ANDREW Nicholson says the challenge of taking young horses to the top of the eventing world keeps his passion for competition burning.

The New Zealand veteran, who is based in Marlborough, claimed his fourth four-star title in just ten months as he clinched victory at the Luhmuhlen Horse Trials in Germany at the weekend.

Nicholson, already with CCI**** successes at Kentucky, Burghley and Pau to his name, secured the HSBC FEI Classics prize with his latest victory on Mr Cruise Control giving him an unassailable lead over Britain’s William Fox-Pitt.

Third after the dressage stage, he took the lead after cross-country and then secured the prize with a clear showjumping round, finishing just 1.7 penalty points in front of Britain’s Zara Phillips and High Kingdom.

Nicholson also took Rathmoyle King to sixth spot and is set to take a host of inexperienced rides, including Tilikum and Teseo, to earn their stripes at next month’s Barbury Horse Trials.

The 51-year-old is expecting to be busier than ever at his local event but says that continuing to bring through horses keeps him on his toes.

“I get a lot of satisfaction out of getting my younger horses to the top and they keep me very motivated,” said Nicholson.

“With the likes of Avebury, Nereo and Quimbo, I’ve got to the top level with them and you sort of expect to do well with them and if you don’t, you blame it on yourself.

“But with those young ones, there’s an uncertainty – are they going to be good enough? Are you going to be good enough with them?

“I’ve parted with my own hard-earned cash to buy them. You make a mistake every now and again but that adds to the buzz of it all when it works out.”

Nicholson will still be going for the top prize at Barbury (July 4-7), especially after coming agonisingly close to securing the historic Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing earlier this year.

He said: “I’ve been very happy with my year so far and the horses have performed very well.

“It would have been nice to win the Grand Slam but I drove home from Badminton very happy.

“I felt I couldn’t have done any better myself and I was beaten by two riders who put it all together better than me on the day.

“I don’t have a problem with being beaten when I feel like I haven’t done anything wrong. That’s sport and that’s what keeps us going – you never can be a certainty.”

Also at Luhmuhlen, Mildenhall-based New Zealander Jonelle Richards and Flintstar finished eighth.

Little Cheverell-based Australian rider Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish were tenth.

  •  LITTLE Cheverell’s Coral Keen claimed an international intermediate section win at the Nunney Horse Trials, near Frome, riding Zoe.

Membury Estate-based Laura Collett was ninth in a novice section on Nankin W.

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