RIDING LEGEND Mark Todd will join more than 600 other competitors at the Brockenhurst Park Horse Trials this weekend.

The 43-year-old former Olympic champion is in excellent form after winning the British Open at Gatcombe earlier this month for the fourth time.

Lining up with the New Zealand celebrity in the New Forest will be a host of the world's top riders, including Australian Olympic medallists Matt Ryan and David Green.

The star-studded entry list is an indication of just how highly rated the event, now in its seventh year, has become.

Hard ground can cause serious problems for horses and like all riders Todd is always extremely concerned about the going: "The last time I was at Brockenhurst it was a very dry summer and they made a big effort and rotivated the whole track which impressed me. Hopefully it'll be as good again."

Todd has entered a variety of horses and riders often compete on as many as six different horses.

Definitely on show though will be 'Word for Word', the mount on which he won at Gatcombe. It is also the horse which he hopes will take him to success at next year's Sydney Olympics. After which he intends to retire.

"I've been over here for more than 20 years and I've decided to call it a day and head back to New Zealand." It means Brockenhurst will provide spectators in the south with one of the last opportunities to see Todd in action.

The horse trials are the culmination of months of preparation. "There's a huge amount of work involved, and most of it's done by volunteers,"said organiser and Park owner Trisha Rickards. The event relies on scores of people to carry out a range of duties such as fence judging - deciding whether or not a rider has successfully cleared each jump.

"One year a lady came and told me she couldn't understand why she hadn't seen a horse all day. I didn't have the heart to tell her she'd been sitting at the wrong fence."

The cross-country is the highlight of the two-day event, which also includes dressage and show jumping. The course was designed by Captain Mark Phillips and takes advantage of the natural features of the park. It also includes a testing water complex.

Needless to say the recent rain comes as a bit of a blessing to Mrs Rickards. If the ground is too hard, a special machine to airate the course has to be brought in.

It won't be necessary this time and with the highest standard of riders ever, the trials promise to provide a thrilling weekend of competition.

And if the weather is kind hundreds of spectators are expected to enjoy what has become one of the south's leading equestrian events.

The trials are on Saturday and Sunday with entry at £5 per car including occupants. The first competitor is on the cross-country course at 11am on Saturday and noon on Sunday.

Location: Situated half a mile off the A337 Brockenhurst to Lymington road and will be signposted from the A337.

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