Between them, Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson have been around more than a few cross-country courses, but winning must still be sweet for New Zealand eventing's "old timers".
 Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control. © Al Crook
Mark Todd and Grass Valley. © Jan Milne
Caroline Powell and Mac Macdonald © Mike Bain
Mark Todd and NZB Campino © Al Crook
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Both won classes at the weekend's Hartpury Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, doing their World Equestrian Games chances no harm. Nicholson is already confirmed as a starter for New Zealand, but Todd is not.
Showing he still has what it takes, Todd piloted NZB Campino to victory in the CCI** class, finishing on his dressage score. Joe Meyer was 11th on Intrepid. The prizes were presented by the FEI** President of the Ground Jury Andrew Bennie and Sally Lidsey. The groom of the winning horse received a prize from Charles Ruggles Clothing.
Adding just 1.2 cross-country time faults to their dressage score, Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control took out the second CIC*** class, with more than a rail in hand to the second-placed rider. Nicholson was also fourth on Nereo. The prize of £1500 was presented by Sharon Townsend, General Manager of Mitsubishi Motors in Cirencester.
In the other CIC*** event, Nicholson rode Avebury into second place with 49.2 penalties, only just pipped by Piggy French and Jakata on 48. Emily Llewellyn and Pardon Me were third.
The star prize in this class was a Mitsubishi ASX 4 wheel drive car and silver bowl. Sharon Townsend of Mitsubishi Motors presented the keys to Piggy, and then she drove around the arena to do her 'lap of honour' with Andrew and Emily as her passengers!
The best placed other Kiwi was Jonelle Richards, who rode Flintstar to eighth in the second CIC***.
Several other of the New Zealand riders who were in good positions going into their final phases did not feature in the final results.
Equestrian Sports New Zealand eventing high performance leader Erik Duvander was full of praise for Nicholson.
"Andrew is on top of his game - he rode all three of those horses fantastically. The horses are all hitting form and it is down to Andrew's good work. He's riding at his utmost best - if that continues it will put him in with a chance (individually) at WEG."
Duvander said Caroline Powell and Mac Macdonald looked promising. The combination was fourth at the Bramham Horse Trials in June.
"They're coming back into work from injury and are looking very impressive. Their showjumping and cross country at Hartpury were amazing and their dressage good too. Caroline is a very good jockey and so experienced."
He considers Mark Todd and NZB Grass Valley are a "solid" team combination.
"We have a small group and are relying on the horses staying sound, healthy and well. Overall, they're an impressive bunch in the showjumping and cross country," says Duvander.
Hartpury attracted more than 400 entries from top British, Australian, New Zealand and Swedish riders. It was considered a key event for the six British-based Kiwi WEG hopefuls to impress selectors.
The New Zealand riders were also put through their paces earlier in the week when they took on the Australians for a "friendly", doing the 4* dressage test they will have to do at Kentucky.
Best of the New Zealanders was Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise, who impressed selectors with a personal best of 72%.
But Duvander said Paget probably paid the price slightly at Hartpury by pushing the boundaries at the friendly.
"The past month has been a huge learning curve for Jonathan," says Duvander. "Both he and the horse just keep on improving - stepping up at every opportunity. I like what I see."
Unfortunately he fell coming out of the water at Hartpury so will have to do another competition before he can secure a spot in the WEG team. The combination is entered in the advanced class at Highclere later this month.
Also starting in the near future is Meyer on Clifton Lush. The combination did not start at Hartpury but will be competing at Highclere, and is entered for the four-star at Burghley in early September.
Joe Meyer's top horse, his Olympic mount Snip, was to compete at Hartpury but he was found to have fractured a bone in his hock. He will be out of contention for the World Equestrian Games.
• Jonelle Richards riding Bango (owned by Donal Barnwell) won the four-year-old division of the Burghley Dubarry Young Event Horse Series. The brainchild of Bill Henson during his term as Director, this series is still acknowledged as the shop window to view potential 'four star' horses at an early age.
• The show jumping phase of the CCI* Section A in which the competitors jumped in reverse order of merit proved very exciting and the order changed dramatically. Helen West (GBR) and Mon Chappelle jumped a lovely round inside the time to win the first prize of £700 on a score of 47.3.
Overnight leader Leonard Goerens and Valentino Vollante unfortunately rolled a pole and had 3 time penalties finished in 5th place, and of the others in the running after the cross-country, Louisa Gleeson (NZL) and Up Tempo had 12 faults, and Elizabeth Haliday (USA) and Newmarket Malt had 8 faults.
Georgie Spence (GBR) and KBIS Starlet jumped clear to move into 2nd place on a score of 49.9, 3rd place went to Andrew James (GBR) and Esko who moved up from 13th position 50.2 and 4th place went to Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) and Jeopardy 50.4
The first prize, a beautiful cut glass claret jug was presented to Helen by the FEI 1* President of the Ground Jury, Mary Robbins accompanied by Malcolm Wharton, the Principal and President of the Event.
The groom of the winning horse received a prize donated by Charles Ruggles Clothing, a local company based in Upton on Severn.
» Earlier Hartpury report
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