Tapner leading Aussie after MMBHT cross country
Paul Tapner riding Indian Mill is the best positioned of the Australians following cross country day at the 2015 Mitsuibishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (#MMBHT).
Tapner, the 2010 Badminton Champion, and Indian Mill, which is competing at CCI4* level for the first time, produced a clear cross country round to move into sixth position at the end of the day.
The combination will carry 41.9 penalties into Sunday’s show jumping, which is less than one show jumping rail off the pace, which has been set by Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and Nereo who were also faultless around the Giuseppe della Chiesa (ITA) designed cross country course to remain on their dressage score of 37.8.
“He was good, he was distracted by the crowdsbut he just kept jumping, kept galloping," said Tapner. "He’s an amazing galloping horse. It was good to have such a great round on him."
“A lot of the fences out there, I was wishing I hadn’t taught him to jump so cleanly because he was jumping so big. I was thinking, you’re supposed to be saving this for tomorrow mate.
"Hopefully he still remembers tomorrow and leaves a few rails up for me.” Listen to the full interview HERE
The 2014 Badminton Champions Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh are currently placed 16th after a near precise round added just 1.6 time penalties to their dressage score. They will carry 49.8 penalties into Sunday’s decider.
“We had a super round," said Griffiths. "It’s never perfect, there was one fence I got a bit close to but on the whole she jumped beautifully. She’s very much a point and go horse and that’s all I did. She is a star and I’m thrilled with how she went." Listen to the full interview HERE
Griffiths retired his second ride Happy Times after nearly falling and missing his line in the Lake.
Tapner is also placed 22nd with his World Equestrian Games mount Kilronan - the addition of 5.6 time penalties to their dressage score has this combination now with 53.4 penalties. Bill Levett and his World Equestrian Games mount Shannondale Titan are right behind them in 23rd position with score of 53.8 penalties.
"My horse was brillant, he's very good jumping horse and has a huge heart, he keeps trying all the way," said Levett. Listen to the full interview HERE.
Chris Burton finished 15 seconds inside the optimum time on TS Jamaimo but incurred 20 penalties when taking the alternative route at Huntsman’s Close and he is currently ranked 40th with 67.7 penalties.
Andrew Hoy, who first rode at Badminton in 1979, had a particularly damp day. He was having trouble anchoring first ride Lanfranco TSF, when the onward-bound gelding ran past the narrow brush in the Gatehouse Pond (fence 20) and dislodged him. He got a second soaking when his second entry Rutherglen pitched over the curved willow “wave” fence into the water.
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