Badminton Horse Trials Show Jumping Open Thread: Michael Jung Wins Rolex Grand Slam!

By on May 8, 2016 6:40 am -
Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Photo by Shannon Brinkman. Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

We’re getting down to the finish for the very exciting weekend of Badminton action this morning. We’ll see all of the pairs show jump today, and it will all come down to the grand finale when we find out of Michael Jung has the stuff to win the second-ever Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.

Keep it locked right here for the latest updates from the final phase of #MMBHT!

11:32 a.m. EST:

11:02 a.m. EST:

11:02 a.m. EST:

11:00 a.m. EST: Here is your final #MMBHT 2016 top 10! Stay tuned for so much more from the most epic weekend ever!

Screenshot_1

10:59 a.m. EST:

10:58 a.m. EST: So there you have it, ladies and gents. Michael Jung adds ROLEX GRAND SLAM winner and Badminton winner to his ridiculously long resume. And the really freaky thing? He has ANOTHER horse that is his top choice for Rio. What is this world!

Sorry, ladies. I was sad too.

Sorry, ladies. I was sad too.

10:56 a.m. EST: HE DID IT HE DID IT HE DID IT!!!!

Micki 2

10:54 a.m. EST: OMG I Can’t. I can’t handle this.

10:52 a.m. EST: Andreas has to use every single ounce of riding skill to get So Es Et to clear those fences, but he’s done it clear!

Andreas O

10:50 a.m. EST:

10:49 a.m. EST: Here we go! Second placed Andreas Ostholt and So Es Et in now!

10:48 a.m. EST: Clear for Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul! She finishes on a 44.6!

Gemma

10:47 a.m. EST: Oh man, I’m getting so nervous! Gemma is the best of the Brits and in next.

10:45 a.m. EST: Clear and into at least fourth for Mark Todd and Leonidas II!!

10:44 a.m. EST:

10:42 a.m. EST: Clifton Lush has lots of hangtime in the air with Jock Paget. This is another very experienced pair. He’s got one down to swap positions with Clarke Johnstone.

Clifton

10:40 a.m. EST: Clarke Johnstone just put himself directly in the line of sight of the Rio selectors for the New Zealand team with a LOVELY clear round. Just lovely.

Clarke

10:38 a.m. EST: Quickly du Buguet scrambles through the treble and has two down total to drop her and Astier Nicolas out of the top 10.

10:37 a.m. EST: Quite a few more rails from these top 15 or so. The pressure cooker is strong!

10:37 a.m. EST:

10:36 a.m. EST:

10:36 a.m. EST:

10:34 a.m. EST: Armada has historically struggled in the show jumping and unfortunately today is no different. He’s got five down for a 66.2.

Oliver

10:33 a.m. EST:

10:32 a.m. EST: Izzy finishes with just one rail down to finish within the top 10 with Allercombe Ellie on a final score of 50.4. This is, we believe, her best Badminton score to date.

10:32 a.m. EST:

10:31 a.m. EST: Izzy and Allercombe Ellie lower one rail so far.

10:31 a.m. EST:

10:28 a.m. EST:

10:27 a.m. EST: Gwendolen Fer adds two rails to her dressage score with Romantic Love, dropping them out of the top 10.

Gwen

10:25 a.m. EST: Jonelle Price and Classic Moet have the middle of the triple down for a 51.3 to end her weekend. We’re into the top 10!

Jonelle

10:23 a.m. EST:

10:22 a.m. EST: Jean Teulere and Matelot du Grand Val swim through fence 6 and have two down total for a final score of 55.9.

10:20 a.m. EST: This is so cool!

10:20 a.m. EST:

10:19 a.m. EST: Bummer, Bettina has three down with Designer 10. He looked a bit strong, and he’s so powerful that sometimes it seems he overpowers his own front end!

Bettina 2

10:17 a.m. EST: Designer 10 is just so cool.

Bettina

10:16 a.m. EST:

10:14 a.m. EST: FYI for the livestream viewers:

10:13 a.m. EST:

10:12 a.m. EST: Andreas Dibowski and FRH Butts Avedon had fence 8 down but an otherwise lovely round. Into the top 15 now.

Andreas

10:10 a.m. EST: Ah, man. Three down for Pascal Leroy.

Pascal

10:09 a.m. EST:

10:08 a.m. EST:

10:08 a.m. EST: The time is proving to be very attainable for these afternoon pairs so far.

10:07 a.m. EST: The third clear of the second group for Camilla Speirs and Portersize Just A Jiff! Love that little pony horse.

Camilla

10:06 a.m. EST:

10:05 a.m. EST:

10:05 a.m. EST:

10:04 a.m. EST: Rodolphe Scherer lowers two in the treble and rubs several with Makara de Montiege to finish on a 60.5 for the weekend.

Rodolphe

10:02 a.m. EST:

10:01 a.m. EST: Beanie Sturgis really has a little jumping bean in Lebowski! Clear!! They finish on a 52.8.

Beanie

10:00 a.m. EST:

9:58 a.m. EST: Ben Way bounces a rail but he’s clear! The 10th clear round of the day with Galley Light.

Ben

9:57 a.m. EST:

9:56 a.m. EST:

9:55 a.m. EST: Be sure to tune in to either FEI TV or the Badminton Live Stream (free) for top notch commentary. On the YouTube stream, we have Harry Meade, Matt Ryan and Daisy Berkeley providing some great comments.

9:54 a.m. EST:

9:53 a.m. EST: Just two rails separate the 2nd through 11th placings. What a nail biter we’re in for!

9:53 a.m. EST:

9:52 a.m. EST: We love this photo of Ben Hobday and Mulrys Error! #yehboi

Ben Hobday (GBR) and Mulrys Error. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Ben Hobday (GBR) and Mulrys Error. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

9:51 a.m. EST:

Libby Head and Sir Rockstar, Badminton Horse Trial graduates, class of 2016. #MMBHT

A photo posted by Eventing Nation (@goeventing) on

9:50 a.m. EST: It would be SO much more impressive if this was a mounted band. Can we make that a thing? #bombproofing

Opening

9:44 a.m. EST:

9:43 a.m. EST:

9:41 a.m. EST: Alright, here we go! We’re just about set to start the top 20 group at Badminton to close things out. Remember, we’re on the brink of a potentially historic moment in eventing history as Michael Jung sits on the cusp of winning just the second ever Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.

He has had two rails down in the past (Rolex 2015), but he also could lower two today and still win assuming he can keep the time tidy. Will he need both those rails?

7:35 a.m. EST:

7:32 a.m. EST: That completes the morning group! Yes, that’s right, we still have to wait longer for this exciting finale. We’re all on the edge of our seats (well, I’m on the edge of my couch) waiting for that one German guy to jump later. We’ll resume at 9:45 EST right here on EN!

7:30 a.m. EST: Here is the FREE live stream for anyone interested!

7:29 a.m. EST:

7:27 a.m. EST: Guest commentator Harry Meade remarks that Blyth Tait is especially skilled a riding “little Thoroughbreds.” My kind of guy.

7:26 a.m. EST: A couple hard rubs and two down for Sam Griffiths and Hasty Imp for a final score of 61.3. We have two more to see in the morning session.

Sam griffiths

7:25 a.m. EST:

A word for Mulrys Error from Ben Hobday before the Jumping #MMBHT #Badminton #2016 #Comeback

A photo posted by Badminton Horse Trials (@bhorsetrials) on

7:24 a.m. EST: Zara puts in a tactful ride on a tired High Kingdom to have two down for a final score of 62.0. She’ll finish within the top 25 at the moment.

Zara

7:22 a.m. EST:

7:22 a.m. EST:

7:20 a.m. EST: We’re definitely seeing some tired horses this morning, but the number of clears we’ve seen show that it is absolutely doable and these horses are FIT. Many of them look ready to go round cross country again! Another interesting comment regarding Olympic selection that is on the line for many riders, commentator John Kyle points out that there will not be a Vicarage Vee on the Rio course. How much will that and any related trouble there play into the selectors’ decisions?

7:20 a.m. EST:

7:20 a.m. EST:

7:19 a.m. EST:

You couldn't ask for a prettier day for show jumping than this! #MMBHT

A photo posted by Eventing Nation (@goeventing) on

7:19 a.m. EST:

7:14 a.m. EST:

7:13 a.m. EST: Our fifth clear round from Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh, who won here in 2014. This mare is such a lovely, typey jumper.

Sam

7:12 a.m. EST:

7:12 a.m. EST:

7:08 a.m. EST: A final score of 84.4 for Michael Ryan and Ballylynch Adventure.

7:08 a.m. EST:

7:07 a.m. EST:

7:06 a.m. EST: What a weekend for Libby. First overseas event, second CCI4* ever, first Badminton and all she did was add some time and one rail to her dressage score with Sir Rockstar. Impressive doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Libby 2

7:05 a.m. EST: And they’re off! #18goingon5

Libby

7:03 a.m. EST:

7:01 a.m. EST: #YEHBOI! Ben goes clear with Mulrys Error. What a weekend for this pair. The biggest example of beating the odds if there ever was one.

Ben 2

7:00 a.m. EST: Ben Hobday enters to big cheers from the crowd on Mulrys Error.

Ben

6:59 a.m. EST:

6:56 a.m. EST: Sarah Ennis and BLM Diamond Delux have just some time faults for our first final score under 100, 94.6.

Sarah

6:55 a.m. EST:

6:54 a.m. EST:

6:53 a.m. EST: China’s Alex Hua Tian is the next in. This is the first CCI4* appearance for this pair since WEG. This is their first trip to Badminton. One down for a total of 103.9 for Alex and Harbour Pilot C.

6:52 a.m. EST:

6:50 a.m. EST:

6:49 a.m. EST: A double clear for Canadian Kathryn Robinson and Let It Bee on a final score of 101.1! Just the second clear we’ve seen so far. #camericanpride

Kathyn

6:47 a.m. EST:

Sportsfield Othello has some hops this morning! 4 faults for a final score of 106.6 for Joseph Murphy:

Joseph Murphy

6:44 a.m. EST:

6:42 a.m. EST:

6:40 a.m. EST:

6:40 a.m. EST:

6:38 a.m. EST: Here is a great course preview from our friends at Horse & Hound!