Toddy - A Hero, A Legend

Back-blipped on 10/1/2012.

For years I've dreamed of seeing this man compete in three-day eventing - New Zealands lanky (6'2), long-legged (and bandy!) Mark Todd.

He really IS a legend:

* The only person to win Individual Olympic gold 2 successive times, on the same horse (the amazing Charisma)
* Winner of Badminton trials (one of THE most prestigious titles in the world of eventing) 4 times.
* In '94 he won Badminton on Horton Point, a horse on which he took the ride as a last minute favour to friends just 3 days before the event!
* Won Burleigh trials (another much sought-after title) 5 times.
* Has World and European golds as part of the New Zealand team.
* Voted Rider of the Century by the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale).
* After retiring from international competition in 2000, when he left the UK (his base) to return to New Zealand, he then came back into eventing for the 2008 Olympics with a new horse, Gandalf - coming a respectable 17th individually - and then decided to return to the UK to resume eventing fully.
* Last year he took his latest Badminton title at 55 years old, on NZB Land Vision - 31 years after his first win, which was at his 1st attempt!

This guy can ride anything with 4 legs that breathes. He could probably win Badminton on a cow!

Well, on April 3rd 2010 for the 1st time I went to the Downham Market trials here in Norfolk. It's one of the main qualifying events here in the UK for the major international titles. And there I finally achieved that dream as Toddy was competing, on NZB Grass Valley. It was a delight, and a privilege, to finally see one of my greatest equestrian heros ride.
So I just HAD to back-blip him for that date. If anyone deserves to be blipped, he does!

I also got to see another of my favourite eventers, Scotlands 56 year old Ian 'Scotty' Stark, who'd in earlier years competed for GB on my all-time favourite event horse Murphy Himself, winning World Silver on him. Here's Scotty at the 2nd water complex on Looks Similar.

This is team GB's , Pippa Funnell on Pure Addiction clearing the Picnic Table in text-book style.

Finally another shot of the man himself - Toddy - at the 2nd water complex.

Wirth the London Olympics coming up this year (for which I so luckily have a ticket, although for dressage - my greatest equestrian passion - rather than 3 day eventing), I think I'm going to head for Downham again as I suspect many of the world's top riders willl be there preparing for The Big One!