Localrider Magazine
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June 2018
Show Reports & News from across the region June 2018 • VOLUME XVIII NUMBER 4
Including:
Badminton Horse Trials Royal Windsor
Plus lots more...
www.localrider.co.uk
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COVERING KENT, SUSSEX, SURREY, HAMPSHIRE, BERKSHIRE & THE ISLE of WIGHT
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BADMINTON REPORT
“Dreams come True” Jonelle Price Jonelle Price and Classic Moet jumped clear to win the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials
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onelle Price and Classic Moet posted the fastest time of the day around an incredibly testing Mitsubishi Motors Badminton cross country course to move up from 22nd after dressage into the top position going into Sunday’s show jumping. Whilst Eric Winter’s cross country course was highly praised by the riders, it was principally the ground which led to the enormous number of time faults incurred across the field. The riders described it as ‘tacky’ and those with two horses said it was harder to find good ground with their second horses, although some of the quickest rounds came late in the day. Jonelle and Classic Moet added just 0.4 time penalties to their dressage score which gave them an overnight score of 28, the same score that dressage leaders, Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class finished on, but as Jonelle was closest to the optimum cross country time, she took the lead over Oliver. Rosalind Canter and Allstar B finished where they started in third place. Talking of the ground and its effect on their cross country round, Ros said: “He was very polite, he normally pulls like a train.”
Exciting finish
Mitsubishi Motors
BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS
Wednesday 2nd to Sunday 6th May 2018 Words and photography by Fiona Rafferty, additional pictures courtesy of Julie Priestley/International Sports Media Jonelle Price and Classic Moet doing what they do best, galloping!
The show jumping at Badminton is run in reverse order, which always adds to the pressure and the excitement of not knowing the winner until the very last round. It is not unheard of for someone much lower down to post a good clear and move right up the placings. Oliver Townend jumped fifth placed Cooley SRS a bit earlier in proceedings to allow time for him to prepare Ballaghmor Class. A great clear round put pressure on the rest of the field, seeing Oliver finish in eventual second position. Ros Canter and Allstar B had a very uncharacteristic pole at the second fence, which kept the combination in third place, without the pole they would have finished second. Next into the arena was Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, the horse on which he had won Burghley and set in motion the possibility of winning the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, previously won by Pippa Funnell and Michael Jung. Having won the Kentucky four star the previous weekend with Cooley Master Class, Oliver needed to win Badminton to secure the Grand Slam and the enormous prize fund that comes with it. Two fences down saw Ballaghmor Class drop to eventual fifth position, but it wasn’t all over for Oliver. Cooley SRS was now sitting in second position and Jonelle could have one fence but not two.
Spanish Tour pays dividends
Tim Price, Jonelle’s husband, pictured holding their son Otis, while receiving his Armada dish for five Badminton completions from HRH Princess Anne.
The combination’s time on the Spanish Sunshine Tour this spring paid dividends and Classic Moet, who has never jumped clear at four star level before posted the round of her life to win the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials. Jonelle became the first woman to win Badminton since 2007 when Lucinda Fredericks won with another great mare, Headley Britannia. The win comes less than a year after the birth
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of Jonelle’s son Otis and both Jonelle and Classic Moet had most of last year off. Jonelle has been riding the now 15-yearold Classic Moet for Hampshire based Trisha Rickards for the last five years and the combination has been building to a big win since the Word Equestrian Games held in Caen in 2014, where they finished fourth. It was a fantastic win for Trisha too, as after 30 years of owning event horses she was celebrating her first four star win too. Talking in the press conference after her win, Jonelle was quick to credit the whole team and when asked to describe her win in three words said: “Dreams come true.” Second placed Oliver Townend took time to congratulate Jonelle. He said: “It was an unbelievable performance and he hopes the public realise what sort of horse Classic Moet is.” He continued: “I couldn’t keep up with her in the prize giving, she is a freak of nature and I would give anything to have a foal out of her.” Oliver who was looking forward to going home to sleep reflected on having four young horses finish in the top five at four star level in the space of one week. Oliver said he had always believed in his young horses, and he is proud that they have done what he believed they would.
Badminton first timer, Kate Honey and Fernhill Now or Never
Tom Jackson and Waltham Fiddlers Find jumped a beautiful clear cross country, but sadly stumbled on lading after the second show jump, causing them to fall and be eliminated. Badminton first timer, Will Furlong and Collien P2
Badminton first timer, Georgie Strang and Cooley Earl
Best of the locals Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul, the current ‘British Open Champions’, produced the second fastest cross country round of the day to move up from 35th after dressage in to eighth after cross country. Jumping a fabulous clear in the show jumping on Sunday, saw them finish in fourth position. Talking afterwards Gemma said: “It was a really tough show jumping track, probably the toughest I have seen at Badminton or Burghley.” Gemma also jumped a lovely clear cross country on Pamero. She only took over the ride on the 11-year-old early last year and this was his first four star. Gemma said: “I am absolutely over the moon. His cross country round was pretty much foot perfect. He was a bit slow, but as it was his first four star I wanted to build his confidence.” Pamero and Arctic Soul are now enjoying time in their field.
Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul jumped two super clear rounds to finish fourth
Banishing Badminton ghosts
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Anyone who knows Tom Crisp couldn’t have felt there was a more deserving winner of the Laurence Rook Trophy, which is awarded to the British rider, who hasn’t previously completed Badminton. Tom and Coolys Luxury finished in 19th place, finally laying their Badminton ghosts to rest, having tried to complete the three previous years. In 2015 they had to withdraw before the competition started, in 2016 they suffered a fall on the cross country and in 2017 Tom pulled Cooly up early on in the course as he just didn’t feel right. Tom laughed as he told me that they nearly didn’t make it this year, as the Monday before Badminton Cooly got cast in his stable and ended up with his legs out of the window. When he came out his stable he was hopping and his leg was blown up
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