(USA, 27 April 2013) Andrew Nicholson (NZL) is the current leader after the Cross Country phase, riding Quimbo, with Andrew Nicholson also in 2nd place riding Calico Joe, with Bruce Davidson Jnr (USA) riding Ballynoe Castle in 3rd place, and William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Seacookie in 4th place, today Saturday 27 April 2013, at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington.
Quotes from William Fox-Pitt riding Seacookie:
Q. William – congratulations – how was that?
He gave me a fantastic ride. Time is always very difficult with him because he jumps very deliberately and he is quite a careful horse so we do waste a few seconds at every fence so it was great to finish on the time – that’s the first time at a four star and on these hills here it is tiring.
Q. How was the course?
I thought it was a superb course, Derek Di Grazia really is stamping his mark here giving the riders lots to think about with tricky distances, tricky little turns – we didn’t look at it and go “oooh it’s big and terrifying” but everywhere there is a little opportunity for a bit of a run out or a bit of a lost line – he is encouraging riders to think on their feet which is fantastic. I think much to be encouraged and I think riders really appreciate that.
He was a superstar today and he is feeling on great form – with making the optimum time that was an added bonus as I was down on my minute markers all the way – as I said he is not the quickest horse but I knew if I took a couple of good jumps at the last two we could be close, and OK I cut it a bit fine but I finished bang on the time.
Bit of a wait now until Chilli Morning – he is a very different horse – he is a bit bullish, a bit strong, a bit keen, so I ride him in a reasonably strong bit to control him – on Cookie I don’t have to pull the reins as much. I don’t know Chilli as well as it’s only a year since I took him on – he’s been fantastic for me ever since I got him but this is a big test – it’s very different to Pau, terrain, the course, it will be a big test for us this afternoon.
Q. Two quite different horses?
They are chalk and cheese – I’ve got different routes planned for them even, I won’t go exactly the same way on Chilli – without a doubt there will be some differences and that’s the exciting thing about this course – I think it is very hard to predict how it’s going to ride.
Quotes from Andrew Nicholson riding Calico Joe:
Q. Andrew – what a ride – you were well under the optimum time:
He is a very, very fast horse – normally with him the last two minutes of the course is very fast – it felt like I was slowing up, slowing up – of course I was thinking of the US$5,000 for wearing the right gloves and I knew William had done one second on that and I knew I had gone to fast so was slowing up, slowing up – but that’s a nice problem to have.
He came here last year and we tried it and we’ve come here this year and he’s made it feel very easy.
Q. Why the big difference this year?
It was his first four star here last year and I probably didn’t ride him quite positively enough, then from here he went to Germany for the four star where he was fourth – he had a busy year last year.
Q. Are you looking forward to his Stadium jumping tomorrow?
To be honest I won’t be looking forward to tomorrow’s stadium jumping with this one! My other one yes on Quimbo, but this one you’ve just got to ride him how he is – he’s not a power jumper so what he needs to do is leave them all up – it’s doesn’t matter how much paint he has on his legs as long as he leaves them all up!
Q. You’ve got one more horse today –how do you feel the course played for your next horse?
It’s nice to see that the time is quite easy – as its Quimbo’s first time up at this level – there’s some lovely jumping efforts and it’s further than he has been before but hopefully it should be ok.
Q. Will you make any changes between what you did with Calico Joe and what you will do with Quimbo?
No I pretty much rode Calico Joe on the lines that I wouldn’t want to take Quimbo on – I know it sounds a bit back to front, but the two horses are totally different – Calico Joe was the guinea pig today to try the lines for Quimbo and I was happy with those.
Quotes from William Fox-Pitt after riding Chilli Morning:
Q. William, what happened on course and what was your thought process about withdrawing?
Very sadly I had a stop going into the first water and who knows, I haven’t had time to consider and reflect, I haven’t seen any replay – it’s just one of those things –maybe he just over-jumped slightly the fence before and gave himself a bit of a little shock and maybe just shut down mentally as he came into that rail – who knows – for him there is no point carrying on with 20 penalties as he’s not here for the experience – he’s a 13 year old horse trying to do his best.
Quotes from Andrew Nicholson after riding Quimbo:
Q. You are lying 1st and 2nd now – did you expect anything like this could happen today?
I said that I came here for a reason – Quimbo is a horse I have an awful lot of faith in and it’s his first time at this level but he is unbelievable.
Calico Joe is very good at two phases – his worst phase is tomorrow, but he’s done his job so far – I don’t normally finish the cross country and feel as excited as I do have with Quimbo – to have a young horse at four star level and for him to make it feel like he did for me out there is quite unbelievable.
Q. This is Quimbo’s first 4 star and you are excited about him?
He’s 10 years old but he is unbelievable. He’s got a very, very cool mind he went into the dressage arena yesterday with that huge crowd, photographers, lights, but it’s part of what he does normally – he hasn’t done that before – very obedient. Today, to go this distance with big fences I was a bit worried so I started off a little slow as I knew I had a few time penalties in hand – I got to eight minutes and I told him “let’s get serious”. He amazed me as we went faster and faster at the end.
Q. Can you talk to me about the course today?
I’d like to congratulate Derek Di Grazia – it was very big, very horse friendly – I thought he started with us being very positive with the big wide fences and then giving us some technical ones like fence six, the hollow – you’ve got to sit on your backside a bit and work a little bit and then straight to the water the same and then some galloping big fences – the way he has mixed it up I think is great. The reason there are some many clear fast rounds is the ground is superb and the ‘air conditioner’ is cool and horses love those conditions – I hope people enjoyed watching it.
Q. So you said Calico Joe is not the best Stadium jumper – what about Quimbo?
He’s pulled it out of the bag a couple of times – he’s won a three star in deep mud when he’d never done that before so we’ll wait and see with him! Quimbo’s probably the best of the two.
For the full video interview of Andrew Nicholson post Cross-Country on Quimbo please click link here: http://we.tl/aqpsVCIhLh.
For more information on the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.rk3de.org.
Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contenders
With two of three successive wins of the Rolex Grand Slam – the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials – William Fox-Pitt is the current live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Due to adverse weather conditions, the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials was unfortunately cancelled. Therefore, Fox-Pitt has had to wait until the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials before he can contend for the coveted US$ 350,000 Rolex Grand Slam Prize. However, should Andrew Nicholson, who won the 2012 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials also accomplish the feat of successively winning the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, then there will be two live contenders for the sport’s most coveted prize at the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.
Rolex Grand Slam Of Eventing
In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.
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