PrintBut that’s not going to stop him from taking aim on his seventh Olympic Games.
The silver Mercedes pulling into a quiet residential road in the south of England’s commuter belt could signal the return of any businessman from a day at the office. But one thing distinguishes this driver from his neighbors. It’s Mark Todd, sporting icon, who now aims to rewrite his own legend by representing New Zealand at a seventh Olympic Games.
Single again, home for Todd is now a midsize house 5 minutes drive from the barn. It has ample room for guests, with recent visitors from Down Under including children Lauren and James and prospective “new” teammate Blyth Tait. At 55, Todd has also found unexpected enjoyment in extending his culinary repertoire, turning his hand to interior design and even the pedantic process of applying to the local building control department for permission to extend his kitchen.
But one thing that hasn’t altered is his focus on competing. Todd’s 2008 Hong Kong “comeback” may not have turned into the headline event his admirers dared to anticipate—Gandalf finished 17th, and the team was way off a medal—but as the London 2012 cycle has progressed his barn is full of talent.
Indeed, he has a strong enough hand to consider an appearance at Rolex Kentucky this spring for the first time since riding Just A Mission in the late 1990s. Final decisions about which horses to take to the Badminton CCI**** (England) or to Rolex Kentucky depend on the possible sale of his 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games team bronze medalist NZB Grass Valley and the likelihood of a “wet” Badminton, which has moved forward two weeks to Easter this year.
A Deep Bench
But U.S. fans could yet see Todd in action on his preferred 2012 prospect, NZB Land Vision, who won the CIC*** at Blenheim (England) and finished as runner-up at Boekelo CCI*** (the Netherlands) three weeks later to convince Todd that he could become his best horse ever.
“Put it this way: There isn’t any other horse I crave,” he said. “Land Vision is a very good horse, very trainable. He finds dressage easy—of course it helps that he’s an eye-catching gray—and his cross-country is just very good as well. He reminds me a lot of Welton Greylag [his 1991 Burghley winner] and, oddly enough, Charisma [his two-time Olympic gold medalist].”
Todd wasn’t always sure Land Vision would be a strong galloper, but he ended up one of only two horses [of 63 starters] inside the time at Blenheim, despite Todd setting off steadily in the beginning of the course.
“Being a Thoroughbred sort of person, I really like him,” said Todd. “He’s real quality. I have no doubt now that he will do the four-star time and distance.”
Relative newcomer Major Milestone is more likely Badminton-bound. Todd’s “eyes on the ground,” British dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin, have helped improve Major Milestone, but his tests are still too unpredictable to justify an expensive flight across the Atlantic.
Like Land Vision, he’s another originally produced by Oliver Townend. Major Milestone was then campaigned at advanced by Owen Moore, but when Moore decided he didn’t want to take him on to four-star, owners Peter Cattell and Diane Brunsden gave the ride to Todd four outings before Burghley last year.
