Eventing Team NZ Combos named
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
New Zealand has today named a stellar combination of eventing horses for the Rio Olympic Games.
Sir Mark Todd has been named on the 12-year-old German-bred gelding Leonidas II, Jock Paget aboard New Zealand thoroughbred 16-year-old Clifton Lush, Clarke Johnstone on the 12-year-old New Zealand warmblood Balmoral Sensation, Jonelle Price on 11-year-old British sport horse Faerie Dianimo, and travelling reserve Tim Price with 13-year-old Irish sport horse Ringwood Sky Boy.
Leonidas II has been a consistent performer for Todd at 3* and 4* level and was a member of the team to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Championships in 2014. He has twice placed fourth at Badminton (GBR) and is regularly in the top 10 at events.
Clifton Lush has completed all of the Northern Hemisphere CCI4* classes, including a third and sixth at Badminton (GBR) in the past two years. He also won the CIC3* British Championships at Gatcombe Park in 2013.
Balmoral Sensation’s list of results is impressive. The stunning grey has won all the major titles in New Zealand, and was fifth in May in the CCI4* at Badminton (GBR) on debut. He was also third in his first CCI4* at Adelaide (AUS) late last year.
Faerie Dianimo just placed seventh at the CHIO in Aachen (GER) and is rarely out of the top 10 with her rider. In 2014 she won the CIC3* class for eight and nine-year-olds at Blenheim (GBR), starting a run of great results, including fourth in the CCI4* at Pau (FRA) and second in the CCI4* at Luhmuhlen (GER).
Ringwood Sky Boy has really hit his straps in recent. He was fourth at the Luhmuhlen (GER) CCI4* this year and in 2015 second in the CCI4* at Burghley (GBR).
The final combinations for Rio were announced today at the team’s last training camp before next month’s Olympic Games. The horses will fly to Rio in late July, followed by the riders, owners and wider support team.
Equestrian Sports New Zealand congratulates the team and acknowledges the commitment from owners of the horses who have made the team and others made available for selection.
The horse details – Leonidas II (owned by Di Brunsden, Peter Cattell and Sir Mark Todd), Clifton Lush (owned by Frances Stead and Lucy Allison), Balmoral Sensation (owned by the Johnstone Family), Faerie Dianimo (owned by Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and Jonelle Price) and Ringwood Sky Boy (owned by Robert Taylor, Varenna Allen, Tim Price and Selwood.com).
