Nicholson looking strong at Kentucky
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Bronze medal-winning Kiwi Olympians Andrew Nicholson and Jonelle Richards will start in a star-studded line-up at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event this week, one of a handful of top-ranked events in the world.
And despite the 52-strong start list that includes fellow Olympic veterans, former Kentucky champs and top riders from seven nations,
Nicholson is being pegged as one to watch.
The world’s number one ranked eventer has two horses at the event – Quimbo (owned by Deborah Sellar) and Calico Joe, while Richards rides The Deputy (owned by Lucy Sangster and Mr and Mrs Tim Morice).
Nicholson, who is also leading the HSBC FEI Classics series, and Quimbo finished last season in smoking hot form and will be looking to continue that on a horse that is seen to be one with a big future by Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance director Sarah Harris.
“Quimbo is my pick to win the event,” she said. “This will be his first four star start, but this is a horse that impressively won the eight and nine-year-old class at Blenheim last season. This is where we see the real talent coming through – these are our next Olympic horses.”
While Quimbo is inexperienced at this top level, Nicholson is anything but.
“Andrew will give him the best start possible.”
Calico Joe also has the ability to win and Nicholson will be expecting a solid performance from the horse.
It is Richards first start at Kentucky, and the first four star class for The Deputy, a lovely big thoroughbred who is coming back from a season out with injury..
Harris is confident the contour of the Kentucky course will suit him well. Kentucky is one of the “big three” of six four star events.
“This is definitely one of ‘the’ events for our riders,” she says. “It’s going to be tough out there though, everyone is seeking qualification for the World Equestrian Championships in France next year, and for those with multiple mounts, the key is getting those ticked off early.”
The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event is the Western Hemisphere’s only four star event and is part of the HSBC FEI Classics. The classics – the grand slam of eventing – sees riders chasing a $US250,000 prize purse and the chance of winning $350,000 for anyone who can win Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession.
Last year William Fox-Pitt (Great Britain) won Kentucky aboard the New Zealand bred thoroughbred Parkland Hawk, and while he won’t be starting that horse in the 2013 event, he does have two other top chances.
Badminton is the next big event for the world’s best eventers, and will see a string of Kiwi riders competing.
The first horse inspection at Kentucky is early Thursday morning (NZ time), followed by two days of dressage, the cross country, a second horse inspection and finally the showjumping which is scheduled to finish on Monday morning (NZ time).
For more information on the event, head to www.rk3de.org.
