March 15, 2010

by Robin Marshall

New Zealand eventer Andrew Nicholson had a successful weekend at the Tweseldown horse trials, heading home with three wins under his belt in what was the first major event for Kiwi riders in several months on British soil.

Nicholson also found time to head to the Poplar Park one-day-event over the weekend, garnering a few placings on less experienced horses.

At Tweseldown, Nicholson's successes were on his top-string horse Avebury in an open intermediate division. Avebury, by Jumbo, put up the best dressage test in the class, and despite time faults on the cross-country, the pair ended with 38.50 penalties, well ahead of British rider Emily Llewellyn and Pardon Me II with 50.50.

It was nearly a Kiwi trifecta in another open intermediate class, with Nicholson's Oplitas (by Fines) finishing on 36.80, ahead of Tim Price and the NZ-bred Vortex (Imperial Guard) on 43.30. Mark Todd and Grass Valley (Legal Pressure) were fourth on 47.10, with Australia's Paul Tapner and Inonothing third on 46.80.

Viscount George, a six-year-old son of Sir Noble, gave Nicholson his third win of the day in an intermediate division. Viscount George held the lead from the dressage and finished on 33.70, ahead of British Olympian Mary King on King Joules on 39.20.

In another open intermediate class, Kiwi rider Craig Nicolai and Just Ironic placed second on 39.40, only just pipped by Australia's Stephen Way on Secret Picnic (39.00).

Results (showing class winner and Kiwi placings).

Tweseldown (Mar 11-14)
Pos Horse Rider Pts D SJ SJT XCJ XCT Total
BE100 - Section A
1 SEAVIEW SOFT TOUCH Jay Halim - 23.0 - - - - 23.00
13 TOMAZ GUDANOV Dan Jocelyn - 35.5 - - - 4.4 39.90
24 SISYMBRIUM Dan Jocelyn - 37.0 - - - 23.6 60.60
25 COORDOOGAL DOUGLAS Lucy Jackson - 32.0 12.0 - - 20.0 64.00
26 VISCOUNT OSCAR Dan Jocelyn - 44.5 4.0 14.0 - 12.0 74.50

Novice - Section G
1 COEVERS DIAMOND CLOVER Sam Penn 6 36.5 - - - 2.0 38.50
6 REMINISCENT Jonelle Richards 1 33.0 - - - 11.2 44.20
13 CARLOW MILLER Tim Price - 35.5 4.0 - - 10.4 49.90
20 IMPERIAL COLOURS Dan Jocelyn - 42.0 4.0 - - 16.8 62.80

Novice - Section H
1 DIAMOND LEAF George Hilton Jones 6 26.5 4.0 - - - 30.50
15 SILFIO Andrew Nicholson - 34.0 4.0 - - 11.6 49.60
31 SIRIO Andrew Nicholson - 31.0 - - 20.0 16.4 67.40
37 LUCENT LAD Amanda Redditt 29.5 (70.50) 8 23.6 (5:53) 20 81.1

Novice - Section K
1 KIDOGO KING Cecilia Holman 6 30.5 - - - 3.6 34.10
35 QUINITO DU TEILLOY Andrew Nicholson - 33.0 - - 60.0 30.0 123.00

Open Novice - Section I
1 ZEUS OF RUSHALL Lucie McNichol - 26.0 - - - - 26.00
12 BOLEYBAWN ELEVATE Jonelle Richards 1 37.5 - - - 8.4 45.90
13 LORD ARAGORN AF Tim Price - 34.5 4.0 - - 8.0 46.50
37 YET ANOTHER CAVALIER Debbie Mitchell - 45.5 4.0 - - 30.0 79.50

Open Novice - Section L
1 MASTER CRUSOE Aoife Clark - 30.5 - - - - 30.50
33 MASTER GEORGE III Dan Jocelyn - 33.5 4.0 - - 29.6 67.10

Intermediate - Section B
1 VISCOUNT GEORGE Andrew Nicholson 12 24.1 - - - 9.6 33.70
21 SPORTING HERO Tim Price - 37.3 - 5.0 - 31.2 73.50
27 THE DEPUTY Jonelle Richards - 26.4 8.0 - 40.0 44.0 118.40
RIVER MILL Lucy Jackson Retired Dres.

Intermediate - Section E
1 ROXANNA VI Arthur Duffort 12 34.1 4.0 - - 5.6 43.70
10 WELLSHEAD MUNNINGS Lucy Jackson 37.7 (62.27) 4 25.6 (6:41) - 67.3
15 WILLY DO Lucy Jackson - 35.5 8.0 - - 39.2 82.70
W FLINTSTAR Tim Price 34.6 W W W 34.60

Open Intermediate - Section C
1 OPLITAS Andrew Nicholson 12 36.4 - - - 0.4 36.80
2 VORTEX Tim Price 10 30.9 - - - 12.4 43.30
3 INONOTHING Paul Tapner 8 36.4 - - - 10.4 46.80
4 NZB GRASS VALLEY Mark Todd 6 35.9 - - - 11.2 47.10
30 SPECIAL ADVOCATE Dan Jocelyn - 37.7 8.0 - - 41.2 86.90

Open Intermediate - Section D
1 SECRET PICNIC Stephen Way 12 28.6 4.0 - - 6.4 39.00
2 JUST IRONIC Craig Nicolai 10 34.6 - - - 4.8 39.40
3 BONZA PUZZLE Matt Ryan 8 29.1 - - - 11.6 40.70
4 CHUCKELBERRY Mark Todd 6 31.4 - - - 12.0 43.40
7 DELI KLIPPS Lucy Jackson 2 33.6 - - - 18.0 51.60
12 QWANZA Andrew Nicholson - 37.7 4.0 - - 13.2 54.90
17 NZB MOUSE Mark Todd - 35.9 4.0 - - 18.4 58.30
26 SPECIAL ATTORNEY Dan Jocelyn - 35.0 12.0 1.0 20.0 42.4 110.40

Open Intermediate - Section F
1 AVEBURY Andrew Nicholson 12 27.7 - - - 10.8 38.50
15 WALK THE LINE Mark Todd - 34.6 8.0 - - 20.4 63.00
24 CRUISE CONTROL Andrew Nicholson - 35.0 - - 20.0 23.6 78.60

Oasby One Day Event (12-14 Mar)

Horse Rider Dres S.J. Time OT=5:04 Jump Total Place
NO PIPS Tamsyn Iveson (GB) 30.0 (70.00) - - (5:01) - 30.0 1
TREVILDER Wendy Felton 41.5 (58.50) - - (4:47) - 41.5 7

BE90 Section Q
ROJAN SPARTAN Natalie Biggin (GB) 37.5 (62.50) - - (4:59) - 37.5 1
TRELYON Wendy Felton 39.0 (61.00) 4 - (4:49) - 43.0 8

Poplar Park (13-14 Mar)

Novice Section F
NOLTON TOBAGO Jo Chipperfield (GB) 26.5 (73.50) - 6.4 (5:21) - 32.9 1
NZB CAMPINO Mark Todd 22.5 (77.50) 4 15.6 (5:44) - 42.1 4

Intermediate Section M
JEEPERS CREEPERS Oliver Townend 30.5 (69.55) - 14.4 (5:42) - 44.9 1
ROMULO Andrew Nicholson 36.4 (63.64) 12 16.4 (5:47) - 64.8 10
MUSIC MASTER Andrew Nicholson 38.2 (61.82) - 22.4 (6:02) 20 80.6 12

Open Intermediate Section N
CHICAGO II Piggy French 22.3 (77.73) - 12.0 (5:36) - 34.3 1
SHADY GREY Andrew Nicholson 36.8 (63.18) 4 4.8 (5:18) - 45.6 6

Advanced Intermediate Section O
ODT MASTER ROSE Oliver Townend, 27.9 (72.08) 4 8.8 (5:28) - 40.7 1
PARKMORE REPECHAGE Andrew Nicholson 33.3 (66.67) 4 12.0 (5:36) - 49.3 4
CALICO JOE Andrew Nicholson 31.7 (68.33) - Retired X.C.