Ros Canter has taken over the lead as the second day of the Badminton Horse Trials dressage edges towards its close, at the event presented by Mars Equestrian.
Ros rode an accurate and very professional test with Lordships Graffalo, the horse with whom she was runner-up here last year before finishing an agonising fourth at the World Eventing Championships. They appeared totally unfazed by the downpours and deepening mud in the Badminton Horse Trials dressage arena to score 22.1, sneaking in front of Kitty King and Vendredi Biats, who took over the lead from Oliver Townend this morning.
Watch Ros talk about her test
“Walter” is out of the same mare, Cornish Queen (by Rock King), as Ros’s other Badminton ride, Pencos Crown Jewel, currently in 12th. He looked assured and confident as he started with nines for his halt and salute, followed by eights and nines for his lateral work. Ros rode him boldly through the medium and extended canters for more nines, and although he was a tad tense in his changes, they all came off cleanly.
“He’s always been very steady in his trotwork, and there’s more to come in the extended I think,” said Ros. “More expression in his half-passes have come over the years and with the changes – I still have to get everything absolutely right as he is just a little inconsistent in the feeling he gives me running up to a change. It would be amazing if I could get them really steady. But I just try to stay relaxed with him; he’s a real giver of a horse, and he’s still only 11.”
Ros said that she wasn’t sure whether she would get Walter’s best work in the arena today: “He came out this week feeling extremely fresh and excited, very jolly and giving way too much all the time. But he started to settle this morning, and he went in there and absolutely loved it. The crowds could stand up and start stomping their feet and he’d just enjoy it more. He’s just never had any fear and that’s what makes him so great.
“I think he’s the ultimate event horse.”
With soggy conditions prompting alterations to Eric Winter’s cross-country track, Ros admits that, “I thought the course was OK the first time [I walked it] but by the end of the second time I decided it wasn’t OK”.
“I’ll admit I’ve never ridden in conditions like this above three-star; I’ve always been blessed with sunny weather and hard conditions at four- and five-star, so it will be a new experience for me. The course is a serious question and it’s going to be a case of reacting and looking after the horse, but also attacking so they get the best ride possible.”
‘It’s not going to be a dressage competition’
Appropriately, it was Emily King who restarted proceedings at the Badminton Horse Trials dressage, following The King’s coronation and resulting break. Emily posted 31.3 with Valmy Biats, a 14-year-old Orlando gelding owned and bred by Philippe Brivois, also the breeder of Kitty King’s ride Vendredi Biats.
“He was super rideable and calm in there. He can be exuberant but I wanted to keep him quieter in case I rode him a bit too much and he got stuck in the mud,” said Emily. “It was a safe test. But it’s not really going to be a dressage competition; the cross-country is going to be influential – you have to get stuck in.”
Watch Emily talk about her test
Georgia Bartlett followed Emily into the arena and just snuck in front of her, scoring 31.2 with her own Spano De Nazca.
“I wasn’t sure how he’d react in there, but he went in and stayed on task. It wasn’t terribly easy in the mud, but he trotted on through and I’m really pleased with him,” said Georgia, 22, a Badminton first-timer. “The atmosphere was huge in there and it was really special to be riding in that arena.”
Next to go Bubby Upton earned 31.4 with Cola to slot in just behind Emily, in what is turning out to be a very tightly packed leaderboard.
“He tried really hard, and the conditions in there are a little bit tough now – it’s getting quite deep in the corners,” said Bubby, who rode much of the test on the inside track to avoid the worst of the mud.
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