Klimke, who will aim to emulate Lucinda Fredericks and become the first female rider in ten years to win the 2017 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, was initially awarded 11 penalties for a broken frangible pin. After some deliberation with the Ground Jury, it was announced that they would not be awarded.
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The two-time Badminton runner-up, in 2006 with Sleep Late and in 2015 with “Bobby”, leads teammate Michael Jung by just 0.4 of a penalty ahead of the show jumping tomorrow.
“The course was definitely tough and I felt like I had to work quite hard. On the other hand, I was really pleased because Horseware Hale Bob did such a wonderful job and he was so bold. It was a pleasure to ride him. The good thing is he’s a very good show jumper and normally he jumps clears so I will have a good night’s sleep!”
Michael Jung demonstrated why he and La Biosthetique Sam are one of the most prolific eventing partnerships of all time. The reigning Olympic champions made Eric Winter’s course look straightforward, but even the world number one admitted that the course was testing.
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“It was a really tough course and you had to concentrate from the beginning and there was one tough question after the next. It was important to get every fence correct and that you got into a good rhythm.”
This was Sam’s seventh four star cross country clear inside the time and, according to Michael, the 17 year old feels as good as ever.
“It’s a really great feeling when you feel the horse trusts you so much. He’s an amazing horse and galloped so well. I was a bit nervous at the beginning, because I had only done one two star for preparation but he’s got so much experience.”
© The Gaitpost / Rupert Heseltine
Despite being the final combination to go across country, Andrew Nicholson and the wonderfully consistent Nereo were only six seconds over the time to sit in third place overnight. Andrew, who has 35 completions at Badminton will be hoping to add the Mitsubishi Motors trophy to his considerable haul over a brilliant career.
© The Gaitpost / Nico Morgan
“I thought walking it, it was the sort of course you had to sit on your backside and work. We’ve had quite a lot of courses at big events where these experienced riders and horses could glide around two thirds of the course. For this one, the second fence onwards you had to work and be accurate with its distances.”
The son of Fines, who has been in the top three at Burghley, Badminton and Pau, slipped noticeably towards the end of the course but his vast experience was clear to see.
“I knew I finished the course with all four shoes, but the grooms have since told me that I lost a stud in the outside of the front foot and two studs in one back shoe. Nereo does slip, he’s a big, powerful horse and he is quite prone to slipping and sliding. It wasn’t a big problem.”
Team New Zealand had a productive day with four in the top ten going into tomorrow’s show jumping. Tim Price’s clear round inside the time with Xavier Faer was a masterclass in riding forward in a good rhythm.
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“He’s new to this level but he showed a lot of class and he helped me a lot today. I’m really excited about him.”
Sir Mark Todd steered his two Olympic riders, Leonidas II and NZB Campino, into the top ten after showing all his experience after a couple of hairy moments. The eventing legend admitted that the 15-year-old Campino was not the quickest but that he made up for it with his heart.
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Best of the Brits
In an excellent day for young British riders, Rosalind Canter and Allstar B lead the British challenge after an excellent round across country to finish sixth overnight. Team members on several Nations Cup teams, they added only 9.6 penalties to their dressage score of 44.9.
“I think I’m probably sat on one of the best cross country horses here, he’s a phenomenal jumper and seems to have a gallop to match which is so exciting. He’s so focused when he gets out there and he knows his job.”
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Former rugby player Alexander Bragg rode a round that will undoubtedly catch the selector’s eye. Riding the 13-year-old Zagreb, the pair have been through the eventing levels together.
“We maybe got a little be tentative at some of the combinations and he had to really help me out then. I made some of the jumps a little bit harder for him but that’s where he is a superstar. As a partnership we’ve come from him as a baby, through the ranks and he really trusts me.”
Ground conditions and course problems
Christopher Burton said that this year’s Badminton would not be a dressage competition and it proved unfortunately prophetic. Riding the 12-year-old Graf Liberty, the dressage leaders set off looking relaxed and rhythmical but a miscommunication at the final element of fence 15 proved to be their undoing.
“It happens so quickly and perhaps I should have been more aggressive but he was tiring and it was my fault. He’s had a really good experience and I think he’s got a four star win in him.”
© The Gaitpost / Rupert Heseltine
Sam Griffiths found his challenge for the Badminton title dashed after 2014 winner Paulank Brockagh was deemed to have gone the wrong side of the flag and received 50 penalties.
Another theme throughout the day was the breaking of frangible pins. Izzy Taylor and Briarlands Matilda’s event came to an untimely end when slithering into the KBIS Bridge and Ireland’s Dominic Furnell knocked down the PHEV Corral rails.
There was deep disappointment for the hugely popular Jonty Evans after his overnight 2nd position dwindled to 25th after an unfortunate run out but the perfect gent was quick to praise his Rio companion, Cooleys Rorke Drift.
“He’s my horse of a lifetime.”
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Out of the top ten after dressage, only three maintained their positions there by the end of the afternoon and with only two riders (Michael Jung and Tim Price) making the time, it was evident to see that Eric Winter had created a genuine four-star track. From 81 starters, there were 49 completions across country with 32 jumping clear.
Britain’s Emily Gilruth was airlifted to hospital after falling at fence three with Topwood Beau and we wish her a speedy recovery. Shanghai Joe, who lost his rider Shane Rose at fence 19 and galloped loose, is currently being treated at Breadstone Veterinary Hospital after suffering an injury to his forelimb.
Top 10 after cross country
1 Ingrid Klime/Horseware Hale Bob – 39.6
2 Michael Jung/La Biosthetique Sam – 40
3 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo – 40.4
4 Tim Price/Xavier – 48.2
5 Mark Todd/NZB Campino – 50.4
6 Rosalind Canter/Allstar B – 54.5
7 Oliver Townend/ODT Ghareeb – 56.2
8 Alexander Bragg/Zagreb – 57
9 Mark Todd/Leonidas – 58.1
10 Clare Abbott/Euro Prince -60.1
