The 16 year old Australian thoroughbred Lebowski has a bit of a reputation but at this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, he contained himself just enough to finish in the top ten of the prestigious event
Lebowski, or ‘Rotter’, as he is called by his rider and owner Beanie Sturgis, is a prolific bucker and he has dispatched some notable riders in his time, including Pippa Funnell (three times) and Daisy Berkeley. He was on his best behaviour in May however when he climbed 48 places from equal 59th to 11th, to win the Glentrool Trophy – awarded to the combination who make the most improvement on their dressage position.
Lebowski was bred in Australia by Sybil and Antony Baillieu to be a polo pony but at two years of age he proved to be so difficult to catch and so adept at removing people from his back that his future as a polo pony looked grim. Beanie, who was working for the Baillieu family at the time helping with the breakers, was his saving grace and, thanks to the generosity of the Baillieus who gave him to Beanie and paid for him to be shipped back to England, Lebowski found himself on the other side of the world looking like a ‘yellow rat’
“I always loved him but when he came over here he was bright orange, he had a hogged mane that was growing out and he was completely sun bleached. I remember my mum asking me “What on earth have you got this horse for?” when he came off the lorry – she couldn’t believe that I had this yellow rat”
Beanie and Lebowski on cross country (above) and clear in the show jumping (below)
Beanie had dreamed of a top 20 finish at Badminton this year which was not looking likely after the dressage, Lebowski’s least favourite phase. With a score of 52.8 there was plenty of ground to be made up but on Saturday’s cross country the pair leaped up the leader board to 19th place thanks to one of only 10 double clear rounds. They cemented their result even further with a ‘jack-in-the-box’ clear show jumping round to finish in 11th place on their dressage score
Lebowski is now enjoying time in the paddock with Beanie’s children’s ponies and we’ll next see him at Gatcombe in the autumn where hopefully he will once again not live up to his stable name!
Beanie Sturgis
The horse that loves to hunt makes the Badminton course look easy
