Saturday, 11 May 2024
With lots of the obvious favourites missing from this year’s field at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, it was always going to be an interesting competition. However, it’s unlikely that many could have predicted the final podium, even as late as this morning.
As British Equestrian’s Patron, HM The Queen, watched on, the sun shone, poles tumbled and emotions soared.
As we headed into the final day of this year’s Badminton Horse Trials, the famous trophy was New Zealand’s to lose – and, while they managed to keep hold of it, the person who lifted it wasn’t necessarily the one who everyone was expecting.
Caroline Powell won Burghley in 2010 with the great Lenamore, but has never had the same fortune at Badminton – despite multiple visits to the Gloucestershire event. She and 11-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier, who Caroline co-owns with Chris and Michelle Mann, started the day in sixth with a score of 43.3, three fences behind from leaders Tim Price and Vitali. A super clear round set a standard and, as it turns out, it was one that nobody left in the field could match.
So convinced was Caroline that she would finish off the podium, that she was down in the warm-up field when someone came running up to her and told her that she’d won.
“I couldn’t believe it. Things like that don’t happen to people like me,” was her reaction.
“God, she did jump a good round, didn’t she. You always come and you hope that you’re going to get your double clear and go home with everyone safe and happy, but to win it is amazing.
“It never even entered my mind that we’d win it. I’m at an age where you start to slow down a bit and think that this is the last time. I was saying to Tristan [groom] not to let me do this ever again, when entries came round I’m not entering, but she was absolutely amazing and I’m so priviledged to ride such a good horse. She’s just a true professional who doesn’t realise how good she is. She’ll soon know, though, won’t she!
“Winning was never on the radar – we were coming here with the hope of getting her into the crowd because she can be a wee bit leery, thinking that if we do get the chance to go to Paris then she needs the atmosphere and to become a bit more rideable. We were here to test the waters and train her, so to win… I can’t believe it!”
Ireland’s Lucy Latta has had the sort of week dreamed off by horse-mad little girls everywhere. She arrived at Badminton as a relative unknown – a one-horse rider with a full-time job in marketing, she was simply looking to make her CCI5* debut. An unremarkable dressage test left her and Alison Crampton’s RCA Patron Saint well down the rankings in 46th, but they wowed everyone yesterday by producing the fastest cross-country round of the day, finishing just one second over the optimum time and rocketing up to third. A fairytale finish was in sight, provided they could hold it together on the final day.
Granted a bit of breathing space by problems for those who rode before them, the pair displayed a confidence that belied their lack of experience at this level. Two fences down used up all their lifelines, but they held it together to finish their first Badminton on a score of 45.2 – and a guaranteed spot on the podium.
“I’m a bit overwhelmed right now,” said a rather shellshocked Lucy. “I didn’t dream this would happen at the start of the week. It’s been fantastic from start to finish. He gave me the most amazing feeling yesterday and, in all honesty, I’m kicking myself about fence three in the showjumping because that was total rider error, but he jumped really well. I couldn’t have asked for any more from him, so I’m thrilled.”
Finishing on the same score of Lucy but one place lower on the leaderboard thanks to finishing further away from the optimum time in the cross-country phase were Alex Bragg and the Roe family’s Quindiva. The popular pairing had secured themselves a place in the top 10 thanks to superb cross-country round, which was Alex’s aim for the week. He’s had the 14-year-old mare since the start of her eventing career and they achieved a double-clear at Burghley last year, so hopes were high that she could replicate that again in Gloucestershire.
And replicate it, they did! They produced one of the very few clear rounds over today’s tricky course to stay on their two-phase score of 45.2, securing that coveted top-10 placings. It was now just a case of seeing whether they could climb any higher on the leaderboard.
As problems happened for more and more of the higher-placed combinations, Alex and Quindiva found themselves rising and rising until, suddenly, they were on the podium for a third-place finish.
“I wasn’t expecting to be called back again for a podium finish!” said a delighted Alex after the final results were confirmed. “That showjumping was exciting to watch, surprising to watch, but great for me! I was stood there and I didn’t know that the first couple straight after me had rails down, but I look up and I’m still in the lead. I went to watch because I wanted to see where we would end up, and it was like being at an auction – you’re trying to stand there, pretending nothing’s happening, but your heart’s coming out of your chest and you want them to go clear, but, actually, I’d also like them to finish behind me.
“This mare was double clear at Burghley, she’s double clear here, she’s getting better and better. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in for all of us, we’re just overwhelmed and so pleased. It’s more than special – we’re going to be living off this for a long time. The Roe family are really invested in our yard and have been for some time. There’s always trials and tribulations, ups and downs along the way, but we’ve really stuck together. This sport takes a long time, they’ve probably owned events horses for 30 years and this is a magic result for them – a podium at Badminton. They’re going to go in there for the prize-giving and it’s really special, so thanks to them. Like I say, I think we’re going to be celebrating a lot tonight!
“My dream with her was to finish in the top 10, so to do better for that is phenomenal. I’m speechless – for the first time ever!”
Emily King laid to rest her Badminton demons yesterday with a cross-country completion on her fifth attempt – and the round was good enough to elevate her to fourth overnight with Valmy Biats. She had hopes of going higher, but two unlucky rubs and 0.4 of a time penalty meant she had to content herself with staying just off the podium and a score of 46.4.
“He jumped phenomenally,” she said. “He just touched number two, touched it going through the treble, but he jumped so good generally. I’m so pleased with him. Just to finish is amazing and, actually, he jumped so well, just touching those couple. He’s never run super-quick and jumped the last day on grass, so it’s a first time for him doing that and I’m thrilled with him.
Today was bittersweet for William Fox-Pitt, as he announced his retirement from the top level of the sport shortly after leaving the Badminton arena for the final time. William’s career has spanned over 25 years and he has more CCI5* wins than any other rider, with 14 titles across Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Luhmühlen and Pau.
"That’s it for this level,” he said. “I’m going to do young ones and carry on for a bit, but this is my last Badminton, for sure. There’s no tears and sobbing, I’m very matter of fact about it – it’s the right thing to do."
There were hopes for a fairytale ending for his final swansong, with him and Grafennacht starting the final day in second place. However, it wasn’t to be – six fences down and some time penalties dropped them to 13th place and a final score of 57.4.
“It just wasn’t my day,” was his pragmatic summary. “I’ve had moments like this before and you have to deal with it. At least it really wasn’t my day – there are no ifs and buts and maybes, it just really didn’t happen. It’s a shame to finish on a bit of a downer, but I’m cool with that – she’s a great horse and I shall look forward to seeing what happens next with her.
Reflecting on his final week in the Badminton park, he said: “It's been a great week, I have to say. I’ve really loved it and have been so lucky to have so many supporters here, my family here. It’s been a great send-off. It wasn’t the little dream time today, but the chances of that were always going to be slim. She’s a lovely horse, she was amazing yesterday and it’s a shame I had to jump today!”
As the highest-placed British rider who has not previously completed the event, Emily King was presented with the Laurence Rook Trophy.
William Fox-Pitt and Ros Canter received Armada Dishes, which are presented to riders each time they complete Badminton five times.
World Class Programme Eventing Farrier Greig Elliott received a rosette, presented by the Worshipful Company of Farriers, during the prize-giving ceremony for being the farrier of the best shod horse – Finduss PFB, ridden by Australia’s Sammi Birch – as judged at the final horse inspection.
As another iconic edition of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials draws to a close, here’s where our World Class Programme combinations finished…
If you’ve missed any of the competition action, you can catch up with a subscription to Badminton TV, which gives you access to all the sporting action for a full year, plus the horse inspections, prize-giving ceremony, interviews with the top three riders each day, and a range of special features.
A two-hour highlights programme, including the top 10 showjumping rounds, is available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.