27 Jun 2012

Barbury last chance to impress NZ eventing selectors

11:59 am on 27 June 2012

Mark Todd is among 12 New Zealand combinations entered at the Barbury Castle International Horse Trials in the UK this weekend.

It's the last chance for any would-be Olympians to impress the New Zealand eventing selectors.

Clarke Johnstone, Andrew Nicholson, Jonathan Paget and Lucy Jackson will be hoping they've already done enough to make that all-important five-strong team for the London Olympics but a strong showing this weekend can cement a place.

Todd rides his preferred Olympic mount NZB Campino, Johnstone has his 2010 World Champs mount Orient Express while Paget competes on Clifton Lush.

Nicholson has Quimbo and Avebury, while Jackson has Kilcoltrim Ambassador and Animator II.

Joining them are fellow New Zealanders Alice Montgomery aboard Gordon, Craig Nicoli on Just Ironic, Bruce Haskell on Kiwi Smog, Jesse Campbell on Kaapachino, and Debbie Mitchell on Waimak.

A victory by a New Zealander would create history - no Kiwi rider has ever won the main class at Barbury Castle - and the winner will pocket $NZ8,000.