William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning Win Badminton Horse Trials

William Fox-PItt and Chilli Morning jump an immaculate clear to take the title. Photo by Samantha Clark

William Fox-PItt and Chilli Morning jump an immaculate clear to take the title. Photo by Samantha Clark.

The show-jumping proved troublesome all day today, and once William Fox-Pitt jumped a stunning clear round on Chilli Morning the pressure was on Andrew Nicholson to jump clear or lose the title he’s made no secret of so badly wanting. Unfortunately he missed completely to the second fence, and then had two more rails to slip down the order and finish 6th eventually.

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob didn't put a foot wrong all weekend and are rewarded with 2nd place at Badminton Horse Trials Photo by Samantha Clark

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob didn’t put a foot wrong all weekend and are rewarded with 2nd place at Badminton Horse Trials Photo by Samantha Clark

Ingrid Klimke moved up to second after her beautiful round on Horseware Hale Bob who’d never looked in danger of touching a rail, he came from a jumper yard originally after all, and Jock Paget and Clifton Lush, coming back after an 18 month layoff take 3rd place after one rail down. Chilli Morning is the first stallion ever to win the Badminton title, and this is William’s second time as Champion.

Mark Todd reminded us why he’d represented New Zealand at the Olympics in the show-jumping team with a masterful ride on Leonidas to add one time fault to his overnight score and finish fourth, and Bettina Hoy was unlucky to have the oxer down at 11 during her very professional round to take 5th place in the final standings.

Nicola Wilson jumped early this afternoon on the lovely One Two Many who was fresh and bold and jumped clear to move all the way up to 7th from 18th, and Aoife Clark and Michael Ryan put Ireland firmly in the top ten with 8th and 9th places. Last year’s winners Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh had an unlucky rail at the first part of the double and finish 10th.

An incredible 3rd place finish at 2015 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials for Clifton Lush after a long layoff. Ridden by Jock Paget. Photo by Samantha Clark

An incredible 3rd place finish at 2015 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials for Clifton Lush after a long layoff. Ridden by Jock Paget. Photo by Samantha Clark

More pictures and press conference to come but congratulations to all and Go your new Badminton winners!

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