Chatsworth draws Kiwi Olympic eventing trio

For a variety of reasons, the three-star event in England this weekend is taking on added significance for some of New Zealand’s top eventers.

Initially, only New Zealand No 1 Andrew Nicholson was taking his top ride – Nereo – to the Chatsworth International in Derbyshire. But with the Olympics just around the corner, Badminton having being washed out last week, and Mark Todd’s top horse out of London through injury, the landscape has changed significantly.

Now Todd and Caroline Powell will also have their No 1 Olympic horses at the Eventing World Cup round, among a host of other Kiwis and top international riders who have re-routed to Chatsworth.

With Land Vision out of the Olympics, NZB Campino is expected to step up to be Todd’s top ride and he will get a chance to gauge the 10-year-old horse’s form at Chatsworth, while Powell and Lenamore, the 2010 Burghley-winning combination, were late entries after Badminton was canned and will also get a valuable run under their belts.

Chatsworth is one of the few events Nicholson has entered Nereo in before the Olympics, with his season being entirely focused on London.

The world No 3 will be a busy man this weekend: he has Tristar II running in the non-world Cup three-star section as well as his two would-have-been Badminton rides – Avebury and Mr Cruise Control – and Shady Grey in one of the advanced sections.

As well as Campino, Todd has Mitras Eminem entered in the World Cup three-star and two horses in lower grades, and other Kiwis in action across various sections at Chatsworth include Lucy Jackson, Alice Montgomery, Megan Heath, Blyth Tait, Bruce Haskell, Neil Spratt, Jonelle Richards and Dan Jocelyn.