Everything you've ever wanted to know about the Kiwi Team but were afraid to ask. Scroll down for information on each of the team members
Below is the Eventing NZ video for the 2012 Kiwi Olympic Eventers; the song "Kiwi Team" was written and sung by Edward Ewbank (an event rider himself) and photos by Libby Law Photography
Andrew Nicholson
DOB: 01 August, 1961
Base: Wiltshire, England
NZ home: Waikato
Andrew Nicholson and Nereo Photo: Libby Law
Andrew Nicholson (born 1 August 1961 in Te Awamutu) is a New Zealand horseman who has been selected for nine Olympic Games. He won a gold medal at the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, a silver at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and a Bronze at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Born and raised in the Waikato Nicholson moved to England in the 1980s to further his equestrian career, where he currently works as a horse trainer.
- Six Olympic Games (he and Todd are NZ’s most capped Olympians from any sport)
- Olympic team silver medal – 1992
- Olympic team bronze medal – 1996
- Six World Championships for NZ
- World Championships team gold medal – 1990
- World Championships individual bronze medal – 2010
- World Championships team bronze medal - 2010
- Won the 2011 British Open – and was second on his other mount
- World Equestrian Festival (Aachen) silver team medal - 2010
- Won Burghley 1995 and 2000
- First ever non German to win the CICO3* - 2010
- Former no. 1 ranked rider in International Equestrian Federation World Eventing
- 2011 No 1 British Eventing Rankings
- 2012 FEI Eventing Rider Rankings (as at 1 June 2012) – No 2
- 2011 FEI Eventing Rider Rankings – No 3
- 2011 season – won 4 3* events and podium placed in nearly every start
- Winner of the British Premier League (2007)
- 7th 2012 Rolex Kentucky CCI4* aboard Qwanza
Olympic Horse - Nereo
- Chestnut gelding
- DOB: 01/01/2000
- Bred in Spain
- By Fines
- Owned by Deborah Sellar
Olympic Groom
Kate Legg from Taunton, England
Did You Know?
Andrew’s first visit to Badminton Horse Trials was as Mark Todd’s groom in 1980; although Andrew holds the record for the most Badminton completions – 31 – he has yet to win this elusive title
Caroline Powell
DOB: 14 March 1973
Base: Kelso, Scotland
NZ Home: Christchurch
Caroline Powell and Lenamore Photo: Libby Law
Caroline made her New Zealand debut at the 2006 World Equestrian Games where she finished 26th. Formerly from Christchurch, Caroline is now based in Scotland with husband Richard, where she is kept busy with her stable of event horses. Besides being selected for two World Games and an Olympics Caroline’s most notable result to date was winning the 2010 Burghley International Horse Trial.
- One Olympic Games representation in 2008
- Represented NZ at World Equestrian Games 2006 and 2010
- World Championships team bronze medal – 2010
- Winner Burghley 2010
- 2011 British Eventing Rankings – No 9
- Top 10 finish in all but one 2011 start
- 2011 HSBC FEI Eventing Rider Rankings – No 14
Olympic Horse - Lenamore
- Grey gelding
- DOB 01/01/1992
- Bred in Ireland by Mr and Mrs Ted Walsh
- Irish Sport Horse by Sea Crest
- Owned by Lexi Jackson, Janie MacKinnon and Caroline Powell
Olympic Groom
Julie Lemarinel from Manche, France
Did You Know?
The 19-year-old Lenamore was retired from championship selection two years ago because Lexi Jackson, her mother Janey Mackinnon and Caroline did not want to subject him to further international travel. Luckily London is not too far from home!
Jonathan Paget
DOB: 17 November 1983 (born in NZ but moved to Australia at age of 5)
Base: Surrey, United Kingdom
NZ home: Muriwai, Auckland
Jonathan Paget and Clifton Promise Photo: Libby Law
Jonathan was born in Wellsford, New Zealand in November 1983 before moving to Sydney, Australia in 1986. After completing his education he undertook an apprenticeship as a bricklayer and began riding at age 18 after his father moved to a rural property and bought a horse, which Jock was promptly bucked off. So Jock went to rodeo school and applied for a working pupil role with Kevin McNab in Tamborine, Queensland. Under Kevin's tutelage Jock progressed from never having jumped a fence, to competing at three-star level Eventing in less than two years.
- 6th 2012 Rolex Kentucky CCI4* aboard Clifton Promise
- 2nd CCI3* Puhinui 2011 aboard Clifton Airtight
- 5th 2011 Burghley CCI4* aboard Clifton Lush
- 2 x Horse of the Year New Zealand Three Day Eventer of the Year winner
- World Equestrian Championships – 7th individual 2010
- 3rd 2011 British Eventing Championships (individual)
- 1st 3* 2011 Bramham International Horse Trials (individual) on Clifton Lush at just their fifth event together
- World Equestrian Festival (Aachen) silver team medal – 2010
- Jonathan did not start riding until he was 18 and in less than 2 years went from never having jumped a fence to competing at 3* level (the second highest level).
- 2012 FEI Eventing Rider Rankings (as at 1 June 2012) – No 4
Olympic Horse - Clifton Promise
- Bay gelding
- DOB 02/11/1998
- Bred in New Zealand
- NZ thoroughbred by Engagement out of Darn Style
- Owned by Frances Stead
Olympic Groom
Lucy Miles from Guildford, England
Did You Know?
Jock, as he is known, found wearing jodhpurs too embarrassing at first and used to ride in jeans but soon discovered they were too uncomfortable. He doesn’t worry about it now and will happily go to the shops in his jods!
Mark Todd
DOB: 1 March 1957
Base: Wiltshire, England
NZ home: Cambridge/Canterbury
Mark Todd and NZB Campino Photo: Libby Law
Mark has made a stunning comeback to the sport after retiring eight years ago. The winner of back-to-back gold medals on Charisma in Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul 1988, Mark was considered by his peers to be the consummate three-day event horseman. He has won Badminton four times and Burghley five times. Before his retirement after winning a bronze medal in the individual event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Mark had won 23 individual three-day eventing titles and two world team championships for New Zealand. In 1999 he was the top ranked international three-day event rider in the world. He was also New Zealand’s eventing coach at the Athens Olympics and was a member of the 2010 World Equestrian Games bronze medal team.
- Six Olympic Games (he and Nicholson are NZ’s most capped Olympians from any sport)
- Olympic individual gold medals – 1984, 1988
- Olympic individual bronze medal – 2000
- Olympic team bronze medal – 1988
- Four World Equestrian Championships for NZ
- World Champs team gold medal – 1990
- World Champs team gold medal – 1998
- World Champs individual silver medal – 1998
- World Champs team bronze medal – 2010
- Four time winner of Badminton
- Five time winner of Burghley
- Voted rider of the 20th century
- NZ Sportsman of the Year 1998 – supreme Halberg Award
- NZ Sports Hall of Fame
- Retired after the Sydney Olympics but re-entered the sport in time to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 where he helped the team to 5th place
- 2011 British Eventing Rankings – No 8
- 2011 HSBC FEI Eventing Rider Rankings – No 12
Olympic Horse - NZB Campino
- Bay gelding
- DOB 19/08/2002
- Bred in Germany by Contendro out of Pink Dame
- Owned by New Zealand Bloodstock and Mark Todd
Olympic Groom
Charlotte Gardner from Cambridge, England
Did You Know?
Mark was voted rider of the 20th Century by the International Equestrian Federation
Jonelle Richards
DOB: 14/10/1980
Resides: Marlborough, UK
NZ home: Mouteka/Canterbury
Jonelle Richards and Flintstar Photo: Libby Law
Jonelle Richards always had a bit of a “weird obsession” with horses. She grew up in Motueka, near Nelson NZ, where she befriended a girl called Rebecca Verity who had horses and this is where Jonelle’s passion first originated. Home is now Mere Farm in Marlborough, UK with fiancé Tim Price where they have about 30 horses on their 120 acre Farm – 20 are eventers and the rest schoolers and breakers. Jonelle originally headed up to the UK with the (2004) Athens Olympics in mind, an event for which she was a non-travelling reserve.
- Reserve for 2004 Athens Olympics Eventing Team
- Debut for NZ senior team at the World Equestrian Festival (Aachen) 2011
- Saumur 2011 – two horses in the top 20
Olympic Horse - Flintstar
- Bay gelding
- DOB 01/01/2000
- Bred in New Zealand
- Owned by Darnelle Hubbard, Tim Price and Mrs K Gray
Olympic Groom
Darnelle Price from Canterbury, New Zealand
Did You Know?
Flintstar competed at Aachen recently but was ridden by Jonelle's team mate and coach, Mark Todd as she had incurred a minor injury at home
Lucy Jackson (Reserve)
DOB: 20/02/1978
Resides: Oxfordshire, UK
NZ Home: Waikato
Lucy Jackson and The Animator Photo: Libby Law
Lucy is based based near Thame in Oxfordshire and is an adopted Kiwi. As a youngster growing up in Britain, she made national junior and young rider squads, and was nurtured by a mother who herself had ridden to advanced level and groomed at the Olympics. But affairs of the heart brought Jackson to New Zealand, and after gaining citizenship through her phsyio work at Waikato Hospital, she set out to earn herself a silver fern being selected for the NZ Trans Tasman team in 2007. Lucy has been back in the UK fulltime since 2008.
- Debut for NZ in a Trans Tasman team in 2007
- 2011 9th at Saumur on Kilcoltrim Ambassador
- 2012 3rd CIC3* Burnham Market
- 2011 3rd CIC3* Burnham Market
Did You Know?
Lucy was nominated for the New Zealand team at the London 2012 Test Event at Greenwich in 2011 but broke her ankle and could not compete
