South Gloucestershire, England—May 8—She led from the start of the competition on Michelle Saul’s 11-year-old Lordships Graffalo, a horse that has won the hearts of a cheerful Badminton crowd, who remained undaunted by the terrible weather on a historic coronation weekend.
“He’s an out-and-out event horse, and it’s a privilege to have him in your life,” said Canter, 37, who was also ninth on Pencos Royal Jewel. “He has character in every pore and makes us laugh every day."
Canter headed into show jumping this afternoon with several rails in hand.
“I think I was at my calmest when I entered the arena, but it’s been a long day. He jumped a bit with his head in the air, but he wanted to clear the fences," she said.
With this victory, Canter becomes the fifth rider in history—and the third British woman, following in the distinguished footsteps of Lucinda Green and Ginny Elliott—to win both Badminton and the World Championships, which she did in 2018 in Tryon.
Oliver Townend finished second on Karen Shuter, Angela Hislop, and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class, a 16-year-old horse with an extraordinary record of his own: he has never finished lower than fifth in a five-star event, winning two of them, Burghley and Kentucky, plus an Olympic team gold medal in Tokyo.
“He’s unreal,” said Townend. “He’s had too many second places—blame the jockey—but it’s a huge relief that he’s had yet another good result.”
Austin O’Connor slipped a place to third on the Salty Syndicate’s Colorado Blue, having hit two rails as opposed to Townend’s one, but he is the first Irish rider in the top three since Jessica Harrington and Amoy in 1985.
“Naturally I’m a bit disappointed, but to be on the podium with two heroes—two of the best riders in the world—is pretty amazing,” he said. “The result is personally great for me, but I hope it will give Irish eventing a lift.”
Tom McEwen conjured a beautiful clear round on his Olympic team gold medallist Toledo de Kerser to rise to fourth place; Tom Jackson scored his best ever Badminton result, rising five places to fifth on his exciting ride Capels Hollow Drift; and Gemma Tattersall, who unluckily had the very last rail down, finished sixth on Jalapeno, the highest placed mare.
World no. 1 Tim Price finished seventh for New Zealand on Vitali and Bubby Upton was eighth and highest placed under-25 rider on Cola. Three-time Badminton winner Pippa Funnell, who rode such a superb early cross-country round on Majas Hope, was 10th, and French first-timer Luc Chateau finished 11th on Viens du Mont, a rise of 26 places after dressage.
Canter paid tribute to her team, especially her mother, Heather (“she keeps the wheel turning”) and trainer, Caroline Moore—and to the spectators. “Thank you for being such a great audience and for sticking it out in this miserable weather,” she said, although no amount of rain could dampen Badminton’s joy at such a worthy winner.
U.S. riders Lillian Heard Wood (LCC Barnaby) and Katherine Coleman (Monbeg Senna) finished up the weekend in 20th and 23rd place, respectively.
Helpful Links
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
After not running in 2020 and 2021, the MARS Bromont CCI Three-Day Event returned to the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Center in Quebec, Canada, in 2022. America's Jennie Saville (née Brannigan) and Twilightslastgleam won the CCI4*-L, as the chestnut Thoroughbred gelding (National Anthem x Royal Child) bred and owned by Nina Gardner moved up from eighth after dressage into the lead after cross-country with the fastest round on wet ground over the tracks designed by Derek di Grazia. Canada's Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge, a bay Selle Français gelding (Mylord Carthago x Lelia) owned by Patricia Pearce, finished second, and they are among four from the top-10 in the CCI4*-L in 2022 that return in 2023.
Hannah Sue Hollberg of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, was on a winning streak at the Essex Horse Trials on Sunday, claiming victory in both the $10,000 Open Intermediate and Open Preliminary divisions with two horses that are fairly new to her. Some difficulty on cross-country did not stop her mount Hachi from claiming victory in the Open Intermediate with a score of 101.6, while Open Preliminary partner Rockster finished on his dressage score of 27.3.
The great football coach Vince Lombardi said, “We win our games in practice.” With the goal of having the most effective practices possible for horses, their riders, and their coaches, Cathy Wieschhoff explains some signs that can indicate when horse and rider should repeat an exercise, switch it up, or be done with that activity. Wieschhoff brings perspective as a five-star rider that has competed at the Kentucky Three-Day Event and Burghley Horse Trials, a USEF “R” Course Designer for eventing cross-country and show jumping, a former Area VIII chair and member of the USEA Board of Governors, and a Level V USEA ECP Certified Coach based out of Carriage Station Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.