The hype...
Fresh from his Kentucky success the hype was all around one man. Could Oliver Townend put the past behind him and before the third person in history to lift the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing trophy?
Ballaghmor Class was the victor in at Burghley in 2017, and he lined up as the penultimate combination to try for glory. With Cooley Master Class making his way to Kentucky, and being the eventual winner there, it was down to Cooley SRS to make his make for Oliver and put his best hoof forward to try for the win. With so many events abandoned there was always a 'will they won't they' thought running through everyone's head. Flashbacks to the abandonment of 2012 set rumours ablaze as to whether the Great British weather would sink the great British event. The dressage...
With the fashion parade over it was onto the dressage - not quite the dancing horse's of Dujardin and Hester, but an elegant display of eventing dressage with a new 4* test.
Ros Canter did it for the girls, a sensational 23.9 with Allstar B on Thursday saw her top the tree on day one, ahead of double Olympic World Champion Michael Jung and the infamous Sam. At the end of Friday's session 4th to 9th place were occupied by competitors on a 24 score. The crowd's favourite and the people's horse were top of the group as Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift held their nerve for 4th on 24.1. Then came the greys - Kiltubrid Rhapsody produced a best 4* dressage for Sir Mark Todd to shoot to the top of the leaderboard. A test that dazzled with pure brilliance, an expert performance from the 4 times Badminton Champion. The lead was short lived as Ballaghmor Class strutted into the arena to produce the best Badminton dressage in 18 years! Cross Country Day...
A course to sort the men from the boys...or should that be women from the men?
Girl power was reigning supreme at Badminton with the stand out rounds coming from the British ladies. Ros Canter rode an incredible round with Caroline Moore's Allstar B. A round displaying pure class and skill, from a combination not expected to excel in the challenging conditions. As much as the ground dried during the day it became more increasing difficult to find fresh ground as the competition progressed. The thirty-two year-old, who only achieved her first Badminton last year when they finished 5th, rose to the challenge and proved why she is worthy of her European Team Gold. Posting the joint fastest round of the day, at the point, Ros and Allstar B stole the lead from Double Olympic Champion Michael Jung. 
No sooner had one leading lady wowed the crowed but another British lady leave jaws dropping with an incredible ride. 24-year-old Imogen Murray completed her first Badminton in 2017 to be crowned the leading U25 rider, relatively unknown at the time she has gone a little under the radar until recent times. Under the radar no more with a sensational round with Ivar Gooden to finish with just 4.4 time penalties. "It felt good to show people just how good he really is" added Imogen, who often can't let the handbrake off until half way round. Not planning on going the direct routes, Ivar Gooden felt so in form that the pair decided to 'go for it' and go for it they did. A round that attracted praise from 2017 Badminton Champion Andrew Nicholson and Team GBR High Performance Coach Chris Bartle. You know that you've really impressed when the great Clare Balding runs after you for an interview!
Imogen and #SirCharles flew up the leaderboard as fast as they'd tackled the course moving up 43 places.
World number 3, reigning British Open and Event Rider Masters Champion, Gemma Tattersall riding the Soul Syndicate's Arctic Soul didn't have the dressage score they'd have been wanting to challenge for the title (30.8) but when you're riding a cross-country machine it doesn't really matter. Another combination to eat up the ground and power on through the challenging conditions, Arctic Soul had a quick turn of hoof and finished as strong as any posting the 2nd fastest round of the day to add just 4.4 time faults to their two phase score.
With three British ladies posting quick clear rounds the future is bright for Team GBR given the increased focus on the jumping phases in three day eventing. Show Jumping...Clear rounds were not going to be forthcoming and the time was tight too. The Equiratings team tipped 8 combinations top put your money on for a clear round, only two produced one. Tom McEwan and Toledo de Kerser continued their show jumping dominance with a clear round to rise to 7th place. Ireland's Padraig McCarthy and Mr Chunky also produced their clear round to climb one place after cross-country to finish 8th. Allstar B, Ivar Gooden and Michael Jung's Sam would have been rounds to bank on, however all rolled a pole, with Sam having an uncharacteristic two poles. The 2017 Burghley winner and dressage leader Ballagmor Class needed to jump clear to given Oliver the chance of the Grand Slam, but down they came and down the leaderboard they fell to finish 5th.
A clear round from Arctic Soul moved Gemma Tattersall up to 4th.
The nail biting finish had Oliver Townsend and Cooley SRS in the lead with Jonelle Price still to jump. A fence in hand, but not two. Two would have handed Oliver the win and the Rolex Grand Slam. All eyes were on Classic Moet. With poles rattling in their cups all the way round the crowd and the team behind the scenes held their breath. CLEAR for Jonelle and the Badminton title was hers. A rise from 22nd place after dressage, proving that in 3-day-eventing every day counts. |
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