ShowjumpingFIFTY-FOUR FORWARD TO SHOWJUMPING


From the eighty-one starters at this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, 54 are left in the competition to go forward to the final show jumping.
Fifty eight horses completed the cross country course, 29 without jumping penalties – just two inside the time and therefore without incurring time penalties.
Two horses; no.24 Ira D’Islea the ride of Pierre Marie Dubois (FRA) and no. 90 FRH Little Lemon the ride of Andreas Dibowski (GER) were withdrawn before the final horse inspection.
The remaining 56 horses all passed this morning’s inspection however two horses; no. 55 Hobby Du Mee the ride of Austin O’Connor (IRL) and no. 75 King Bob the ride of Michael Owen (IRL) were withdrawn before the show jumping.
British rider Harry Meade is one of eight riders with two horses Birthday Night (no. 3) and Midnight Dazzler (no. 100) still in the competition. Midnight Dazzler is one of three 18-year-olds the others are Silence (no. 15) and Fairfax (no. 39) competing here this year – all of whom are currently set to complete. “Having two horses does make for a full-on weekend – especially if you want to exercise both of them twice a day – the two horsers are definitely first up and last to leave in the evening,” said Harry.
Nineteen year old Georgie Spence – the youngest rider in the field – looks set to achieve her aim of completing her first Badminton with Running Brook. The local combination is currently in 16th place. “I came with a plan to get round and then when I got here I wanted to jump clear,” said Georgie. “George just jumped everything and tried his heart out. Show jumping is not his strongest phase but that’s not what we bought him for and I will be happy to now complete.” 
If they complete this afternoon the two 10-year-old horses Mac Macdonald (no. 22) and Zin Zin II (no. 43) will be the youngest horses to complete this year. At an impressive 17.3hh Zin Zan II is also the tallest.
The top 20 come forward to show jumping at 2.00pm after the traditional parade of competitors. The equivalent of two poles down (eight faults) separates the top seven riders while three poles the top ten. All eyes will be on the current leader, 27-year-old Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint – a reigning Olympic team gold medallist and current European Champion to see if he can now add the prestigious Mitsubishi Motors trophy to his already impressive CV.