By Tony Wright
Kiwi Andrew Nicholson is on course to finish the year as the world's number one ranked three-day eventer, after pipping Olympic teammate Jock Paget to win the four-star Pau event in France, his second major title in a month.
Jock Paget and Clifton Promise dropped just one rail in the tense Kiwi-versus-Kiwi show-jumping duel, but that was enough for Nicholson, riding Nereo to grab the four-star crown after he completed a clear round.
“[I’m] very, very pleased … to finish the year with a four-star win,” says Nicholson. “Hopefully we can win the world number one spot as well.”
The victory caps off a stellar year for Nicholson, who was unlucky just to win team bronze at the London Olympics, and he believes Kiwi eventing could be about to go on another golden run.
“Jock's performance here, Caroline Powell looks very good on a young horse. Always good to have the young horses coming on and it's boding well for the future of our team.”
Nicholson claims Nereo is the best cross country horse in the world, and the pair put in an unblemished performance on the tough Pau circuit that set them up for the title.
He also finished seventh aboard his other mount, Mister Crusie Control, to put his Olympic woes well and truly behind him.
“Olympics, World Championships are one-off things. Four-star is the bread and butter of it all, and once you can constantly get good results at four-star level the championship ones will fall into place,” says Nicholson.
The Pau event begins the 2012-13 Classic series, where Nicholson finished a close second to Britain's William Fox-Pitt last time out, but now it's the Kiwi who holds the early reigns.
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