ONE Sport

World number one equestrian rider Andrew Nicholson fears Jock Paget’s positive drugs test could be affecting our other top competitors.

Nicholson has returned home for a short break and has expressed concern that New Zealand’s riders are coming under harsh scrutiny following Paget’s troubles.

Nicholson says being a kiwi may have cost him in a win in France just weeks after Paget’s horse tested positive for drugs.

“I feel my last competition of the year, a big one, I got hammered in the dressage by one judge who normally is one of my best judges,” Nicholson told ONE Sport today.

“Were they thinking something else when I went down the centre line?”

Nicholson was riding Mr Cruise Control, one of the top eventing horses in the world, yet one judge ranked him 25th. while the other two placed him fifth and sixth.

“Were they just thinking, we’ve got one that’s got a positive case at the moment, is this one on it as well?,” he said.

“I dont know, it just seemed odd how I got hammered.”

Especially considering that the year before the very same judge had awarded him perfect 10s.

“That’s human nature, people won’t like me for saying it but I can’t see what else it can be,” Nicholson said.

“For sure it does have an affect on everyone.”

It has meant a disappointing end to an otherwise positive season for the 52-year-old, with wins at Kentucky and Luhmuhlen, and a top spot in the world rankings for the second consecutive year.

Nicholson also came within half a penalty point of clinching the prestigious eventing grandslam, with his family watching on.

“At Badminton this year, when he was trying to get the triple crown, he made a joke to everybody that the family can smell money and have turned up with an empty suitcase,” explained Nicholson’s brother, John.

“I had to come home with an empty suitcase,” he laughed.

Jokes aside, the family is proud as punch, but back in Kihikihi there’s no such thing as special treatment.

“I’m pretty much put in my place very quickly,” Nicholson said.

“I know not to bang on about what I’ve won and what I’ve done because they will tell me what I should have won and where I messed up and looked like a monkey.”

While he’s happy to be judged by his actions, it’s being judged on what someone else has done that he’s less keen on.