New Zealand eventer Jock Paget will ride at the Farmlands 2015 Horse of the Year competing in the Land Rover Three Day Event – March 19-21 in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay.
It is the first time Paget will compete in New Zealand since being cleared by the FEI Tribunal of any wrong-doing in relation to his horse Clifton Promise failing an anti-doping test last year.
Farmlands Horse of the Year event director Kevin Hansen said Paget, who won Badminton in 2013 and a bronze medal at the London Olympics, was looking forward to returning to Horse of the Year. He last rode at the event in 2010 where he won his second consecutive Eventer of the Year title.
Jock will be a major draw card for attracting another 20,000-plus record crowd to Saturday’s Land Rover Cross Country event, which is being promoted as ‘People’s Day’ for those who are not necessarily followers of equestrian sport.
Paget is also guest speaker at the Plus 4 Hall of Fame dinner on Thursday night, March 19, 2015.
“We are very excited to have Jock at Farmlands Horse of the Year, he has a huge fan base from people both within and outside equestrian sport,” Mr Hansen said.
“For thousands of people, watching him ride in the cross country will be like getting as close to watching him compete at the Olympics as you can.”
