Nicholson rides alone

A resolution is no closer in the stoush between the Kiwi Olympic medal hope who is leading Badminton and his sporting body, writes

AS KIWI equestrian star Andrew Nicholson continues to prove his enduring quality, there are no signs of a resolution looming to a potentially destructive impasse with his national organisation.

The Sunday Star- Times understands that High Performance Sport New Zealand – the funding body for elite sport in this country – has even become involved, but has thus far failed to broker a solution to a situation that threatens Nicholson’s involvement at next year’s Rio Olympics.

Though HPSNZ did not want to comment on the Nicholson situation while he was competing at the Badminton threeday event, where he held the overall lead after the dressage phase, it’s understood chief executive Alex Baumann has been in contact with the rider, his representatives and Equestrian Sports New Zealand in an attempt to hammer out a resolution.

So far, fruitless.

The estrangement between Nicholson, a six-time Olympian, and ESNZ has been ongoing since he withdrew from the national squad following a disagreement with a team vet at last year’s World Games in Normandy.

Nicholson has steadfastly refused to acquiesce to ESNZ demands that he agree to meet certain ‘‘standards’’ to be part of the national set-up again.

In turn, Nicholson has placed his own demands on the national body that he has asked to be met before he is prepared to be reintegrated into the elite squad that will eventually head to the Rio Olympics next year.

Baumann is rightly concerned that one of New Zealand’s finest Olympians, and still one of his sport’s leading figures, is

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proved Andrew Nicholson leads after the dressage at Badminton, but still remains at odds with his national body. embroiled in such a public spat with his NSO. That it threatens his ability to compete in Rio, and ultimately could impact on New Zealand tilts at two gold medals, has forced his involvement.

Those close to Nicholson believe he is most reluctant to budge on his demands after what he perceived was poor monitoring of his horse Nereo at the World Games. ESNZ has said that resulted in ‘‘a verbal and physical altercation with the team vet’’.

The New Zealand equestrian organisation said in a recent statement that the ‘‘door remained opened’’ to Nicholson but indicated they were not prepared to accept his demands that he essentially be given special treatment within the national squad.

According to ESNZ, those conditions include not working with some members of the team management and being allowed to operate individually within the team environment.

ESNZ chief executive Vicki Glynn said these conditions were ‘‘not feasible’’.

‘‘There is no question that Andrew is an outstanding rider but our role is to look out for the whole team. No one member is more important than the whole.’’ Consensus among the sport’s cognoscenti is that it will be difficult to get Nicholson to budge much on his demands, and that resolution may require the national organisation to be the more malleable.

Expect HPSNZ to encouraging this.

The 53-year-old remains one of the world’s top eventers, even as he chases his maiden Badminton title at his 34th attempt. The five-time Burghley winner and three-time Olympic medallist held a slender lead heading into the crosscountry on board Nereo, and was confident he could hold top spot.

‘‘I know what I have to do ... I want to win it,’’ he said.

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