KIWI event rider Jesse Campbell, from Marlborough, will have his first experience of the Badminton Horse Trials on his 13-year-old thoroughbred ex-racehorse Kaapachino.

Campbell missed the UK’s premier four-star competition last year when Kaapachino developed a bacterial infection. Instead, they re-routed to Luhmühlen in Germany, where they finished 16th at their first four-star event.

This year, preparations have gone much more smoothly in the lead-up to the Gloucestershire event and the prospect of tackling one of the world's most famous cross country course is one that is whetting the appetite of 26-year-old Campbell.

“Kappy is a brilliant cross country horse and has all the credentials to tackle those famous fences,” he said. “We’ve had a good build-up with clears in cross country at Great Witchingham and the CIC3* at Belton International, where he gave me a really great feel.

“He was superb. He also produced very good dressage tests at both competitions. Riding at Badminton has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember and to be riding there next week is brilliant.”

It’s an achievement in itself that Kaapachino is to contest Badminton. Prior to last year’s setback, he required a year off to recover from injury caused from his long haul flight from New Zealand.

“It’s been a tough road for Kappy but we had a great season last year and with hindsight, I think it was a good thing that we missed Badminton as it gave us more time to prepare for Luhmühlen,” added Campbell.

“After that, he won the CIC3* at Millstreet in Ireland and we were also on the Nations Cup team that represented New Zealand at Boekelo that ensured qualification for the Rio Olympics.”

Campbell is one of nine riders on New Zealand’s Eventing High Performance squad vying for Rio Olympic selection.

“You want to do well and it’s on a much bigger stage than I have competed on before, but in reality, it’s just me and my horse and before a big competition, I like to imagine I am competing against myself so that I go out and do the best I can.”