It was a 4.30am start to get to Hakaru Pony Club for the last event of the competition season – the Area teams ODE. My daughter and her pony were stepping up to ride 95cm for the first time. Very exciting! They were sitting in third place after the dressage, and went clear across the massive and technical cross country course to hold their position. But then the show jumping was less good – two rails and a refusal and they fell to 9th! It can happen to anyone though – poor Andrew Nicholson! Although he is ranked World Number One in eventing he has never, ever won the Badminton Horse Trials and this year he led the dressage and went clear cross country and then his stunning chestnut Nereo took three rails in the show jumping and fell back to sixth! Beaten by his arch rival William Fox-Pitt who won it for the second time. Big congrats to the wonderful William. It was some consolation for my daughter to know that even the superstar riders can take a rail and lose the dream. Will Andrew Nicholson ever win Badminton? My very favourite horse was there at Badminton too again this year – Nicola Wilson’s Beltane Queen. I LOVE that mare – she is the only coloured horse I know competing at Advanced and she is sassy and has such an amazing courage to her cross country! Take a look at her here…
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