The New Zealand team at London 2012 Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI
Veteran Kiwi eventer Mark Todd has had a busy few weeks. Fresh from his achievements at London 2012, Toddy is on a flying visit to New Zealand to celebrate the Kiwi team achievements at Greenwich Park and a chance to catch up with friends and family.
Mark Todd, along with teammates Caroline Powell, Jonathan Paget and Jonelle Richards, arrived in Auckland on Tuesday morning to be greeted by their fans and well-wishers. Andrew Nicholson will be joining them for the official welcome home by Mayor Alan Livingston at a special civic function outside the Cambridge Town Hall at 2pm on Wednesday and an official New Zealand Olympic Team Welcome Home in Christchurch on Friday.
Prior to the Welcome Home on Friday, Andrew and Jock Paget will also be giving a brief training session to leading Canterbury riders at the National Equestrian Centre, McLean’s Island.
Mark was the oldest competitor in the eventing competition at London 2012 but, according to an article in the NZ Herald, he has not ruled out competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, saying, "I'm not cancelling anything out at the moment, it depends on what horse I've got and other circumstances, but I'm certainly keeping going in the short term anyway."
In the meantime he is busy ‘badgering away’ at his new project at his new property, Badgerstown in Wiltshire. Despite his frantic competition schedule, Mark is hoping to run cross-country clinics on the property and the cross-country course and gallop facilities, currently in the process of being upgraded, will be available for hire.
It seems that the new facilities come at a price and Mark is reportedly selling three of his horses; Olympic mount NZB Campino, plus Regent Lad and NZB Grass Valley.
Mark and NZB Campino at London 2012 Photo: Libby Law
