Todd showing no signs of riding off into the sunset
Sir Mark Todd, New Zealand threeeventer by day and technical adviser to Brazil’s eventing team by night, chuckles when asked if he’s helping the enemy in the leadup to the Rio Olympics.
‘‘Without being rude,’’ Todd says, ‘‘I liken it a bit to coaching the Jamaican bobsled team.’’
Or perhaps a better analogy for New Zealanders would be that of Richie McCaw going to Spain to help them buildup for a Rugby World Cup.
Either way, Todd is not helping the enemy, rather helping his sport.
The 59-year-old eventing great, a double Olympic champion in the 1980s, has been working with Brazil for several months and helped guide them to victory on home soil at the South American games. He’s helping to prepare them for the next step, this year’s Pan American games, with the ultimate goal being a competitive showing at their home Olympics next year.
There is certainly no danger of them threatening the big boys at the Olympics.
‘‘Me helping them is not going to impinge on our chances in Rio,’’ Todd says.
‘‘If they beat us I’m either a much better coach than I thought I am or we will have done very, very poorly indeed.
‘‘But in all seriousness, sport these days is global and you get the feeling people are always looking for an excuse to get rid of eventing from the Olympics so the more we can encourage emerging nations, the better chance we have keeping our sport at the Olympics.’’
Todd compares eventing in Brazil to eventing in New Zealand 35 years ago.
There is very little depth, highlighted by the fact a three-star event attracted just four entries. But Todd has put in place dressage and showjumping trainers and reckons they have a squad of about 10 riders who could challenge for the Olympic team.
‘‘There is not a lot to choose from but they want to do their best and have a team that is competitive at their home Olympics and that is what we are trying to achieve.
‘‘They’re a great bunch of guys, very enthusiastic, and it’s good to be able to help them. It’s something very different and very rewarding, and hopefully they will have a good showing at the Games.’’
Todd will be 60 by the time Rio rolls around but he wants to be there as an athlete on the New Zealand team, rather than as part of Brazil’s coaching team.
Depth in New Zealand eventing is as strong as ever but Todd, who won individual gold on Charisma in 1984 and 1988 and was part of New Zealand’s bronze medal-winning team in London three years ago, believes he has as good a chance as any of being one of the four riders in Rio.
‘‘That’s the plan. I hope to have two or three horses going well that will give me a chance of selection but there is a lot of depth at the moment. Horses will be horses, so 15 months is a long time in this game and a lot can happen between now and then.’’ Todd’s chances will be bolstered by the return from injury of Campino, his mount from the London Olympics, who his first run in almost a year last week.