Overnight leader Paul Tapner has been pushed into second place following the conclusion of the dressage phase at the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials but with riders facing a challenging course and wet track on Saturday, the cross country phase is expected to shake-up the score board.
Meanwhile, an Australia Jumping Team finished on the podium at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup event in Linz, Austria overnight – more below.
At Badminton it is American rider Clark Montgomery (Loughan Glen) who will have the greatest advantage leading into the cross country phase after he received a score of 33.3 penalties for his dressage test. He has a 2.7 point advantage over Tapner.
There were a number of Australians in action on day two at the prestigious event, including the winners of the Australian International Three Day Event CCI4*, Chris Burton and TS Jamaimo. The combination is currently sitting in equal 20th position after receiving a score of 44.8, which is a pleasing improvement on the score attained by the pair in the dressage phase at Adelaide where they attained a mark of 49.7.
“I can’t be too tough on him, I aimed only to go sub 45 and he did that so I’m happy,” Burton said.
“I was really happy with him coping with the atmosphere in there, particularly being a full thoroughbred, I was stoked.
“I’m trying not to think about tomorrow, it’s a big track but he’s a super horse. He’s a very good jumper and a tough little thoroughbred and I think that’s what they’re going to have to be to get around this one.
“It’s a great track but we’re all scared. I think that’s healthy, you have to get out there, get anxious and go for it,” he said.
London Olympian Sam Griffiths will enter the cross country phase in equal 25th position after his mare Paulank Brockagh received a score of 46.3.
“I had this mare here last year and I think I got a 59 so to get down to 46, I’m pretty pleased with that.
“I definitely left a few marks out there, there were a few little technical things I could have done better but I couldn’t fault her attitude, she tried really hard out there and she kept her cool,” he said.
Looking ahead to the cross country phase, Griffiths said the wet conditions would be influential.
“Usually I’m drawn early and this year I’m a bit later so the ground could become an issue. She’s an Irish mare she’s a big tough girl, this type of course should suit her but you need a bit of luck, you need everything to go your way.
“If any horse is going to jump well around it, it is going to be her,” he said.
Bill Levett returned to the arena on day two with his second entry Shannondale Titan and the pair was the best performing Australian combination of the day.
“He tried very hard for me and scored a 44.0 in his first four star test.
“He made a couple of expensive mistakes, jogging in the free walk and getting a bit stuck in a couple of changes but overall he tried very hard for me and I’ve learnt a lot about him for the future. The exciting thing about him is there is much more to come,” Levett said.
Seumas Marwood and Wild Oats were also in action on day two receiving a score of 56.8.
The big news for riders is that the middle element of fence 18abc, a trio of logs on an S-bend which was proving a hot topic, has been removed. This would have involved a sharp right-hand turn at the foot of a mound, and the organisers decided that the heavy rain that is forecast might make the turn slippery.
“That particular fence wasn’t in keeping with the rest of the course, which requires bold forward-thinking riding and with the weather forecast as it is, I think it’s a good decision,” commented Australia’s best placed rider Tapner.
For full results please visit the event website http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/
Over in Europe the Australian team of Jamie Kermond & Colthaga, James Passey & Yirrkala Cortina, Alison Rowland & Bickley Brook Bella and James Paterson-Robinson & Vincente, finished 3rd in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup event in Linz (AUT). The Australians shared the lead with the home nation following the conclusion of the first round and solidified third position with strong rounds by Passey and Rowland in the second.
