BERMUDA international show jumper Patrick Nesbitt is off to Spain to compete in the annual Sunshine Tour next month. Nesbitt, who qualified for the 2007 Pan American Games this summer in Brazil, took a number of horses to Spain over the last two years — a decision he said was the right one considering how cold most of Europe is at this time of year, especially his home base in southern England.Nesbitt was in Bermuda for a brief visit recently and said: "I came down here to touch base with the officials of the Bermuda Equestrian Federation to get some issues sorted out and also to start a sponsorship drive. The fundraising committee is kicking into gear and I also wanted to raise awareness of what we are doing and trying to achieve."

Nesbitt, along with fellow Bermudian show jumper Jill Terceira, have both qualified for the Pan Am Games this year. Terceira is based in Holland.

"There is a lot to be sort out — things like transporting the horses to Brazil and things like that," said Nesbitt.

In about a week's time he will load up his huge truck with half a dozen horses and head to Vejer de la Frontera, Spain for the six weeks of competition on the Sunshine Tour.

"I will be taking Antille 8, Count Alaric, San Francisco and some younger horses. The competition in Spain will be their first big show," said Nesbitt of the younger horses. However he will be playing it fairly safe with Antille 8 with whom he qualified to make it to Brazil.

"I gave Antille a break over Christmas and he will compete in Spain. The nice thing about the Sunshine Tour is that I can jump him in a big class one week and then a smaller class the next week. My main thing with Antille this year will to keep him fit and healthy and ticking over. Obviously I do not want him to get injured with the Pan Am Games coming up this summer. That is the main focus for me because the Pan Am Games are also a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

"I want to keep him tuned up but I also cannot neglect the other horses."

Nesbitt would also like to find another mount which he could qualify on for the Pan Am Games just in case. "That would be ideal," he added.

After Spain Nesbitt will give Antille a month's rest and then take the 17-hand show jumper to Belgium for some shows and then France.

"The main objective is to go places where I know they have good footing and good jumping so that you can lesson the risk of injury," he said.

In Spain the Bermudian will be extremely busy. While he will keep Antille "ticking over" he also will be jumping his other mounts six days a week. "It is a lot of work. The older and more experienced horses jump Friday, Saturday and Sunday while the younger ones jump Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. There is not much time to rest up."

The whole trip will take seven weeks.