ANDREW Nicholson looks certain to have secured his ticket to the 2010 World Equestrian Games, after his second international win on British soil this season, writes KATE HEALEY.
The Marlborough based New Zealander, who turned 49 at the start of the month and is a veteran of six Olympic Games, was in action at the Mitsubishi Motors Hartpury International near Gloucester.
The event ran one, two and three star sections and Nicholson’s victory came at the highest three star level, in one of two hotly contested CIC (international one day) events.
He led his section from start to finish on the impressive grey Mr Cruise Control, who added just 1.2 cross country time penalties to his dressage score of 41.9 to leave his nearest rival nearly five marks behind.
The nine year old, who Nicholson owns jointly with Nicola and Robin Salmon, was enjoying his first major international win.
He did however make an outstanding four star debut at the Luhmuhlen International in Germany back in June, finishing fourth in a world class field.
These results make the gelding look a hot prospect for the New Zealand team due to travel out to Kentucky for the World Equestrian Games next month, although New Zealand have yet to announce their full squad.
Nicholson nearly made it a double in the second CIC*** section at Hartpury, filling second spot on Rosemary and Mark Barlow’s ten year old Avebury, just over one mark behind Piggy French.
The horse, a winner at Salperton Park this summer, was the only one to come home inside the optimum time cross country but one show jump down cost him.
Nicholson also finished fourth at this level on Nereo, who won the Aachen three star title last month in Germany and was just slower on cross country than his stable mates.
Lower Stanton St Quinton’s Kitty King also impressed in the CIC*** sections.
She finished second to Nicholson on High Havoc, who produced the second quickest cross country round in the competition to move up a couple of places from dressage.
King only began eventing the 11 year old, previously ridden by Marlborough junior international Eliza Sangster, in June but they have quickly established a fine partnership.
She was also 10th in the other CIC*** section on Bee Animas, with whom she won the Longleat two star international back in June.
Bromham’s Lucie McNicol and Bishopstone’s Rodney Powell finished fourth and sixth at three star level on Zeus of Rushall and Zinzan II, after both produced double clears.
McNicol was following up an excellent sixth she gained at the Bramham three-star event in June on Barry and Jane Wookey’s ten year old, who made up for an unlucky fall at Hartpury last year.
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New Zealand veteran Mark Todd, who returned from a seven year ‘retirement’ to contest the Beijing Olympic Games, headed the CCI** 3 day event on NZB Campino, showing he still has that masterly touch.
Tytherton Lucas rider Chris King finished just under five marks behind in second, riding Miss Caruso , also runner up in the CIC** at Barbury last month.
“The heavens opened on cross country day, but that helped the ground,” said King.
“My mare jumped confidently and straight the whole way round, just getting a bit tired close to home, and I was thrilled with her.
“She jumped a lovely clear on the last day and we now looking forward to next year and a move up to three star level.”
Little Cheverell’s Lucinda Fredericks was not far behind in fifth on Flying Finish, who added just six cross country time penalties to a good dressage score.
Foxham’s Georgie Spence filled second spot in the CCI*, the first rung on the three day event ladder, less than three marks from a win.
The former Stonar School student, now 22, rode new partner KBIS Starlet.
The eight year old mare, who Spence took on in May, finished on her dressage score in what looked a promising international debut.
Local riders also went well in the Burghley Dubarry Young Event Horse qualifiers, which lead on to championship finals at the Burghley 3 day event this autumn and have been a starting point for many top international horses.
Marlborough based Jonelle Richards, who rides for New Zealand, won the Four year Old qualifier on Donal Barnwell’s Banjo. It was a second win in a row for the duo, also successful at the Barbury Castle qualifiers.
Another Marlborough based rider, Angela Mace, won the Five Year Old section on Faerie Dianimo, fourth in the four year old final at Burghley in 2009.
CLAYTON Fredericks, the 2008 Olympic team silver medallist for his native Australia, made his long trip to Sweden a profitable one.
The 42 year old, who with wife and fellow silver Olympic medallist Lucinda is based at Little Cheverell, came home with the Malmo CCI** three-day event title under his belt.
His partner was Walterstown Don, owned jointly by Michael Lee, Diarmuid O'Brien and Jackie and Peter Wallis, and the eight year old finished over 12 marks clear of the field.
“I really enjoyed riding Walter in all three phases - his dressage was fab, he was a machine cross country and I never felt he would touch a pole in the show jumping,” said Fredericks.
“This win confirms my feeling that he is a real quality horse and an exciting prospect. Now he’s qualified for the top level and we’ll have to see what the future brings.”
Fredericks, who won the prestigious World Cup final at Malmo back in 2005, also finished eighth in the CIC*** World Cup qualifier on Brookleigh. “This was an excellent result for a young horse making the move to this level of competition,” he added. “Brookleigh performed well in all three phases, jumping confidently around a big cross country track. The experience he gained at Malmo should set him up well for Blenheim, his next big run in September."
TWO regional finals for the Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championships, which proved such a big hit when staged at Badminton for the first time this year, were the highlights of a busy day at the West Wilts Equestrian Centre near Holt.
The Centre was staging the second of two BE (British Eventing) one day events it has held to date in 2009, with hundreds of riders signing up to take part.
Chard’s Step Bere and Sadie Wallace, from Pershore, won the two regional finals to book their 2011 Badminton tickets.
Chippenham junior Alicia Hawker had a good day, winning a Novice section on Nankin Des Ruettes and finishing second on her BE 90 ride McGuigans Lad, a five year old at only his second BE event.
The Beaufort Hunt Pony Club member was clear of such top internationals as Nick Gauntlett and Austin O’Connor in the Novice section. Pewsey’s Roo Fox was runner-up on the Dark Brown Horse, the gelding’s best result in his first BE season.
Swindon based Neil Spratt held onto his dressage lead in another Novice section despite one show jump down in the middle phase, winning by a slender margin on the six year old Crown Consort.
Malmesbury four-star international Polly Williamson topped a BE100 section on Luana Edge’s seven year old Dunman.
The pair moved up the order after dressage leaders Leonard Georens and Lydia Hannon both had problems in the show jumping phase.
Bath-based Charlotte Wheeler rounded off a good day for local riders with a win on her BE90 ride House Red, a six year old who was second at his first ever BE event at Shipton Moyne a month earlier.
Wiltshire Times - Wednesday 18th August 2010