A visibly thrilled Nicholson, who suffered a terrifying fall last year in which he broke his neck said:
“I really felt the big atmosphere out there today, but this is why I do it, for the people who support me and to win the first ERM class held at Barbury is extra special. A massive thanks goes to my team and family, who had it tough when I got injured, being the patient was the easy part.”
Nicholson added;
“Nereo adapts himself with whatever he has to do and I am thrilled he has eventually won this class”.
Paul Tapner may have provided the Australian selectors with a last minute Rio conundrum with a super competitive performance on Yogi Bear VIII to finish second on the podium with a final score of 44.2. This also positions him in second on the ERM leader board after his seventh and twelfth placing’s in leg one and two of this year’s ERM.
“Being on the ERM podium has been a main aim for me this season, so I am very happy. Our Olympic team gets announced tomorrow (Monday 11 July) and we will have to wait and see what happens. Gatcombe, is the next ERM leg and I will certainly be there, if I am not in Rio”.
Gemma Tattersall, who received her first Olympic call up on Tuesday, installed further confidence in the selectors with a superb double clear riding the eight year old Santiago Bay, finishing on their dressage mark of 44.4 for the third spot. Gemma now leads the ERM series with sixty-six points after her fourth and eleventh placing’s in the previous two legs. Tapner lies in second on sixty-three points and the former series leader Astier Nicolas (FRA) lies in third on fifty nine.
£50,000 totalled the prize money available at this weekend’s ERM competition.
Further ERM placings Leg 3 – The St James’s Place Barbury International Horse Trials:
4th – Dani Evans (GB) – SMART TIME (score 44.6)
5th – Marcio Jorge (BRZ) – LISSY MAY WAYER (46.1)
6th – Sam Griffiths (AUS) – HAPPY TIMES (46.9)
7th – William Fox-Pitt (GB) – COOL MOUNTAIN (47)
8th – Jonelle Price (NZ) – CLASSIC MOET (47.4)
9th – Jesse Campbell (NZ) – CLEVELAND (48.1)
10th – Laura Collett (GB) – MR BASS (50.3)
New for 2016, ERM incorporates six CIC *** Eventing competitions at venues across Great Britain with a total of £350,000 on offer across the series. For results, ERM leader board and to watch all the action from this weekend’s competition visiteventridermasters.tv.
Leg four of the Event Rider Masters is at the BETA Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park 6 – 7 August.
