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| Andrew Hoy - Winner Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials |
Andrew is flying high - A copy book clear round in the show jumping gave victory to Andrew Hoy and Moonfleet at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2006. Andrew becomes the first Australian to lift the trophy since Laurie Morgan won in 1961 on Salad Days.
Despite having eight penalties in hand none were needed and the Irish bred former racehorse provided owner Susan Magnier with her second major win of the weekend after George Washington won the British 2000 Guineas yesterday.
The combination who led from the start was one of just two combinations to finish the competition on their dressage score. The win comes just one week after Andrew’s victory at the Rolex Lexington four-star and victory at Burghley in September would give the Australian rider the Grand Slam title and $250,000 prize.
German Olympic rider Ingrid Klimke and Sleep Late lived more dangerously after one of her lives were used at the planks but Ingrid hung onto second place and now has the honour of being the highest placed rider to represent Germany at Badminton.
Lack of age and experience proved no hindrance to 23-year-old British rider Oliver Townend and Edward Nicholson’s 10-year-old Flint Curtis who retained third place, giving Oliver the Butler bowl for the highest placed British rider as well as Flint Curtis the Laurence Rook trophy for the youngest horse in the top 12. While it was just a second visit to Badminton for Oliver it was the first four-star event for the impressive grey.
While the top three remained unchanged from after cross-country, clear rounds over the coloured poles proved at a premium, just seven from 53 completions, promoting several who were surprised to find themselves in the prize giving.
Team veterans Jeanette Brakewell and Over To You were ones to benefit. Lying 22nd after dressage, a fast cross country clear brought them up to 11th and more importantly a clear show jumping round from the 18-year-old Over To You, the oldest horse in the field, brought them up into a final fourth place, and the only other combination apart from the winners to complete on their dressage score
A double clear promoted vet James Robinson and his ‘jumping machine’ Comanche up the ranks the British combination finishing in fifth place.
http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk
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