NEW ZEALAND, the dominant force in three day eventing since winning double gold at the World Equestrian Games six years ago, scored a stunning one two at the Georgia International Horse Park yesterday, claiming individual gold and silver when show jumping clears from Blyth Tait and Sally Clark allowed them to hold onto the advantage gained by the best two cross country performances 24 hours earlier.

Incredibly, Tait only got the chance of an individual start when double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd dropped out of the squad last week, and Todd's misfortune gave Tait the chance of adding a second medal to the bronze earned in the team competition.

After riding Ready Teddy to win the Italian three day at Pratoni in May, Tait declared the eight year old as his main weapon for an assault on the Sydney 2000 medals. But the talented chestnut was suddenly thrust into the limelight and not only clocked the fastest cross country time on Thursday, he went on to jump a superb show jumping round to clinch the gold for Tait's biggest personal triumph since winning the world championships in 1990.

The horse was bought in New Zealand two years ago by Tait's father Bob, who came up with the name Ready Teddy, reflecting the horse's reddy chestnut coat.

Compatriot Sally Clark who has been based in America since last year in the build up to Atlanta, took the silver after an equally impressive show jumping round from the thoroughbred Squirrel Hill. But Clark's plan to sell the horse immediately after the 1996 Games may now be shelved.

Kerry Millikin, the American rider who successfully sued the US Equestrian Team in 1988 for reinstatement onto the American Olympic squad for Seoul, held onto the bronze in spite of hitting the second fence yesterday with Out And About, the horse that jumped clear around the Badminton cross country in May only to be eliminated for missing a flag.