Andrew Nicholson is chasing more than trophies .........................
Following the fourth leg of the 2013 HSBC FEI Classics Series, Andrew Nicholson has increased his lead to 40 points and Jock Paget has overtaken William Fox-Pitt to take second place with 27 points. William is now in third place on 26 points with two events left to go - Luhmühlen CCI4* (GER) 13-16 June and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) 05-08 September 2013
Michael Jung is in fourth spot on 22 points while the top three riders at Adelaide, Craig Barrett, Natalie Blundell and Murray Lamperd take the next three spots.
The HSBC Classics Series incorporates six 4-star events around the world, representing the best of the international eventing circuit including a leg in the Southern Hemisphere at the Australian International 3 Day Event in Adelaide. At the end of the season, the top five riders share the large prize pool on offer;
1st US$ 150,000 (Series Champion)
2nd US$ 75,000
3rd US$ 50,000
4th US$ 33,000
5th US$ 25,000
Last year, in an extraordinary finale to the Series at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, William’s third place with Parklane Hawk was good enough – by just one point – to win him a third HSBC FEI Classics title and the prize pot of US$150,000 from Andrew Nicholson
However in December 2012 Andrew took home the 50,000 USD bonus as the HSBC Rankings leader at the end of the 2012 season, after holding on to the world number one spot since claiming team bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Sadly HSBC, long time platinum partner of the FEI, will wind up its association with the FEI at the end of the 2013 season after six years as the global sponsor of Eventing.
The global banking giant, which put its name to the HSBC FEI Classics™ when it was first created in 2008, will remain as title sponsor of the series until the end of the current cycle at Burghley (GBR) in September. Pau (FRA) and Adelaide (AUS), which start the new 2013/2014 series, will be supported by HSBC and the cash award to the leading rider in the HSBC Rankings will be presented at the end of 2013.
At this stage it looks as if Andrew has a good lead but maybe it is his fellow Kiwi, Jock Paget, debutant winner at Badminton, he needs to look out for now in the race to the prize pool this year?
CLICK HERE for the full HSBC FEI Classics Series Standings after Badminton
