Photo: Maurice Beatson & My Gollywog winners of the 2013 JB Olympic Cup at HOY 2013 by KAMPIC Photography.

Maurice Beatson and his home-bred champ My Gollywog created history when they won the 2013 JB Olympic Cup.

At 60 and 19, the combination are thought to be the oldest to win the prestigious crown, so as night follows day, the combo will re-write history if they successfully defend their title this year.

But the Dannevirke farmer, who has ridden for New Zealand at Olympic Games (1988), World Cup final (1994) and World Champs (2010 and 1994) level, is never one to count his chickens before they hatch.

“Horses are a great leveller,” he has said on many occasions.

Beatson saves My Gollywog for the biggies, choosing carefully where the bay gelding will start. But the horse shows no sign of slowing down.

“He loves what he does,” says Beatson.

And when they won the Olympic Cup last year, he proud rider said he had never felt better.

It was one of a string of fantastic victories the combination shared, which also included the FEI World Cup NZ series.

Beatson has ridden at more HOY than most. He guesses his first was when he was around 12 and he hasn’t missed many since.

He has won the Olympic Cup five times and finished second or in the money more times than he cares to count.

“It’s the most important class in the 12 months,” he says. “It is the class to win . . . and really the only class that is worthwhile winning because it is so prestigious.”

Beatson has three horses to choose from for the class, but is likely to go with just two, with no plans to name who that will be until he absolutely has to.

As well as Gollywog, he also has European import Conyers and his home-bred big grey Schimmel Warrior.

Whoever it will be, there is no doubt this seasoned campaigner will be out there giving it his all and chasing the big titles at the show he loves to win at . . . once again.