With the news that Bryce Newman with Dunstan Inishturk and Ginny Loisel with Johnny Appleseed are out of the World Equestrian Games (WEG), several people have queried why Clifton Say What ridden by Andrew Scott is not going to the WEG and there are some unusual stories going around.

As the owner of Clifton Say What I thought I'd better set the record straight with a few facts.

1. Andrew is an experienced four-star rider with New Zealand team experience, having represented New Zealand at two World Championships (ninth at Gawler in 1986 and 10th at Stockholm in 1990, where he was also a member of the gold medal winning team). He has also been reserve for two Olympics (LA and Barcelona) and has represented New Zealand in five Trans Tasman Team competitions. Andrew rates Clifton Say What as the best horse he's sat on for years.
2. Clifton Say What and Andrew competed in the four-star Mitsubishi Adelaide International Horse Trials in November 2001 as members of the New Zealand Trans Tasman team. They went beautifully, being one of only three combinations to go double clear cross-country and show jumping. However, Andrew was pathfinder for the New Zealand team and thus required to go for a clear cross-country. Unfortunately, taking it steady meant he incurred time penalties. The pair finished tenth overall, the second best Kiwi combination behind Matthew Grayling and Revo.
3. The plan then was for the combination to contest the four-star Rolex Kentucky in April 2002 before going to Europe for their final preparation for WEG.
4. In February 2002, soon after Andrew was named by the NZEF for the 12-member long-list for Spain, Clifton Say What had a freak paddock accident, putting a hind leg through a gate and slightly injuring a hind tendon. We did not attempt to hide this injury. The prognosis was excellent and we started a controlled programme of regular scans and progressive work, whilst still aiming at the WEG.
5. In July, the horse was successfully competed at dressage and show jumping. He was then given a thorough workout at Taupo Equestrian Centre under the eye of Tony Parsons (NZ team vet), Mary Darby (Chairman of the Selectors) and Nicoli Fife (adviser to the selectors). After 20 minutes of dressage, Clifton Say What had to gallop at four-star steeplechase speed then jump much of the cross-country track. After totally cooling down, he was fully re-vetted.
6. The feedback was that his dressage had improved greatly, he was super-fit and extremely sound. He was ready for WEG and his flight was booked for 11 August to the UK. It was intended that he would compete at an Advanced ODE 17-18 August and an Open Intermediate ODE on 26 August.
7. Clifton Say What had a final scan at the end of July and both Massey University and Tony Parsons were delighted with the results. He was given the green light to travel.
8. The arrangement proposed for Clifton Say What travelling to Europe was that the NZEF would put some money in, but it would still cost myself as owner and Andrew as rider about NZ$20,000 each. The NZEF money would have to be re-paid if Clifton Say What ran at the four-star Burghley Masterfoods Horse Trials, two weeks before WEG, even if he were still reserve at that stage.
9. Given there would be no further four-stars in Europe after WEG and that we felt the horse had nothing to gain by competing at a three-star three-day event, this meant that if he were still only first reserve at the start of WEG on 11 September, the horse would travel to the UK and back at a cost to us of about $40,000 to not compete. We also felt it would be unreasonable to then run the horse at the four-star Mitsubishi Adelaide International Horse Trials in November after two such long journeys. So the whole year would effectively be written off.
10. We made it clear to the NZEF that we were not prepared to fly the horse to the UK on 11 August on the above conditions if he were still first reserve. The deadline for a definite decision was Wednesday, 7 August to cancel the flight and all arrangements.
11. The most likely combination that Andrew Scott and Clifton Say What might have replaced in the final six selected by 7 August was Bryce Newman and Dunstan Inishturk. Whilst their performance at the four-star Rolex Kentucky in April 2001 showed great potential, they had done little to consolidate this in the 16 months since then.
    • The four-star Rolex Kentucky was only four-star that either horse or rider have contested.
    • Since then, they have not run at any FEI events, either three-day CCI or one-day CIC.
    • I believe they did not compete at any Advanced horse trials in 2001 after Kentucky.
    • In 2002, they definitely have completed only two Intermediate horse trials and no Advanced.
12. The Gatcombe British Open Championship on the weekend 3/4 August was an ideal 'prove it' opportunity. The top class was the CIC*** Championship class that was supported by WEG contenders from all the top countries already based in the UK. Andrew Nicholson successfully completed the CIC*** Championship class with three horses, winning it on Mallards Treat, a horse he never proposed for WEG, and coming sixth on Fenicio, his planned WEG ride. Bryce instead chose to downgrade Dunstan Inishturk to the easier Advanced class. Even so, Bryce withdrew Dunstan Inishturk before the cross-country, so again not completing an Advanced event.
13. Despite this, the decision made by the NZEF was still to place Bryce and Dunstan Inishturk above Andrew and Clifton Say What in priority for WEG. Hence, Andrew and Clifton Say What were still seventh choice (i.e., first reserve) at the deadline of 7 August and thus the flight and all the arrangements were cancelled.
14. As we all know, Bryce and Dunstan Inishturk did run Advanced at Thirlstane Castle 16-18 August, two weeks after Gatcombe. Unfortunately, the horse hit a fence and retired with an injury that apparently requires several weeks for recovery, thus putting the pair out of contention for WEG (information added 4/9/02). Whether his long lay-off from competition at top level had anything to do with it or not I guess we will never know. Certainly, if it did, and that had been put to the test at Gatcombe two weeks earlier it would have given time for Andrew Scott and Clifton Say What to get to Europe to take their place.
15. Andrew and Clifton Say What are both fit and well and are now planning another crack at the four-star Mitsubishi Adelaide International Horse Trials in November.
16. Neither Andrew nor I argued with the decision of the NZEF. The selectors have an unenviable job to do and I am sure it was a tough call to make. I felt it should have gone the other way and that Andrew should have been chosen over Bryce, given Dunstan Inishturk's lack of proven form since Kentucky 2001. However, I accept that I am biased and I know how fit and well my horse is and how awesomely he's going at present. Watch out Adelaide!

I hope this clarifies the facts in the public domain. Everyone involved was very clear on the conditions for both parties at all times. There are no hard feelings. Let's get on, support the remaining five riders and hopefully cheer them to success in Spain. I'll certainly be there doing so.

Frances Stead, owner of Clifton Say What