ANDREW Nicholson’s top rides will take a back seat at next year’s major competitions as he aims to have them at peak condition for London 2012.

The 50-year-old, who is based in Marlborough, starts his last major competition of the season today at the CCI four-star Les Etoiles de Pau event in France, with the run-in to the Games beginning in earnest in December.

Nicholson, who is set to compete in his seventh games, said: “On the whole, this season has been good and I’ve been happy with it.

“I’ll have a bit of time off to rest after Pau and then I’ll be mapping everything out in reverse from the Olympics.

“My best horses will take a bit of a side step from the biggest competitions – they probably won’t be at Badminton or Barbury Castle and for the younger horses, their main aim will be the likes of Burleigh, Lexington and Luhmühlen.

“I want to qualify as many horses as I can and give them the best chance of being in top form.”

Nicholson’s medal collection includes team silver from Barcelona 1992 and team bronze from Atlanta 1996 and he would love to add a gold medal at London 2012.

“The New Zealand team has some very good riders,” he said. “I’ve also got a great horse in Nereo – he’s been third at the World Championships, second at Burleigh and won the British Open at Gatcombe.”

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