Mark Todd

Wednesday 7th - Sunday 11th May 2025

Mark Todd

New Zealand
  • 51 - Leonidas II

Biography

The UK-based seven-time Olympian, former Badminton winner and New Zealand equestrian legend Sir Mark Todd (63) is based near Swindon in Wiltshire. Last year Sir Mark was 18th at Badminton with NZB Campino and was a member of the New Zealand team for the WEG in Tryon (Mclaren). He has previously won Badminton on four occasions and Burghley five times. NZB Campino has completed five of the World’s four-star events – excluding Adelaide – his best place being 4th at Badminton in 2017.

Prior to Badminton Sir Mark spent six weeks in Australia overseeing the training and running of the racehorse Eminent (Frankel-King Mambo) having been asked by owner Sir Peter Vela of NZB – also the owner of Badminton entry NZB Campino – to train the horse for the Melbourne Cup in November. The horse’s preparation included several races in Australia over the last few weeks.

Sir Mark is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated sportsmen and was voted rider of the 20th century by the FEI; in 2013 he was made a Knights Companion of the NZ Order of Merit for services to the sport of eventing.

‘Toddy’ first competed internationally as a member of the first ever NZ team that contested the World Championships at Lexington in 1978. Soon after he moved to England and won his first Badminton with Southern Comfort (1980). He is particularly remembered for his partnership with the diminutive Charisma with who he won two Olympic gold medals (’84 & 88). In the 1992 Olympic Games, Mark competed in show jumping as well as eventing. He has won Burghley five times.

In 2000 he retired from the sport after winning bronze at the Sydney Olympics. He then made a return to eventing in 2008 aged 52 and three-years later won his fourth Badminton title – the oldest rider ever to win – on his 20th completion. During retirement in New Zealand he turned to training and breeding racehorses and successes included Bramble Rose who won the 2003 New Zealand Oaks and Willy Smith the winner of the Wellington Cup in 2007. After his return to eventing he was selected for the 2008 Olympic Games and in 2010 with Grass Valley was a member of the NZ bronze medal team at the WEG in Lexington and in London 2012 was a member of the Bronze medal winning New Zealand team with NZB Campino. In 2016 Sir Mark was a member of the fourth placed New Zealand team at the Rio Olympic Games – his seventh OG – where he was 7th individually (Leonidas II).

Mark is the official technical advisor to the Brazilian Eventing team. He trains with Isobel Wessels and Luis Alvarez.He is married to Carolyn and the couple has two children Lauren (28) and James (24). Outside of horses Mark enjoys horse racing, skiing (water and snow) cooking and yoga and training racehorses.

NZB Campino (aka Kinky) owned by New Zealand Bloodstock and rider, is a 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding. He is by the Holstein Contendro (the sire of Isobell Wessell’s dressage champion Chagall) out of a mare by Pinkus. He was found by Mark at Dirk Schrade’s yard. In 2012 NZB Campino was a member of the team at the London OG and in 2016 was 7th at Lexington CCI4* and 9th at Burghley. He is described as ‘something of a pet now he is 17’.

 

 

Entries

Leonidas II

HOLST, Germany, 2004
16.1hh , bay , gelding

Sire Landos

Dam Nairobi II (Parco)

Breeder Gabriele Pochhammer

Owner(s): Peter Cattell & Diane Brunsden, Chipping Ongar, Essex
& Rider

Withdrawn

NZB Campino

HANN, Germany, 2002
17.0hh , bay , gelding

Sire Contendro

Dam Pink Dame (Pinkus )

Breeder Hans-Juergen Abel

Owner(s): New Zealand Bloodstock, Swindon, Wilts.
& Rider

Notable Results

2018 – Tryon WEG 57th McLaren

2018 – Burghley 18th NZB Campino

2017 – Pau CCI4* 25th Kiltubrid Rhapsody

2017 – Burghley CCI4* El Leonidas II

2017 – Aachen CICO3* 5th Leonidas

2017 – Barbury Castle CIC3* ERM 3rd Leonidas II

2017 – Saumur CCI3* 3rd Kiltubrid Rhapsody

2016 – Burghley CCI4* 9th NZB Campino

2016 – Rio OG 7th Leonidas

2016 – Lexington CCI4* 7th NZB Campino

2015 – Pau CCI4* 10th NZB Campino

2015 – Luhmuhlen CCI4* 5th NZB Campino

2015 – Tattersalls CIC3* 1st NZB Campino

2015 – Pau CCI4* 10th NZB Campino

2015 – Ballindenisk CIC3* 1st NZB Campino

2015 – Burghley Leonidas 6th

2015 – Luhmuhlen CCI4* 5th NZB Campino

2015 – Tattersalls CIC3* 1st NZB Campino

2014 – Caen WEG El Leonidas

2014 – Luhmuhlen CCI4* 21st Oloa

2014 – Belton CIC3* 1st Leonidas II, 4th NZB Campino

2013 – Burghley CCI4* 7th Oloa

2012 – Burghley CCI4* 12th Major Milestone

2012 – London OG 12th NZB Campino (team bronze)

2011 – Burghley CCI4* 14th Major Milestone

2010 – WEG Lexington 11th Grass Valley

2010 – Burghley CCI4* 11th Major Milestone

2008 – Hong Kong OG 17th NZB Gandalph

2000 – Sydney OG 3rd (Ind) Eye Spy II; 11th (team) Diamond Hall Red

2000 – Burghley CCI4* 8th Just A Mission

2000 – Lexington CCI4* 8th Just a Mission

1999 – Burghley CCI4* 1st Diamond Hall Red

1998 – New Zealand sportsman of the year

1997 – Burghley CCI3* 1st Broadcast News

1991 – Burghley CCI4* 1st Welton Greylag

1990 – Stockholm WEG team gold Bahlua

1990 – Burghley 1st Face the Music

1988 – Seoul OG gold medal Charisma

1987 – Burghley CCI4* 1st Wilton Fair; 2nd Charisma

1984 – Los Angeles OG, gold medal Charisma

Badminton

2018 – 6th Kiltubrid Rhapsody, 14th Leonidas II

2017 – 4th NZB Campino, 6th Leonidas II

2016 – 4th Leonidas

2015 – 4th Leonidas, 41st Oloa

2014 – 14th Leonidas, El NZB Campino

2013 – 48th Major Milestone

2011 – 1st NZB Land Vision, 35th Major Milestone

2010 – 18thNZBGrassValley

2000 – 5th Eyespy II

1999 – 2nd Word for Word

1998 – 2nd Broadcast News.

1997 – RET Kayem on the steeplechase.

1996 – 1st Bertie Blunt

1995 – 4th Just An Ace, W/D Bertie Blunt before SJ having ridden most of the course with one stirrup,

1994 – 1st Horton Point; a last minute ride and No. 1 in the draw, 5th Just An Ace

1992 – 5th Alfred The Great

1991 – 5th Just An Ace

1990 – 19th Bahlua

1989 – 3rd The Irishman – a catch from the injured Rodney Powell

1986 – 5th Any Chance, 18th Michaelmas Day

1985 – 2nd Charisma

1984 – 2nd Charisma

1983 – 9th Felix Too

1980 – 1st Southern Comfort his Badminton debut