A RIPPLE vet can now call himself an "Olympian" as he has gone down under to join the Australian Olympic equestrian team.

Graham Potts, one of four partners at the Three Counties Equine Hospital in Ripple, will be spending the next six weeks with the Aussie team at the Sydney Summer Olympics.

The 40-year-old English vet said it was an honour to be asked to join the "green and gold" team.

"I wish the British team all the very best but if you're asked to join an Olympic team it's an honour whoever asks and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity," he said.

"I'm very fond of Australia, to me it's a second country so I'm proud to be supporting the team although if it was a rugby match I'd probably be supporting England!" he said.

Mr Potts said his links with the team were formed after he spent three years living and working in Australia between 1997 and 1999 as a result of which he was asked to look after the Europe-based horses.

His first assignment will be to help to fly five of the team horses half way around the World.

"My job will be to monitor the horses' health during the flight because horses can get air sick and it's pretty hard to get them better in time," said Mr Potts.

In Sydney he will be staying in the Olympic village with the rest of the athletes but said there would be little time to watch any other events.

"I'd like to see Steve Redgrave win and if I get to meet him I'll be pleased," he said.

The equestrian events will be begin on Friday, September 15.