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Show Reports & News From across the South East
see page 41 June 2017
Local successes at
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06
June 2017 • VOLUME XVII NUMBER 4 www.localrider.co.uk
Badminton at its best!
COVERING KENT, SUSSEX, SURREY, HAMPSHIRE, BERKSHIRE & THE ISLE of WIGHT
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BADMINTON REPORT Andrew Nicholson and Nereo, winners of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trails
After 37 attempts Andrew Nicholson finally lifts the Mitsubishi Motors Trophy
Mitsubishi Motors
Badminton Wednesday 3rd to Sunday 7th May 2017
Words by Julia Longland and photography by Kit Houghton/ Mitsubishi Motors and Nigel Goddard Andrew Nicholson and Nereo, jumping into the Badminton Lake
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Horse Trials
f anybody thought Andrew Nicholson was never going to win Badminton, they had underestimated the sheer driving force and skill that powers his 100 horsepower frame. At nearly 56-yearsold, he had challenged for honours in the world’s most prestigious and testing threeday-event some 36 times, after making his course debut in 1984, and had taken every other place in the top six until now. Although he and 17-year-old Nereo moved up from equal fifth at the end of the dressage phase to third after the crosscountry, Nicholson’s only chance of victory rested on a show jumping error by second placed Michael Jung, the reigning Olympic champion on his 2016 Mitsubishi winner La Biosthetique Sam FBW, holder of the last two Olympic titles, and the leaders, Germany’s Rio team silver medallists and 2015 Badminton runners-up Ingrid Klimke on Horseware Hale Bob. It seemed a slender hope. Added to this was Andrew’s hard fought recovery from a bad cross-country fall at Gatcombe in 2015 under two years ago, when he sustained serious neck injuries and later revealed his surgeon told him, after an eight hour operation, he could have been left paralysed. The injuries caused him to miss Badminton and the Rio Olympics last year as he did not feel ready
to do his best on Nereo. This time he was happy to start the show jumping back in third place as two years ago he had held the lead going into the final phase only to lose it with three fences down. In perfect harmony now, Nicholson and Nereo completed the 13 fence course with rhythmic accuracy for just one time penalty, to put the pressure on Jung and Klimke. Jung’s hopes of completing the double vanished when La Biosthetique Sam lowered the sixth fence. Then it was all down to Klimke and Horsepower Hale Bob, who had to jump clear to enter Badminton history, but it was not to be. The crowd watched on tenterhooks as Klimke amassed a cricket score of 23 faults after an error at the sixth fence and then a refusal and knockdown at the treble, finishing with 16 faults. They ended the day in ninth place, handing victory to Nicholson and Nereo.
Worth the wait Nicholson, a veteran of six Olympics said: “It has certainly been worth the wait. I go to the big events nowadays and if I have a live chance I want to win. If I can do that I feel I have achieved what I set out to do. I came here hoping for that, but this feeling is 100 times better. I promise I will enjoy this one, I can assure you of that. I had to keep on
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Tina Cook and Calvino II
Tina Cook and Billy The Red, finished tenth
The Frank Weldon Trophy is awarded to Tina Cook for the youngest British owned & ridden horse by the Duchess of Beaufort, Mr Lance Bradley, MD of Mitsubishi Motors and The Duchess of Cornwall.
Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul, finished seventh
Gemma Tattersall is awarded the Retraining of Racehorses cheque for £1000 from Mr Lance Bradley, MD of Mitsubishi Motors and The Duchess of Cornwall for her horse Arctic Soul.
missed it. Now it’s worked, it is a fantastic feeling. I have had Nereo since he was four, and he is one of my favourites. He is not a horse who needs me to make a fuss of him or cuddle him. He is a lovely galloper across country and tries 100% every time. Nereo and Avebury (a triple Burghley winner) were the reasons I started riding again after I damaged my neck. I contacted Steven Smith (Harvey’s younger son and a top class show jumping trainer) and he came down to help, he is at Badminton for me now.” The 17-year-old Spanish bred Nereo, world individual bronze medallist in 2010, took his first CCI 4 star title at Pau in 2012 and in Britain became the first horse to finish in the top ten at ten 4 star events.
Best of the locals
New course designer New course-designer Eric Winter built a big, bold cross country course with many technical questions that had the riders concentrating every inch of the way, described by Mark Todd as “back to its best”. He rated Winter as “very brave” to design a course like this one in his initial year and said you had to be prepared for anything and ride “by the seat of your pants. The course demanded bold, sensible riding”.
Gemma Tattersall and the retrained racehorse Arctic Soul finished best of the locals in seventh place, having made the incredible rise from 67th after dressage. Speaking after her dressage, Gemma said: “He knows where he is, he is in a tricky mood and wanted to gallop in each movement, but I just have to accept that this is the way he is.” For the second year running Gemma and Arctic Soul received the £1,000 prize from Retraining of Racehorses for the highest placed Retrained Racehorse. Tina Cook had two tremendous rides cross-country, on Billy the Red and Calvino II, finishing in tenth place on the former, also winning the Frank Weldon Trophy for the youngest British owned and ridden horse in the top twelve.
Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Andrew Nicholson – Nereo Michael Jung – La Biosthetique Sam Tim Price – Xavier Faer Mark Todd – NZB Campino Rosalind Canter – Allstar B Mark Todd – Leonidas II Gemma Tattersall – Arctic Soul Yoshiaki Oiwa – The Duke of Cavan Ingrid Klimke – Horseware Hale Bob Kristina Cook – Billy The Red
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coming to Badminton and taking my turn although I did realise time was running out, especially 18 months ago after my injury. I had a good season last year once I got up and running again. To win Bramham in 2016 was a great boost to me, as it wasn’t so long before that I didn’t think I would ride again. Then to be second at Burghley last September on Nereo, it felt like I won it.” Andrew paid tribute to his talented partner Nereo, saying: “He is an unbelievable horse. He is big and strong, he does it year after year, it is special to do it on him. It is an emotional experience and a great day for me. Our cross-country round on Saturday was good but I didn’t want to go into the show jumping in the lead, we have done that before and it didn’t work. I was so close behind Ingrid and Michael that I was happy to be third. I didn’t panic about my time fault, I just came out of the ring knowing I had done my best. All we needed then was a little bit of help from him above.” The delighted congratulations from other riders in the collecting ring underlined the regard in which Andrew Nicholson is held. Talking of his achievement Andrew said: “The feeling is very different to when I have won Burghley (five times). Here I have been so near to winning, but have always just
Gemma Tattersall is awarded the Farriers Award for the best shod horse from the Duchess of Beaufort, Master Farrier Mr John Peacock, Mr Lance Bradley, MD of Mitsubishi Motors and The Duchess of Cornwall.
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