Day 1 Dressage at Badminton for Rose and Hoy
A day of firsts produced exceptional results for French combination Thibaut Vallette and Qing Du Briot Ene HN at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, taking top position with a score of 38.7 despite being the Olympic Frenchman’s first Badminton and the combinations first 4**** competition. Following closely are the Germans Bettina Hoy (Designer 10) and reigning Badminton champion Michael Jung (La Biosthetique Sam FBW) on 39.2 and 40, positioning the Europeans across the first three placeholders at this early stage of competition.
Two of the six Australian competitors competed in Day 1 Dressage today, with Shane Rose and the lovable Shangai Joe looking relaxed but focussed from the warm up through to the test scoring 51.7 placing them in 26th position.
Listen to Shane Rose's interview on LlyodBell.co.uk
Andrew Hoy did his best to contain a spooky The Blue Frontier in the atmospheric main arena. The pair unfortunately suffered on the scoreboard, finishing with a mark of 60 placing them in 38th position.
Today will see Day 2 Dressage featuring Paul Tapner and Bonza King of Rouges scheduled for 11:42 am UK time (8.42pm AEST), with exciting hopes for the 14-year old grey gelding’s first 4**** competition.
Following will be solid combination Sam Griffiths and his 2016 Rio Olympic ride Paulank Brockagh, one to watch this season, competing at 2:22 pm UK time (11.22pm AEST).
Next to follow is Andrew Hoy with his second horse, the 14-year-old Hanoverian, Rutherglen, competing at 4.02pm UK time (1.02 am AEST)
The last competing Australian in the Dressage will be father-to-be Chris Burton, currently rated the EquiRatings fastest rider in the world, FEI World Number 3 Ranked Rider & Olympic Medalist, on the draw for 4:18 pm UK time (1.18 am AEST) on his experienced bay gelding Graf Liberty.
The cross country phase will kick start on Saturday 6 May, with many competitors and spectators already dubbing it ‘the toughest Badminton track they’ve seen’, thanks to new course designer, Eric Winter.
Spectators are in for a very exciting weekend with the top three combinations on the Dressage leaderboard currently sitting just over one-time penalty apart, meaning the cross country optimum time will prove significant influence as it often does at this level.
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