Equestrianism: Arko aiming to fulfil great expectations at Olympia
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Your support makes all the difference.Britain's potential equine stars will come under the spotlight when the Olympia Show Jumping Championships begin their five-day run this morning. They include Nick Skelton's eight-year-old partner, Arko III, whose reputation will have preceded him when he makes his first appearance at the London show. The alert bright bay stallion has been burdened by great expectations, but he is neat and agile and capable of fulfilling dreams.
If Arko deals with this challenge with his customary nimbleness, he will be on course for a place in next year's European championship team. Other possible contenders for the same goal include It's Magic Max (also an eight-year-old), who is the mount of Keith Shore, as well as two recent newcomers to John Whitaker's string – the 12-year-old Lord Z and the eight-year-old mare, Carmen.
Whitaker expects to ride Lord Z in the bigger classes (notably Saturday afternoon's World Cup Qualifier and Monday evening's Grand Prix) but he believes that Carmen could have a bigger future. "She's careful and scopey and a definite possibility for the European Championships," Whitaker said.
Though he believes that Lord Z may have his limitations over enormous courses, the German stallion made a big impression when winning the national Daewoo Championship at the Horse of the Year Show, where Whitaker defeated Shore on It's Magic Max. "Max is a big boy and the best I've ever ridden," Shore said of his talented 17.2-hand bay gelding. "He'd never jumped a fence before that." Having completed a double clear round in the Rotterdam Nations Cup with Max this year, the 38-year-old Cheshire rider is hungry for more international challenges.
As usual the Whitaker name will be much in evidence at Olympia, with John's brother (Michael), son (Robert) and 16-year-old niece (Ellen) also participating in the international classes. They will face tough opposition from overseas riders – notably Ireland's new world champion, Dermott Lennon, this year's German winner of the World Cup final, Otto Becker, and the consistent Swiss rider, Markus Fuchs, who is returning to the scene of last year's grand prix victory with Nick Skelton's former ride, the stallion Tinka's Boy.
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