Happy retirement, Blyth Tait! His stellar career in pictures…

When Blyth Tait announced his retirement from eventing at the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show in his native New Zealand, where he was competing in showjumping classes (11 March), it marked the end of a truly remarkable career.

Now aged 58, Blyth has a huge list of accolades to his name.

Born in Whangarei, by the age of 29 in 1992 he held the world number one ranking, a position he maintained for a decade. He won individual gold on Ready Teddy at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, team silver at Barcelona in 1992, collecting two Olympic bronze medals along the way, and was also twice a winner of Burghley Horse Trials.

He also won team and individual gold at the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, riding Messiah.

At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona he won individual bronze and team silver and then topped those up at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta with a team bronze and individual gold.

Blyth once again won double gold at the World Equestrian Games in Rome in 1998.

Here is a look at just some of the highlights from his illustrious career…

Blyth and Messiah at the 1990 WEG

Blyth on Ready Teddy at Belton Horse Trials in 2000

Blyth and Ready Teddy

Blyth riding Chesterfield at the Atlanta Olympics

Blyth with his two gold medals after the 1990 WEg in Stockholm

With Ready Teddy

With Ready Teddy in the dressage at Badminton

Blyth and Chesterfield negotiate the water at the Atlanta Olympics

Blyth with his bronze medal-winning teammates in Atlanta — from left Vaughn Jefferis, Vicky Latta, Blyth and Andrew Nicholson

Silver medallist Sally Clark of New Zealand, compatriot, gold medalist Blyth Tait, and bronze medalist Kerry Millikin of the US pose on the podium after receiving their medals at Atlanta Olympics

Ready Teddy in full flight

Blyth was the New Zealand team flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

Blyth riding Santos II in 2011 — a horse he rode up to five-star level

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Gemma Redrup

H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.