Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
It’s Michael Jung’s world and we’re just living in it here at Badminton Horse Trials, where he and La Biosthetique Sam FBW hold a commanding lead at the conclusion of day one dressage.
The pair bettered their 2013 Badminton dressage score of 36 by 1.6 points, with the bar now set at 34.4.
Michael said at the conclusion of Rolex that his plan for Badminton was, essentially, to stick with the plan.
“It’s a normal competition for me,” he explained in Kentucky. “It is a very big competition, it is tough, but you have to give the horse a normal feeling like it’s just a dressage practice. If you put too much pressure on in the warm-up then it comes to mistakes.”
Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Of course “normal” is easier said than done when you’ve been away for a week winning a different four-star in a different country.
Michael has a big team of riders at home who keep Sam in work while he’s gone, but he told us after his test today their lead-up to Badminton has been less than ideal.
“In the last days he has been very nervous,” he said. Ordinarily, Michael explained, he would have taken the horse for a gallop but the wet ground has prevented it. “I could not do enough work with him — it was not possible.”
By all appearances Sam finally took a breath today, just in time to lay down his third highest four-star test ever (he scored at 34.2 at Luhmühlen last year and a 33 at the 2010 World Equestrian Games).
“He was very good, relaxed,” Michael said. “It was a very good test. I was happy with him.”
Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Reigning German Champion Andreas Osholt sits in 2nd on a 38.2, riding his team gold medal winning 2014 WEG partner So Is Et. This will be his first time competing at Badminton since 2011.
Great Britain’s Francis Whittington and Hasty Imp, who completed both Badminton and Burghley last year, are in 3rd on a 40.0.
Fourth-placed Clark Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation of Australia were a handsome pair to watch. The grey New Zealand Sport Horse came third at the Adelaide CCI4* last year and has won seven of his 10 international starts, so they’ll certainly be ones to watch. Clark recently moved his home base from New Zealand to the UK and is currently based with Christopher Burton.
Clark Johnstone (NZL) and Balmoral Sensation. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
“Ze Terminator” is a hard act to follow but New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell put his blinders on, laying down a 41.1 on his OTTB Kaapachino for 5th place. This will be Jesse’s first Badminton as well, having completed their first four-star together at Luhmühlen.
Michael Jung exits as Jesse Campbell enters. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Of the North American contingent, England-based Canadian Kathryn Robinson and Let It Bee are in 16th on a score of 47.9 — check out our post-test chat with Kathryn here.
Kathryn Robinson and Let It Bee. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar are making their overseas debut and we can practically hear their fans cheering them on from all the way across the pond!
Rocky kept a mostly cool head throughout his test for a score of 57.8 and we can’t wait to see them rock ‘n’ roll around cross country Saturday. We’ll have a post-dressage interview with this pair posted shortly.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Badminton Day 1 Dressage Top 15:
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