Mark Todd leads Kiwi showjumpers

Press, 27 September 1988, Page 23

Mark Todd leads Kiwi showjumpers

PA . Seoul The gold medallist Mark Todd had an almost clear round that left him in eighteenth equal place overall at the end of the first qualifying round of the individual Olympic showjumping yesterday. Todd on Bago knocked down just one rail which left him with four penalties. However he accrued no time penalties so ended the round with 55 points. A total of 10 riders shared the lead last evening with 69.50

points. The second qualifying round is on Friday with anywhere from 35 to 45 going through to the final on the Games closing day, Sunday. ■ However, tomorrow is the team showjumping competition. “It was a brilliant round,” said the New Zealand equestrian team manager, Gus Meech. There were many name showjumpers behind Todd such as the Australian Jeff McVean

back on sixty-first with 24 penalties. Maurice Beatson on Jeferson Junior started the day for New Zealand,

knocking over two rails although one was an unfortunate error, the light bamboo just getting a touch to fall to the ground. “His first-up round was good and gave confidence to the other riders,” Mr Meech said. Beatson finished thirty-first equal over all with 8 penalties and 43.50 points. Of the other two members of the team, Harvey Wilson on Crosby did not go as well as he might. “Crosby was unlucky and should not have

dropped as many as he did,” Mr Meech said. Wilson was lying fiftyfirst last evening with 16 penalties and 22.50 points. The fourth team member, John Cottle on Ups and Downs, had more points, finishing equal with McVean. The showjumping team was not rated as highly as the three-day eventers who took the bronze in the team event, but Mr Meech said he was “pretty pleased ” with the result.