Photo courtesy Kit Houghton/Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials
A few years ago I took an American friend, who had no interest or knowledge of eventing, to Badminton on cross country day. It was a special Badminton for me that year as it was won by Chris Bartle (yes, we’re talking a while ago) riding Word Perfect and, as a friend of mine was working for Chris at the Yorkshire Riding Centre, I scored an invite to the celebration when he returned home.
However the other thing that sticks in my mind from that year was my American friend’s reaction as we watched the first rider through the famous lake. It cannot be repeated here for sake of modesty but let’s say he was astonished at the fact that they actually jumped the pickup truck which he had assumed was there for decoration. He instantly became a fan of eventing
The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials is definitely one of the biggest tests of both horse and rider anywhere in the world and this year, for the first time in 25 years, there is a new course designer to challenge them. Giuseppe della Chiesa has looked back at Badmintons past and decided to combine the history of the past with new ideas such as the New Pond to play this year.
Rupert Bell talked to Giuseppe to find out more about his thoughts on designing the course for the ‘most famous 4* in the world’
The fence they’re all talking about this year is Fence 15, the Vicarage Vee which is certainly a blast from the past but is also, according to course designer Giuseppe della Chiesa , a ‘very modern fence’ which requires ‘accuracy, direction, scope and boldness’. It sure will – it’s huge! But the best way to understand the course is to walk it with Hugh Thomas and Giuseppe
By now the riders will have settled – one of the first to arrive was Australia’s Nat Blundell with the pocket rocket Algebra but sadly her coach and mentor, seven time Olympian Andrew Hoy is no longer on the competing list with Rutherglen
Chris Burton of course has the Australian International 3 Day Event 4* winner TS Jamaimo who has drawn number 105, putting him quite late in the day for dressage on Friday and he withdrew Tempranillo on May 3rd. Tempranillo would have made the acceptance list but, Chris decided it was difficult to schedule the horse’s preparation when you are unsure and so Tempranillo now heads to Luhmuhlen in June
Chris Burton will be aiming for a good result to secure WEG selection Photo courtesy Jane Thompson
Bill Levett has two horses entered – Silk Stone and Shannondale Titan and so has an early and late draw (15 and 117). Both of these horses are on the Equestrian Australia 2014 Normandy Squad, as is TS Jamaimo, and a good run here would definitely help seal their prospects for WEG
Peter Atkins and the celebrity horse Henry Jota Hampton opted for Badminton instead of Rolex Kentucky this year. Peter and Henny flew from Miami to Amsterdam on April 25th and then was trucked to fellow Australian eventer Catherine Burrell’s yard at Maizey Manor Farm where they have been preparing for the big event
Emma Dougall and Kelecyn Ice Age are having (we believe) their first crack at Badminton, having finished 12th at the Luhmuhlen 4* last year. If they can finish on their dressage score here, as they did at Luhmuhlen, you could ask for no more. Although Kelecyn Ice Age is maybe not the easiest horse, Emma is an impressive dressage rider so let’s hope she coaxes a fabulous test out of him
2010 winner Paul Tapner is back, this year with Kilronan
Paul Tapner is one of six former winners here: Fox-Pitt (2004); New Zealander Sir Mark Todd (1980, 1994, 1996 and 2011), who rides NZB Campino and Leonidas II; Britain’s Mary King (1992 and 2000), who brings Imperial Cavalier; and Pippa Funnell (2002, 2003, 2005), who has the choice of Billy Beware, Or Noir de la Loge or Redesigned; plus two Australians: Lucinda Fredericks (2007), who rides Flying Finish
Paul will be riding the grey Irish Sport Horse Kilronan who has had a good CIC3* preparation with a placing at Belton recently. The pair competed in two 4* events last year and the very competitive Paul will be looking to improve on his 26th place at Burghley and 20th at Badminton 2013. And can past winner Lucinda Fredericks, who lost her Badminton-winning mount Headley Britannia only recently, go one better on Flying Finish than their performance at Luhmuhlen in 2012 where they finished second?
As mentioned in a recent article, the last time that Wendy Schaeffer competed at Badminton was in 1996, the year she won an Olympic gold medal in Atlanta. Following Badminton that year, Wendy headed back to Australia to compete at Naracoorte where she was thrown against a bank from her one star horse and broke two bones in her lower leg, only nine weeks’ before the Olympic Games.
This time Wendy broke her leg leading up to last year’s Australian International 3 Day Event, putting her out of her home 4*event only 3 weeks beforehand and she has been nursing her fractured tibia back to strength ready for Badminton. Let’s hope it’s a good omen for Wendy and Koyuna Sun Dancer who have drawn 60th place
Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh at Badminton 2013
Seumas Marwood riding Wild Oats and Sam Griffiths riding Paulank Brockagh will be tipping hats to each other as they leave and enter the dressage arena, having drawn 75th and 76th places. You can read about Seumas’ journey to their first 4*, which he says really began at Melbourne last year but Sam is certainly no stranger to Badminton - could this be his year on the 11 year old Irish Sport Horse mare who finished 14th at Burghley last year?
Thanks to his Adelaide win, Chris Burton is second on the FEI Classics Leaderboard but he is behind the man who is undoubtedly one of the favourites here, Britain’s William Fox-Pitt. William, winner of Pau last year and Kentucky last month, is now the new world Eventing number one and has the choice of three rides at Badminton: Cool Mountain, his 2010 Kentucky winner and world team gold and individual silver medallist, Parklane Hawk, the 2011 Burghley winner, and the stallion Chilli Morning, on which he won individual bronze at the 2013 FEI European Eventing Championships.
Could William make it three in a row?
William’s long-time rival, New Zealander Andrew Nicholson is celebrating 30 years of competing at Badminton. He first appeared here in 1984 when he rode a clear round on Kahlua and earned a place on the New Zealand squad at the Los Angeles Olympics, but this is one of the few events in the world where victory has eluded him.
Andrew will be riding Deborah Sellar’s 11-year-old Quimbo and 14-year-old Nereo on the card. Aboard Nereo, he was third by just 0.5 of a penalty point at Badminton last year while it will be Quimbo’s first start at Badminton
“Nereo, you would have to say, is the hardened experienced one of the two and is so consistent. Quimbo has been a winner but just doesn’t have that experience” says Andrew
“He’s done two four star events last year and should be quite capable but whether he is fast enough . . . we will see.”
The evergreen Sir Mark Todd meanwhile has NZB Campino and Leonidas II entered; both horses are having their first starts at Badminton but the very experienced rider says “I rate them both very well and they are capable of placing in the top few”
A crowd favourite - Sir Mark's return to eventing was sealed with a win here in 2011
Also starting for New Zealand are husband and wife, Tim and Jonelle (nee Richards) Price. Tim has Ringwood Sky Boy and Wesko while his wife has The Deputy - a first at Badminton for all of these horses.
Megan Heath and her own St Daniel made the start list after others dropped out, much to her relief and she will be keen to improve on their 44th place effort of last year at Badminton.
Caroline Powell and Onwards and Upwards were 21st last year and again will be keen for a better effort, as will Lucy Jackson, who is entered aboard Willy Do. Annabel Wigley aboard Frog Rock has her first start at Badminton, while Neil Spratt and Upleadon haven’t been at the event since their efforts in 2010, making the New Zealand turn-out a big one for the championship year at Badminton.
There are many, many more great riders and horses competing who we’ll be telling you about, meeting, reporting on and photographing over the coming days. Libby Law starts our 4* member coverage direct from Badminton with the trot up on Wednesday and Emily Penney will be providing reports and interviews from this prestigious event. We also have blogs, Snippets from the Stables with Chris Burton’s groom Rachel Watts and more so stay tuned every day!
