<p align="center" style="text-align: left;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><strong>New Zealand's top eventers are doing battle
against the best in the world at the prestigious Aachen International Festival
in Germany this evening (Fri NZ time).</strong></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>In a rare opportunity to compete as a team,
World Equestrian Games bronze medallist Andrew Nicholson aboard Nereo
spearheads the Kiwis alongside</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Jonathan Paget on Clifton
Promise, Caroline Powell on her 2010 Burghley winner Lenamore, Clarke Johnstone
on Orient Express and newcomer Jonelle Richards on Flintstar.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>The NZ</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">team is one of just 10
invited to compete at the world's largest annual equestrian event, which
encompasses five disciplines, although New Zealand is only represented in
eventing.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>Equestrian Sports New Zealand high
performance director Sarah Harris says it</span><span style="color:black">’</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">s a great opportunity to
try team combinations a year out from London and she's got no qualms about
admitting the podium is the aim.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="color:black"><br>“</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">That said, the other
competitors are very strong, in particular the Brits who have been winning
everywhere,” she says. “Their depth of horsepower is impressive at the moment,
and of course, the Germans will look to dominate on their home ground.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>The dressage and showjumping phases will be
held overnight (Friday NZ time), with the cross country Saturday (NZ time).
Three of the five scores will count.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="color:black"><br>“</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">They are using a lot of
the 2008 world champs</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">cross country track, so it
will be tough course.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>The charged atmosphere inside the stadium
where the dressage and showjumping are held, is very much like an Olympic Games
or World Championships.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>Harris is especially looking forward to
seeing Richards step up to a new level.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="color:black"><br>“</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The others are now
seasoned campaigners and for them this is just another step towards London.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>The world's best equestrian riders and horses</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black">are competing at the Aachen championships, which attracts</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black">over</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">360,000 spectators
throughout the week. The festival</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">finishes on</span><span style="color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black">Sunday.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br>Diana Dobson</span><br><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Equestrian Sports NZ<br></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">High Performance Media Liaison</span></em></p>
