Kiwis Win Glory But Japan Celebrates

New Zealand has won the London 2012 eventing team Olympic qualifier at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials this morning but the real celebrations will be in Japan.

The Kiwis had already qualified for London with the bronze medal win at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, so it was second placed Japan who took the much coveted spot ahead of the Australians.

In the three star three day event, Clarke Johnstone and Orient Express were the best of the Kiwis with a seventh place finish, while in the three star eight and nine-year-old event Caroline Powell aboard Onwards and Upwards finished fifth with Lucy Jackson on Kilcoltrim Ambassador in eighth spot.

Results -
Three star three day event: Piggy French (GBR) DHI Topper W 47.1 1, Clarke Johnstone (NZL) Orient Express VI 55.9 7, Jonathan Paget (NZL) Clifton Razz 64.7 17, Lucy Jackson (NZL) Willy Do 65.2 19, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) Qwanza 66.5 20, Neil Spratt (NL) Elton II 81 40..

Olympic qualifier: New Zealand (Clarke Johnstone/Orient Express VI 55.9, Jonathan Paget/Clifton Razz 64.7, Lucy Jackson/Willy Do 65.2, Andrew Nicholson/Qwanza 66.5, Neil Spratt/Elton II 81) 185.8 1, Japan (Kenki Sato/Chippieh 64.2, Takeaki Tsuchiya/Jackabee 69,9, Atsushi Negishi/Mavrick du Granit 111.8, Yoshiaki Oiwa/Gorgeous George 1000) 245.9 2; Australia (Catherine Burrell/Urzan 91.1, Bill levett/One Two Many NJ 84.7, Lucinda Fredericks/NYSA de Petra 1000, Brook Staples/Ever So Clever 1000) 1155.8 3.

Three star 8/9 year old: William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Oslo 43.5 1, Caroline Powell (NZL) Onwards and Upwards 54 5, Lucy Jackson (NZL) Kilcoltrim Ambassador 56.1 8, Jesse Campbell (NZL) Kaapachino 79..8 39, Mark Todd (NZL) NZB Campino 81.9 43, Bruce Haskell (NZL) Roccoo II 87.1 46, Dan Jocelyn (NZL) Brookfield De Bouncer 125.5 54.