Fellow competitors erupted in spontaneous cheering as the brilliant New Zealand horseman Andrew Nicholson, 55, at last won the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ after a record 37 attempts over 33 years.
"Of course I knew I would win Badminton one day – I just didn’t know when!" said Nicholson.
It was a jumping finale full of surprises as Nicholson, third after cross-country, pulled off a stunning clear round on the 17-year-old Nereo to leave the two German Olympians ahead of him – Michael Jung and overnight leader Ingrid Klimke – no room for error.
Jung’s La Biosthetique Sam, also a veteran 17-year-old, hit the back rail of the sixth fence, so the defending champion had to settle for the runner-up spot, but he now leads the FEI Classics™ series leaderboard. Then, to gasps from the fascinated crowd, Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob hit the same fence and Klimke’s problems were compounded with a refusal at the triple, which dropped her to ninth.
"I’m a bit unhappy about the mistake and it was, for sure, my mistake, but Sam has been superb all weekend," said Jung.
New Zealanders Tim Price (Xavier Faer) and Sir Mark Todd with both his horses, NZB Campino and Leonidas ll, capitilized on clear jumping rounds and moved up to third, fourth and sixth.
There was a new British name in fifth place, 31-year-old Rosalind Canter, who had a superb Badminton debut on Allstar B. Gemma Tattersall was delighted to jump clear for sixth place on Arctic Soul and Kristina Cook was at her vintage best in 10th place on Billy the Red.
Completing the international flavour was Japanese rider Yoshiaki Oiwa, whose long-term aim of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 will have been enhanced by eighth place on The Duke of Cavan.
A total of 46 completed the competition with 20 clear jumping rounds. There was disappointment for the British when Alexander Bragg’s Zagreb, eighth after a great cross-country, was withdrawn from the holding box at the final horse inspection.
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica finish 17th. Shannon Brinkman Photo.
Nicholson first rode at Badminton in 1984; he has since completed more times than any other rider, and has finished second, on Lord Killinghurst in 2004, and third, on Libby Sellar’s Spanish-bred chestnut gelding Nereo in 2013. He was in the lead on Nereo in 2015, but it all went wrong in the final phase.
His win is even more of a fairytale considering he broke his neck in a fall 18 months ago – the prospect of competing Avebury, his three-time Burghley winner, and Nereo was, he says, a strong motivation during his recovery.
"I’ve been in all sorts of places at Badminton and not won, so it has been hard, but I am lucky that I’ve been able to keep the dream alive and keep coming back," said Nicholson.
Nicholson’s spectacular victory puts him into third place in the FEI Classics™, behind Pau winner Maxime Livio (FRA) and last year’s series champion Jung, who leads going into his home 4* at Luhmühlen next month.
Lynn Symansky and Donner finish in 22nd place. Shannon Brinkman Photo.
The two remaining U.S. riders, Lauren Kieffer and Lynn Symansky finished 17th and 22nd respectively with Veronica and Donner. Team Rebecca LLC's Veronica added one rail and 2 time penalties and the Donnner Syndicate's Donner also dropped a single rail and crossed the finish 4 time penalties over.
Full results are available here
Familiarizing yourself with the key players at each horse trial is an important step to your success at your next competition. One of those important figures is the show secretary. Think of the show secretary as the mastermind behind most of the organizational efforts related to each horse trial. They manage entries, the show schedule, ride times, stabling, and so much more. Without the hard work of the show secretary and their office staff, a horse trial simply would not be able to operate.
The USEA Foundation is pleased to announce a new initiative, the Janet Briggs Fund for the Continuing Education of Licensed Officials. Established in memory of Janet Briggs, this fund honors her lifelong dedication to the sport of eventing by supporting the ongoing education and development of eventing licensed officials.
In the rolling countryside of Metamora, Michigan, there’s a place where eventers gather not just to compete, but to celebrate the spirit of the sport. Area VIII’s Hunter’s Run Farm—home to the Hunter’s Run Farm Horse Trials—has long been a beloved destination for riders across the Midwest, and this year, it’s gearing up for one of its most exciting seasons yet.
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!