Tag Archives: Badminton Horse Trials

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Nicholson and Nereo Strike Out in Front

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Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and Nereo take a commanding lead after the first day of Dressage at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015. (Jon Stroud/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 May 2015 – Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and Libby Sellar’s Nereo produced the best test of their long and illustrious career together to take the lead after the first day of Dressage at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015.

The Ground Jury, Christian Landolt (SUI), Sue Baxter (GBR) and David Lee (IRL), gave Nicholson the only sub-40 score, 37.8, to put him 3.4 penalties ahead of his compatriot Jock Paget (NZL), who scored 41.2 on the 2013 winner Clifton Promise.

The youngest rider in the field, 20-year-old Niklas Bschorer (GER), who wasn’t even born when Nicholson’s Badminton career began in 1984, has made a stunning debut and is in third place on Tom Tom Go 3 with a mark of 42.1.

Flora Harris (GBR), a member of Britain’s World Class Performance Potential squad, is best of the home side in fourth place on the grey mare Amazing Vlll on 43.6, just ahead of four-time winner Sir Mark Todd (NZL) on the German-bred Leonidas ll, fifth. Pippa Funnell (GBR) is currently in sixth place on the upstanding chestnut Redesigned.

Nicholson’s empathetic 11-year partnership with the 15-year-old Nereo is one of the most enduring in the sport; the Spanish-bred chestnut gelding by the Thoroughbred Fines is something of a “one-man horse” and a shy, polite character, “but is always on your side.”

“It’s the smoothest test he’s done,” said Nicholson. “He let me be quite bold on him and I just think today the test flowed more smoothly.

“Obviously it’s a major factor coming there with a horse I understand so fully and that’s a satisfying achievement in itself. He likes to work with you, and you know that he will go in the arena and not look around and will give you 100 per cent.”

Nicholson, 53, has won eight CCI4*s, including Pau in 2012 on Nereo, but victory at Badminton has, frustratingly, eluded him – the closest he came was second place on Lord Killinghurst in 2004 and third in 2013 on Nereo. “All my focus is on this,” he promised.

Paget has been competing the 17-year-old NZ Thoroughbred Clifton Promise for eight years, and he agreed: “You do all the work, you train, train, train, and it is nice when you go in there and they do it for you. Every foot went where I wanted; he was a pleasure to ride.”

Bschorer, who moved to England aged 16 to work with the German team trainer Christopher Bartle at his Yorkshire Riding Centre, did not appear to be at all fazed by being in the limelight at his first Badminton.

After walking the Cross Country with Bartle and his trainer Sir Mark Todd, the young rider pronounced Giuseppe della Chiesa’s (ITA) track to be: “More inviting than last year and very do-able.” He said that his mount, a 12-year-old Holsteiner, “is a very good jumper and has lots of scope.”

But before attention turns to Saturday’s excitements, there is plenty to look forward to tomorrow. Today’s top-placed riders may well be challenged by leading German riders Bettina Hoy on Designer 10 and Ingrid Klimke on her Pau winner Horseware Hale Bob, while the home side boasts 2014 runner-up Oliver Townend (GBR) on Armada, triple winner Pippa Funnell on her other ride, Second Supreme, and William Fox-Pitt on the impressive stallion Chilli Morning.

Find the start list, drawn order, rider biographies and live results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk, and watch the full Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials live on FEI TV: www.feitv.org.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Ingrid Klimke Out to Make German History

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Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Horseware Hale Bob, winners of the first leg of FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 in Pau (FRA), and currently second on the leaderboard, are now set to tackle the fourth leg of the series at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials. (Trevor Holt/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 5 May 2015 – The talented German Olympian Ingrid Klimke, who already has the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 Etoiles de Pau (FRA) victory under her belt, is now bidding to be the first representative of her country to win the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), which takes place this weekend (7-10 May).

Only two riders from Continental Europe have won the world’s oldest horse trials: Hans Schwarzenbach (SUI) in 1951 and Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) in 2008. Klimke finished second (on Sleep Late in 2006), as have her compatriots Andreas Dibowski (2007) and Michael Jung (2013), but the German national anthem has never rung out on Badminton’s hallowed turf in the event’s 66-year history.

Klimke, daughter of the revered Olympic Dressage champion Dr Reiner Klimke, has an excellent chance of rectifying this omission. Currently second on the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 leaderboard, she rides Horseware Hale Bob, the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding from which she conjured the dazzling performance to win Pau (FRA).

Another rider bidding to make history is world number two William Fox-Pitt (GBR). No stallion has won a CCI4* in modern times, but the gentlemanly Chilli Morning, holder of individual bronze medals at world and European level, has the flair and the temperament to give Fox-Pitt a record 14th CCI4* victory and a second Mitsubishi Trophy to join the one he won in 2004 on Tamarillo.

The last British Badminton winner was Oliver Townend in 2009 (on Flint Curtis). He came close last year, finishing runner-up on Armada, on which he is entered this time. The 16-year-old Spanish-bred gelding is a brilliant Cross Country horse and a veteran of numerous CCI4*s under Townend and, previously, Andrew Nicholson (NZL).

Nicholson has won Burghley five times, plus Pau, Kentucky and Luhmühlen, but victory at Badminton has eluded this master horseman despite a record 33 completions over 30 years of trying. This time he’s back with the wonderfully consistent Nereo, third here in 2013, plus Calico Joe.

Nicholson’s very first visit to Badminton was as groom to Sir Mark Todd (NZL) when he won, at his first attempt, on Southern Comfort 35 years ago. Now, nearly 40 years separates the youngest rider in the field, 20-year-old newcomer Niklas Bschorer (GER), riding Tom Tom Go 3, and 59-year-old Todd (NZL), who went on to win three more times – in 1994, 1996 and, during his ‘second career’, in 2011. This time he rides Leonidas ll and Oloa, on which he is drawn last of the field.

The defending champion, Sam Griffiths (AUS), is back with his winning mare, Paulank Brockagh, plus the hugely experienced Happy Times, on which he was third at Burghley last year.

The 2013 winners, Jock Paget (NZL) and Clifton Promise, runners-up at Burghley last year, will also be in action, and Paget has a second ride on Clifton Lush.

A star-studded field includes four more former winning riders. For Britain, three-time victor Pippa Funnell (2002, 2003 and 2005) rides Redesigned and Second Supreme and Mary King (1992 and 2000) has her home-bred mare Kings Temptress, winner of Kentucky (USA) in 2011.

For Australia, Andrew Hoy (2006) has taken on Lanfranco TSF from Bettina Hoy (GER) (she is entered, on Designer), and also rides Rutherglen, and Paul Tapner (2010) is first to go on Kilronan and later has Indian Mill.

Around 80 horses from 12 nations are expected to start for what promises to be a thrilling fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015.

Find the start list, drawn order, rider biographies and live results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk, and watch the full Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials live on FEI TV: www.feitv.org.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics and #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Sam Griffiths Fulfills His Badminton Dream

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Australia’s Sam Griffiths and the Irish-bred Paulank Brockagh on their way to victory in the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ (Kit Houghton/FEI).

Badminton (GBR), 11 May 2014 – Popular Australian rider Sam Griffiths produced a superb display of horsemanship in today’s Jumping phase to win his first major title, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, with Paulank Brockagh, the mare that he co-owns with Dinah Posford and Jules Carter.

In a competition of extraordinary twists and turns, Griffiths and the Irish-bred 10-year-old rose from overnight fifth place with a well-judged four-fault Jumping round that was good enough to win due to the strong influence of Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) course.

Griffiths’ fellow Australian, Cross Country leader Paul Tapner on Kilronan, had been left a two-rail advantage to win but even this was too close for comfort in the squally weather and he had four fences down plus time penalties to drop to fourth.

Oliver Townend (GBR) hit two rails on the 15-year-old Armada yet moved up two places to take the runner-up spot and Harry Meade (GBR) rose from eighth to a career best of third place with an elegant four-fault round on Wild Lone.

“I had thought that if I did well I could move up, but there were still good riders in front of me and I had no expectations of being on the podium,” said Griffiths, who was well down the field in 25th place after the Dressage.

“I think horses were probably quite tired after the Cross Country and the course was twisty and up-to-height on fairly dead ground, but ‘Brocks’ is one tough nut. She has a massive heart.”

Griffiths added: “This is the ultimate dream. As a little boy in Australia, I used to wait for the video tapes of Badminton to arrive, so to ride here was always a major ambition. This means the world to me. Badminton is the pinnacle.”

Townend said: “I’ve told Sam to enjoy every minute of this because it still hasn’t quite sunk in that I’ve won this event [in 2009].”

He added: “I’m thrilled with my result. I was mortified after the Dressage [after which he was 34th] but this has made up for it. The reason Armada is good across country is because he is tricky in the other two phases. It is a fantastic feeling to be sitting on a Ferrari like him. At certain points yesterday, I felt that this was what Cross Country was all about.”

Harry Meade’s third-place finish is all the more remarkable because he spent months lying helpless in hospital after breaking both elbows in a fall last August. “At the start of the week, I was beyond expectations, but somehow everything added up and I feel that I coped very well,” he said. “My arms felt fine on the Cross Country and I loved the fact that it was windy and wet.”

Meade, who lives only three miles from Badminton and whose father, Richard, won here in 1970 and 1982, explained: “I couldn’t let myself get too excited and today I’ve felt calm and determined to enjoy it. The last few months have rather put things into perspective for me.”

Fourth-placed Tapner managed to be philosophical in defeat. “You start thinking of damage limitation when you hear those rails falling and I tried to change my way of riding. But that’s the way the sport is. I’ve been in both positions here before. One went my way [when he won in 2010] and this one didn’t.”

Pascal Leroy (FRA) dropped from third to fifth on Minos de Petra but still achieved the best result for a French rider since Nicolas Touzaint won in 2008. Three-time winner Pippa Funnell (GBR) held onto sixth place on the exciting prospect Billy Beware with one fence down and four time penalties.

Tim Price (NZL) had warned that Jumping was Ringwood Sky Boy’s weakest phase and he dropped from second to ninth with 19 faults behind Tim Lips (NED) on Keyflow NOP, seventh, and Sweden’s rising star Ludwig Svennerstal on Alexander, eighth.

Three horses were withdrawn overnight before Jumping: Karascanda TSF, ridden by Karl-Steffan Meier (GER), which had leapt 61 places to 20th after Cross Country; Kelecyn Ice Age (Emma Douglas, AUS, 34th); and Beltane Queen (Nicola Wilson, GBR, 25th), which had been awarded 21 penalties for a broken frangible pin.

All 32 horses presented at the final Horse Inspection passed, including Wendy Schaeffer’s (AUS) Koyuna Sun Dancer, which was sent to the holding box. Schaeffer successfully appealed the 20 penalties given for a refusal at the Mirage Pond (fence 16). This elevated her from 26th to 18th before Jumping and then she produced the only clear round of the day (albeit with three time penalties) to rise to 12th.

Although Pau (FRA) and Kentucky (USA) winner William Fox-Pitt surprisingly played no part in the final day at Badminton, he is still the clear leader, by 15 points, in the FEI Classics™. However, Sam Griffiths’ Badminton victory elevates him straight into second place and he and other riders still have chances at Luhmühlen (GER) next month to try and catch up before the series finale at Burghley (GBR) in September.

About the winner

Sam Griffiths, 41, is the sixth Australian to win Badminton (following Bill Roycroft, Laurie Morgan, Andrew Hoy, Lucinda Fredericks and Paul Tapner), and Paulank Brockagh is only the third mare (following Emily Little in 1952 and Headley Britannia in 2007).

Griffiths grew up near Melbourne riding his mother’s home-bred Welsh ponies, did a university degree in geography and went travelling, taking a job with the New Zealand Olympic champion Blyth Tait. He has been based in the UK since 1995.

His best results came with Happy Times, winner of Saumur CCI3* in 2008 and third at Badminton and Burghley in 2009. They were on the Australian team at the 2010 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games™ and at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Sam and his wife Lucy live on the Somerset/Dorset border and have a young son, Ollie.

Paulank Brockagh was bred in Ireland, on a hill called Brockagh, by Frank and Paula Cullen, after whom she is named. She is a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse by Touchdown out of a Triggerero mare, and finished 15th at Burghley last year.

Watch FEI TV’s review of the fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials here.

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Show Jumping

Sam Griffiths Wins the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

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(UK, 11 May 2014) – Sam Griffiths (AUS) riding Paulank Brockagh, today Sunday 11 May 2014, produced a thrilling ride to win in dramatic circumstances, with Oliver Townend (GBR) riding Armada in 2nd place, and Harry Meade (GBR) riding Wild Lone in 3rd place at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, in Gloucestershire, UK.

With just one clear round all day from the 32 riders who started in the final show jumping phase, Sam Griffiths entered the arena in fifth place overnight and had one pole down with no time faults. This proved good enough to win the Badminton title, with the final four riders each clattering fences right across the course in the difficult sticky ground conditions.

Despite two poles down, Oliver Townend, who started the day in fourth position, climbed to second place to the ovation of his home audience. Similarly, Harry Meade climbed from eighth position overnight to third place riding Wild Lone having just one pole down. This was a truly remarkable achievement for Meade, who just six month ago broke and dislocated both his elbows in a riding accident.

After a thrilling day’s cross-country yesterday with seven international riders in the top 12, the show jumping course set by course designer Kelvin Bywater was another major challenge over the 16 elements of the 13 fences.

Overnight leader Paul Tapner (NZL) had four fences down and dropped to fourth place after a heart-breaking final show jumping round, where he had two fences in hand, but it was not to be his day.

New Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contender

As the winner of the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Griffiths is now the new Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing live contender, since William Fox-Pitt (GBR) could not follow up winning the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event last month. Griffiths will now have to target the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in September to try and win the second of the three legs and stake his claim for the coveted prize.

Results after the final Show Jumping Phase

1. Sam Griffiths/Paulank Brockagh (AUS) 67.9
2. Oliver Townend/Armada (GBR) 70.7
3. Harry Meade/Wild Lone (GBR) 71.4
4. Paul Tapner/Kilronan (AUS) 72.4
5. Pascal Leroy/Minos De Petra (FRA) 72.5
6. Pippa Funnell/Billy Beware (GBR) 74.3
7. Tim Lips/Keyflow NOP (NED) 78.5
8. Ludwig Svennerstal/Alexander (SWE) 80.0
9. Tim Price/Ringwood Sky Boy (NZL) 80.6
10. Lara de Liedekerke/Ducati Van Den Overdam (BEL) 83.8

Quote from Sam Griffiths (AUS) riding Paulank Brockagh:

Q. What does this win mean for you?

When I was a little boy we used to wait for the tapes to come over to Australia so I could watch the highlights of Badminton. So just to get here and ride here in the first year was almost a dream come true, but to actually win it is a completion of that dream – it means the world to me!

Quote from Oliver Townend (GBR) riding Armada:

Q. What a day!

A dream – I’m still dreaming. I told Sam to enjoy every minute because I’ve not quite got it sunk in that I’ve won here before. It’s a very, very special place and at certain points riding around that cross country course yesterday I thought this is what it is really all about – you need exceptional horses to win at Badminton.

Quote from Harry Meade (GBR) riding Wild One:

Q. What an event – has it been emotional?

To be honest I’ve been quite calm all week because I didn’t let myself get too ambitious – I didn’t study the scoreboard or look to see what everybody else was doing – I just enjoyed it and I was really pleased with how the horse went. He did a dream test and was super yesterday. Even in the show jumping today I felt very relaxed – I thought to myself I am just going to enjoy it!

Copyright Free Audio

Please click on the following link for copyright free audio of the post-event Press Conference after the final Show Jumping Day with the top three placed riders:
http://po.st/mc3W9g

For more information on the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI

Tough Tapner Takes the Cross Country Lead at Badminton

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Cross Country leaders Paul Tapner and Kilronan (AUS) have a fence in hand to win at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kate Houghton/FEI.

Badminton (GBR), 10 May 2014 – Paul Tapner (AUS) is on course to win his second Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, after a dramatic day of Cross Country action.

The 38-year-old Australian, second after Dressage on the mud-loving Irish gelding Kilronan, tackled the track early in the day and looked beatable when he took the long route at Huntsman’s Close (fence 22-23) and clocked 20 time penalties to finish on a score of 56.4.

However, strong winds, rain and holding ground made Guiseppe Della Chiesa’s revamped Cross Country course extremely influential and only 35 riders completed, none of them coming anywhere near the optimum time of 11 minutes 21 seconds.

The leader board looks completely different from yesterday, with only two of the top 10 after Dressage completing: Tapner plus Sir Mark Todd with his second ride Leonidas ll, which has dropped from equal ninth to 17th after picking up extra time penalties when the horse lost his line in the Lake and plunged into deep water.

Tim Price (NZL) rose from 41st after Dressage to second after a brilliant round on Ringwood Sky Boy with the fastest time of the day for 11.6 time penalties. Pascal Leroy (FRA) and the lovely Minos de Petra leapt 27 places to third with 15.2 time penalties.

“I didn’t think the course was unusually tough but you couldn’t make any mistakes,” Tapner said. “It’s Kilronan’s third four-star and he feels a different horse from last year; he’s far more mature. He does, however, tend to get on his forehand when he’s a bit tired and that’s why I took a long route near the end.”

Oliver Townend (GBR), the last British rider to win Badminton, in 2009, has jumped 30 places to fourth on the Spanish-bred Armada, ahead of Sam Griffiths (AUS), fifth on Paulank Brockagh.

Townend was emotional about his horse’s performance. “Everyone knows Armada is an amazing horse but he did, for the first time ever, feel tired by the time we got to the Quarry [fences 24-26]. However, he was such a good old horse and pricked his ears and picked up again.

“I think the course was fantastic. Giuseppe [Della Chiesa, Course Designer] has done an amazing job. It was a fair test and a proper Badminton course.”

Dressage leader Clark Montgomery (USA) retired Loughan Glen after a refusal at the big corner in Huntsman’s Close near the end of the course (fences 22-23). Francis Whittington (GBR), lying third, retired Easy Target here, and Lucinda Fredericks (AUS), fourth, pulled up Flying Finish after fence 5.

Mark Todd and Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE), who were equal fifth after Dressage, both fell; Todd found himself sitting inelegantly on top of the brush box at the Shogun Hollow (11) when NZB Campino refused, while the Swedish rider had a fall at Huntsman’s Close on Reality 39.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who were in equal seventh, both fell when challenging for the lead. Fox-Pitt and Parklane Hawk fell at a hedge three fences from home when going well, and Nicholson tipped off when Nereo hit the rail exiting the Mirage Pond (16). Nicholson retired his first horse Quimbo following a run-out at the brush keyhole at 13.

Peter Flarup (DEN), equal ninth after Dressage, had a fall with Callista E at the spread fence before the Lake (7). Mary King (GBR), 12th, miraculously survived a sticky moment when Imperial Cavalier crawled through the keyhole fence only to have a refusal at the Mirage Pond.

Jonelle Price (NZL), 14th, walked home on The Deputy after an early run-out at the skinny brush at 5, while her husband, Tim, took a dunking in the Lake with his second ride, Wesko.

Christopher Burton (AUS), equal 20th on the Adelaide CCI4* winner TS Jamaimo, had a run-out at the Vicarage Vee (fence 15); Kristina Cook (GBR) had a glance-off at fence 5 with De Novo News and Pippa Funnell was frustrated to fall at the log at 18 when going beautifully on her second ride Redesigned.

Funnell, however, was elated with her first horse, the home-bred 10-year-old Billy Beware, with which she is in sixth place after a masterful clear round for 24 time penalties. “He’s the first Billy Stud horse to do Badminton!” she said.

“I know it wasn’t all copybook, but I am so excited about his future. He kept digging deep and got me out of trouble a couple of times, which is the sign of a really good horse.”

Harry Meade (GBR), who is in eighth place on Wild Lone behind flying Dutchman Tim Lips (Keyflow NOP), was also thrilled with his day. Meade is back in action after breaking both elbows in a fall last August. “This is what I came back for, the real seat-of-the-pants stuff,” he said. “My wife, Rosie, was nervous, but I told her this is what I love doing. I’ve known my horse since he was four years old and we just got on with the job.”

Tapner, who has been based near Badminton since 2000, looks set to lift a second Mitsubishi Motors Trophy, his first victory coming in 2010 on Inonothing. However, after a day full of surprises, it’s clear that nothing is a certainty. Tapner and Kilronan have a fence in hand, but the next group of four riders are all within a fence of each other and are all equally determined to make history in Badminton’s 65th year.

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Watch live coverage of the Jumping finale on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV, if you are based outside of the UK. In the UK, live coverage of the Jumping can be seen on the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website. For full TV listings and broadcast times, please visit the Badminton website here.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T.

Paul Tapner Leads the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials after Cross-Country

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(UK, 10 May 2014) Paul Tapner (AUS) riding Kilronan, today Saturday 10 May 2014, is the current leader after the cross-country phase, with Tim Price (NZL) riding Ringwood Sky Boy in 2nd place, and Pascal Leroy (FRA) riding Minos De Petra in 3rd place, at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, in Gloucestershire, UK.

It is Australia, New Zealand, and France in a 1-2-3 at the Badminton Horse Trials after a dramatic day’s cross-country. Many of the top names could not make it around the challenging course, with tough weather conditions of wind and rain testing all horse and rider partnerships to the limit.

Paul Tapner rode a brilliant round after a stunning dressage test to take him from second place into pole position. Many of the top riders including Nicholson, Clark Montgomery, Todd and Funnell, all came unstuck with falls or run outs. Tim Price currently lying in second place rose up the ranks from his overnight position in 41st place after the dressage! Similarly, French rider Pascal Leroy went clear with one of the fastest times of the day, finishing in third place after being 30th after the dressage.

Unfortunately, the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing live contender, William Fox-Pitt (GBR), could not stay on board Parklane Hawk at fence 28 in today’s cross-country phase, after winning the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event last month in such style and so a new contender will be crowned tomorrow.

Results after the Cross-Country Phase

1. Paul Tapner/Kilronan (AUS) 56.4
2. Tim Price/Ringwood Sky Boy (NZL) 61.6
3. Pascal Leroy/Minos De Petra (FRA) 62.5
4. Oliver Townen/Armada (GBR) 62.7
5. Sam Griffiths/Paulank Brockagh (AUS) 63.9
6. Pippa Funnell/Billy Beware (GBR) 66.3
7. Tim Lips/Keyflow NOP (NED) 66.5
8. Harry Meade/Wild Lone (GBR) 67.4
9. Ludwig Svennerstal/Alexander (SWE) 72.0
10. Lucy Jackson/Willy Do (NZL) 72.0

Quote from Rolex Testimonee, Pippa Funnell (GBR), riding Billy Beware:

Q. Pippa – you are beaming!

I’m really, really beaming. You guys (media) put a whole lot of doubt in my head yesterday, when the first thing you all said was he’s only done one three star – is he experienced enough?! All night I’ve been thinking it’s raining, and he’s not had the mud before. So I’ve never been ‘have I made the right decision?’

As I said yesterday, I was going to set out with not the time in my head – I was really pleased as he’s never done the trip before and he kept digging deep. I certainly didn’t help him at a few fences and he showed me his class!

Quote from Paul Tapner (AUS) riding Kilronan:

Q. Paul – did your cross-country go as you planned?

No it definitely didn’t go exactly according to plan because I wasn’t within the time! I went long at Huntsman Close which wasn’t part of the plan but I knew I was in a bit of trouble in terms of the petrol left in the tank when I was coming back up into the park after the Vicarage (fence 15) – didn’t have enough energy left as I wanted and needed to conserve energy.

It wasn’t about the clock. It was about getting the job done; it was about getting clear and getting home. The Australian coach said that ‘it’s a battlefield out there’ and you’ve only got to look at the scoreboard to see that.

Quote from Tim Price (NZL) riding Ringwood Sky Boy:

Q. Were you worried about the course and the stamina needed?

Absolutely, the whole way really. In that department I think that’s what set him apart, by the ease in which he jumped around. He just felt brilliant in his fitness and the way he traveled… he did go early so that had a little advantage, but he just felt great.

Quote from Oliver Townend (GBR) riding Armada:

Q. How was the ride today?

I thought it was down to myself and my own ability to get the best out of Armada. We all know Armada is an unbelievable horse cross-country and if there was going to be a mistake it was going to be jockey rather than horse.

For the first time ever I did feel we ran out of petrol. Normally I finish with a double handful with his ears pricked, but this time, going up to the Quarry I gave him a bit of squeeze but there was no reaction. But like a good old horse he pricked his ears and galloped on properly again to the next few fences.

Copyright Free Audio

Please click on the following links for copyright free audio of the post-event Press Conference after Cross-Country Day with the top three placed riders and other interviews as below:

Pippa Funnell, riding Billy Beware after Cross-Country     http://po.st/eVVxVf
Pascal Leroy, riding Minos De Petra after Cross-Country   http://po.st/PNa9Ni
Oliver Townend, riding Armada after Cross-Country     http://po.st/KMDg4H
Paul Tapner riding Kilronan and Tim Price riding Ringwood Sky Boy after Cross-Country   http://po.st/LkEpwx

For more information on the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Clark Montgomery Nails Dressage Lead at Badminton

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Clark Montgomery (USA) produces a superb performance on Loughan Glen to take the lead after Dressage at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kate Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 9 May 2014 – Stylish American rider Clark Montgomery thrilled the capacity crowd at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, when he deservedly took the lead. His Dressage test was a model of balance, consistency and harmony despite the wind that has battered the Gloucestershire site all day.

Montgomery, 32, was third last to go on William and Holly Becker’s 11-year-old Loughan Glen and scored the excellent mark of 33.5 penalties. This gives him a 2.5-penalty advantage over Australia’s Paul Tapner and Kilronan, who had until then maintained the lead since yesterday.

Francis Whittington (GBR), the highest placed of the home side, is now in third place on Easy Target, just 0.2 penalties behind Tapner.

Montgomery is based in England, just down the road from Badminton with CCI4* judge Christian Landolt (SUI). “The horse has put in some good marks before and I knew he was capable of this standard if all went well,” said Montgomery of the Limerick-sired bay gelding on which he finished third at Blenheim CCI3* (GBR) last year.

“He should like the Cross Country course,” added Montgomery. “He likes to be ridden forward and hopefully he will cope with the step up, although I don’t know yet whether the [optimum] time will be an issue for him.”

The three top-placed horses are all Irish-bred, which may be an advantage if the rain which is forecast to fall tonight materialises. “The ground will definitely suit my horse and I’ll be quite happy if it keeps on raining!” said Tapner.

Lucinda Fredericks (AUS), who scored the only other sub-40 mark, is now fourth on Flying Finish, just ahead of Sir Mark Todd (NZL), the oldest rider in the field (at 58) and the only one to have two horses in the top 10. The four-time Badminton winner is equal fifth on NZB Campino and equal ninth on the 10-year-old Leonidas ll.

Six nations are represented in the top 10. Olympic silver medallist Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE), who is paying her first visit to Badminton, is in equal fifth place with Todd on 40.5 with Reality 39 (formerly called Mrs Medicott), on which she won a team silver medal at last year’s FEI European Eventing Championships.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) was a happier man after scoring 41.0 on Parklane Hawk. His first ride, Cool Mountain, disappointed and is in equal 57th place, which leaves him in equal seventh place with Andrew Nicholson (NZL) on Nereo.

Danish rider Peter Flarup made a great start to his first Badminton and is in equal ninth with a score of 41.8 on the Danish warmblood mare Callista E, on which he was 12th at Boekelo CCI3* (NED) last year. Flarup, who has been riding at championship level since 1997, had his best CCI4* result at Pau in 2010 on Silver Ray.

Nearly half the field of 83 scored under 40 penalties in the Dressage, thus ensuring a thrilling day tomorrow.

The big news for riders is that the middle element of fence 18abc, a trio of logs on an S-bend which was proving a hot topic, has been removed. This would have involved a sharp right-hand turn at the foot of a mound, and the organisers decided that the heavy rain that is forecast might make the turn slippery.

Mary King (GBR), who first competed at Badminton in 1985, said: “I thought it was a great fence and well-designed, but I can see why the decision has been made.”

King, who first won Badminton in the very wet year of 1992, produced her best Badminton test on the ebullient 17-year-old Imperial Cavalier, on which she was third in 2011 and fourth in 2010. She earned the loudest cheers of the day and is now in 12th place on 42.8.

Her performance was only marred by an error of course in the extended canter. “I’m over the moon with him,” she declared. “It’s the best test he’s ever done here. He was so rideable. I was enjoying it so much that I then managed to go wrong.”

Kristina Cook (GBR), who has been competing at Badminton for more than 20 years and is in 23rd place with a mark of 45.8 on her home-bred De Novo News, pronounced the Cross Country course to be “super”.

She said: “It’s bigger and wider, very much a Badminton course to give us sleepless nights. They’ve done everything they can with the ground and there’s a great grass cover. You’ve got to be bold and brave and keep pushing, and the riders that can achieve that will do the best.”

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Watch live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV, if you are based outside of the UK. In the UK, live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping can be seen on the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website. For full TV listings and broadcast times, please visit the Badminton website here.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Tapner Is on Track at Badminton

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Paul Tapner (AUS) and Kilronan produce a stunning test to take the lead after the first day of Dressage at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kate Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 8 May 2014 – A trio of brilliant Dressage tests lit up a wet and blustery afternoon at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014.

Two Australians, Paul Tapner and Lucinda Fredericks, both former Badminton winners, flank Britain’s Francis Whittington as the only riders to break the 40-penalty barrier after the first day of Dressage.

Tapner, 38, leads with 36.0 penalties on Fred and Penny Barker’s Irish-bred grey Kilronan, on which he finished 20th last year. He has a 0.2 point lead over Whittington on another grey, Easy Target, both riders having wrought considerable improvement in their horses’ flatwork over the winter.

“Kilronan was getting very good marks at three-star level, but it was eating away at me that I couldn’t get the same at four-star, so I’ve been working hard over the winter,” admitted Tapner, who won Badminton in 2010 on Inonothing.

“But I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed about the Dressage before. I’m not sure it matters too much about the marks because the Cross Country course is going to be extremely influential.”

Whittington, who was 31st at Badminton on Easy Target last year, has achieved a 15-mark improvement in 12 months. “The big thing is that over this winter I’ve been learning to ride again,” he explained. “We knew ‘Smokey’ had the movement and could do it.

“But it was really the warm-up which made the difference. Ian Woodhead, who trains me, worked out exactly how long it would take to get to the arena, and we timed everything to perfection.”

The last British rider to win Badminton was Oliver Townend in 2009. Whittington’s best Badminton result to date is 15th in 2009 with Sir Percival lll and he was careful not to get too carried away. “I’ve been in this position twice before and then ended up doing the ‘walk of shame’ home from Cross Country,” he joked.

Accomplished Dressage rider Lucinda Fredericks, the Badminton winner in 2007 on Headley Britannia, scored 39.0 on her 2012 Olympic ride Flying Finish which has completed Luhmühlen and Pau but not a British CCI4* before.

Sir Mark Todd, who first rode at Badminton 34 years ago, and won, showed he is still ahead of the game when taking fourth place with a score of 40.5 in a beautifully presented test on NZB Campino.

The 12-year-old Hanoverian by Contendro has not done a three-day event since the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he was third after Dressage and part of the bronze medal New Zealand team, because he suffered a minor injury at the start of the 2013 season.

The German-bred gelding made a couple of mistakes with a missed strike-off in the canter work, but otherwise scored highly throughout. “He felt amazing,” said 58-year-old Todd.

“He has come back much more strongly and feels more mature. Normally the canter work is the best part of his test, but he perhaps got a little tense. I can’t repeat what was going through my mind when he made the mistake, but it’s still a very good mark.”

Another former winner, Pippa Funnell (GBR), pulled off a soft and responsive test with the home-bred Billy Beware to lie fifth on 42.3.

“He has been a lovely horse to produce,” said Funnell. “The only thing against him is his size [17hh] and balance. He’ll be an unknown quantity across country because he hasn’t been further than 10 minutes, but he is a very scopey jumper. When he was only six, I jumped 1.85m in a charity competition on him.

“Billy Beware has upgraded quite quickly, but gut instinct made me bring him here because he has always stepped up to the mark before.”

All talk at Badminton is of the challenges facing riders on Saturday when they test the Cross Country track produced by Giuseppe Della Chiesa (ITA), the first new Course Designer here for 25 years. Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who has more Badminton completions (33) to his name than any other rider, was full of praise: “Giuseppe has done a great job,” he said. “He’s changed the style without going overboard.”

The complex that is most perplexing riders is the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound at 18abc, where a log on top of a bank is followed by a sharp right-hand turn to another log followed by a curving line to a third.

“This will be something different, because you’ll have to slow up and sit on your backside and that’s hard when you’ve been jumping big fences on a forward stride, but that’s what cross-country riding is all about,” said Nicholson, who is in seventh place on his 2013 Kentucky winner Quimbo.

“I think it’s great,” was the view of Mark Todd. “Giuseppe has breathed new life into the course. It’s a proper four-star test which makes you concentrate all the way.”

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Watch live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV, if you are based outside of the UK. In the UK, live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping can be seen on the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website. For full TV listings and broadcast times, please visit the Badminton website here.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Stage Is Set for a New-Look Badminton

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William Fox-Pitt (GBR), pictured here with Oslo at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials 2013, heads to this year’s event as world Eventing number one and leader of the prestigious FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 May 2014 – The two leading riders in the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 go head to head in the fourth leg of the series, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), this weekend (8-11 May).

William Fox-Pitt, winner of Pau (FRA) last year and Kentucky (USA) last month, and Christopher Burton (AUS), who triumphed on a catch ride at his home CCI4*, Adelaide (AUS), in November 2013, both have exciting rides at Badminton.

Fox-Pitt, the new world Eventing number one, has a commanding 15-point lead in the FEI Classics™, a series he has won three times before, but there is plenty of time for others to catch up.

He 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 striking chestnut stallion Chilli Morning, on which Fox-Pitt won individual bronze at the 2013 FEI European Eventing Championships.

Burton, interestingly, has been reunited with his Adelaide ride, TS Jamaimo, after a group of his owners and supporters clubbed together to buy the 15-year-old thoroughbred for him with this year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in mind.

Burton took on the ride just days before Adelaide when the horse’s former rider, Will Enzinger (AUS), broke his leg. “It’s been a fascinating experience and I feel so lucky,” said Burton, who earlier this spring finished fifth on TS Jamaimo in the CIC3* at Belton (GBR). “He’s a good-looking horse on the flat and a careful jumper. I can’t wait to take him to Badminton.”

Around 85 horses from 14 nations will appear before the Ground Jury at the first horse inspection tomorrow (May 7).

The field includes six former winners: 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, and Paul Tapner (2010) with Kilronan.

Andrew Nicholson (NZL) 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. His best result was second in 2004 on Lord Killinghurst.

This could be Nicholson’s year, though. He rides two Spanish-bred geldings, Quimbo, winner of Kentucky last year, and the extraordinarily consistent chestnut Nereo, second at Burghley in 2013.

However, all riders, no matter what their level of Badminton experience, will be facing a new-look Cross Country course. Former six-time winner Lucinda Green has described the track created by FEI Eventing Committee Chairman Giuseppe Della Chiesa (ITA) as “truly magnificent.”

Della Chiesa, only the third Course Designer at Badminton in some 50 years, has used new ground in the Duke of Beaufort’s parkland and has produced new fences, including a water complex. He has also recreated the famous Vicarage Vee fence.

The scene is set for a thrilling and fascinating weekend, and one rider is set to make history in Badminton’s 65th year.

See the full entry list for the fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials here, and watch live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEI Classics™ #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Competitions, Eventing/H.T.

Paget’s Promise Is Fulfilled at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

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Jock Paget (NZL) and Clifton Promise, winners of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the HSBC FEI Classics (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 6 May, 2013 – A new star was born when New Zealander Jock Paget triumphed in an extraordinary climax to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

Paget, who is the first Badminton debutant to win since fellow Kiwi Mark Todd in 1980, had been at great pains to tell people that he had so far never jumped clear in the finale of a CCI4*. But this time, he and Frances Stead’s Clifton Promise were quietly flawless, as indeed they had been throughout the entire competition in which the spotlight had been focussed on the tussle between Jung, Nicholson and Fox-Pitt.

In an almost unbelievable scenario, the usually faultless Michael Jung (GER) and La Biosthetique Sam, leaders after first two phases, hit the very last rail of the competition and dropped to second place.

The Rolex Grand Slam challenge evaporated in a split-second when William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Parklane Hawk hit the last part of the treble at fence 7 to drop from third to fifth place.

Andrew Nicholson (NZL) had already jumped clear on Nereo to rise one place to third, but when Paget produced his foot-perfect round, Nicholson had to accept that the Grand Slam quest was over for him too.

Nicholson, who has the considerable consolation of extending his lead in the HSBC FEI Classics, admitted that the dollar signs flashed past his eyes when Fox-Pitt hit a fence. “I certainly saw a lot of money for a moment,” he laughed.

He has now completed Badminton 33 times – more than any other rider – but it was only his second time in the top three. “But I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend,” he said. “It’s been very exciting, which is great for the sport, and great for New Zealand where Eventing has even been getting ahead of the rugby in the news.”

Ironically, Jung, who won his Olympic gold medal thanks to a last-fence error by Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE) at Greenwich Park last summer, has been training Paget during the winter and he was amused by the suggestion that he might have done too good a job. “I’ll be training with Jock now,” he joked.

The German, a popular new face at Badminton, was sporting in defeat. “Sam was jumping with a lot of power and I thought I had a good line to the last, but perhaps I was going too fast,” he said. “I am still very pleased with my second place and to be at my first Badminton.”

Eight nations were represented in the top 12 in one of the most international line-ups seen at any CCI4*, and 65 of the 84 starters completed the competition. There were 20 clear Jumping rounds without time penalties.

Ten years ago, Paget, 29, had not even ridden at an international event. He was an apprentice bricklayer in Sydney, Australia, when he first started riding. “I knew when I came to Badminton that I had two great horses and that I could win, but didn’t actually think I was going to,” said the modest Paget, who was also 14th on Clifton Lush. “Until now, I’d made a few little mistakes at CCI4* level but I kept knocking at the door. When I was a teenager, I watched Badminton on video, but the idea of winning it was certainly a distant dream.” The dream has now become a reality!

About the winner

Jonathan Paget (NZL) – known in the sport as Jock – has made a meteoric rise to stardom in Eventing. He only started riding at the age of 18 when he was an apprentice bricklayer in Sydney, Australia, his family having moved from New Zealand in 1986. He started training with Kevin McNab (AUS) in Queensland and progressed from never having jumped a fence to competing at CCI3* level in two years.

After the 2007 equine influenza outbreak in Sydney, Paget returned to New Zealand and started riding Frances Stead’s Clifton horses. His first CCI4* was Kentucky in 2010 where he was finished seventh and was subsequently selected for the Kiwi squad for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, where he again finished seventh individually on Clifton Promise.

Paget has been based in Dunsfold, in the south of England, working closely with senior New Zealand riders Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson, since February 2011. He was part of the bronze medal New Zealand team at the London Olympic Games in 2012, finishing 10th on Clifton Promise.

His other CCI4* results include two fifth places at Burghley, in 2011 and 2012, on Clifton Lush, plus sixth at Kentucky and second at Pau last year on Clifton Promise. He is now second on the HSBC FEI Classics leaderboard.

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Watch FEI YouTube interview with Jock Paget: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXojw9-kOMA&feature=youtu.be.

Listen to interviews with:

Jock Paget: http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/MMBHT_Paget_end.mp3

Michael Jung: http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/MMBHT_jung_end.mp3

Andrew Nicholson: http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/MMBHT_nicholson_end.mp3

William Fox-Pitt: http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/MMBHT_foxpitt_end.mp3

View full standings here.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #HSBC and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #HSBC FEI Classics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
j.seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45