By Bryn Palmer, Sydney

British Olympian Carl Edwards revealed the lucky charm he hopes will help his country end a 44-year wait for another showjumping gold medal in Sydney.

The Shropshire-based horseman was stunned when the wife of Britain's last jumping gold medallist, Wilf White, contacted him before the squad departed for Australia.

She presented Edwards with the riding crop her husband, now deceased, used when he struck gold for Britain at the Melbourne Games of 1956, when the equestrian events were held in Stockholm due to the distance involved in transporting horses to the main event.

"We live in the same county and she told me to take it as a lucky charm," Edwards explained.

"She said, 'put it in your suitcase and it will bring you good luck.'

"I am very proud to have it," continued the 37-year-old. "It was before my time but I heard my parents talk about him a lot and he was obviously a marvellous man.

"It is a fantastic thing for his wife to send me."

Although Great Britain have won silver and bronze medals in the intervening period - the last of which came in Los Angeles in 1984, when John and Michael Whitaker, alongside Steven Smith and Tim Grub, took silver in the team event - a showjumping gold has proved elusive.

Edwards, competing in his first Olympics, believes the German, Dutch, Swiss and French teams will provide stiff opposition in Sydney, but with a strong backbone of experience in the team, is optimistic about Britain's medal prospects.

"As a team, with the Whitakers and Geoff Billington (who finished sixth in Atlanta) there, we stand a very good, strong chance," he said.

"Individually, it is a different thing again, and it is going to be very tough because the best of the best in the world are here."

While the dressage riders and eventers are in action in the opening days of Sydney 2000, the showjumpers must wait another fortnight before their individual qualifiers, followed by the team final three days later and the individual final on the last day of competition, October 1.

But despite their enthusiasm to get started, Edwards admits the team are enjoying the pre-Games atmosphere and training facilities at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park, which he describes as "second to none."

"The place itself is unbelievable," he added. "The stables are brilliant and although it is a long time for the horses to be here, there is a great variety of walks and rides, through forests and up to the top of mountains.

"On one ride you can look down on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Olympics site from the top and I wouldn't mind seeing that every morning!"

For Edwards, success in Sydney would represent an achievement for his entire family, with his wife Amanda, also a showjumper, having ridden his own mount, Bit More Candy, to seventh place at the world championships previously.

"I stole the ride from her!" Edwards admits.

"My father has bred many horses that have gone to the Games before and he bred this one as well, so it would be even more special to get a good result here. To be at the Olympics is something we have all worked for."