Paget finds top form at WEG - WEG News from Kentucky

The
master and his student took centre stage today for New Zealand in eventing's
dressage phase at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.
 
Equestrian legend Mark Todd aboard NZB Grass Valley and
young gun Jonathan Paget (Muriwai) on Clifton Promise both posted personal best
scores, with Todd notching 48.5 points and Paget 44. 
 
With
40 of the 80-strong field now completed their dressage scores, Paget is sitting
in sixth spot, with Todd in 13th. Caroline Powell on the sometimes
honorary MacMacDonald, scored 57.2. The handsome looking chestnut, who has
strong Kentucky ties through his bloodlines, bit his rider this morning, leaving
her with a rather sore finger, and was a little tight in his dressage
test.
 
<img src="http://www.main-events.co.nz/pictures/paget_DR.jpg" align="left" style="margin-top: 9px; margin-right: 9px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 9px; " alt="Johnathan Paget and his TB Clifton Promise are the best of the kiwis so far." title="Johnathan Paget and his TB Clifton Promise are the best of the kiwis so far."> Todd
has been working closely with Paget and was chuffed to see his pupil do so
well. “When
we had our practice event with the Australians Promise went really well, so I
knew he was capable, it was just a matter of putting it all together on the
day,” he says. “It
was very satisfying out there... and there's still more to come.” 
Paget
was simply over the moon. His top result made all the more special as his father
Neil was in the stands to watch. He's made sure a business trip from Australia
coincided with the games.
 
Also
there was Promise's owner Frances Stead, who admitted while the score was
fantastic, she was perhaps more excited by what was to come.
 <img src="http://www.main-events.co.nz/pictures/ToddSalutes.jpg" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; height: 175px; width: 250px; " title="Mark Todd Salutes the crowd after a personal best with 48.5 for his horse NZB Grass Valley." alt="Mark Todd Salutes the crowd after a personal best with 48.5 for his horse NZB Grass Valley." align="right">“It's
exciting for a rider of the future – London (Olympics) will be 10 points better.
I'm ecstatic.” Paget
and Promise rode into the dressage arena looking absolutely relaxed – but inside
it was a different story. “I've
been freaking all week – the travel, work and atmosphere...some horses step up,
while others get worse – he's stepped up beautifully." Paget
is riding as an individual in the competition, with Todd, Andrew Nicholson,
Caroline Powell and Clarke Johnstone riding as a team. While
he was disappointed not to be named in the team, he says it give him extra
incentive to do well, while taking some pressure off. “I'd
planned to work him quite hard this morning before the test but he came out so
settled, I only ended up working him for 20 minutes.” <img src="http://www.main-events.co.nz/pictures/Powell_DR.jpg" style="height: 175px; width: 250px; margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; " title="Caroline Powell on the sometimes tense MacMacDonald, scored 57.2." alt="Caroline Powell on the sometimes tense MacMacDonald, scored 57.2.">   <img src="http://www.main-events.co.nz/pictures/Klimke_DR.jpg" style="margin-top: 7px; margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 7px; width: 250px; height: 172px; " title="Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas lies in 2nd position on 41.3 after the first days dressage. " alt="Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas lies in 2nd position on 41.3 after the first days dressage. ">He's
wondering whether it was the special buffing up that Todd gave his top hat
before the test. Todd
was somewhat surprised with his own score, saying he'd hoped for 50 to 55
points, so to achieve 48.5 was absolutely brilliant. His injured Achilles tendon
is not affecting him at all. But
everything was in sync. “It's
taken a while to get back to where I was in 2000, and there is not the same
expectation now. It's been about getting my team back together and competitive,”
says Todd. “I am
certainly not a favourite for an individual place and I'm really enjoying some
of the younger ones in the team.” 
Todd
says he has a slightly different perspective these days.
 
“I'm
just thrilled,” he said. “To get a 48 – it's amazing. But it's everything coming
together at the right time really – between the vet, massage, acupuncturist and
others, it's all working well and he (Grass Valley) feels really good.”
 
He's
looking forward to the cross country on Saturday (US time) which he says is both
challenging and fair.
 
“It's
at maximum height and spread – it's a nice four star championship track. Grass
Valley is an honest trier of a horse and hopefully he'll cope with this
ok.”
 
He's
picking team-mate Andrew Nicholson as the best chance for a medal and says the
team will be doing everything to support him in that quest.
 
The
dressage continues tomorrow when Nicholson on Nereo and Johnstone on Orient
Express will do their tests, with the cross country on Saturday and showjumping
on Sunday.
 
The
field is being led by Simone Deitermann (Germany) on Free Easy NRW on 36 penalty
points, with her compatriot Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas on 41.3 and
William Fox Pitt (Great Britain) and Cool Mountain on 42. Germany is leading the
teams, with Australia second, Sweden third and Great Britain fourth. New Zealand
is in eighth spot. - Story and photos by Diana Dobson, Media Liason

Posted by:
Anne Vallance

WEG News from Kentucky

Paget finds top form at WEG Friday, 1 October 2010

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Paget finds top form at WEG
Friday, 1 October 2010