Arko inspires Skelton back to Olympia
Equestrianism: Nick Skelton returns to Olympia for the first time since breaking his neck to compete in the International Showjumping Championships riding Arko.
Nick Skelton returns to Olympia today for the first time since breaking his neck in September 2000. Eleven days short of his 45th birthday he competes in the International Showjumping Championships which run until Monday.
They give him his first opportunity to test, against some of the best showjumpers in the world, the talents of John and Lisa Hale's exceptional stallion Arko, the horse that inspired him to return to the sport after his official retirement nearly two years ago. Having been cleared to ride again last spring, he has such hopes of Arko that he is thinking of Athens and the Olympics in 2004.
A strong overseas entry at Olympia, including the top 10 riders in the world rankings, will contest Saturday's World Cup qualifier for a place in the final in Las Vegas next April.
Britain has 13 riders qualified for Olympia, four of them members of the Whitaker family - Michael, ranked 14th in the world and Britain's highest placed rider, Robert, 19, and his father John who this time two years ago was fighting for his life in Sweden after suffering a brain aneurysm, and Ellen, niece of Michael and John and at 16 the youngest rider to compete in the international classes at Olympia.
John, formerly a regular among the top 10 in the world, has had the difficult task since his illness of hauling himself up the rankings to gain invitations to the big international shows. At the Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham in October he qualified for only one class, the Daewoo Championship, but he won it in convincing style with his top horse Lord Z. His return to Olympia will be popular and may also prove productive.
The new world champion, Ireland's Dermott Lennon, is among the overseas contingent, which includes riders from 14 nations. Among them are the three-times World Cup winner and former world champion Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil; Eric Navet, who gained the individual silver medal and was a member of France's winning team in the World Equestrian Games in September; and Germany's Ludger Beerbaum, ranked No1 in the world.
They give him his first opportunity to test, against some of the best showjumpers in the world, the talents of John and Lisa Hale's exceptional stallion Arko, the horse that inspired him to return to the sport after his official retirement nearly two years ago. Having been cleared to ride again last spring, he has such hopes of Arko that he is thinking of Athens and the Olympics in 2004.
A strong overseas entry at Olympia, including the top 10 riders in the world rankings, will contest Saturday's World Cup qualifier for a place in the final in Las Vegas next April.
Britain has 13 riders qualified for Olympia, four of them members of the Whitaker family - Michael, ranked 14th in the world and Britain's highest placed rider, Robert, 19, and his father John who this time two years ago was fighting for his life in Sweden after suffering a brain aneurysm, and Ellen, niece of Michael and John and at 16 the youngest rider to compete in the international classes at Olympia.
John, formerly a regular among the top 10 in the world, has had the difficult task since his illness of hauling himself up the rankings to gain invitations to the big international shows. At the Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham in October he qualified for only one class, the Daewoo Championship, but he won it in convincing style with his top horse Lord Z. His return to Olympia will be popular and may also prove productive.
The new world champion, Ireland's Dermott Lennon, is among the overseas contingent, which includes riders from 14 nations. Among them are the three-times World Cup winner and former world champion Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil; Eric Navet, who gained the individual silver medal and was a member of France's winning team in the World Equestrian Games in September; and Germany's Ludger Beerbaum, ranked No1 in the world.
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