Heelan Tompkins is a high profile, very well regarded horse woman, famous in her home country of New Zealand and internationally. She has twice been a member of the NZ Olympic eventing team, competing at Athens (date) on her very special pony/horse the gorgeous Glennarick (Nugget) and then again at Beijing Olympics in Hong Kong (date) on the beautiful Sugoi (Pete). The remarkable Nugget, was Heelan’s first Olympic mount. The 18 year old veteran finished 7th at the Athens Olympics, and two years later ventured overseas once more to compete at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, 2006, age 20. Together, Heelan and Nugget, have an impressive list of accomplishments nationally and internationally. At 20, Nugget was retired from top-level eventing and handed over to Heelans younger cousin Kristy Parsons. In 2008, Heelan and Pete were members of the Beijing Olympic team. Both Olympic campaigns were run from New Zealand, in which Heelan finished number one in the team at Athens, 2004. She proved that preparation in NZ for successful international riding is no problem. Many sponsors have happily supported Heelan for years and owners have readily entrusted her with their precious equine assets, everybody thoroughly enjoying the ensuing entertainment, event days and special social occasions. Heelan is a wealth of information and often when asked a difficult question, she will not only succinctly answer it, but she’ll put a spin on the matter that could have you reeling at her obvious in-depth knowledge. And then if you are ever privileged enough to be given a riding lesson by Heelan, be ready to have the most difficult things explained in such a way that you’ll be mind-blown as to how easily understood a difficult situation can be and subsequently put into practice. Around the traps, it’s repeatedly said by very experienced people, “Heelan never, ever, not ever, misses finding the exact right spot for take-off when riding cross country or show jumping.” I’m certain Heelan would accredit a lot of her intuitive and ingrained knowledge to her early days when as a child she was an integral part of her mother’s busy riding school run on the family property in Taranaki. Heelan grew up surrounded by everything to do with horses. Two of Heelan’s sisters competed successfully at NZPCA Eventing Champs with Jean winning the DC title twice and the A1 cup twice. Heelan was the only sibling to continue riding and ride professionally. Heelan’s equestrian expertise reaches further than the eventing circuit. She competed in Pony of the Year on Captain Dusty. “I lost my way in the jump off,” says Heelan. “Remembering courses has never been my strength!” Heelan returned to the eventing world where she had numerous successes. Heelan and her pony club champs mount, Masterpiece, won the Young Rider World Three Day event title, The Oceania Zone title and Young Rider title. At age 20, Heelan rode Masterpiece around Kentucky 4****, later selling him overseas into a home where he was highly valued and loved. Perhaps this was the sale that set Heelan on a path of finding wonderful horses, schooling them and competing them successfully before selling them on. Recently Heelan has downscaled her stable to just two mounts, Watkins and Tindall - both are former racehorses. Heelan would ideally like to take Watkins overseas in an attempt to start another Olympic campaign. “Watkins is probably the best jumping horse I’ve ever had. Hopefully he’ll get me to another Olympics”. Written by V. Grayling