (ESNZ).

The dressage arm of ESNZ has agreed a rule change, which alters where on the horse’s face the noseband tightness is measured.

The new rule states: “No noseband may ever be so tightly fixed that it will harm the horse. It must be possible to place one finger comfortably between the noseband and the nasal planum (front of the nose).”

Previously, the tightness was measured on the side of the face.

“The Dressage New Zealand Committee were unanimous in its view that the previous rule, which required the noseband to be loose enough to fit one finger under the nose band on the side of the face, was not adequate to prevent nosebands being fixed so tightly that they may cause harm,” Scott McKenna, Dressage New Zealand’s technical officer told H&H.

“This view was informed by the most recent scientific studies on the subject, plus the comments and advice of two veterinarians who were in attendance at the conference, including associate professor Chris Rogers from Massey University.

“Dressage New Zealand is investigating the use of a standardised measurement system to enforce this rule in a fair and consistent way and will also continue to monitor the situation to ensure the rule is effective.

“In particular we will continue to monitor whether the implemented standard of one finger on top of the nose is adequate or whether another standard, such as two fingers on top of the nose is required.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

pippa roome and peanunt kyle (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tight nosebands outlawed by national federation

The new rule is to be introduced from 1 January 2018 following research linking tight nosebands to mouth lesions

The Danish equestrian federation introduced a noseband tightness limit in January, which states that there must be a gap of at least 1.5cm between the horse’s nasal plate and noseband.

Officials can check the tightness of a noseband if they believe it is too tight and ask a rider to loosen it. There are sanctions for riders who refuse to loosen nosebands and for repeat offenders.

British Dressage does not specify an exact measurement relating to the noseband tightness in its 2018 rulebook, but it does state that tack must be correctly fitted to avoid pain, injury and discomfort.

In this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, out on Thursday 12 July 2018, don’t miss our ‘Rider fitness’ special including what top riders eat, fitness for across the disciplines and more.

Plus, read our interview with Royal Ascot-winning trainer Eve Johnson Houghton and in this week’s ‘Vet clinic’ we take a look at bacterial meningitis in horses. We also have reports from eventing action at Barbury, racing from Sandown Park and much more.

Meet Geoffry The Conqueror: the Shetland taking the internet by storm

Lucy Elder — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 11:57:28 +0000

A cheeky Shetland has become an internet sensation after footage of him galloping across the wilds of New Zealand went viral.

Geoffry The Conqueror enjoys galloping free-range along beaches, through woods and across open spaces with his equine, human and canine friends.

The huge uninhabited expanses of the country mean owner Rachael Jenks is able to let Geoffry and some of her other horses run free with her when she rides out.

The chestnut Shetland joins her at least three to four times a week and they sometimes cover 20-25km.

“He has absolutely no trouble keeping up and in fact leads most of the way,” Rachael told H&H.

It was thanks to being left home alone with NZ$200 (£110) emergency money from her parents that Geoffry came to be in Rachael’s life.

Geoffry the little conqueror, conquerin' shit. GoProPosted by Geoffry The Conqueror on Wednesday, March 29, 2017

She used to ride with Geoffry’s former owner and spotted the advert for the pint-sized pony on the internet.

She thought there could be no harm in going to see him and within half an hour had handed over the emergency money.

While her parents were initially not particularly pleased to find another pony in the field on their return, they soon came round to the idea.

“Geoffry is pretty cheeky and has a very big personality — like most miniatures,” she said.

“However unlike a lot of them he is very sweet. The second you sit down in the paddock, he knows it is scratch time and will come up and stand beside you and manoeuvre himself around so you can scratch his areas of choice. This isn’t a one-sided activity — he returns the favour by scratching your hair or back.”

She added one of her good friends recently had a fall out riding and Geoffry was giving her “affectionate nudges” up and down her back while looking “genuinely concerned” until help arrived.

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Rachael Jenks/Geoffry The Conqueror/Facebook)

Miniature Shetland makes elderly lady’s wish come true

"Betty’s one wish would be to run her

(Image credit: Rachael Jenks/Geoffry The Conqueror/Facebook)

Farewell Pedro: Shetland friend to the stars retires to the country

The pint-sized pony — who can count numerous

(Image credit: Rachael Jenks/Geoffry The Conqueror/Facebook)

Are these the most adorable Shetlands ever?

Pint-sized legs, flowing manes and a cheeky look

The tiny pony is well known within the horsey community of Warkworth, where he lives with Rachael’s four other horses, and it was his local fame that sparked the idea of starting his own Facebook page.

“I really didn’t expect much as having Geoffry along for the rides is so normal to me now I didn’t really see why others would be interested,” said Rachael. “But now at almost 30,000 likes, I have been proved wrong!

“The amount of views and comments on his page has been phenomenal.”

Geoffry The Conqueror. ConqueringPosted by Geoffry The Conqueror on Tuesday, February 14, 2017

She decided to attach her GoPro Hero 5 camera to Geoffry to “see what he is doing” while he is out riding with them and thought it would be fun to see the world from his perspective.

After trying a few different methods, she has found that attaching it to a specially-adapted child’s saddle gives the best footage.

“Geoffry isn’t the only one to come loose, I normally take three wherever I go, riding one, two loose,” said Rachael, adding that her two Dachshund cross dogs also join them.

“His favourite companion is Sterling, a 17.1hh grey Shire cross. When they are loose together they are off exploring all nooks and crannies — galloping ahead, jumping fallen logs, bush-bashing, swimming — all by choice, but they never stray too far, and when we are out of site, they will coming galloping back.

“This has taken Sterling from an un-surefooted goofy gelding, to quite a grown-up man who I trust to make good decisions while out riding. Geoffry has taught him a lot.

“We are just so lucky to have so many areas nowhere near roads or other people where we can do this.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

‘Her legacy will live on in people’s hearts and homes’: tributes to top equestrian photographer

Lucy Elder — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 11:01:24 +0000

The equestrian world is mourning the loss of pioneering equestrian photographer Barbara Thomson.

New Zealander Mrs Thomson was reported missing after she did not return from an early-morning fishing trip close to her home at the mouth of Waitahanui River on Lake Taupo on Tuesday (21 February).

Sadly New Zealand Police confirmed yesterday (Wednesday, 22 February) that they had found and recovered the 75-year-old’s body from the lake.

Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) chairman Nick Pyke extended his “deepest sympathies” to the Thomson family.

“Barbara was so well known by such a large number of equestrian people and her legacy will live on in people’s hearts and homes throughout the country in the form of wonderful photos and memories,” said Mr Pyke.

“Barbara was a pioneer in equestrian photography and many have shared their stories and memories of her photos and support.”

Mrs Thompson photographed almost every Olympics and World Equestrian Games in the past 30 years.

As well as the many international championships, she covered countless shows and events across New Zealand.

She also owned racehorses and eventers, including a share in Blyth Tait’s four-star ride Delta III — who was second at Badminton in 1994, competed at WEG the same year and won the Scottish Open Eventing Championships.

“She will be greatly missed by the whole equestrian community in New Zealand as she was an ever-present member and a great supporter,” Blyth told H&H.

Barbara then went on to own horses for eventer Heelan Tompkins, including her 2008 Olympic ride Sugoi.

An inspiration

Fellow equestrian photographer Libby Law said Barbara was one of her “ultimate inspirations”.

“When my sister and I were riding, we used to hope to receive her amazing image proofs in the post after events — and when we did, it was like winning the lottery,” Libby told H&H.

“After growing up knowing and loving her work, and finding myself following in her footsteps, I finally got the opportunity to introduce myself to her at the 2010 Taupo Three Day Event.

“I let her know what an inspiration she was to me, how incredible her work was, and what an honour it was to meet her.

“She looked bemused and laughed, and lightly brushed off my compliments — but her smile and love for what she did was obvious.

“Since then I have had the pleasure of seeing her often at events around New Zealand, and every time we chatted and laughed, and she gave me advice and encouragement, and I think I just confused her with my ongoing praise and admiration for her work!”

Libby added that seeing Kit Houghton and Barbara — “the two most pivotal people in regard to what I do” — both standing in the WEG 2014 media centre will always be one of her ultimate career highlights.

“I would like to be standing beside her many more times chit-chatting and laughing, and capturing the action with our cameras of course, but that will have to wait,” she said.

“For now, I am giving her my own standing ovation — and am letting the tears flow.

“Barbara will continue to hold that infinite pedestal position, I will always have her in my thoughts everywhere I go, and every time I look through my lenses.”

‘Wonderful, talented and generous’

Jan Sutherland started her career as an equestrian photographer working for Barbara.

“Barbara taught me so much about the idiosyncrasies of ‘good photos’,” she told H&H.

“Many riders and organisers will remember, probably with frustration, the time spent at presentations getting a horse to stand correctly and everything looking good.

“At the end of the day you just want to go home but for Barbara it wasn’t worth taking a photo if you couldn’t do it right.”

Ms Sutherland added she admired the fact that “you always knew where you stood with her” and she was unpretentious to the extent many did not know how influential she has been in the equestrian world.

“She was easy to talk to, fun to be out on a course with and always so helpful,” added Ms Sutherland.

“An amazing woman who had an equally amazing adventurous life. It is my privilege to have known and worked with her both as a friend and colleague.”

New Zealand Horse & Pony, for which Barbara provided photos for almost 50 years, has also paid tribute.

“Barbara had the rare ability to capture that perfect moment with a single click of the button,” wrote editor Rowan Dixon.

“We are deeply saddened by Barbara’s death, and will forever treasure our memories and association with such a wonderful, talented and generous person.

“We wish to send our deepest condolences to Tom, and the couple’s son Mark and daughter Michelle, and grandchildren James and Grace. Rest in peace Barbara, you will never be forgotten.”

A service will be held for Barbara at St Andrews Anglican Churst in Taupo at 11.30am on 27 February.

Messages to thomsonphoto@xtra.co.uk and donations to The Heart Foundation or RSPCA in lieu of flowers.

Cocaine worth £7.5m found in diamante horse’s head

Lucy Elder — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 06:03:53 +0000

The largest ever stash of cocaine seized by New Zealand authorities has been found inside a diamanté-encrusted horse head.

Customs and police officers found 35 bricks of high-grade cocaine, with an estimated street value of $14 million NZ dollars (£7.6 million), inside the 400kg sculpture that had arrived into the country from Mexico.

The discovery was made in early May.

(Image credit: BATES, Beth)

“This is obviously an extremely large amount of cocaine, and in the past we’ve only found very small amounts of this drug,” said detective senior sergeant Colin Parmenter, officer in charge, Organised Crime Auckland.

“Prior to this, the average amount of cocaine seized by police each year was around 250 grams.

“What this find tells us though is that there is obviously a demand for it.

“While it is possible that this statue may have been sent on to another country, there is every possibility that the cocaine was destined for the New Zealand market and we would be naïve to think otherwise.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Importing the class A drug is punishable by life imprisonment in New Zealand.

A joint investigation by the police organised crime team and customs resulted in the arrest of three men.

A 44-year-old Mexican and a 56-year-old US national were both arrested at Auckland International Airport as they tried to catch a flight to Hawaii.

They were charged with importing and possession for supply of a class A drug (cocaine) on 30 June.

On 2 July, a third person — a 29-year-old Mexican — was arrested and charged with the same two offences.

Police also want to speak to a man in connection with the cocaine seizure, who was seen on CCTV leaving a central Auckland hotel on Friday (1 July).

Popular articles:

“This man may not be able to assist us whatsoever, but until such time as we have spoken to him, we will keep looking for him,” said detective senior sergeant Parmenter.

“If it is you, if you saw this man or know anything about him, please get in touch.

“We’re investigating the largest-ever seizure of cocaine into this country and this is one line of enquiry that needs to be extinguished sooner rather than later.”

‘I am happy to concede’: Mark Todd hands over most senior New Zealand Olympian crown

Lucy Elder — Sat, 02 Jul 2016 09:55:03 +0000

Kiwi dressage rider Julie Brougham will pip Mark Todd to the “elder statesman” record at this summer’s Olympics.

The New Zealand Olympic committee had said that Mark, 60, would become their most senior Olympian.

But it has been revealed that Julie, who will make her Olympic debut in Rio, edges him by “a year or so”.

“It’s an age old issue of whether you should ask a lady her age . . . well, in keeping with those manners it transpires Sir Mark Todd may not be the oldest in the New Zealand Olympic team after all,” said a statement from the organisation.

Julie, 62, will become the third New Zealander in the history of the Olympics to compete in the dressage.

She rides her own and her husband David’s Vom Feinsten, a 13-year-old chestnut gelding with whom she holds the Australasian grand prix freestyle record (76.3%).

“I had tried to keep my age on the down low, but hey, now I’m an Olympian I may as well embrace it,” she said.

“But really, I am the newbie in all of this. Mark has more Olympic experience that would be hard to match.

“I am happy to pass the mantle back as the one we should all take advice from and aspire to.”

The combination have also won numerous national titles and earlier this year made the long journey from their home in Manawatu, New Zealand, to Germany to prepare for the Games.

Mark added: “I did quite enjoy being the elder statesman of the team, but am happy to concede.”

Julie and Mark are joined by eventers Jonelle Price, Clarke Johnstone, Jock Paget and reserve Tim Price as the Kiwi equestrian squad heading to the Olympics.

Related articles:

New Zealand Olympic team CEO Kereyn Smith said for the first time athlete numbers are swaying towards women.

“While Mark may still be our most capped Olympian, it’s great to see a female athlete take over the coveted ‘most senior’ spot,” she added.

“Gender balance is really having a positive impact within our team.”

Mark Todd set for eighth Olympics as New Zealand team announced

Lucy Elder — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 12:55:50 +0000

Mark Todd heads the list for New Zealand’s Rio eventing team and will make history as his country’s most senior Olympian.

Rio will be the eighth Olympics for the eventing legend, who has two horses on the list — his London 2012 team bronze medal-winning ride NZB Campino and Leonidas II.

“I am very excited about it,” he told H&H. “I think we have a pretty good team — there are no real weak links. We are a pretty even, strong team and that is going to be our strength.”

He added he will ride Leonidas II at Barbury (9-10 July) and NZB Campino is entered for Aachen (15-16 July), after which the decision will be made about which horse he will take.

The 60-year-old is also set to break his country’s record for its most senior Olympian.

“I don’t think about it really — I don’t feel my age, what are you meant to feel like at my age?” he said.

Joining him on the team are Jonelle Price, Jock Paget and Clarke Johnstone, with Tim Price as travelling reserve. The final horse selection has not yet been revealed.

New Zealand’s individual dressage place at this summer’s Games goes to Julie Brougham on Vom Feinstein.

“It has been an incredibly difficult process for selectors for both dressage and eventing,” said Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance director Sarah Dalziell-Clout.

“But when selection is difficult, it’s a positive sign for New Zealand’s equestrian sport for the future.

“There were a lot of solid performances at the highest level from our eventers over the past 18 months, with the majority of riders having successful performances on multiple horses.

“For dressage, it has been an exciting time as new levels have been reached by our two high performance combinations (Ms Brougham and John Thompson).

“With such a hard-fought contest for this single place, it was disappointing to not be able to have selected them both.”

Jonelle and Jock were both on the London 2012 team and Clarke won team bronze at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Related articles:

“To have athletes selected who can draw on multiple Olympic medal-winning experiences from previous campaigns is a powerful thing,” added New Zealand Olympic committee CEO Kereyn Smith.

“I would like to congratulate Sir Mark Todd on continuing to raise the bar ahead of his eighth Olympic Games appearance and wish every one of the athletes selected today all the very best in Rio.”

The team riders and their horses are as follows:

Mark Todd (NZB Campino or Leonidas II)
Jonelle Price (Faerie Dianimo or Classic Moet)
Jock Paget (Clifton Lush)
Clarke Johnstone (Balmoral Sensation)

Reserve:

Tim Price (Bango or Ringwood Sky Boy)

New Zealand to consider ban on hot branding

Lucy Elder — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 08:02:37 +0000

Tough new proposed amendments to New Zealand’s animal welfare regulations have been released for public consultation.

The aim is to help authorities crack down on lower-level offending.

These proposals set out clear penalties and fines, for example striking a horse around the head with a lead, whip or any other object would result in a fine of $300 (£146).

“Most animal welfare offending is at a low to medium level of severity,” states the consultation document.

“The proposed regulations seek to set specific penalties — including fines — for low to medium level animal welfare offences so that this type of offending can be dealt with more effectively.

“The new rules mean we can effectively deal with all levels of offending, not just the most severe.”

Injuries from equipment — such cuts or abraisions from tack and halters — and tethering without constant access to food, water and shelter, would also be directly punishable with a $300 fine, but no criminal conviction.

Hot branding would be completely banned, if the proposals are given the go-ahead.

There are also suggestions to tighten up the law on areas such as who can carry out certain veterinary procedures, for example castrations.

New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is running the consultation until 19 May.

Related articles:

H&H reported last week that UK’s Animal Welfare Act 2006 is also undergoing a review.

Evidence was heard by the government’s environment, food and rural affair’s sub-committee in Westminster on 12 April and 19 April.

This first review looks at whether the Act is fit for purpose and its enforcement, in relation to domestic pets including cats, dogs and horses.

A total of 240 submissions were made by organisations such as the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, the British Veterinary Association and the British Horseracing Authority.

Four-star event horse seized in legal battle

Lucy Elder — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 12:08:46 +0000

A New Zealand event rider is urgently trying to get his four-star ride back after the horse was seized at Hartpury Horse Trials.

Just Ironic, ridden by Craig Nicolai and owned by his mother Anne, was taken by bailiffs at the Gloucestershire fixture last month (13 August).

Craig told H&H that he found out through Facebook that the horse was advertised for sale.

“It is hard because he has always been a part of the family,” Craig told H&H.

He added the support he has had from social media users has been “amazing”.

Just Ironic was bought as a two-year-old by Anne and Craig took over the ride in 2006. The combination went from novice to advanced in a year.

They have competed at six four-stars together and were entered for Burghley Horse Trials this week (3-6 September).

The grey gelding, by Ironclad, has 313 British Eventing points and has competed with Craig at numerous other international events.

The Kiwi eventer said on his Facebook page that the horse, known as Spida, had been seized as part of a dispute with a former livery over payments.

He also said that they are awaiting a third-party property court hearing, which is currently scheduled for 11 September.

“I am so very grateful for all of the support that I am receiving, but feel that the credibility of both my mother and I has been unfairly jeopardised by this horrendous situation and a special horse to our family is suffering the consequences,” he wrote.

According to Craig, proof of his mother’s ownership of the horse has been supplied to the courts and bailiffs.

The bailiffs and other party involved in the dispute have not responded to H&H’s requests for comment.

NZ Eventing said it hopes the situation is “sorted out quickly”.

“Craig and his supporters are desperately trying to get the 17-year-old horse back, including on the basis he is owned by Craig’s mother Anne who lives back here in New Zealand,” the organisation posted on social media on 29 August.

“We know there is a special lifelong bond between the Nicolai family and Spida.”

Successful Olympic event horse dies

Pippa Roome — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 14:55:47 +0000

Glengarrick, who was the best of the New Zealand event horses at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 World Championships, has died aged 29.

The black gelding, by the thoroughbred stallion Beechcraft, had numerous successes with rider Heelan Tompkins. He was fifth at Chatsworth CIC3* in 2002 and second at Boekelo CCI3* that year. The following year he finished 17th at Badminton.

In 2004 he was 10th in the World Cup qualifier at Chatsworth. He went on to finish seventh at the Athens Olympics that summer at the age of 18. Back in New Zealand, Glengarrick won Puhinui CCI3* in 2005.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Glengarrick’s final championships appearance was at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006, by which time he was 20-years-old. But he still recorded an outstanding result, taking seventh — once again, the best New Zealand placing.

After this WEG Heelan was unsure when or whether she would be able to afford to bring Glengarrick home to New Zealand, but an anonymous benefactor stepped in to help reunite her with the horse.

“The way our team works is we get about 20% of our trip funded. This was the third time I’ve done a trip with ‘Nugget’ where I’ve been left at the other end wondering how to bring him home. I knew he was in good hands with Jacky Green until I could,” Heelan told H&H at the time.

“Then an acquaintance — a horse lover who had followed Glengarrick’s career — emailed me and asked how I was getting on. I said everything was great, except that I was missing Nugget. He e-mailed back and said he’d send him home for me. I said no, but he organised everything.”

The pair were reunited on 24 December 2006 and the horse enjoyed a long retirement in New Zealand.

Andrew Nicholson: ‘Perhaps they think I’m old and past it’ [H&H VIP]

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:55:12 +0000

“Perhaps they think I’m old and past it,” Andrew Nicholson remarked to H&H following the news that he has been left off the New Zealand high performance squad list for 2015 — despite making himself available for selection.

In October Andrew withdrew himself from the selection process until a review following the World Equestrian Games (WEG).

Andrew said he had since written to Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) putting himself forward for the squad, but this hadn’t been passed to the squad’s selectors by ESNZ.

“I said I’d be available but they clearly don’t want me,” Andrew told H&H.

“I’m disappointed with them, but obviously they have their own reasons.”

Andrew, who is the country’s best-performing rider — winning a Burghley hat-trick, as well as leading the Kiwi team to bronze at London 2012 — was not among the seven riders named last month.

Mark Todd, Jock Paget, Caroline Powell, Lucy Jackson, Clarke Johnstone and Jonelle and Tim Price make up the list.

“Andrew officially withdrew himself on 2 October 2014,” Vicki Glynn of ESNZ told H&H.

“We accepted that withdrawal, which was part of an internal agreement between ESNZ and Andrew. While Andrew more recently asked to return, in ESNZ’s view the circumstances have not changed.

“We look forward to Andrew competing as an individual for New Zealand at international events over the coming year.”

She added that the next squad review will be mid-2015.

The news follows a reported disagreement between Andrew and a team vet at WEG.

The seven-time Olympian alleged his ride Nereo was left without veterinary assistance on several occasions.

He maintains that he had to find someone to track the vet down, which led to “robust discussion and an argument”.

ESNZ countered this.

“Horse wellbeing is always ESNZ’s primary concern,” said Vicki Glynn.

“The cross-country at WEG 2014 was particularly arduous, largely due to weather conditions leading up to the event.

“Our support team performed exceptionally, and we have absolute confidence that everything necessary was done for all our horses to ensure their best recovery.”

The organisation maintains this incident was unrelated to Andrew’s omission.

One of the team vets, Ollie Pynn, announced his departure from ESNZ following WEG.

“I got the impression my complaints had been taken on board and that the situation had been resolved,” said Andrew.

“But the federation is obviously confident in the squad it’s got, and if it are happy to leave me off then fair enough. ESNZ said the team did really well last year — which is hard to imagine given the results at WEG.”

The New Zealand team did not complete at WEG, so in order to go to Rio 2016 the team must qualify at the Asia-Pacific Championships or by qualifying a “composite” team of athletes through the FEI rider rankings.

Andrew said he wouldn’t let this news affect his training.

“I will just try to carry on improving as I normally do,” he said.

“It’s not the first time I haven’t been on the high performance list and I’ve been okay before.

“It’s now full steam ahead for this year, trying to be as successful as I can be.”

Ref: Horse & Hound; 8 January 2015

Andrew Nicholson requests his removal from high performance squad

Sophia Heath — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 18:00:50 +0000

Andrew Nicholson has reportedly asked to be withdrawn from next year’s New Zealand high performance squad after a disagreement with a team vet at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) this summer.

The seven-times Olympian alleges his ride Nereo was left without veterinary assistance on several occasions. He maintains that he had to find someone to track the vet down which led to “robust discussion and an argument”.

Andrew told the New Zealand Herald that a complaint was made by Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) high performance officials Sarah Harris and Erik Duvander to the FEI about his behaviour, which was subsequently withdrawn.

Ms Harris has released a statement denying this.

“Any complaints would firstly be dealt with by ESNZ, but no official complaints were laid following WEG,” she said. “The welfare of our horses and riders are of the highest priority to us and our riders. Andrew Nicholson is one of our most celebrated athletes at elite level.”

Ms Harris stated that ESNZ has two formal processes currently underway — a debrief about WEG and its annual review with High Performance Sport New Zealand.

Andrew said he will not reconsider his position until after the review process.

It is currently unclear whether Andrew would still be prepared to compete for his country.

H&H has tried to contact Andrew, but has been unable to reach him to confirm the situation.

The New Zealand team did not complete at this year’s WEG, so there are now two ways the country could qualify a team for the 2016 Olympics.

The first is at next year’s Asia Pacific Championships, which has previously been held as part of the CCI3* at Blenheim and where Japan would be likely to be New Zealand’s main rival (only one team qualifies for Rio from this championship).

The second is by qualifying a “composite” team of athletes through the FEI rider rankings (riders who qualify in this way win an Olympic place for their nation, not necessarily for themselves) — it is likely a nation with New Zealand’s strength would be able to qualify a team through the rakings.

This drama comes during a turbulent time for the structure of ESNZ. After WEG it was revealed that Ms Harris was leaving her post at the end of November and that British-based New Zealand farrier Andrew Nickalls and team vet Ollie Pynn had both also signalled their exits. It is not clear if Mr Pynn was involved in the incident at WEG.

Mr Duvander, who is high performance coach, is moving back to New Zealand and former chief executive Jim Ellis has taken up a different leadership role within Sport New Zealand.

Mark Todd: I can’t wait for WEG [H&H VIP]

Mark Todd — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 10:10:25 +0000

We head to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games next Monday (25 August). Having been to Haras du Pin several times for the normal CIC3* event, I’m really looking forward to seeing what they’ve done with the whole set-up. We’ve been told the cross-country course is hilly, difficult and long — it’ll be exciting to see it.

The Germans are of course very strong and Michael Jung will be one of the favourites to win individually. But his whole team will be very competitive, and especially Sandra Auffarth, who won individual bronze at London 2012. She could beat him in the dressage — and could stay ahead of him.

I think New Zealand has got a great chance, though, both as a team and individually. We are capable of the same level of dressage as the Germans — which is an essential starting point — and so are William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning. We’ll be a lot wiser in 2½ weeks’ time!

I’m very pleased with my ride, Leonidas II. He’s had a fairly light campaign since a tough Badminton: the advanced intermediate at Salperton, the CIC3* at Barbury and the open intermediate at Wilton, plus the advanced dressage and showjumping at Gatcombe — just to keep him sweet, really.

He came to me from Nina Lantermann through agent Phillip Kolossa in Germany about four years ago and hadn’t done much at all. The plan was to bring him over, produce him and sell him. At first he was quite difficult and I didn’t like him much.

Badminton final scores

But he knuckled down and improved, and Diane Brunsden and Peter Cattell bought him for me. He’s very capable in all three phases and is the most lovely horse in the stable — but when you’re on board he’s a real feisty one. He loves working, but is very quick, sensitive and sharp. I don’t wear spurs on him to do dressage and he’s almost over-keen to please.

He’s still only 10 and I think he will be even better in two years’ time, but he would have as much talent as any horse I’ve had in the past.

Where events can improve

I wanted to do the dressage and showjumping with Leonidas II at Hartpury, but I don’t like the fact that they put the three-star dressage in the indoor arena. We don’t do dressage indoors anywhere else and I didn’t want to upset him on his last run — the roof creaks, it’s noisy and echo-y and a lot of horses really don’t like it in there. The pure dressage people say the same thing.

I do admit, though, we were very grateful to be indoors for the showjumping during the torrential storms on the Sunday of the event!

Hartpury has some of the best facilities anywhere in the country, and they have done wonders with the going on the cross-country — it was pretty much perfect.

The one thing that lets the event down is the organisation — sometimes one hand doesn’t seem to know what the other is doing. For example, I withdrew a horse a couple of weeks beforehand, and they were still calling me to come and do dressage!

There are never any start sheets or times available at the stables, and the scoreboard is a long way away — I don’t think I ever found it. It could be a sensational event, but it needs a bit of sharpening up on some fronts.

I went to Somerford last weekend and, like Hartpury, it has great facilities and arenas. It makes such a difference to do dressage and showjumping on an artificial surface.

I know I’ve said this before, but I do think our top events, particularly Badminton and Burghley, should invest in one. Whether there is a level playing field for all competitors is often completely dependent on the weather, and that element of chance is not right at a four-star. The Global Champions Tour show in London put down a temporary surface, so surely it could be done?

Also, the warm-up arenas for the showjumping at Somerford and Hartpury are far better than at many top events in this country.

Pau, Luhmühlen and Kentucky have much more advanced facilities than Badminton and Burghley — wouldn’t it be great if they could match them?

First published in Horse & Hound magazine on 31 July 2014

Kiwi rider misses out on WEG eventing squad

Pippa Roome — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 16:00:46 +0000

Caroline Powell has withdrawn from the New Zealand squad for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) as her ride Onwards And Upwards is lame.

She said: “We were at team training having a dressage session with Isobel Wessels. He worked really well for 40 minutes, then we stopped for a chat, carried on and he stepped off unsound. We’re still trying to get to the bottom of it, but it’s obviously very frustrating.”

Cameron Crawford’s 11-year-old Onwards And Upwards was due to make his senior championship debut, having finished in the top 25 at Badminton and Pau last year. Caroline won a team bronze at the last WEG in 2010 on Mac Macdonald and team bronze at the 2012 London Olympics on Lenamore.

Caroline’s place as an individual on the Kiwi squad has been taken by Jonelle Price and Classic Moet, who proved their worth with third in the CIC3* at Hartpury last weekend.

Luhmühlen winner Tim Price: 7 facts you might not know

Horse & Hound — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:39:53 +0000

Eventer Tim Price hit the headlines this weekend when he clinched the CCI4* title at Luhmühlen in Germany with his ride Wesko — the biggest win of his career to date.

If this is the first you’ve heard of the 35-year-old New Zealander, H&H is here to get you up to speed on eventing’s latest star.

7 facts you might not know about Tim Price

1. Tim is married to eventer Jonelle Price (née Richards), who he met at a jumping show in 1998. The pair started going out in 2001 and Tim proposed in 2010. They finally tied the knot in January 2013.

2. Tim and Jonelle came to Britain in the summer of 2003 with their advanced horses Desamoray and Mazetto to prepare for Burghley Horse Trials.

3. While Tim finished 42nd at Burghley in 2003 with Desamoray, Mazetto got travel sick and never started.

4. The following year Tim and Desarmoray won the advanced at Belton and and Jonelle finished 17th at Badminton with Mazetto. Before long both Tim and Jonelle were hooked on the British eventing scene…

5. The pair moved to the UK permanently in 2005 and are based at Mere Farm in Wiltshire, which is owned by Tim and Melissa Brown. The yard boasts 20 looseboxes, indoor and outdoor arenas, a jumping field and cross-country fences including water.

6. One of Tim’s former rides Boondoggle — who he started competing in Britain in 2005 — was rescued from a “future with dog food”. Tim produced him to advanced before he was sold to Kitty King, who competed him at 4-star.

7. 2014 has been a season Tim won’t forget — for all the right reasons. He finished 9th at Badminton with 11-year-old Ringwood Sky Boy, won the CIC3* with 11-year-old Wesko at Tattersalls in May and then took the CCI4* at Luhmühlen with Wesko yesterday (15 June).

Take a look at these 6 types of horses you’re sure to find at every horse trials

International event rider suffers pelvis injury

Martha Terry — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 12:30:29 +0000

Former UK-based Kiwi eventer Joe Meyer is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after “an involuntary dismount while mounting a young horse” last Tuesday (15 April).

He has been diagnosed with a separated pelvis, with some cartilage and ligament damage.

“Could have been worse, but feeling like I’ve been hit by a train this am!” the 2008 Olympic rider tweeted the day of the accident.

Joe, who is now based in Florida, has been campaigning the exciting stallion, South Paw, and his veteran partner Sanskrit (pictured above), this spring.

He is still “too sore” to travel to this week’s Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, even as a spectator — an event at which he often competes.

He is covered by PRO Event Riders insurance plan.

Separated pelvis is often known as “saddle horn” injury in the US — where it is most commonly seen in rodeo riders landing badly on the saddle after being thrown out of it.

In a study in the US, 90% of riders with the injury were back riding within a year, although there are many associated complications. Extensive physiotherapy is required, and sometimes surgery.

British Eventing thanked for ‘pulling out the stops’ for Tom Gadsby’s family

Flora Watkins — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 12:00:43 +0000

Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) has thanked British Eventing (BE) for the help and support given to the family of Tom Gadsby in the days after his death.

Tom, 26, was killed in a rotational fall at Somerford Park Horse Trials on 18 August.

His mother — who had been visiting Tom — was flying home to New Zealand when the accident happened. She travelled back to the UK with his father and sister to collect his body.

Jim Ellis, chief executive of ESNZ, said BE had gone to great lengths to help the family.

“They absolutely pulled out every single stop and made it so much easier for Tom’s parents and sister,” he said.

This story was originally published in Horse & Hound 19 September 2013

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson heads HSBC rider rankings

Charlotte White — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:50:13 +0000

New Zealand eventer Andrew Nicholson has moved into first place in the HSBC Rankings following the London 2012 Olympic eventing competition.

Andrew, who was the captain of New Zealand’s bronze medal-winning team in Greenwich, is now 46 points clear of William Fox-Pitt.

William who had led the HSBC Rankings since April drops into second place, despite winning team silver in London.

And 29-year-old New Zealander Jock Paget has moved into third, 21 points clear of fourth-placed Boyd Martin of the USA.

Olympic champion Michael Jung of Germany is in fifth place and Mary King is sixth.

“Andrew Nicholson has made an immense contribution to New Zealand’s proud Olympic Games equestrian record, and it’s great to see him in the position he deserves as leader of the HSBC Rankings,” said Jim Ellis, chief executive of Equestrian Sports New Zealand.

“Jonathan Paget laid down his cards when he became a member of the winning New Zealand team at the London 2012 team qualifier at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trial last year.

“We are delighted to see him up there with the eventing greats, and this is all doing wonders for eventing in New Zealand and the sport internationally.”

The current HSBC Rankings are based on results obtained between 1 September 2011 and 2 August 2012.

Last year’s winner Mary King won a $50,000 ( £31.847) bonus.

Andrew Nicholson and Mark Todd to lead New Zealand Olympic effort

Pippa Roome — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:42:56 +0000

The New Zealand eventing team for the London Olympics has been named:

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise
Caroline Powell and Lenamore
Andrew Nicholson and Nereo
Jonelle Richards and Flintstar
Mark Todd (pictured) and NZB Campino

Lucy Jackson has been named as the reserve.

Clarke Johnstone had to withdraw from the selection process last night due to an injury to his horse Orient Express.

The New Zealand final trial was at the St James’s Place Barbury International Horse Trials last weekend.

Full report from Barbury in H&H out this Thursday (5 July).

Mark Todd nominated for New Zealand sportsman of year award

Horse & Hound — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:43:23 +0000

Eventer Mark Todd has been nominated for the New Zealand sportsman of the year award, following his Badminton win this year.

The victory was Toddy’s fourth in the competition, made more amazing by the facts it was 31 years on from his first and follows an eight-year retirement.

It was also the horse NZB Land Vision’s first four-star run.

The 55-year-old was nominated for the award by Equestrian Sports New Zealand – which described his return to the sport’s top-level as “thrilling”.

Mark is on the 12-person shortlist for the award which will be whittled down to no more than five. The award will be presented in February.

Showjumper Samantha McIntosh leaves Europe for New Zealand

Charlotte White — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:52:47 +0000

Showjumper Samantha McIntosh is heading home to New Zealand.

Samantha, who was based in Germany and rode for Bulgaria, came “back to black” last year in time to ride for New Zealand at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

Now she is leaving her Europe base for the greener pastures of the Waikato.

Samantha has been based in Europe since 1996 and rode for Bulgaria at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, five European championships and two world games.

WEG 2010, in Kentucky, was her first top level New Zealand appearance.

The 35-year-old says while she’s been living the dream for 14 years, the time is right to come home next month.

“Excited is not the word for it,” she says. “I am looking forward to spending time with my family and working with some of the exciting young horses we have at home.”

Her top horse Loxley 38 will return to his owner Horst Jaggli, who bought him as a three-year-old.

Fifteen-year-old Loxley has been with McIntosh eight years.

While she has no world-class horses with her now, she is not discounting representation at top level again.

“You never know what is just around the corner,” she said.

New Zealand horse suffers chemical burns to its face

Horse & Hound — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:44:39 +0000

Police are investigating after a horse in New Zealand suffered chemical burns to its face.

Thirteen-year-old gelding Squirt was found with a creosote-type substance smeared all over the left side of his face, narrowly missing his eye, at a showjumping event in the North Island.

Hawera police believe the attack occurred on Friday night (4 March) at the Egmont A&P Showgrounds for the three-day National Showjumping Series Final.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The horse competed later in the competition as it was reportedly in no distress or discomfort.

Owner Kathyrn Corry told local press that the horse had had a similar substance smeared on it, around its girth, at an event in Foxton the Saturday before.

A spokesman for Equestrian Sports New Zealand said: “We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms, noting that the welfare of our horses is paramount. On conclusion of the police investigation, ESNZ will take further action against any member found to have been involved.”

It is understood that a fellow competitor has been questioned.

New Zealand Olympic eventing squad to be based in UK

Horse & Hound — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:32:27 +0000

The New Zealand eventing team and entire top-level training programme will relocate to the UK this spring in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics.

The Kiwis aim to better the team bronze medal they secured at last autumn’s World Equestrian Games (WEG) and have already named their five-strong 2012 squad.

“Our riders need to compete against the best in the world — in the UK and Europe,” said team coach Erik Duvander.

“We want to utilise the available team events, such as Aachen, the Olympic test event in London [in July] and our group Olympic qualifier against Japan and Australia, in our team preparations.”

Three of the squad — Andrew Nicholson (selected with four horses), Mark Todd and Caroline Powell — have been based in the UK on and off since before the 1990s.

Jonathan Paget competed from Dunsfold, Surrey, during the 2010 eventing season and will return for Badminton, while Clarke Johnstone will be based in the UK for the first time.

“I am very excited to be moving to Britain for the lead-up to London,” said Mr Johnstone, who will make a short trip over next month to scout out potential bases and move in April, with four horses.

“It will mean I shouldn’t have any worries with acclimatisation, which was a bit of an issue in Kentucky, having travelled from the southern hemisphere just before WEG.”

Several of the NZ support team, such as the farrier and vet, are also already living and working in the UK, and Mr Duvander will follow suit in the spring with his family.

The Kiwis have long been renowned for strong jumping performances and they are building their strategy around improving their dressage.

Their coaches in this phase will include Kyra Kyrklund and Judy Bradwell, who are both based in the UK.

But Mr Duvander has not ruled out visits to the Continent as well.

“The riders are currently using very good European trainers in the UK,” he said. “But some might travel for shorter stints to other European countries for further dressage improvement.”

New Zealand has already won three Olympic gold medals in eventing, won by Blyth Tait at Atlanta 1996 and Mark Todd at Seoul 1998 and Los Angeles 1984.

They also have two silver and four bronze medals in the cabinet.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (20 January, 2011)

Endurance ladies carry New Zealand’s hopes at WEG

Horse & Hound — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:39:48 +0000

Three women will fly the flag for New Zealand at the FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

Alison Higgins on Twynham El Omar, Debby Worsfold on Northwinds Bradley McGregor and Jenny Chandler on Lace and Fineness will compete in the 160km endurance ride against the best in the world.

Alison is currently 10th in the world-rankings but was ranked third earlier this year. She has only been involved in endurance since 2002, but has moved quickly through the ranks.

High performance leader Madonna Harris says the terrain in Kentucky will suit the Kiwi horses perfectly, but much hinges on solid riding skills and a strong team performance. However, with just three riders in the team, there is no luxury of a drop off score.

“Our riders know what speed they need to ride at to maintain that world class level,” says Harris, who has represented New Zealand in a raft of sports including cross-country skiing, cycling, athletics, endurance riding and basketball. “We have a great opportunity to do well there.”

New Zealand originally announced a five-strong endurance team, but two of those named have since withdrawn.

Read the latest World Equestrian Games news

New Zealand reveals its ‘strongest ever’ jumping team for WEG

Horse & Hound — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:19:35 +0000

New Zealand’s showjumping high performance leader Richard Sunderland has described his squad for the FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky as the country’s strongest ever showjumping team.

The squad includes:

Samantha McIntosh riding Loxley 38
Katie McVean with Dunstan Delphi
Guy Thomas and Peterbilt
Maurice Beatson on Apollo van Evendael

“Potentially this is the best team I have ever had anything to do with,” says Richard. “We’ve got three combinations who are consistently jumping clear at 1.60m and a fourth with a young horse, who is coming into his own.”

While Apollo is the most inexperienced horse on the squad, Richard believes that the talent and experience of former Olympian Beatson makes them a must-have combination.

“We have to concentrate on getting through to the second round of the team competition,” said Richard. “Just 10 nations go through, but I am quietly confident you’ll see the silver fern [of New Zealand] amongst them.”

Read the latest World Equestrian Games news

Mark Todd looks forward to New York marathon

Horse & Hound — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:19:02 +0000

Catriona Williams must have done some serious persuading to get friend and fellow New Zealander Mark Todd to run the New York Marathon on 7 November 2010.

“I’m a patron of Catriona’s charity Catwalk and as she’s doing the race in a wheelchair I thought I could do it on my legs,” Mark said.

Twenty Kiwis are taking part in the race to raise funds for the CatWalk Trust, a charity that funds research into spinal cord injuries. Founder and former showjumper Catriona was paralysed in a jumping accident in 2002.

“As people like Rodney [Powell], Ginny [Elliot], and I think even Ian [Stark] have run marathons I thought it was another thing I should tick off,” said Toddy.

“I’m not sure it’s going to be another career though.”

Having bounced back from retirement to contest the Beijing Olympics and now part of the New Zealand performance squad for London 2012, for this eventing legend, anything is possible.

Mark is yet to start training for the race but says he will be looking to hire a trainer and plan his preparation carefully to avoid injuries.

“I’m actually not a great fan of running but I’m going to get started…soon,” he said.

Fitting running around his riding will be a juggling act for the 53-year-old.

“I suppose when the horses go out I’ll have to go on foot and run and lead,” he quipped.

“I haven’t run since I was at school and right now I don’t think I could run to the end of the road!”

Nevertheless, Mark Todd is nothing if not ambitious. He has set his sights on a target time of under three hours for the 26mile race, but has been told that could be a bit hopeful.

“Everything I do I like to do well so I’ll give it my best shot,” he said.

Following the loss of his Beijing ride Gandalf in January, Toddy is relying on the rest of his string to win a place in the New Zealand team for his seventh Olympics.

“Land Vision is a very talented horse and is my best hope at this stage. He’s potentially as good as any horse I’ve had in the past,” he said.

“Hopefully it’ll be a horse I’ve trained myself, though I wouldn’t rule out getting another like Gandalf late in the day.”

Gandalf was produced to three-star level by Angela Lloyd and Toddy took him on just months before the 2008 Olympics.

“He did his job very well in Beijing – he was never going to be amazing at dressage but he jumped clear across country and double clear in the showjumping so you can’t ask for much more than that.”

For more details on the CatWalk Trust see www.catwalk.org.nz.

New Zealand rider injured after horse collapses and dies under her

Horse & Hound — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:12:26 +0000

A woman from New Zealand has been injured after her horse collapsed and died while she was riding it, trapping her underneath.

The 19-year-old from Lower Hutt was riding with two friends on Wainuiomata’s southern coast when her horse had a seizure.

It collapsed trapping her underneath and knocking her unconscious.

She was pulled out from under the horse by the other riders, who then called the air ambulance

A Westpac rescue helicopter crew member told local press:

“It would appear the helmet saved her life. The helmet was shattered but it did its job and protected her head.”

She has since regained consiousness but her condition is unknown.

Horse meat sellers in New Zealand under investigation

Horse & Hound — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:32:44 +0000

Accusations that horse meat unfit for human consumption is being sold illegally to the general public as food has sparked an investigation in New Zealand.

An investigation by undercover TV show has forced New Zealand’s Food Safety Authority to act after the Tuakau Pet Food Abattoir was found selling horse meat for people to eat.

The large Tongan community in Auckland are the main buyers, said Melino Maka, the chairman of the Tongan Advisory Council.

“Some members of the Tongan community do eat horse,” said Mr Maka.

“A lot of people claim it’s a delicacy. The meat is pre-cooked, shredded and then cooked again with coconut oil.”

The dish, known as Loi Hoosi, can be bought in South Auckland markets for £2 a serving.

The actor in the TV expose bought 6kg of horse meat from the abattoir for £8.50. He was told it was freshly killed that morning.

Mr Maka estimated that up to 10,000 Tongans, about 20 per cent of the community in New Zealand, ate horse meat labelled as unfit for human consumption, as none was available labelled fit for human consumption.

Geoff Allen of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, said pet food is made to different standards and while humans may be able to eat it, there is a greater risk of poisoning.

He said: “The way the abattoir was promoting the horse meat as fit for human consumption makes the deception a breach of the Animal Products Act.”

Fines for a company breaching the act are up to £200,000.

Horse killed after plunging through car windscreen

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:17:23 +0000

A horse has been killed after plunging through the windscreen of a moving car.

Catherine Lawrence, 74, from New Zealand was driving on Wednesday night (26 August) when 4 horses ran in front of her car.

She narrowly avoided hitting 2 of the horses but third was killed in the accident in Nelson on South Island

Ms Lawrence suffered bruises to her face and an eye injury.

The horse landed with its head on the back seat and its body in the front passenger seat. It was killed instantly.

“I thought the body was the airbag that had gone off,” Ms Lawrence told the New Zealand Herald.

“If anyone else had been in the car, they wouldn’t have had a hope. All the doctors at the hospital said go home and buy a Lotto ticket.”

The horse was one of 4 that had broken through an electric fence onto the road. The other 3 were safely rounded up and returned to the owner.

Blyth Tait to leave position with New Zealand equestrian federation

Charlotte White — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:22:32 +0000

Former eventing world champion and Olympic gold medalist Blyth Tait is to leave his position as Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) eventing high performance director.

Mr Tait’s contract ends on 31 December 2008 and will not be renewed.

A spokesman for ESNZ said: “Unfortunately with Blyth’s increasingly busy personal and business life he no longer has the time to dedicate to the position.

“Blyth has performed an excellent job over the last four years working hard to bring the eventing high performance programme together and has been a pleasure to work with him.

“It is hoped that ESNZ and eventing will be able to retain Blyth’s knowledge and expertise in some capacity into the future.

“ESNZ would like to record its thanks to Blyth for the dedication he has shown to Eventing High Performance over the last four years.”

National eventing coach Erik Duvander will continue his involvement in the high performance programme and specific details on his appointment will be announced early in 2009, he added.

Latest from Horse & Hound in New-zealand

Five-star winners and medallists feature on New Zealand’s eventing squad for 2026 World Championships

New Zealand eventing squad for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

New Zealand eventing squad reserves for Aachen 2026 World Championships:

You may also be interested in:

‘Our hearts hurt’: five-star runner-up out of contention for World Championships

You may also be interested in:

‘Some may think I’m mad’: top rider moves across the world ahead of Paris 2024

Last year Monica was based in Pennsylvania at Somehowe Yard with her top horse Artist, but she has now made a more permanent move, and will be based in Ocala, Florida, at the same stable as her countryman Edward Ewbank.

“Some may think I am mad taking three two-star horses up there with me but I am covering my bases. I think all of these horses have Olympic potential,” she said.

“This is the big move – sink or swim!”

The plan is that Monica and her family will be based in the US through to the LA Games in 2028.

“Artist will only be 16 then too, so may be a contender as well,” said Monica.

Monica is now focusing on the CCI5* Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event on 25 to 28 April, which she will be targeting with Artist. It will be the pair’s Kentucky debut, and third start at five-star together. They were seventh at Maryland 5 Star in October.

Monica has found the US “hugely welcoming”.

“There’s a real hype around eventing there and they have two five-stars now so that’s cool,” she said.

“The climate suits me and I see it as a good place to build a business and prepare for pinnacle events. It is certainly close enough to Europe with US riders having made it pretty easy to shoot over and do the big ones. There is a lot of opportunity in the US and that excites me.”

You might also be interested in:

‘I thought I’d ruined him’: emotional return to top form for Olympic horse

Jesse has produced Danny since 2018, and the gelding made his five-star debut with Jesse at Kentucky in 2021, where they jumped clear across country to finish 11th. The following year they represented New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics, where they finished 22nd individually.

But following the Olympics things were not smooth sailing and Jesse noticed a decline in Danny’s performance.

“To be honest I’m quite emotional about him because when we first bought him and we took him to four-star he was so generous, and he was quiet and easy and everything like that,” said Jesse after his Pau test.

“And then we took him to Kentucky and he was okay, it was his first five-star, and then I sort of put the pressure on him to go to the Olympics and he just didn’t feel very good.”

Jesse started veterinary investigations to get to the route of the problem.

Jesse said Danny “let him train him back up” and they have since returned to form. The pair shone during their Pau test, with the eye-catching gelding looking relaxed in the arena.

“Every day he feels better. This week he’s been feeling awesome, and I’m really happy,” said Jesse, adding that he was particularly pleased with Danny’s flying changes in the test.

“With his flying changes where I think he probably would have been uncomfortable in the past we had to be quite conservative, but now he’s really throwing them and letting go. It’s just lovely that he’s feeling happy – that’s the main thing,” he said.

“As pathfinder there’s a lot of responsibility to do a good job so everyone else can see what the track should ride like, so I’m excited about taking on that role with my first horse. He should give me some really good knowledge for how to ride Danny,” said Jesse.

You might also be interested in:

Foal washed away in floods comes home – but thousands hit by ‘unimaginable devastation’

Adele lost one foal and although the stables are still standing, the farm is under two metres of silt. But she said the local horse community has pulled together to help.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Friends, local people, the horse community have come in their droves. We were walking the mares and foals up the road and people were getting out of their cars to help.”

Adele has heard that one friend tied himself to a post to be able to hold on to and save his horses. Other friends were affected days later.

But the next day, the foal was found two roads away, having been washed over fences, without a scratch.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Adele said. “The mare, Star, had a bad cut but it’s healing – and the other horses came back too. They’d watched them swimming, but when the floods receded, they came home. There needed to be some good stories in all the bad.”

But more help is needed. Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) has set up a relief fund.

You might also be interested in:

‘They’re irreplaceable’: five-star event mares retire ‘at the top of their game’

Badminton final scores

Jonelle said with the season drawing to a close the time had come to officially call time on the “incredible” mares – and “break the news to Molly that she won’t be going to Badminton”.

“You never want to go one too many. It was a difficult decision to make, both have come through this year remarkably well. They’re both obviously still at the top of their game, but it’s better to stop one less, than [go] one more,” Jonelle told H&H.

“They’ve both just been such stalwarts and kept going. For Molly to do both Badminton and Burghley in her 19th year is pretty phenomenal. If you’d told me we were going to do that 12 or 24 months ago I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

“Of course it’s very sad, but you’ve got to look at all the positives we’re taking away and just remember how lucky we are.”

Classic Moet, who features in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine spotlight (on sale Thursday 10 November), made her mark on the world stage in 2014 at the World Equestrian Games in Caen, when Jonelle was called up as a reserve individual rider. The pair finished fourth.

“Her cross-country record speaks for itself, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Jonelle said both mares have returned to Trisha and will be used for breeding duties in the future. Maggie, who was bred by Trisha, is by Dimaggio and out of Faerie Dazzler VII, who is also a mother to Tim Price’s five-star ride Xavier Faer.

“It will be interesting what they can produce. If they’re half as good as their mothers then everyone will be happy,” said Jonelle.

“Maggie comes from a pretty impressive line of horses from her mother. We just took Faerie Magnifico through to four-star, so it’s been a very good family and hopefully Maggie will carry on that line.”

Jonelle said it will be different not having those two mares on the circuit next year.

“They’re irreplaceable. I’m not being derogatory to my present horses or what will come along, but over the past nine years they’ve just been five-star stalwarts for me. They’ve never missed a beat really and that will be very hard to replace for sure,” she said.

“I will miss them hugely and forever be indebted to them for all that they did for me.”

You might also be interested in:

A lost shoe, a broken stirrup and a ticking clock: how teamwork saved the day

Amanda Pottinger and the aptly named Good Timing were warming up for cross-country at the final leg of the FEI eventing Nations Cup series, when a tack malfunction struck.

“Everyone had gone in to watch the screens, so there was no-one in the warm up with me at the time.”

She added she had done about 90% of her warm-up, but there was a corner brush she particularly wanted to jump as there was a tough question involving a similar fence out on course. But as Amanda turned to it, her stirrup snapped.

“I looked down and it took me a while to realise what had happened. I looked around and there was just no-one – there were lots of other people there, but nobody I recognised as part of my team or my mum, who was grooming for me.

Dan threw Jonelle’s stirrup over the fence and Amanda, who had jumped off, tried to switch the tack as quickly as she could with her adrenaline running and the clock ticking.

“A person, who I don’t know and want to say thank you to, appeared and said, ‘look, you hold the horse, I’ll sort your tack’.

“Dan asked if I wanted Jonelle’s other stirrup, so I wasn’t riding in odd ones, but I didn’t have time.”

After making sure she was about level, Amanda whizzed back to the warm-up – arriving in the collecting ring with two minutes to go.

“I was a bit stressed,” she said, adding that she didn’t want to come straight to the corner, so popped a few other fences then jumped it – taking the flag out.

Amanda and the 11-year-old gelding, owned by the Volunteer Syndicate, followed up on their cross-country performance with a faultless showjumping round, finishing on their dressage score and helping the New Zealand side to second place.

“It’s part of the sport – there’s pressured situations and things don’t always go to plan,” she said. “You have to learn to adapt to get the job done.”

After Amanda’s clear, the Kiwis joked that perhaps everyone should ride with Jonelle’s day-saving iron.

“When you think about it, I was very lucky as it could have happened as I was approaching the first fence. The horse also pulled a shoe off in the stable that morning, so when the stirrup broke as well, I was thinking, ‘should I be running today?!’,” she added, with a laugh.

“It’s one of those things where if you pull it off, it’s pretty cool – but it was very stressful at the time!”

You might also be interested in:

‘Two small town kids dreamt they could take on the world’: husband and wife top eventing world rankings

“The last time Tim was at the top of the world rankings was in August 2019. Since then, Tim has been able to perform at the highest level, which has allowed him to maintain a position in the top 10 of the eventing world rankings,” said an FEI spokesman.

Jonelle, who was also part of the Kiwi squad at Boekelo riding Killbunny Andy, was 11th at Badminton and fourth at Burghley on the much-loved 19-year-old mare Classic Moet. Jonelle was 10th individually at the World Championships with McClaren.

Tim and Jonelle made the permanent move to the UK in 2005, and the couple married in 2013. They became the first husband and wife to ride together on the same Olympic team, at Rio in 2016. They have since welcomed two children, Otis and Abel.

Commenting on the new world rankings, the Prices said: “Once upon a time, two small town kids dreamt that together they could take on the world. And they did. The end.”

You might also be interested in:

‘If it’s always like this, I’ll do another one!’ says debutant on team that takes world gold

Eventing World Championships 2022 team medals

You might also be interested in:

New Zealand rider scores ‘emotional’ personal best as nation fields first dressage World Championship team in 24 years

“I’ve had him since he was a rising two-year-old and we have just done everything together,” said Melissa, 29, who owns the Johnson TN gelding with Anne and Rodney Parkes.

“We’ve won a few championships in New Zealand and have slowly built our way up through the grades together. It makes me a bit emotional. It’s crazy to be here and I’m overwhelmed, actually.”