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Jenni Autry
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Jenni Autry

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About Jenni Autry

Originally from San Diego, Jenni discovered eventing thanks to the Bedford Hunt Pony Club in Virginia. After working in both newspapers and magazines, she joined the EN team in 2012. She travels extensively covering the U.S. Eventing Team and has reported at the Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Luhmühlen and Pau. As for her favorite event, it’s a toss-up between Aachen and Boekelo. When she isn’t on the road, she’s busy competing her heart horse, Imperial Striker, better known as Derry.

Latest Articles Written

FEI TV Videos: Recaps of All Three Phases at Badminton

By on May 12, 2014 6:43 am -

We’re all spoiled after having the excellent USEF Network coverage of Rolex, and it’s a bummer we don’t have that luxury with Badminton. But I’ve confirmed that a 50-minute highlights video will be posted on FEI TV Wednesday morning EST, so that’s your best bet to watch the action if you missed it the first time around. In the meantime, enjoy FEI TV’s recap videos of the dressage, cross country and show jumping — featuring good friend of EN John Kyle — and don’t forget to check out Mary King’s amazing save at the Outlander Bank as filmed by a spectator by clicking here. Go Badminton.

Badminton Links: [Website] [Final Scores] [EN’s Coverage] [@EventingNation] [FEI TV]

Paulank Brockagh Becomes 4th Mare to Win Badminton

By on May 11, 2014 1:16 pm -
Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography. Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

What an appropriate outcome on Mother’s Day back home in the U.S. After rails drastically changed the top of the leaderboard, Sam Griffiths and the lovely mare Paulank Brockagh snuck it to win Badminton Horse Trials. Sam and “Brocks” pulled just one rail on a day when only one pair jumped clear — and no one jumped double clear — over Kelvin Bywater’s show jumping course, and he told Radio Badminton he shed a few tears even before he knew that effort would ultimately give them the win.

Brocks becomes just the fourth mare to win the event in Badminton history, joining legendary mares Headley Britannia, who won with Lucinda Fredericks in 2007; Bambi, who won with Margaret Hough in 1954; and Emily Little, who won with Capt. Mark Darley in 1952. It’s also notable that a mare, Peggoty, won Little Badminton in 1960 with Capt. Martin Whiteley, as good friend of EN Pippa Roome pointed out. A 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Brocks is by the Grand Prix show jumper Touchdown and out of a mare by the Thoroughbred stallion Trigerrero.

Sam had nothing but wonderful things to say about the mare in the press conference — you can watch the video below — though he did admit she’s a “tough nut” to ride. But the flipside of that is that she gives absolutely everything she has and then some, as Sam discovered when the mare found another gear to come home clear across Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s monster course. She was equally impressive in the show jumping today, and it’s clear another eventing star has been birthed this weekend at Badminton.

Much has already been said and will continue to be said about this year’s course, but one thing remains clear: Badminton has returned to its roots. We haven’t had many photos of Sam and Brocks on EN this weekend because they flew under the radar a bit — moving up from equal 25th place after dressage to win — so Nico Morgan kindly provided the gallery below. I have much more to bring you — including a photo gallery of Chinch’s adventures this weekend, which you can check out on Instagram — but for now I’m off to The Outside Chance to congratulate Team Australia. Go Badminton.

Badminton Links: [Website] [Final Scores] [EN’s Coverage] [@EventingNation]

Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh Pull Off Surprise Badminton Win

By on May 11, 2014 11:32 am -
Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

What an exciting finish to what has been an exhilarating weekend at Badminton Horse Trials. Overnight leaders Paul Tapner and Kilronan had a rail in hand coming into this afternoon’s show jumping, and just about everyone expected him to pull out the win considering his past history here. He won the event in 2010 with Inonothing, and is a steely competitor. And then he was handed yet another rail in hand when Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy — who has been very open that this isn’t his horse’s strongest phase — knocked four poles and picked up three time penalties to drop out of second place.

But things began unraveling from the start when Paul and Kilronan knocked the second fence and ultimately pulled three more rails throughout Kelvin Bywater’s show jumping course, which dropped them down to fourth place. Thanks to having just one rail with the spectacular mare Paulank Brockagh, Sam Griffiths moved up from fifth place to suddenly became the winner of what will surely be remembered as one of the most grueling Badmintons in recent memory. They jumped a beautiful round to seal the deal on a final score of 67.9.

Oliver Townend and Armada. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Oliver Townend and Armada. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Just one pair, Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Dancer, managed a clear, though they still picked up three time penalties. Four pairs pulled one rail in this final group, showing just how tough it was to leave the poles in the cups after Guiseppe Della Chiesa’s cross country track yesterday. In addition to horses being tired from that test, the tacky footing made it hard for the horses to get off the ground. Combined with the twisty course Kelvin designed, it proved to a very influential day of show jumping.

The Brits, who were licking their wounds yesterday without one of their own in the top three, were rewarded today with Oliver Townend and Armada and Harry Meade and Wild Lone finishing in second and third places. Oliver, a past winner here at Badminton, pulled two rails, and Harry and Wild Lone pulled just one to complete a fairytale weekend. Remember that less than nine months ago Harry had both of his arms in casts after badly breaking and dislocating both of his elbows in a rotational fall. It’s a miracle he’s even competing here, much less placing in the top three at Badminton.

Harry Meade and Wild Lone. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Harry Meade and Wild Lone. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Paulank Brockagh, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Dinah Posford, Jules Carter and Sam, is by the Grand Prix show jumper Touchdown and out of Calendar Girl, a mare by the Thoroughbred stallion Trigerrero. “Brocks” now joins the ranks of great mares in the sport of eventing with what can only be described as an unbelievable performance. Sam and Brocks were 25th after their dressage on a score of 46.3 and added 17.6 time penalties on cross country to move up to fifth place. The awards ceremony is wrapping up now, and I’ll be back with much more analysis from Badminton.

Badminton Links: [Website] [Final Scores] [EN’s Coverage] [@EventingNation]

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Score Sheet Doesn’t Reflect Tiana and Finn’s Badminton

By on May 11, 2014 8:02 am -
Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The score sheet doesn’t reflect it, but Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister truly had a very impressive weekend here at Badminton Horse Trials. After being one of just 35 pairs to complete Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s cross-country course — which will go down in eventing history as one for the record books — Finn came into the show jumping today with springs for legs and jumped his heart out in very tacky footing. They had two rails down around Kelvin Bywater’s show jumping course, the first at the second fence, a green vertical, and then the second at the final fence, a big pastel oxer. But Tiana said he felt fantastic, and she was thrilled with the way he jumped.

Rails fell frequently at that second fence in the first group of 12 horses that jumped, and David O’Connor commented he didn’t think the horses were reading it well, as the green poles disappear into the grass of the main arena. Chris Burton and TS Jamaimo, last year’s Adelaide CCI4*, have had the best round so far with one rail down, as no one jumped clear in this first group. Horses are definitely tired after battling the grueling track yesterday, and the footing is sticky after the heavy rains the area has seen this week, giving nothing for the horses to push off of as they leave the ground. I imagine we’ll see many more rails when the top 20 take the stadium at 2:45 p.m. BST.

I caught up with Tiana for an interview after her round, which you can watch in the video below, to get her thoughts on yesterday. After so many horses ran out of steam early, she set out of the start box slowly to try to save energy for the end of the course. Unfortunately, they missed a flag on the direct route at Vicarage Vee and had to jump around the long route as a result, which cost a lot of time. By the time she got to Huntsmans Close, she was surprised to find that Finn was still full of running. She had always planned to take the long route there, but with a 20 already on her score card, she figured she didn’t have anything to lose by going direct.

Finn ended up banking the first corner there — which we saw numerous times yesterday — and then just not having enough get up to make it to the second corner, so they recorded their second 20 there. After finally escaping Huntsmans Close, Tiana found once again that Finn still had gas in the tank, and she said she made up so much time on the last part of the course that she was stunned to see they came home with just 25.6 time penalties, as she thought it would be at least twice that, especially after taking the long route at Vicarage Vee. So needless to say, Finn absolutely never gave up and kept fighting until the very end.

Many thanks once again to Nico Morgan Photography for the lovely photo gallery of Tiana and Finn below, as well as for all the other beautiful photos of our North Americans this weekend. He is uploading even more photos from Badminton as I type this, so be sure to like his Facebook page to see his latest images, as well as check out the galleries on his website by clicking here. Stay tuned for much more from Badminton as we count down to the finale of show jumping, which is just 90 minutes away.

32 Horses Move on to Show Jumping at Badminton

By on May 11, 2014 4:45 am -
#114. Paul Tapner and Kilronan. Photo by Jenni Autry. #114. Paul Tapner and Kilronan. Photo by Jenni Autry.

All 32 horses that presented to the ground jury at the final inspection will move on to show jumping at Badminton Horse Trials. Two riders withdrew their horses before the start of the jog — Kai-Steffen Meier and TSF Karascada M and Emma Dougall and Kelecyn Ice Age — and Nicola Wilson withdrew Beltane Queen during the jog. It was definitely a speedy final inspection for a four-star, which was not a bad thing considering it’s a balmy 45 degrees here in South Gloucestershire!

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Just one pair, Wendy Schaeffer and Koyuna Sun Dancer, was sent to the holding box; they passed upon re-inspection. We saw some tired horses today, but none that looked exhausted after doing battle with Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s course yesterday. A few looked ready to go around again, including overnight leaders Paul Tapner and Kilronan and Tim Price with Ringwood Sky Boy. Both horses danced down the jog strip, as did Ringwood Magister with Tiana Coudray, the sole North American pair left in the competition.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Riders dressed for the weather over fashion today, as it’s very cold, and the strong winds that made cross-country day more akin to a scene out of “The Wizard of Oz” are continuing to make for blustery conditions today. Ludwig Svennerstal didn’t disappoint when he showed up in his customary tuxedo, and though he told Radio Badminton he has cut his hair recently to appease disapproving dressage judges, it still looked pretty wild today.

Ludwig Svennerstal and Alexander. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Ludwig Svennerstal and Alexander. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Interestingly, the first group to show jump is actually smaller than the top 20 since we have just 32 horses going forward. Show jumping gets underway at 11:30 a.m. BST with Tom McEwen and Diesel kicking things off. The top 20 will jump in reverse order starting at 2:45 p.m. BST, with Nick Gauntlett and Grand Manoeuvre going first. You can watch all the action live back home in the States on FEI TV. The first group broadcast starts at 6:25 a.m. EST, and the second group broadcast begins at 9:45 a.m. EST.

Badminton Links: [Website] [Final Inspection Results] [Live Scores] [EN’s Coverage] [@EventingNation]

Badminton Track Makes Waves After Wild Day

By on May 10, 2014 4:28 pm -
Top-two selfie at Badminton: Tim Price and Paul Tapner celebrate at the press conference. Top-two selfie at Badminton: Tim Price and Paul Tapner celebrate at the press conference.

Dare I say that this is one of the toughest four-star tracks we will see in the post-long format era? Riders were concerned from the get go about the size of the course and nature of the questions, and the rain that’s been falling all week only upped the ante, making for sloppy going that led to tired horses from very early on.

I’ve been following the reaction to the course all day on social media, and the general outcry from the public seems to be that this course was unfair to the horses. There have even been accusations that the track was designed to hurt the horses. This is the part where I strongly disagree.

Thirty-five of the 78 riders who set out on course came home — certainly not the completion rate (45 percent) we’ve come to expect in this modern era of eventing. But let’s consider the facts. Mark Todd himself — who fell from one of his horses and had a questionable go through The Lake with his other — mocked last year’s course as a three-and-a-half star at best, and many other riders joined him in calling for a tougher track.

That spurred Hugh Thomas, who had designed the course for the past 25 years, to step aside to usher in a new era. In steps Italian designer Guiseppe Della Chiesa, who absolutely hit the grounding running when it came to bringing Badminton back to its roots.

Would we have seen more completions had the weather cooperated? Absolutely. Last year was gorgeous, which made for perfect going, so of course this year was going to be a much different story. Riders who approached the course with the right game plan — like past winner Paul Tapner did with Kilronan — saved their horses so they had gas in the tank at the end.

Indeed, many of the mistakes came from rider errors, and you ultimately can’t fault the course designer for that. Do I think the track will be softened for next year? Probably, but that doesn’t mean this course wasn’t appropriate for the level.

After all, this is Badminton, and it developed its reputation as the toughest four-star track in the world for a reason. Paul said it best in the press conference, which you can watch in the video below. Eventers live for cross-country courses like this — the ones that make you fight for it until the very end, and then some.

What do you think, EN? Weigh in below in the comments, and be sure to check out the EN open thread with highlights of all the cross country action, as well as our final report with details on how the North Americans fared. Go Badminton.

Badminton Links: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Course Preview] [EN’s Coverage] [Dressage Results] [How To Watch Live] [@EventingNation]

Paul Tapner and Kilronan Prevail on ‘Proper’ Badminton Course

By on May 10, 2014 4:06 pm -
Paul Tapner and Kilronan are your leaders after cross country at Badminton. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography. Paul Tapner and Kilronan are your leaders after cross country at Badminton. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Holy Badminton. Giuseppe Delle Chiesa’s new cross-country course was unveiled under what can only be described as miserable British weather, and the conditions affected the footing greatly, which ultimately impacted how many pairs completed the track.

With the dust settled, Paul Tapner, who led after the first day of dressage with Kilronan, is back on top of the leaderboard after an unbelievable day of cross country. Despite picking up 20.4 time penalties, Paul and Kilronan pulled off the top score of 56.4 thanks to being one of 21 clear rounds out of the 78 who set out on course.

Indeed, it was a wild ride today — as evidenced by the fact that it took more than two hours for the officials to confirm the scores due to all the protests lodged by the riders, which is why I’m bringing this report to you much later than I intended.

Between riders who missed a flag or took a creative approach to an alternate route, there was much for the ground  jury to sort through, so let’s break down the most notable problems on course. From looking at the live scores, you’ll notice some very big names who either retired or were eliminated on course.

Mark Todd and NZB Campino, who were in fifth place after dressage, parted ways at the Shogun Hollow, and Toddy actually fell on top of the fence, which he used as a mounting block to hop back on the horse to start the long walk back to stabling. William Fox-Pitt, in seventh place with Parklane Hawk after dressage, fell at the Countryside Hedges just two questions from home.

And as if that alone didn’t mean the world was ending, Andrew Nicholson parted ways from Nereo at the Gatehouse New Pond at 14b, the only rider to have trouble at that complex all day. Mary King didn’t fare any better with Imperial Cavalier; she retired after a runout at the Mirage Pond.

That leaves us with an eclectic top 10, with Tim Price moving all the way up from 41st place after dressage to second place thanks to jumping clear with 11.6 time penalties — the closest anyone came to making time today — on a score of 61.6. French rider Pascal Leroy is in third with Minos de Petra on a score of 62.5, moving up from 30th after dressage.

Oliver Townend is the highest placed British rider after cross country with Armada on a score of 62.7, moving up from 34th after dressage; Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh round out the top five on 63.9

Thirty-five of the 78 riders who set out on course came home; that’s a completion rate of 45 percent. Just one of our North American pairs made it home, and even then it was an uphill battle. Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister were ultimately the only pair to complete for the home team with two stops and 25.6 time penalties, which still puts them in 29th place.

Tiana was originally assessed a runout at 23c, the second corner at the incredibly challenging combination Huntsmans Close, and then a second runout for missing a flag on the direct route at Vicarage Vee.

Clark Montgomery and Universe were the first out for Team USA, and they set out at a cracking pace as one of the first to tackle the course. Buzz bounced around like he was playing with the track, but the tacky footing and size of the challenge left him on empty at Huntsmans Close, and Clark retired after the horse ran past 23b. Had he gone out later on course, I’m sure he would have gone around much slower, as Paul and Kilronan did successfully.

He also retired at the same fence with overnight leader Loughan Glen. They actually had quite a long hold on course about halfway through after Nicola Wilson broke a frangible pin with Beltane Queen. But Glen still ran out of steam, unfortunately.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master also broke a frangible pen at fence 7 at the Team GBR Silver Birch when Rupert hit the back log hard with his back legs. They recovered well through The Lake and Outlander Bank and looked to be back on form, but then parted ways at the Mirage Pond, which caused a lot of problems throughout the day.

Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton, our honorary North American pair, retired after Henny ran out at the B element after the keyhole at the Outlander Bank. Peter re-presented at a very severe angle and then retired when Henny stopped a second time.

There’s much, much more that happened today, and I recommend checking out my open thread, where I kept a running commentary of all the action for the duration of cross country.

Some key numbers to take away: zero riders made the time, 22 riders jumped clear, 12 riders completed with one or more refusals, 25 riders were eliminated on cross country, 18 riders retired on cross country and five withdrew before cross country. While the course rode very tough, all horses and riders walked away without any serious injuries, mercifully.

Scores have STILL not been posted on the Badminton website, so please enjoy the terrible iPhone photos of the official score sheets from the press tent below.

Photos of all our North Americans and the top rides are available courtesy of Nico Morgan, so please show him how grateful we are by liking his Facebook page and checking out the full gallery of his shots from today on his website here. Video of Paul and Tim’s comments from the press conference is coming your way next. Stay tuned for more from Badminton.

Badminton Links: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Course Preview] [EN’s Coverage] [Dressage Results] [How To Watch Live] [@EventingNation]

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Live Badminton Cross Country Updates [Clark and Glen Retire On Course]

By on May 10, 2014 6:30 am -

Welcome to Eventing Nation’s open thread for cross country at Badminton Horse Trials. I’ll be keeping you updated on all the action as I follow along here in the press center. Go Eventing.

Scroll down for detailed comments on our North Americans, but here’s a quick update on what’s been happening:

  • Clark Montgomery and Universe retired at Huntsmans Close
  • Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton retired at the Outlander Bank
  • Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister had a runout at Huntsmans Close
  • Rebecca Howard fell from  Riddle Master at the Mirage Pond
  • Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen retired at Huntsmans Close

Badminton Links: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Course Preview] [EN’s Coverage] [Dressage Results] [How To Watch Live] [@EventingNation]

Scores after cross country:

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click to enlarge

 

5:53 p.m. BST: And Andrew Nicholson and Nereo part ways at the Gatehouse New Pond. That’s the last pair on course. Your top three after this wild and crazy cross-country day are Paul Tapner and Kilronan on 56.4, Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy on 61.6, and Pascal Leroy on Minos De Petra on 62.5. Stay tuned for the full report.
 
5:51 p.m. BST: Just devastating. A refusal at 23B at the big corner at Huntsmans Close for Clark and Glen. He retired after.
 
5:45 p.m. BST: STILL CLEAR! They’re heading to the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound at fence 18.

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5:43 p.m. BST: We’re back underway now. Clark and Glen have been restarted. GO CLARK! GO GLEN!


 
5:35 p.m. BST: A huge gasp in the press center as William Fox-Pitt falls at the Countryside Hedges just a few fences from home. Looks like Parklane Hawk left a leg. He is up and OK. 5:32 p.m. BST: Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen on course now! USA USA USA!
 

 
5:26 p.m. BST: And now Mark Todd’s score has been updated AGAIN to remove the runout at The Lake.

5:22 p.m. BST: Mark Todd’s score has now been updated to include a runout after the debacle at The Lake, when he blew past the boat at B and plowed into the deep water. The picture below pretty much says it all.
 
5:17 p.m. BST: Think Toddy fancied a swim:
 
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5:10 p.m. BST: Total chaos at Badminton with three major incidents happening back to back to back. Sarah Bullimore and Valentino V had a very scary rotational fall at 18a at the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound. Both are OK. Mark Todd and Leonidas II jumped huge into The Lake at 9 and went swimming into the deep water but recovered! Then Redesigned hung a leg on 18c at the Mound and Pippa Funnell got tipped off.
 

 

5:05 p.m. BST: Heartbreaker as Ludwig Svennerstal and King Bob and Gemma Tattersal and Arctic Soul have been eliminated for jumping the wrong side of the flag at Huntsmans Close.

5 p.m. BST: Tom McEwen and Diesel survived a hairy moment at the Outlander Bank before picking up a stop at the Mirage Pond. The horse jumped all the way to the bottom of the mound:

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4:55 p.m. BST: Ludwig Svennerstal has brought both his rides — King Bob and Alexander — home clear and is sitting inside the top 10 with both of them. An amazing accomplishment considering how tough this track has proved to be.

 

4:51 p.m. BST: Emily Llewellyn and Greenwood Sky High jump 18c out of trot at the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound. That was gutsy! 4:49 p.m. BST: Huge cheer from crowd as Oliver Townend delivers a clear with Armada to move into 4th place provisionally. Amazing ride!

4:42 p.m. BST: And I spoke too soon. Reality 39 literally sat down on top of 23c at Huntsmans Close. Sara fell when the horse scrambled off the fence:

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4:37 p.m. BST: Sara Algotsson Ostholt and Reality 39 take an amazing flyer at the Vicarage Vee! They’re having a fantastic round so far: Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 4.39.16 PM

4:35 p.m. BST: It’s so windy here that the port-a-potties are blowing over! Rain still falling on and off. Very miserable conditions for these horses and riders.

4:27 p.m. BST: The fence analysis has now been updated to show that Tiana and Finn did have a runout at 23c at Huntsmans Close. They’re score has been updated to 89.3.

4:24 p.m. BST: Jonelle Price the next rider to retire with The Deputy after blowing by 5B at Saville’s Staircase.

 

 

 

 

4:05 p.m. BST: The fence analysis has now been updated to show Tiana and Finn as clear. I’ve texted her to clarify what exactly happened at Huntsmans Close. Standby.

4:02 p.m. BST: We’re back underway with Nick Gauntlett on course now with Grand Manoeuvre.

3:55 p.m. BST: We have a hold on course now while the crew fixes fence 7, where Rebecca and Rupert broke the frangible pin.

3:52 p.m. BST: Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master broke the frangible pin at 7 at the Team GBR Silver Birch, then recovered well for The Lake and Outlander Bank. But then they parted ways at the Mirage Pond. Rebecca is up and OK. Hope Rupert is OK after hitting the fence hard:

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3:40 p.m. BST: For those of you looking at the live scores and seeing Tiana and Finn marked as going clear, she is one of the riders without a fence analysis recorded at this point, which could mean the ground jury is looking at whether she took the right way through the long route at Vicarage Vee after missing a flag there on the direct route. It definitely looked to me like she also had a runout at Huntsmans Close, but I would love to be wrong!

3:36 p.m. BST: Louisa Milne Holme gives huge pats to King Eider after he takes care of her through the Mirage Pond at fence 16. What an awesome horse:

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3:25 p.m. BST: Tiana telling Radio Badminton she thinks she missed a flag at Vicarage Vee, which is why she went around to the long route there.

3:23 p.m. BST: Tiana on Finn’s effort to swim through the mud at Badminton: “He’s just such a dude. I love him to bits.” California flavor on Radio Badminton!

3:21 p.m. BST: Finn absolutely tried his heart out at Huntsmans Close. Bless him:

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3:19 p.m. BST: Tiana gives big pats to Finn as they complete with one stop and about 1 minute outside the optimum time. They’re the 17th pair to complete the course.

3:17 p.m. BST: Finn scrambled over the first corner at Huntsmans Close at 18b and then stopped at the next corner at 18c.

3:13 p.m. BST: Tiana and Finn clear through the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound at 18. They took the long route at the Vicarage Vee. Here they are at the Outlander Bank:

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3:05 p.m. BST: Bummer of a runout at 5b for Tina Cook and DeNovo News at Savills Escaltor. Tiana and Finn on course now! They are in 14th place after dressage. Tiana looks to be setting a conservative pace so far.

 

3:04 p.m. BST: Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister one way. USA USA USA!

2:57 p.m. BST: Badminton is not the place to take flyers! Peter Flarup and Calista E fell at fence 8, the Rolex Grand Slam Triple Bar. Both are up and fine. This lovely mare was in 9th place after dressage.

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2:55 p.m. BST: Skip On got hung up in the own hole at the Outlander Bank, and Sarah Stretton tumbled through and down the mound. Both are up and OK.

2:52 p.m. BST: We’re back underway now.

 

2:47 p.m. BST: We have a hold on course while the long route at the Vicarage Vee gets some repairs. Lots of riders taking that route with the going proving to be so tough.

 

2:42 p.m. BST: Wendy Schaeffer becomes the 15th finisher with Koyuna Sun Dancer.

 

 

 

 

 

2:31 p.m. BST: Sarah Ennis takes the long route at Huntsmans Close at fence 23, just trying to get home at this point after having two stops earlier in the course. As a reminder of how big these corners are, see below. Horses need to have enough left to get through here:

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2:28 p.m. BST: Francis Whittington said in his Radio Badminton interview that it was a tough decision to pull up at Huntsmans Close just a few from home, but Easy Target had nothing left coming to those big corners there. “It’s the rider’s job to make those decisions” and protect the welfare of the horse, he said.

 

 

2:23 p.m. BST: Paul Tapner said in his Radio Badminton interview that he thought Clark Montgomery set out too fast with Universe, and Buzz just ran out of steam by the time they got to Huntsman’s Close. After seeing how tired the horses are even at the halfway mark in the course with the footing so deep, I fear he’s right. Riders are now setting out at a slower place.

 

 

 

2:14 p.m. BST: More heartbreak at Badminton. Lucinda Fredericks pulled up Flyish Finish after fence 5 at Savills Escalator when they horse went lame; they were sitting in fourth place overnight. Then Mark Kyle and Coolio had a scary fall at the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound at fence 18. Both up and OK.

2:12 p.m. BST: 51 seconds over the time for Paul Tapner and Kilronan, but who cares? He doesn’t! They go into the lead on 56.4:

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 2.12.47 PM

 

2:05 p.m. BST: Carolyne Ryan-Bell having a rough go with Rathmoyle King around the course. Horse barely making it over the jumps and probably should be pulled up. Yikes:

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2:02 p.m. BST: Paul Tapner and Kilronan on course now; they are sitting in second place overnight. Goal at this point is just to get home. Time practically becoming a non factor, and Paul definitely setting out conservatively.

 

2 p.m. BST: Eight clears so far, though none have made time: Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy, Pascal Leroy and Minos de Petra, Pippa Funnell and Billy Beware, Harry Meade and Wild Lone, Ludwig Svennerstal and Alexander, Andrew Heffernan and Millthyme Corolla, Kai-Steffen Meier and TSF Karascada M, and Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Josephine MCJ.

 

 

 

1:40 p.m. BST: Two broken elbows? No problem for local favorite Harry Meade and Wild Lone. They are the 10th pair to complete:

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 1.39.43 PM

1:36 p.m. BST: Yet another retirement, this time from Michael Owen and The Highland Prince after a runout at the boat, 9b at The Lake. That’s the 8th retirement.

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 1.36.33 PM

 

 

1:28 p.m. BST: Glengarnock slams on the  brakes with Paul Sims at 18c at the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound. Radio Badminton: “Thank God 18b was removed” since complex still riding tough even with missing middle element.

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 1.28.15 PM

1:25 p.m. BST: Check out the cross-country fence analysis at Badminton so far. That’s a lot of X’s …

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 1.25.39 PM

 

1:19 p.m. BST: The carnage on course is even happening in warmup:

 

1:11 p.m. BST: Peter Atkins retires Henny at 13b, the Outlander Bank, after two runouts. Out of 16 riders, just four have completed the course.

1:07 p.m. BST: Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton out on course now. Radio Badminton gave Peter a shoutout for his helmet cams, “which are very popular in America.” Hell yes they are! Run Henny Run!

 

1:04 p.m. BST: After the horse was visibly tiring toward the end of the course, Francis Whittington pulled up Easy Target at the big corners at fence 23, Huntsmans Close. They were in third place after dressage. That’s the same place Clark Montgomery retired. Horse’s need to have enough gas left to get through those corners — they are massive.

 

 

 

12:49 p.m. BST: So bummed for Clark. Buzz looked amazing! We didn’t have any footage of the second half of their trip here in the press center, but it was reported that they broke a frangible pin at some point later in the course. Though it doesn’t matter now that they’ve retired, the ground jury can award 21 penalties for breaking a frangible pin under FEI rule 548.1.

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 12.49.21 PM

12:45 p.m. BST: Clark Montgomery and Universe were having a cracking round but had a runout at fence 23b, one of the big corners at Huntsmans Close. Clark retired Buzz there.

 

12:36 p.m. BST: Mark Todd hops back on NZB Campino after falling on top of the fence after the horse stopped at the big corner at fence 12, the Shogun Hollow. He’s fine, but that’s an unfortunate elimination; they were in 5th place overnight.

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 12.37.00 PM

 

12:31 p.m. BST: Check out this Superman leap Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo took over the Vicarage Vee:

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 12.30.52 PM

12:29 p.m. BST: Surprising stop for Andrew Nicholson and 2013 Rolex winner Quimbo at the up bank of the Outlander Bank. He then retired on course at fence 17, the FEI Classics Stick Pile. Three of the five riders on course have now retired.

12:27 p.m. BST: Bill Levett has been eliminated for his third refusal, which came at the Vicarage Vee. He had the other two stops with Silk Stone — the first at fence 10, the KBIS Garden Table, and fence 13, the Outlander Bank.

 

12:20 p.m. BST: Tom McEwen had a stop at 13a at the Outlander Bank and has retired on course at the Mirage Pond, fence 16.

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 12.22.32 PM

 

 

12:11 p.m. BST: Check out how massive this corner is at 22b, the ISH Studbook Huntsmans Close, where Izzy Taylor and  KBIS Briarlands Matilda had their runout.

Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 12.11.41 PM

 

 

11:51: a.m. BST: It’s pouring down rain on and off with just minutes until the first horse sets out on course. It’s going to be very wet and muddy all day long.

11:45 a.m. BST: Just 15 minutes to go until Izzy Taylor and KBIS Briarlands Matilda set out on course at noon BST. Here’s a look at EN’s homebase for the day courtesy of our friends at Revolution Sport. And don’t forget to follow along with Chinch’s adventures today on our Instagram. Check out EN’s guide to watching Badminton here to watch live.

 

11:30 a.m. BST: We’ve already had a busy morning, with two horses being withdrawn: William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain and Annabel Wigley and Frog Rock. In addition to fence 18b, a skinny log on a sharp angle at the Swindon Designer Outlet Mound which was removed from the course yesterday, fence 26, the second wall at the Horse Quest Quarry has also now been removed due to the soggy footing conditions. The optimum time has been updated to 11 minutes 21 seconds.

We're in for a muddy day at Badminton. Photo via @RevolutionSport Twitter.

We’re in for a muddy day at Badminton. Photo via @RevolutionSport Twitter.

Your Guide to Watching Badminton Cross Country

By on May 10, 2014 5:09 am -
Fence 21 at The Lake. Photo courtesy of Kit Houghton. Fence 21 at The Lake. Photo courtesy of Kit Houghton.

Badminton cross-country day is upon us! As predicted, it’s already raining here in South Gloucestershire, and heavy rains also fell overnight, leaving the footing even more waterlogged than it was yesterday. It’s definitely going to be a muddy track, especially for overnight leaders Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen, who don’t set out on course until 5:20 p.m. BST (12:20 p.m. EST). So, to everyone watching back home in the States, here’s your cue to get FEI TV up and running so you can cheer on Clark and Glen and other North Americans Tiana Coudray and Rebecca Howard as they do battle with Guiseppe Della Chiesa’s course.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Course Preview] [EN’s Coverage] [Dressage Results]

Withdrawals Before Cross Country: William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain, Annabel Wigley and Frog Rock

North American Ride Times:
Clark Montgomery and Universe: 12:36 p.m. BST (7:36 a.m. EST)
Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton: 1:04 p.m. BST (8:04 a.m. EST)
Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister: 2:52 p.m. BST (9:52 a.m. EST)
Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master: 3:36 p.m. BST (10:36 a.m. EST)
Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen: 5:28 p.m. BST (12:28 p.m EST)

How to watch Badminton in the States and Outside of the UK: FEI TV
Friend of EN John Kyle will be leading the broadcast, which starts at 10:55 a.m. BST (5:55 a.m. EST) with a recap of dressage. Cross country will stream live starting at noon BST (7 a.m. EST). See above for North American ride times.

How to watch Badminton in the UK: BBC Interactive (Red Button) and BBC Sports website
The broadcast runs from 11:50 a.m.-6 p.m. BST

FEI TV: Video of Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen’s Test

By on May 9, 2014 6:32 pm -

‘Murica — there’s really nothing left to say. It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for — watch Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen’s amazing dressage test at Badminton Horse Trials, which scored 33.3 to put them soundly in the lead heading into cross country tomorrow. Go Clark. Go Glen. Go Team Montgomery. Go ‘Murica.

[EN’s Badminton Coverage]

#WheresMontgomery? Winning Badminton

By on May 9, 2014 2:34 pm -
Paul Tapner, Clark Montgomery and Francis Whittington in the press conference at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Paul Tapner, Clark Montgomery and Francis Whittington in the press conference at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

#WheresMontgomery? Oh, you know — just winning Badminton after putting in a phenomenal dressage test with Loughan Glen for a score of 33.3. I have to confess that it’s really difficult for me not to be typing in all capital letters right now. Badminton’s website only contains full results through 2007, so I couldn’t dig as far back into the archives as I wanted to, but just to give you an idea of how dominant this performance was, here’s a look at the leading scores after dressage from the past seven years:

2013: Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW, 36.0
2012: Event canceled due to flooded grounds
2011: Ruth Edge and Two Thyme, 33.3
2010: Kai Ruder and Le Prince Des Bois, 33.8
2009: Karin Donckers and Gazelle De La Brasserie, 38.8
2008: Andrew Hoy and Moon Fleet, 35.4
2007: Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia, 34.8

So Clark and Glen tied Ruth Edge and Two Thyme’s score of 33.3 and have landed themselves next to legendary eventing names like Michael Jung, Andrew Hoy and Lucinda Fredericks. And do you notice any other trends here? None of these riders hail from the States. An American hasn’t won Badminton since 1997 when David O’Connor accomplished that feat with Custom Made. How appropriate that David is here this weekend coaching Clark as he looks to bring home the win for Team USA.

Clark and Glen will go very late in the day tomorrow — not until 5:20 p.m. local time — which means the footing will likely be very churned up as a result of the heavy rains we’re expecting tonight, and Chinch will be developing an ulcer as we wait to see if Team USA can hold the lead. And, of course, we still have two other promising American pairs in the thick of it, with Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister in equal 14th place on 43.7 and Clark’s other ride Universe in 45th on 50.8. The sole Canadian pair Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master are in 34th on 48.7. Go Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen WIN Badminton Dressage on 33.3

By on May 9, 2014 1:10 pm -
Nico Morgan Photography.">Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen have absolutely brought the house down here at Badminton, winning the dressage on an incredible 33.3 to move into a commanding lead. This horse is so good in this phase, but Clark had to battle wind, mud and the enormous pressure of riding as the third to last of the day to accomplish what he set out to do. The test was fantastic right off the bat, with the marks on par to pass Paul Tapner and Kilronan from very early on.

Nico Morgan Photography.">Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen at Badminton. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen at Badminton. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Then the entire crowd gasped when Glen got a bit stuck in the mud at the end of the counter canter, swapping leads behind — that gave them straight 5s from the judges. But Clark didn’t let that break his concentration, and they kept pulling 8s and 9s consistently through the rest of the test. Radio Badminton’s preliminary calculations had them going just barely into second place, but I think straight 9s for the rider marks pulled it out. Just an incredible performance.

USA USA USA! Photo by Jenni Autry.

USA USA USA! Photo by Jenni Autry.

Clark was absolutely mobbed by reporters after the press conference — as he should be! — and there were kisses and hugs all around from the Team USA contingent. Coach David O’Connor was equally thrilled with the test and completely agreed that it’s about time we have an American in the press conference at the end of dressage at Badminton. Congrats to Clark, Jess and their families — who flew here to support them this weekend — and Sally Johnson, who is grooming for them this weekend.

David O'Connor and Jess Montgomery celebrate. Photo by Jenni Autry.

David O’Connor and Jess Montgomery celebrate. Photo by Jenni Autry.

As for other notable tests this afternoon, Sara Algotsson Ostholt had a very consistent test with Reality 39 — formerly Mrs. Medicott — to sit in equal fifth overnight on 40.5. William Fox-Pitt redeemed himself with Parklane Hawk to score 41.0 for equal seventh place with Andrew Nicholson and Nereo, who were the last to go today. Of course, it’s still anyone’s game, as Guiseppe Della Chiesa’s course is going to be anything but easy. But for tonight, we can revel in the fact that an American is at the top of the leaderboard. Stay tuned for the press conference report with Clark’s remarks and much more from Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Screen Shot 2014-05-09 at 5.59.23 PMclick to enlarge

 

Coverage Highlights from the At Badminton Blog

By on May 9, 2014 12:00 pm -
Peter Flarup and Calista E. Photo courtesy Kit Houghton/Mitsubishi Motors. Peter Flarup and Calista E. Photo courtesy Kit Houghton/Mitsubishi Motors.

The Badminton Horse Trials press team, led by press officer extraordinaire Julian Seaman, has been producing fantastic content thus far for the At Badminton Blog, and it’s too good not to provide links to the highlights here. From how the first-timers are faring so far to the best shops to hit in the famous trade fair, browse through the links below, and check out the newly redesigned Badminton website here.

[At Badminton Blog] [Badminton Website]

Friday’s First-Timers Take Center Stage: “Peter Flarup has stormed into fifth place during the first session of dressage today. Calista E, a 13-year-old Danish warmblood mare, posted a score of 41.8 to slip ahead of Pippa Funnell on Billy Beware. ‘Dressage is a stong phase for Calista,’ said Peter. ‘We’ve been together for seven years so I know her well and despite being a bit tense during the test I am very happy with her.'”

Paul Tapner in Pole Position: “Paul said: ‘I have a tendency to over-think my tests sometimes, but today was the most relaxed I’ve ever been – I think partly because I know that come Saturday the competition will probably be turned on its head.'”

What Did Thursday Riders Think of Their Tests? “Mark Todd on NZB Campino (score of 40.7): ‘It was nearly very well done. I was a bit scared to look up at the scoreboard to see what marks I was getting, but the trot work in particular felt superb. He got a little tight in his canter – which is normally his strong point – and we made a couple of big mistakes which were expensive.'”

First-Timers Out of the Start Box: “Jodie Amos was the first into the arena of the 2014 first timers. She rides Matt at this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton, a 14-year-old son of the French thoroughbred Badolato out of an Anglo Arab mare. Jodie, 29 and a member of the British World Class Development Squad, posted a score of 54.8 to lie in 15th place at the lunchtime break.”

Holly Woodhead — Guinea Pig 2014: “This year’s Guinea Pig — a rider who performs the dressage test at the start of day one, enabling the judges to get their eye in for that particular test before judging any of the competitors — is 20-year-old Holly Woodhead. Holly will be riding DHI Lupison, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse by Lupicor, bred by Noel Ryan, and owned by her father Ian.”

This Year’s Badminton Field in Numbers: This year’s field includes 17 first-timers, 11 mares, eight over 50 riders, eight previous winners. Check out the story for the names.

Shop, Shop, Shop: Our Pick of the Stands: “Badminton’s shopping village is one of the many highlights of the event – from quirky carvings and hand-crafted woolly socks to unusual home furnishings and homemade pork pies – there really is something for every taste.”

Riders Chase Paul Tapner and Kilronan’s 36.0 at Badminton

By on May 9, 2014 8:47 am -
Mary King and Imperial Cavalier at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Mary King and Imperial Cavalier at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Paul Tapner and Kilronan are still holding onto their overnight lead thus far on the second day of dressage here at Badminton Horse Trials, and while we haven’t seen any other tests crack the 30s yet, we’ve still seen some really lovely performances. Most notably, Peter Flarup and Calista E came out swinging this morning, scoring 41.8 in the first morning group to move into fifth place provisionally. This mare is a stunning mover, and the judges really rewarded her in the canter work particularly. Tina Cook followed this test with DeNovo News, not nearly as flashy a mover in comparison, but a real trier who benefits from Tina’s accurate riding in this phase. She was thrilled with his performance, which scored 45.8 for 12th place.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister came out next, and I’ve already posted a full breakdown of their test plus a video interview over on this post. Their score of 43.7 puts then in eighth place at this point in the day, and while that’s a very good score, it could have cracked the 30s had Tiana not lost Finn just before the extended trot. Those breaks to the canter proved very costly, and while Tiana was disappointed in the mistake, she was still very happy with the performance. Rebecca Howard was equally happy with a tense, excitable Riddle Master for 48.7, and she rode him very quietly and carefully to avoid any outbursts. Rebecca is also celebrating her 35th birthday today! Click over to this post for more comments on her ride, as well as photos.

Post by Badminton Horse Trials.

You could tell Mary King and Imperial Cavalier were about to ride their test when spectators started flooding the stands about 10 minutes before, and by the time she entered the stadium, just about every single free seat was filled. The judges gave her a bit of extra time to get the horse settled before ringing the bell, which is a courtesy they’ve been showing to riders dealing with horses not fond of the wind. The test was progressing along beautifully until the horse started tossing his head once the canter work started, which must have affected Mary’s concentration, as she picked up an error by missing the canter serpentine soon after. But Mary had her usual smile on her face at the end of the test — as she should! It scored 42.8 for sixth place provisionally.

Excitement is building here at Badminton, both for the second half of the day’s dressage tests — which will feature a slew of big names — and tomorrow’s cross-country day. As I posted in my earlier report, Badminton officials decided to remove fence 18b, the log after the mound, from the course due to concerns about the footing; the optimum time will not be changed. But riders have expressed much more concern over the course than just the mound complex, and there are rumblings back in the barns that some riders are considering withdrawing their horses, saying the course asks too much of horse and rider. Be sure to check out the course preview photos and video here, and stay tuned for much more from Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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Rebecca Howard Celebrates 35th Birthday at Badminton

By on May 9, 2014 8:02 am -
Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo by Jenni Autry. Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Rebecca Howard turns 35 today, and she celebrated her birthday by scoring a 48.7 in her dressage test with Riddle Master at Badminton Horse Trials, improving on her score of 51.3 from last year. It’s been a very blustery day so far, with the wind rattling the stands in the main stadium causing them to bang around loudly, making for a very distracting atmosphere for the horses. Rupert was very aware of his surroundings during the test, which definitely affected some of their marks when the horse showed tension. But Rebecca handled him incredibly well, riding him extremely careful to keep the lid on.

Nico Morgan Photography.">Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

After working diligently on her dressage with Isobel Wessels here in England, it’s exciting to see Rebecca’s hard work pay off with Rupert, and she said she was very happy with him after the test. Of course, there’s only so much you can do when Mother Nature doesn’t hand you ideal conditions, and considering how wound up Rupert really was — he bounced away after the final halt with his nose in the air — Rebecca did an excellent job for Team Canada. Like the other riders, she agrees Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s course is big but doable, more so after the announcement came this morning that fence 18b, the skinny log after the new mound, has been removed from the course.

Team Canada after Rebecca's test. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Team Canada after Rebecca’s test. Photo by Jenni Autry.

We’re on the lunch break now here at Badminton, and that report is coming up next. No one has bested Peter Flarup and Calista E’s score of 41.8 from this morning, and Paul Tapner and Kilronan still hold the lead on their score of 36.0. But we still have many more big names to come in the afternoon group, including Oliver Townend and Armada, Chris Burton and TS Jamaimo, Mark Todd and Leonidas II, William Fox-Pitt and Parklane Hawk, Andrew Nicholson and Nereo, and our very own Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. The sun has finally come out here in South Gloucestershire! Stay tuned for much more from Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister Score 43.7 at Badminton

By on May 9, 2014 6:22 am -
Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister were the fourth pair out this morning on the second day of dressage here at Badminton Horse Trials, and Finn definitely looked up but under control when she brought him into the stadium. He settled beautifully when they started the test, and the marks were coming in very high for the early movements — 8s and 9s. But he unfortunately got away from her after the walk pirouette just before the extended trot, and he broke to canter and then kept breaking until about halfway down the diagonal — a real shame since Tiana didn’t get to show off the horse’s lovely extended trot.

Tiana Coudray signs an autograph for a young fan. Follow EN on Instagram for more behind the scenes photos like this.

Tiana Coudray signs an autograph for a young fan. Follow EN on Instagram for more behind the scenes photos like this.

They recovered well from the mistake and still posted very good marks for the remainder of the test, scoring 43.7, which puts them in 7th place provisionally. It says a lot about how good this horse is when we’re all a bit disappointed with a 43.7, and this could have easily been in the 30s had it not been for that blip. Tiana was kicking herself after the test but definitely pleased with the performance overall, as you’ll see in the interview below. But this is definitely not going to be a dressage show, with riders predicting just a handful of cross-country trips inside the time tomorrow. Thankfully Finn is a good Irish horse who loves to go in the mud, so he’ll be in his element come tomorrow.

Radio Badminton interviews Tiana Coudray after her dressage test. Photo via EN Instagram.

Radio Badminton interviews Tiana Coudray after her dressage test. Photo via EN Instagram.

I’ll be back with a full report on the morning’s rides at the lunch break. So far, no one has come close to besting Paul Tapner and Kilronan’s score of 36.0, but we have seen some really lovely tests this morning. In addition to Tiana and Finn’s test, Peter Flarup rode the stunning mare Calista E to a score of 41.8 for fifth place in the early going. Dani Evans and Raphael II also had a really nice performance for the home team with a score of 44.5 for ninth place. Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master are up next for the North Americans, and we’re crossing all our fingers and toes for a good score for Team Canada. Stay tuned for much more from Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Screen Shot 2014-05-09 at 10.31.24 AMclick to enlarge

Chinch Crashes the Badminton Press Conference + Other Thoughts

By on May 8, 2014 3:11 pm -
Francis Whittington celebrates being in 2nd place at Badminton. Photo via EN Instagram. Francis Whittington celebrates being in 2nd place at Badminton. Photo via EN Instagram.

The EN Chinchilla might have crashed the press conference this afternoon at Badminton Horse Trials, where Paul Tapner, Francis Whittington and Lucinda Fredericks spoke about their dressage tests, all of which scored in the 30s. Paul’s wonderful score is particularly exciting, partly because we called it in our preview of the event, but mostly because it’s a personal best for both the horse and rider.

Francis’ ride was equally exciting, as he improved on his score from last year with this horse by 15 points. There’s no secret to how he did it; as Francis said in the press conference, which you can watch below, he put his head down in the off season and committed to improving his riding and performance in this phase. And he showed just what he could do in a big way today. And he was also happy to oblige Chinch’s request for a photo. EN karma, anyone?

 

Lucinda Fredericks is no stranger to being at the top of the leaderboard in the dressage with Flying Finish, and she seemed confident about Giuseppe Della Chiesa’s challenging course. That said, all three riders said the dressage scores aren’t going to matter much when the dust settles on Saturday, and the track is definitely raising eyebrows and blood pressures with the riders. They asked for a proper four-star track here at Badminton, and they got it.

Now we wait to see how the weather will affect the going on Saturday, and if it continues to rain like it is now, we might see some modifications to the course. Though I wouldn’t count on that if I was a rider. It’s safe to say we’re in for a wild weekend here at Badminton. Be sure to follow along with all the action — and Chinch’s adventures — here on EN and our Instagram. And be sure to look for Chinch under Francis’ chair in the video; he also makes a special appearance at about the 7:50 mark in the video. Go eventing.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Times] [Scores]

Paul Tapner and Kilronan Lead at Badminton After First Day

By on May 8, 2014 1:00 pm -
Overnight Badminton leaders Francis Whittington and Paul Tapner! Photo by Samantha Clark. Overnight Badminton leaders Francis Whittington and Paul Tapner! Photo by Samantha Clark.

Kate called it in her Badminton preview, and Paul Tapner and Kilronan absolutely rose to the occasion today to deliver a jaw-dropping 36.0 at Badminton Horse Trials to hold the overnight lead after the first day of dressage. Weather conditions continued to deteriorate this afternoon, with the heavy winds blowing the rain sideways, but Paul and Kilronan didn’t seem to mind at all, putting in a spectacular performance to absolutely deserve the lead. This is a personal best four-star score for both Paul and the horse, and he was all smiles after the final salute.

Francis Whittington and Easy Target held the lead at the lunch break, and they were just barely bumped into second place on their score of 36.2. But that certainly shouldn’t dampen Francis’ spirits, and he was all smiles after the test, giving hugs all around and a special embrace to “Smokey.” Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish put in the lovely, accurate test we’ve come to expect from them to score 39.0 to hold third place overnight. That’s an astounding three scores in the 30s on the first day of dressage, leading nowhere for the judges to score but down as we look ahead to tomorrow.

The rain continued to fall this afternoon, meaning empty stands as the spectators retreated to cozier places like The Outside Chance and a full media center as the photographers and journalists waved the white flag and watched the action from the TVs — including me. But don’t think that means I don’t have much more to bring you from Badminton. We’ve just wrapped up the press conference, and Chinch got in on the action, as you’ll see above. For photos of this afternoon’s tests, check out Nico Morgan’s galleries from the dressage here.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Times] [Scores]

Screen Shot 2014-05-08 at 6.04.43 PMclick to enlarge

Clark Montgomery Talks Dressage at Badminton

By on May 8, 2014 11:30 am -
Clark Montgomery and Chinch. Photo via EN Instagram. Clark Montgomery and Chinch. Photo via EN Instagram.

Clark Montgomery battled the wind and rain to find EN in the Badminton media center this afternoon to talk about his dressage test this morning with Universe. While Clark desperately wanted Buzz to get into the 40s today, you can’t fault the horse, especially since he came so close with a 50.8. He gets so excited about the atmosphere, which makes his neck disappear and marks on movements like lateral work suffer from the tension. BUT — it’s still the best dressage score little Buzz has managed in a four-star, so there’s certainly a silver lining here and definitely improvement to point to, which is encouraging for Team Montgomery.

As is EN tradition, my phone gave me a low memory notice during the interview, but I managed to salvage the second half of our chat below, which starts with Clark chatting about his thoughts on the new mound complex, the Swindon Designer Outlet at 18abc. It’s a brutal combination that walks much tighter than it appeared on the video Badminton premiered last month, and course designer Giuseppe Della Chiesa seemed thoroughly unconcerned about it when he spoke to the journalists this afternoon at the press lunch. Giuseppe did say later than he will be monitoring the footing carefully and will make adjustments to the mound — and other questions as needed — if the footing deteriorates badly.

At the rate the rain is falling now, things aren’t looking good for the footing come Saturday. Conditions are supposed to be improve a bit tomorrow, but we’re having a very traditional April week in England thus far. Unfortunately, Clark’s second horse, Loughan Glen, goes third from the last horse tomorrow, so he’ll be on roller skates if the footing does turn to slop. Glen is a bit the opposite of Buzz in that the atmosphere at events like this actually helps him, and best case scenario, he’ll rise to the occasion and put on a lively, lovely performance for the crowds, which always grow on Friday at this event. Go Clark. Go Buzz. Go Glen.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Times] [Scores]

Francis Whittington and Easy Target Lead at Badminton Lunch Break on 36.2

By on May 8, 2014 8:16 am -
Mark Todd and NZB Campino. Photo by Jenni Autry. Mark Todd and NZB Campino. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Francis Whittington and Easy Target snuck in to absolutely steal the show this morning at Badminton Horse Trials, and they lead at the lunch break on the first day of dressage on a score of 36.2. It’s a remarkable improvement from the test we saw from this pair at this event last year, when Francis and Easy Target scored 51.8 — talk about peaking at just the right time. It’s safe to say no one expected them to pull off such an impressive test. In fact, most of the photographers were busy editing photos from the morning in the media center during the test. Way to show them, Francis!

Pippa Funnell and Billy Beware. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Pippa Funnell and Billy Beware. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Mark Todd and NZB Campino could have challenged that score if not for a few bobbles toward the end of an otherwise lovely test. Things were going along beautifully until the extended canter, when the horse swapped leads at the very end of the long side. He then swapped leads again before the second to last change, unfortunately marring what would have been an outstanding score. But the final mark of 40.5 still puts them in a very good position in the early going. Pippa Funnell and Billy Beware set the tone in the first group out this morning, score 42.3 for third place provisionally in the horse’s first four-star. She scored a 9 in both her halts, showing the importance of starting and ending on a positive note.

Pippa Funnell and Annie Clover. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Nicola Wilson and Annie Clover. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo also put in a very consistent performance to score 44.7 for fourth place, and Pascal Leroy and Minos De Petra round out the top five on a score of 47.3. We’re just halfway into the first day of dressage here at Badminton, and already we’re seeing incredibly competitive scores, including one in the 30s and five in the 40s. Clark Montgomery and Universe did their test in the first morning group, and you can click over to my post from earlier this morning for a full recap of their test; they posted a 50.8 for their best ever score in a CCI4*.

Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain were second out this morning, and everyone expected them to turn in a very good score. But the horse was fussy throughout the test and not as settled as he usually us, which affected their score for 53.8, well down the leaderboard already in the early going. William still has Parklane Hawk to go tomorrow, so he has another chance to hit the top placings. Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton also didn’t have the test they were looking for, scoring 62.2 for 19th place provisionally. They most notably had a miscommunication in a flying change, and Henny halted instead of changing, bringing 2s and 3s from the judges.

Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

As I said in my first report this morning, the weather is a far cry from the lovely sunshine and warm temperatures we enjoyed last year at Badminton. A steady rain has been falling all morning, and the wind is starting to blow harder, much like yesterday. So far the horses have been handling the conditions well, and it’s likely helping some of the ones who struggle in this phase, as the rain encourages them to put their heads down and get the job done. We still have some exciting tests to come today; Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish could easily post a score that will land then in this afternoon’s press conference with the top three. Stay tuned for much more from Badminton.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Times] [Scores]

Screen Shot 2014-05-08 at 1.11.07 PMclick to enlarge

 

Clark Montgomery and Universe Score 50.8 at Badminton

By on May 8, 2014 7:39 am -
Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Universe achieved their lowest score yet in a CCI4* this morning at Badminton, posting 50.8, which bests their scores from Badminton last year of 54.3 and 52.0 at Pau. Buzz has been a bouncy ball since arriving on the grounds Tuesday, looking very fresh yesterday in the jog and prancing around in his flat schools, and Jess posted a plea on Facebook for everyone to send zen vibes his way before his test this morning.

While Buzz was still struggling to relax in the test, the horse is slowly but surely improving in this phase. And no rearing French horses were on hand to sabotage the start of Buzz’s test this year, thankfully. Last year, the horse that went right before Clark and Buzz absolutely melted down exiting the arena, which whipped an already excited Buzz into a frenzy.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

David O’Connor was in England last week but went back to the States to help riders prepare for Jersey Fresh, which we’ll also be covering this weekend here on EN. He arrived back in England this morning and came straight to the grounds just in time to warm up Clark and Buzz. We didn’t get a chance to chat after the test, as Clark and Jess wanted to get Buzz straight back to stabling to get him settled, so I’ll try to catch up with Team Montgomery later today.

The forecast we dreaded earlier this week continues to bring windy, cold and wet conditions. All things considered, I thought Buzz handled the atmosphere well. Francis Whittington leads in the early going with Easy Target on a score of 36.2. I’ll be back with a full report on the morning’s rides at the lunch break.

Badminton Horse Trials: [Website] [Times] [Scores]

Badminton Jog Gallery + Nico Morgan Photos

By on May 7, 2014 6:00 pm -
Nicola Wilson and Annie Clover. Photo by Jenni Autry. Nicola Wilson and Annie Clover. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The festivities are officially underway at Badminton, with the first horse inspection wrapping up this afternoon and all 83 horses moving on to the dressage. Times have now been posted, and Clark Montgomery and Universe will go at 10:42 a.m. tomorrow morning, followed by Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton at 11:58 a.m. The rest of our North American pairs go tomorrow.

While you wait, check out this photo gallery from the jog, which I’ll continue adding to as the internet cooperates. Once again, the fabulous Nico Morgan will be sharing his wonderful photos of our North Americans. Many thanks to Nico! Please like Nico’s Facebook page and check out his website for many more photos from Badminton.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo courtesy of Nico Morgan Photography.

All Horses Pass First Inspection at Badminton

By on May 7, 2014 1:45 pm -
Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

All 83 horses that presented to the ground jury passed the first horse inspection at Badminton Horse Trials this afternoon. The weather has been dodgy all day, with rain falling early this morning and then patchy sunshine showing in the early afternoon. While the sun continued to shine until the start of the jog, the clouds quickly rolled in, and it seemed certain we were in for a total downpour. But the eventing gods showed mercy, and while it drizzled on and off for the duration of the jog, the weather held.

Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Considering the chilly, blustery, drizzly weather, it came as a surprise that the jog went so smoothly. Aside from a few horses taking a zig-zagging route down the jog strip and others bouncing around a bit, there were no notable incidents. No horses were asked to jog twice, and no horses were sent to the hold box — very smooth sailing for a four-star jog. Fifteen nations, a very exciting number for a four-star, will move on to the dressage, and 11 of the riders have two mounts, including our own Clark Montgomery.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo by Jenni Autry.

All the riders with multiple horses trotted up their mounts back to back except Clark, who jogged Universe about a quarter of the way into the order and Loughan Glen at the very end. Buzz is attached at the hip to his stablemate Glen and gets a bit worked up around him at events, so Clark and Jess have had them separated so far; they vanned them over separately yesterday and also have the horses stabled separately. Glen is next to Ringwood Magister and Nick Gauntlett’s Grand Manoeuvre, and Buzz is on the opposite end of the aisle with the French horses.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Rebecca Howard looked very smart in a tailored blazer and eye-catching necklace and definitely stood out as one of the best dressed ladies. Riddle Master’s coat was absolutely gleaming despite the overcast skies, and he looks in fabulous form. Clark also dressed to impress in a very nice suit, and he also stands out as one of the best dressed. Tiana Coudray was very brave to wear a dress in the wind and with a very bouncy Finn in hand, but he didn’t pull any major antics — at least nothing out of the ordinary. Henry Jota Hampton had his ears pricked the whole way down the jog strip with Peter Atkins in true Henny form.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo by Jenni Autry.

I’m working on a gallery of all 83 horses at the jog, so keep checking back for much more from Badminton. The riders have just wrapped up their ring familiarization, and the wind is still gusting here in South Gloucestershire. Dressage times have now been posted. Clark and Buzz go at 10:42 a.m. and Peter Atkins and Henry Jota Hampton go at 11:58 a.m. later that morning. Tiana and Finn go at 9:44 a.m. Friday, Rebecca and Rupert go at 11:24 a.m. later that morning, and Clark and Glen go at 4:44 p.m. that afternoon. Go Eventing.

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