Photo: Simon Gordon on Fletch.com winners of the 2013 Bell Tea and Coffee Company CIC3* eventing at HOY 2013 by Libby Law Photography.

Simon Gordon can’t wait to try out the new Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds 3* cross country course this year.

The winner of the 2013 Bell Tea and Coffee Company CIC3* eventing crown says he loves to ride John Nicholson designed courses, and is expecting another cracker for the 2014 NRM Horse of the Year Show.

He is back with his champ Fletch.com to defend his Eventer of the Year crown.

“I think the new course will be absolutely awesome,” he says. “To be able to get that many people to view the cross country is going to be great. It does come with its challenges – from both sides. As a rider coming into the main arena and areas like that, is going to be tricky to get horses to focus on a fence in front of them when so much is going on around them.”

But he’s a big fan of any Nicholson course.

“They are courses you have to go out and attack, but they seem to ride well for me.”

His 13-year-old grey horse had a brilliant season in 2013, winning the CIC3* at HOY, placing second at the Kihikihi International Horse Trial 3*, third at Puhinui and then seventh in Sydney in the Trans Tasman clash.

“I was really happy with his season,” says the 24-year-old banker from Karaka.

And now, the combination are looking even further afield, contemplating a start in May at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

“I have trouble getting my head around it, but it is something that needs to be done . . . sooner rather than later. I have been told the course over there would suit Fletch.com and the event fits in well with our season here.”

He plans to defend his title at HOY, then take two weeks off after the BNZ Kihikihi International Horse Trial before flying to the UK.

“It is easy to throw an idea out there, but to put it into motion is a completely different story . . . I have a lot of planning to do!”