This weekend’s Badminton Horse Trials in England is the world’s second 5-star-rated event in a row, but it has no shortage of entries–or spectators. In fact, Sunday’s cross-country was sold out. Even the Duke of Beaufort’s estate has room for only so many people.
Historic Badminton House.
Cross country on Sunday? Yes, since the coronation of King Charles III was thoughtlessly scheduled for Badminton’s usual cross-country Saturday, the event adjusted its timetable to move that segment. The event ends on Monday, May 8.
The leader after dressage, British rider Ros Canter,has an even wider edge after cross-country with Lordships Graffalo, who was second at Badminton last year. Kitty King, second in dressage on Vendredi Biats (22.3 penalties), was eliminated on cross-country.
No one made the optimum time cross-country, where the track was muddy after rain that had disturbed many preparations for Badminton. But Ros’ excellent clocking of 11.8 time penalties was outshone only by Irish rider Austin O’Connor’s 10.8 with Colorado Blue. However, he came up from a 34th-place tie in dressage to stand second overall with a total of 42.7 penalties.
The total for Ros, the 2018 individual world champion, is 33.7 penalties. That means she could topple two fences for a total of an extra eight penalties and still win.
“We all love Walter, and he had to dig deeper today than ever before, but I think he had a nice day out,” said Ros.
She cited the benefit of going out on the course prior to her effort with Walter. The only rider to get two horses around, she learned from that trip with Pencos Crown Jewel, who stands seventh.
Ros Canter triumphant in dressage on Lordships Graffalo (and that’s this pairing on cross-country in the featured image above) (Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials)
If Austin manages a victory, he would be the first Irish rider to take the trophy since Eddie Boylan did it in 1965.
Third place with 2021 Land Rover Kentucky winner Ballaghmor Class is Oliver Townend of Great Britain, moving up from sixth in dressage, now with a total of 45.9 penalties.
The 2022 Maryland 5-star winner, Tim Price of New Zealand, stands fourth with Vitali (51.1). In fifth place is Britain’s Tom McEwen, who impressed us at Land Rover Kentucky last weekend with his runner-up performance on JL Dublin. At Badminton, he has the ride on Toledo de Kerser (54.4).
“After watching the morning action, I just wanted a nice round,” Tom. said after his ride.
“I’ve messed up here too many times before with the best horse in the world. He tried really hard and was foot- perfect jumping, but the ground is now horrific, seriously tacky and holding.”
U.S. rider Lillian Heard Wood is 24th on LCC Barnaby with 87.5 penalties, moving up from 60th in dressage.
“He was awesome,” Lillian said of her mount.
“So smooth. I went pretty slow, but I so wanted to finish, I just said, OK, do it how you want.”
Her compatriot, Katherine Coleman (Monbeg Senna), moved up one place from dressage to 26th with a total of 93.8 in her second Badminton..
There are 30 left to contest the final phase Monday if all pass the horse inspection. Eleven horses were retired on cross-country, and 17 were eliminated, while six where withdrawn after dressage.
