Girl power at Badminton Horse Trials
“I can’t believe it – to lead from the front and win – it’s unreal,” said an emotional Lucinda Fredericks after winning the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials with Headley Britannia. After second placed Winsome Adante took two poles out the mare – the first to win Badminton for 56 years – had two fences in hand. Despite some heart-stopping moments she used just one life to remain at the top of the leaderboard and win her second four-star event and produce a special Burghley/Badminton back-to-back.
”The pressure got to me,” admitted British born and bred Lucinda who now rides for Australia. “I knew she’d be difficult today and I had a few lucky moments out there but so what? She jumped and that’s what counts.”
A clear round brought the German combination of Andreas Dibowski and the mare FRH Serve Well, fourth after a clear round cross-country, up to second place to produce another unique Badminton result – never before have mares taken the one-two. The daughter of Hanoverian sire Sherlock Holmes added nothing to her dressage score.
The dream was so near, for American Badminton first-timers Kim Severson but so far, after ‘Dan’ kicked out two poles down the final treble. The eight faults dropped them one place to finish in third place.
Australian Matt Ryan and Bonza Katoomba, 18th after dressage, found themselves moving up 12 places after the good-looking British bred produced a clean sheet over the fences.
Lord Killinghurst ridden by Andrew Nicholson, who now has the unique record of 26 completions under his belt, once again found himself in the top six moving up to fifth above Hinrich Romeike and Marius Voight-Logistik. Andrew also produced the 11 year old Henry Tankerville, like the winner sired by the British stallion Jumbo, to eighth place.
In a cosmopolitan result Sarah Cohen and Hide and Seek II were the Best of British while British veterans Jeanette Brakewell ended a particularly emotional, and final Badminton in 14th place and put themselves in the record books for the greatest number of completions, seven, for one combination.
JESTER'S QUEST FIRST LUSITANO TO COMPLETE BADMINTON
Jester's Quest, ridden by British Young Rider medallist Gemma Tattersall into 32nd place, has become the first Lusitano to complete the Badminton Horse Trials.
The good-looking grey was bought by his owner Clare Heron as a four-year-old after he had been imported to England from Portugal where he was bred. “He moved so beautifully – but looking at him I would never have known he was a Lusitano,” said Clare who is very proud of his Iberian bloodlines.
Clare gave the ride to Gemma four-years ago. The combination has since won two Young Rider European team gold medals and won both the Under 18s and Under 21 National Championships at Weston Park.
“I've just wanted to do horses as long as I can remember,” said Gemma who first came to Badminton at six weeks old and has been every year since. “It is, however, quite daunting to come here for the first time to ride.”
Not only was this the first Badminton for Gemma but she is also the youngest rider. Jester's Quest produced a lively dressage test and collected 20 penalties at fence 19, The Lake, cross-country. He redeemed his performance on Sunday jumping with a clear show jumping round.
“It was brilliant – I had a really good ride. We just jumped into the Lake a bit too boldly and missed the step out but otherwise he was absolutely fabulous. To finish on a clear show jumping round is really cool – I am now going to try and eat something for the first time!”
Results (07.05.07)
CCI4* w-out SC de Badminton
1. Headley Britannia / Lucinda Fredericks (Austrália): 34.8 + 0.8 + 4 = 39.6 pontos
2. FRH Serve Well / Andreas Dibowski (Alemanha): 41.6 + 0 +0 = 41.6
3. Winsome Adante / Kim Severson (EUA): 35.8 + 0 + 8 = 43.8
4. Bonza Katoomba / Matt Ryan (Austrália): 46.2 + 0 + 0 = 46.2
5. Lord Killinghurst / Andrew Nicholson (Nova Zelândia): 46.2 + 0 + 0 = 46.2
6. Marius Voigt-Logistik / Heinrich Romeike (Alemanha): 36.4 + 3.2 + 8 = 47.6
7. Snip / Joe Meyer (Nova Zelândia); 48.2 + 0 + 0 = 48.2
8. Henry Tankerville / Andrew Nicholson (Nova Zelândia): 45.2 + 0 + 4 = 49.2
9. Hide and Seek II / Sarah Cohen (Grã Bretanha): 45.4 + 0 + 4 = 49.4
10. The Ghost of Hamish; Peter Thomsen (Alemanha): 49.4 + 0 +0 = 49.4