Tag Archives: Jonathan Paget

FEI Tribunal Lifts Provisional Suspensions of Paget and McNab

Lausanne (SUI), 6 June 2014 – The FEI Tribunal has today lifted the provisional suspensions of Jonathan Paget (NZL) and Kevin McNab (AUS) with immediate effect. The two athletes had been provisionally suspended following positive tests on their horses, Clifton Promise and Clifton Pinot, for the banned substance Reserpine at Burghley (GBR) in September 2013.

The decision follows a specific request from the two athletes for the lifting of the provisional suspensions. The request was made during a two-day hearing before the FEI Tribunal in London (GBR) on 3 and 4 June.

The lifting of the provisional suspensions is a preliminary decision. The FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision in both cases will be issued at a later date.

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

FEI Tribunal Issues Partial Decision in Paget Case

Lausanne (SUI), 23 April 2014 – The FEI Tribunal has issued a partial decision in the Clifton Promise (Jonathan Paget) case. Clifton Promise tested positive to the banned substance reserpine at the Burghley CCI4* in September 2013.

Paget, the Person Responsible (PR), accepted that the banned substance had been found in the horse and requested that the FEI Tribunal, prior to a full hearing, rule separately on the automatic disqualification from Burghley.

The Tribunal has ruled that Clifton Promise and Paget are disqualified from their placing at Burghley and that all points and prize money won at the event by Clifton Promise must be forfeited.

As a result of this decision, the Burghley placings, rider rankings and FEI Classics standings have been amended.

The full hearing of the Clifton Promise case is scheduled for 3 June 2014, after which a final decision will be issued by the FEI Tribunal.

The text of the partial decision is available here.

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

Jonathan Paget Wins 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

(Burghley, UK, 8 September 2013) Current Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing prize contender, Jonathan Paget (NZL) riding Clifton Promise, held his nerve in the final show jumping phase to win the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Andrew Nicholson (NZL) finished in both 2nd place riding Avebury and 3rd place riding Nereo.

A New Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Prize Contender

Having now won both the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Paget is now in the unique position of being able to compete for the US$350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Prize – to do so, he will need to complete the third and final challenge of winning the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, with a win making him only the second person to be a Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Champion, joining Pippa Funnell.

Rider Quotes

Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise

Q. Congratulations – incredible. You made that incredibly easy with that cushion of having two fences down – that must have been quite nice?

It was very nice knowing that I didn’t have to panic about the time and ride around and just jump the jumps as best we could.

Q. When you reflect on this year, just how amazing does it feel to do what you have done?

It is a very special year – I’m obviously never going to forget this year – I just hope I can be consistent and keep improving.

Q. What is it about Clifton Promise – to win the two big ones in this country on the same horse in the same year – the last time that was done was 1989 – there’s something special about this horse isn’t there?

Absolutely, he’s an incredible horse and always has been. He’s a full New Zealand thoroughbred, he does great dressage, he’s a lion cross-country and doesn’t want to touch a pole in the show jumping! He’s everything you could wish for in an event horse and he’s tough.

Q. Will you now be thinking about the Rolex Kentucky next year and the Grand Slam, which is now very much on the agenda?

Yes, absolutely – I need to make a plan now for Rolex and work back and try and go there and nail it.

Q. Overall, a few years ago when you were being taught by Andrew Nicholson, did you think in your wildest dreams that you could be heading for a Rolex (Grand Slam of Eventing Prize) potential?

Yes, you always dream about that. I would have been able to say back then yes I will definitely be able to this in this amount of time but it’s something that I wanted and something that I’ve worked towards and it’s great that it’s happened.

Andrew Nicholson riding Avebury & Nereo

Q. Congratulations, you’ve just finished in both 2nd and 3rd place – how was that on Avebury?

Avebury was just a bit casual; he’s normally a very big gate jumper and perhaps I was a bit casual too. But, I wouldn’t have won it anyway – I think if I had gone clear then Jock (Jonathan Paget) would have jumped the last clear because he knew he could have the last down and pretty much just let that happen.

Q. You mentored Jonathan by helping start his career in Eventing – how good is he doing the double – Badminton and then Burghley?

It’s a great achievement and what a fabulous horse. He’s trained it himself – it hasn’t been one that someone else produced – he got it off the racetrack when it was young and he’s had a lot of faith in him and it’s rewarded him.

Q. New Zealand dominating the leaderboard – it’s looking good for next year’s World Equestrian Games

It’s really great – like I’ve said before, it’s great being part of the rebuilding of our squad!

Copyright Free Audio Post Final Show Jumping Day Press Conference

For an audio interview of the post-Show Jumping press conference featuring Jonathan Paget and Andrew Nicholson please click link here: http://po.st/BurghleySJPressConf.

Other audio available here:

Commentary on Jonathan Paget’s winning ride
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Comm_2013.mp3

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

Andrew Nicholson
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/andrew_nicholson_burghley_end.MP3

William Fox Pitt
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/wfp_burghley_end.MP3

Results after Cross-Country

1 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 41.1
2 Andrew Nicholson/Avebury (NZL) 46.3
3 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 47.3
4 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 50.3
5 Ingrid Klimke/FRH Butts Abraxxas (GER) 52.2

For more information on the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This prize 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
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E: tim@revolutionsports.co.uk

Jonathan Paget in 1st and 2nd Position after Cross-Country at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

(Burghley, UK, 7 September 2013) Current Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing prize contender, Jonathan Paget (NZL) riding Clifton Promise, has maintained his overnight place after cross-country in 1st place at the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Paget riding his other horse Clifton Lush is also lying in 2nd place, with Andrew Nicholson (NZL) riding Avebury in 3rd place. Seven out of the top 10 placed horses after the cross-country stage are from New Zealand.

Rider Quotes

Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise & Clifton Lush

Q. How did the course ride for you for your two horses?

I thought it was hard work all day on both horses and I was on two exceptional horses, but I still found it hard. It started off very intense – you don’t get into much of a rhythm as you are always turning, going up and down.

The fences are big, they’re angled, they’re skinny, ditches, always turning back on yourself – and once you get your horses up to the Dairy Mound your horses are tired – but then you are saying you need to make up some time and it’s hard to make up time on a tired horse!  For me the most important thing was to respect the fences but try and make up time at the same time.

Q. Is this one of the strangest days you’ve ever had having been stopped out on course on both horses during your rounds?

Yes, it was weird! It definitely worked in my favour on the first horse (Clifton Lush) – he had a breather and then he got going again and he was much quicker, but it didn’t work in my favour for my second horse (Clifton Promise) – he was a little bit surprised to be going again and it was hard to get his attention on the fences, but luckily he’s a very good horse.

Q. Any sticky moments out on course?

I was a tad nervous when I nearly jumped the Judge at Cottsmore Leap (fence 21), and coming home, on both horses actually, through that last water over the two boats for different reasons, were not as smooth as I would have liked it to be.

Q. Why were you stopped on both horses out on the course?

The first horse (Clifton Lush), I think I had an awkward jump over fence 6 and I think he bumped his nose with his knee and it bleed a little bit – the vet wanted to make sure it wasn’t coming from the lungs and once he could tell that he let me go.  And the second horse (Clifton Promise) just bit his tongue.

Andrew Nicholson riding Avebury, Nereo & Calico Joe

Q. Three of your horses in the first 8 – what was it like for you today?

Unlike Jock who it sounded like he had a couple of hairy rides – mine felt very smooth!  Calicoe Joe is very, very fast and he has great stamina – he doesn’t have a big jump and he has his own way of doing it. Joe felt like he was enjoying it and when I told him to go – he went quite happily and I knew I was going far too fast at the end, but I didn’t dare slow down in case he’d thought we’d finished.

Avebury felt perfect all the way – it was only up at the road crossing or the verticals – otherwise he felt like he thought it was very easy and he thoroughly enjoyed whizzing around the mounds and turns and all the ducking and diving at the beginning.

For Nereo it’s a very difficult place at Burghley for him with the little mounds and undulations – the times he’s been here before he’s found it hard work.  I thought he dealt very well with it and kept very honest – I’m very, very pleased with all three of them.

Copyright Free Audio Post Dressage Day 2 Press Conference

For an audio interview of the post Cross-Country press conference featuring Jonathan Paget, Andrew Nicholson and cross-country Course Designer – Capt Mark Phillips , please click link here: http://po.st/XCBurghley.

Other audio available here:

Jonathan Paget – http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/SAT_JockPaget_Presser.mp3

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

William Fox Pitt – http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/XC_WFP.mp3

Captain Mark Phillips course designer – http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/captain_sat_burghley_xc.MP3

Results after Cross-Country

1 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 37.1
2 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Lush (NZL) 42.0
3 Andrew Nicholson/Avebury (NZL) 42.3
4 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 42.3
5 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 43.3

For more information on the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

A New Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contender

Having won the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Paget is now in the unique position of being able to compete for the US$350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Prize – to do so, he will need to repeat his success from Badminton and claim a win at this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. If he can complete this immense challenge, he will go forward to the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, with a win making him only the second person to be a Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Champion, joining Pippa Funnell.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This prize 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
T: +44(0)207 592 1207
E: tim@revolutionsports.co.uk

Jonathan Paget Leads World Class Field

(Burghley, UK, 6 September 2013)  Jonathan Paget (NZL) riding Clifton Promise is in 1st place after the Dressage phase at the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Ingrid Klimke (GER) riding FRH Butts Abraxxas is in 2nd place, with Andrew Nicholson (NZL) riding Nereo in 3rd place. Current Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing prize contender Jonathan Paget is also lying in joint 5th place on Clifton Lush.

Rider Quotes

Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise

Q. How did that test compare with your Badminton test, which you went on to win?

I thought that test was a lot better than the Badminton test, he got a little bit tense there – but here he was just consistent all the way through.

Q. Do you feel under pressure coming here as the Badminton winner?

I think you can put pressure on yourself and this is a new kind of pressure for me because I’ve not won a four star before – but you’re always under pressure at these big events.

Q. Are you planning to take all the quick routes in the Cross Country tomorrow?

I haven’t finished my plan yet on how I’m going to ride and it will probably vary throughout the day depending how it goes, but I’m here to win and I’ll do everything I can to win.

Q. Which of your two horses do you think will cope better with the course tomorrow?

I think it’s probably a combination of both, as Lush is turning and thinking on his feet, and Promise will be strong at the start of the course, but Lush hasn’t got as big a stride as Promise so he might struggle with some of the distances – but apart from that both very strong at cross country.

Andrew Nicholson riding Nereo

Q. Looking at tomorrow – how is it going to suit you and Nereo?

He’s done all sorts of courses all over the world – he will naturally prefer a big galloping course as he’s got a massive powerful stride but he has run round here a few times – he’s dealt with it before and I’m sure he’ll deal with it again tomorrow.

Q. How do you compare your dressage day with Badminton?

I think it was a step up from Badminton – the whole test was a lot more polished and a bit more correct – today was a lot more smooth and consistent.

Q. Out of all the technical questions on tomorrow’s course, which do you think is the most difficult?

I think it’s pretty consistent all the way round, but for me probably the most difficult is the Dairy Mounds – skinny brushes on the hill. I know from other years that whatever is on the Dairy Mounds takes a lot more jumping than what you think as the horses are a little tired by the time you get there – perhaps it’s because I’ve been around too many times and know where the horses feel tired and where they don’t.

Cross Country Course Designer – Capt Mark Phillips

Q. What were you setting out to do when you designed this course?

The Dairy Mound is at seven minutes so all the serious questions are in the first seven minutes, hopefully before the horses get too tired. I think after that, riders will be disappointed if they make a mistake.

I think if horses are down at five minutes (on the time) then it’s just a question of how much they can get back in 7, 8, 9, 10 minutes because at ten minutes it’s the Burghley Station and I don’t think there is any time to get it back after that.

Q. What effect does it have on you when you hear that Ingrid Klimke says it’s the most daunting course she has ever encountered?!

I think the people I have spoken to say it is a ‘real four star’ course – and I don’t know how to say it but perhaps it’s more of a four star than some others that we’ve seen recently!

Copyright Free Audio Post Dressage Day 2 Press Conference

For an audio interview of the post Day 2 Dressage press conference featuring Jonathan Paget, Andrew Nicholson and cross-country Course Designer – Capt Mark Phillips, please click link here: http://po.st/ihmgMm.

Results after Day 2 Dressage

1 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 36.7
2 Ingrid Klimke/FRH Butts Abraxxas (GER) 39.0
3 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 41.3
4 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 41.5
5= Jonathan Paget/Clifton Lush (NZL) 42.0
5= Andreas Dibowski/FRH Butts Leon (GER) 42.0

For more information on the 2013 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

A New Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contender

Having won the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Paget is now in the unique position of being able to compete for the US$350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Prize – to do so, he will need to repeat his success from Badminton and claim a win at this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. If he can complete this immense challenge, he will go forward to the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, with a win making him only the second person to be a Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Champion, joining Pippa Funnell.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This prize 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
T: +44(0)207 592 1207
E: tim@revolutionsports.co.uk

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

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

Jonathan Paget Wins Badminton Horse Trials, Holds Off Rolex Grand Slam Challengers Fox-Pitt & Nicholson

Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise.

(Badminton, UK, 6 May 2013) Jonathan Paget (NZL), riding Clifton Promise, finished on his dressage score of 39.7 to beat Michael Jung (GER) riding La Biosthetique in 2nd place. Paget also held off the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing challenges from Andrew Nicholson (NZL) riding Nereo in 3rd place, and William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Parklane Hawk, who finished in 5th place. Sandra Auffarth (GER) riding Opgun Louvo finished in 4th place.

Rider Quotes

Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise

Q.  Congratulations – how are you feeling?

I’ve spent time with Michael and he is such a perfectionist. When he gets to the last fence you would never expect him to have it down and I heard the crowd cheer and I thought he’s a champion – he deserves it. And then I heard the “arrghh” and I thought “shoot, I think I’ve just won!”

Q. Your first four star – not a bad place to win it?

Yeah, and it’s the first time the horse has finished on his dressage score at a three day event. He’s always been the type of horse that pulls something amazing out when you need him the most and that’s what he did.

Q. What were you telling yourself as you were going into the ring?

Not much!  I went in and the only thing I had to remember was to salute and I just jumped one fence at a time.

Q. How did the round feel – it looked really fluid and easy – was it easy?

I don’t think it ever feels easy with the pressure, but he was amazing – he was jumping everything as hard as he could like he does and he never made a mistake – he was perfect.

Michael Jung riding Sam

Q. Michael, so close and so unlucky?

I could have been a little more controlled, but he jumped well and I am very happy about my first time here.

Q. How much of a disappointment to have last fence down?

Maybe I was a little bit too fast. He was really fresh; each fence was a lot of power. I had a good line to the last fence.

The whole week has been fantastic, I am very lucky to be here and very happy to finish in second place.

Q. Will you come back next year and have another go?

Maybe!  I would like to come to Burghley in September.

Andrew Nicholson riding Nereo

Q. Andrew, well done, great round, thoughts on the winner [Jonathan Paget]?

He’s a great boy – a great rider. It’s great for New Zealand to have someone like Joch in the wings here. It’s good for the likes of me and Mark who are getting on a bit to have ones like him from our country making us very alert and very focused.

Q. So for you there must be a little bit of disappointment and coming back again next year?

Yeah, it’s not the first time. I’ll be back again. I’m very happy with my horse’s performances.  I just think it has been great for the whole sport all week – I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the ‘razzamatazz’ and the buzz of it all and I was just pleased that I could play my part until the end.

It would have been nice to win the $350,000 but I didn’t have it to start with, so I haven’t lost it have I!  Perhaps I’ll try and win Burghley and get the ball rolling again!

William Fox-Pitt riding Parklane Hawk

Q. William, that was very bad luck; how are you feeling?

Luck wasn’t quite on our side but he has performed so well all week with a reasonable amount of pressure from both me and externally – horses can only pick up on that a little bit and he has responded so well and to come out and perform like that is exciting and rewarding.

Q. Does it make you feel slightly better to know you couldn’t have won the Rolex Grand Slam anyway with Jonathan winning?

Yes, of course it does, definitely!  I couldn’t have won Badminton and the Rolex Grand Slam, with the two going together, but finishing fifth is great.  It is a big relief – it will be nice to return to life as normal – with the phone not ringing all the time and people wanting interviews!

It has been an exciting experience and I am very fortunate to have been able to enjoy it and hope it has done a lot for the sport and a lot for Rolex and a lot for Badminton.

Q. But it [Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing] can all start again in September at Burghley?

Yes, but if it starts again at Burghley then it will finish again here at Badminton – let’s not even talk about anything!  Let’s hope that Rolex carry on – there’s no guarantees – I hope that they continue their massive involvement with the sport, which has done so much to boost the sport.

Final Competition Results after Show Jumping

1 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 39.7
2 Michael Jung/Sam (GER) 40.0
3 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 40.2
4 Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER) 42.5
5 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 44.0

For more information on the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Two Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contenders

With two of three successive wins of the Rolex Grand Slam – the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials – William Fox-Pitt is the current live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Due to adverse weather conditions, the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials was unfortunately cancelled. Therefore, Fox-Pitt has had to wait until the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials before he can contend for the coveted US$ 350,000 Rolex Grand Slam Prize.

However, now that Andrew Nicholson, who won the 2012 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has also accomplished the feat of successively winning the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, there are now uniquely be two live contenders for the sport’s most coveted prize at the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

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
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Paget Shows All His Promise at Pau

Jonathan Paget, who was foot-perfect across country on Clifton Promise to take the lead at Les Etoiles de Pau. (Kit Houghton/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 27 October 2012 – Jonathan Paget (NZL) rode across country with typical New Zealand verve to take a slender lead at the end of a thrilling day at Les Etoiles de Pau, the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2012/2013.

Olympic champion Michael Jung (GER) is breathing down Paget’s neck after an equally classy display on Leopin FST, while Paget’s compatriot Andrew Nicholson, who steered two horses round clear and inside the optimum time, is third on Nereo, and young Astier Nicolas (FRA) thrilled the large home crowd with a flamboyant clear on Jhakti du Janlie to claim overnight fourth.

Just one Jumping rail covers the top four riders after a day of unexpected drama over a Cross Country course which rewarded bold, committed riding.

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