Photo thanks to Samantha Clark
There are few riders with the audacity to enter Badminton and Rolex in the same week and then keep their younger, greener and untested at four star level as their number one ride at Badminton.
But then again there are few riders like Mark Todd. Toddy had already achieved almost everything possible in Eventing when he retired for the first time in 2000 following his individual bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics.
At the time he had:
- 3 Badminton wins
- 5 Burghley wins
- 2 Olympic gold medals and many more titles to his name.
- He was also named Equestrian of the 20th Century by the FEI.
During his almost eight years away from riding at the elite end of the sport he kept in touch riding at lower levels and even coached the Kiwi Eventing team in Athens. But somehow he got the bug back and announced to the world in January 2008 he was back and planned to be competing in Hong Kong for the Beijing 2008 Games.
Incredibly, he found a horse Gandalf and with the support of New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) began a campaign to qualify, and be selected for the Kiwi team. Not hanging about, he was qualified at Saumar in France in May and was on the Kiwi team in September, his sixth Olympics.
I was there in Hong Kong, although Toddy didn’t make time (nobody did) he was first out and made the tough track look like a Pony Club course. He ate it up, it was a privilege to watch. I even met Toddy on a bus out to the Beas River Cross Country Course one day but I was too in awe of him to say anything more than, hi and good luck.
Toddy won his first Badminton in 1980, it was his first attempt at the legendary event and returned to win again in 1994, 1996 and again this week. So what hasn’t he done in Eventing?
Well perhaps we should handicap him in the future, fellow Kiwi Team member, Andrew Nicholson, is quoted as saying …
“Mark can ride anything – he could go cross-country on a dairy cow!”
Was Toddy involved in this?
Perhaps the people at Rolex, the company not the event, are getting a little nervous after Badminton. After all, Rolex offer US$350,000 additional prize money to any rider who can win the Gram Slam of Eventing. Consecutive wins by the same rider at Badminton, Rolex and Burghley.
Only Pippa Funnel has claimed the prize money although Oli Townend got close last year and Andrew Hoy in 2006. I wonder if Oli who sold NZB Land Vision to Toddy is now kicking himself for giving up such a great horse or just wondering how much more money he could have got?
Photo thanks to Samantha Clark
Personally I have my money on Toddy taking out the Grand Slam, with a Rolex win later this week and then nailing his sixth Burghley in September, I will be there to witness it and cannot wait. He also looks good for bringing home a second individual Olympic gold at London next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Kiwis take home both individual and team golds.
The Kiwi performance at Badminton was stunning and with young gun Clarke Johnstone planning to leave his mark downunder before returning to Europe, their prospects are excellent.
The only concern I have about Toddy’s win at Badminton is that Samantha Clark was somewhere over the Atlantic when he won. In her pocket was a betting slip for five quid on Toddy to win for me. How Sam is going to collect on the bet I don’t know, but I think I will take my winnings and find a bookie prepared to give me good odds on Toddy bringing home the Grand Slam.
I will leave you with these parting words, I have read them in the last 24 hours but now for the life of me cannot find them, I think they were on twitter.
Mark Todd was already a “legend”, what do we call him now?
Legend is no longer sufficient for Toddy, perhaps “immortal”.
Bring on Rolex.
Yours in Eventing,
ESJ
