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So Why are the NZ Eventers so dominant at the moment?

8 replies

mrslaughan · 08/09/2013 16:22

Now being a NZer, I am immensely proud...but not being a huge follower of eventing, having 4 riders in the top ten, with 6 horses at Burghley is unbelievable........is it just they have (happily) all come into form at the same time?

NZ does not invest much into their riders.....I am a bit astounded....

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CairngormsClydesdale · 09/09/2013 04:23

Because only kiwi horses eat grass all year round!

Grin

Personally I believe it's because Mark Todd made a pact with the devil back in the 1950's or so. He's a frickin' pensioner fgs! At the Olympic village in London he kept getting asked about being a proud grand parent!

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mrslaughan · 09/09/2013 07:49

Funny about Mark Todd! The night before burghley we were catching up with kiwi friends, talking about burghley, and DH made the comment "mark Todd's a big old now - surly he's past it" - I was horrified. He ate his words when he saw him going over some if the cross country , and he just made it look so easy.......

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Butkin · 09/09/2013 10:57

Totally agree that the NZ and the Germans - are dominating eventing at the moment but don't forget it's only a year since we were!

It is all cyclical and it is just that their top riders have got their horses at the top of their game right now. Our riders peaked for the Olympics and are now bringing their new horses through the ranks.

Of course the New Zealanders (who are based here for the Summer and therefore Britain can take some credit!) didn't have the European eventing championships (two weeks ago) to distract them. There the Germans - and in particular Michael Jung and Ingrid Klimke - ran their best horses and dominated from a rather disappointing Team GB although the ever consistent William Fox Pitt was 3rd there with Chili Morning.

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CairngormsClydesdale · 09/09/2013 11:09

I wonder if the delays leaving Sweden might've put off the EU teams a little? Weren't there customs strikes or something in Sweden that weekend?

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SlowlorisIncognito · 09/09/2013 19:40

I think the reason the NZ riders were so dominant at Burghley is that due to the Europeans very recently, many of the European riders did not have their best horses there. Neither of the Itallians who got top 10 at Badminton came, and Ingrid Klimke was the only top German who came.

Tina Cook, for example, was not riding her best horse, Miner's Frolic, but a younger horse instead, who she said she is producing for Rio. Pippa Funnel's horse, Redesigned, whilst not a youngster, has only just returned to eventing after around 2 years out with various problems. Nicola Wilson and Opposition Buzz had also had some time off recently due to a fall, and at 16, he is getting a little old now for top flight eventing.

Also, Zara Phillips and Mary King weren't there.

If you look at the Badminton results, although Jock Padget won, and Andrew Nicholson did well, there are 7 nationalities in the top 10.

At the moment, I think British eventing is in the place where our top rider's horses are all getting on a bit, or are still a bit too young or inexperienced to do too well at the top level. It would be nice to see some different riders coming up the ranks too. I know it's hard to get rides, and it takes time to get experience, though.

I am really happy for Jock, though. This has obviously been his year, and he has made a name for himself which will only benefit his career and get him more rides. He has obviously put a lot of work in to get where he is, and seems like a nice person who genuinely deserves it.

I was very pleased to see that it was not a dressage competition as well!

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mrslaughan · 09/09/2013 20:02

Thanks slow! (And everyone else ) all very good points.
And where is/was Mary King? I love watching her last year and realized she wasn't there this year....

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SlowlorisIncognito · 09/09/2013 20:12

Mary King didn't have a horse :( Imperial Cavalier and Kings Tempress both have minor injuries, and while she has a few other horses she doesn't run a big yard (unlike say WFP and AN), so doesn't have another horse ready to go at 4*. She's also had a few falls recently, so might want a bit of time off to recover from them.

Such a shame for her though :(

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DENMAN03 · 09/09/2013 20:13

Marys two top horses were both injured so she wasn't there. I think its down to horse power coming together at the right time. Us Brits won 7 European Championships in a row so the system isn't wrong, however you do need the horse power.

Jock has had an amazing season, as has Andrew and some years it just goes like that. Michael Jung is a league of his own however! To win the gold at the Europeans on his third string takes some doing, however, he is not invincible...Jock beat him at Badminton.

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