Kiwis Chasing Badminton Honours . . . Again

New Zealand will be strongly represented at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials with 11 combinations on the card, including former winners and a few first-timers.

Andrew Nicholson, who won the event in 2017, is back with his perennial Nereo as well as Jet Set, and everyone is picking a mighty battle between him and double Olympic champ Michael Jung (GER) aboard La Biosthetique, who won the event in 2016.

Of course no Badminton would be complete without the legendary Sir Mark Todd, a four-time winner of the prestigious event who this year will compete aboard Kiltubrid Rhapsody and Leonidas II.

Tim and Jonelle Price are in on Classic Moet and Ringwood Sky Boy respectively while Caroline Powell, another former winner, has been accepted on Up UP and Away and On the Brash and Dan Jocelyn will line up with Dassett Cool Touch.

And there plenty of excitement from first-time Badminton starters Andy Daines, who is already in the UK,  with his horse Spring Panorama, and Virginia Thompson aboard Star Nouveau.

This year’s total entry field is slightly smaller than recent years and there are a couple of surprises on the wait list including William Fox-Pitt and Pippa Funnell.

Riders from the Great Britain, United States, Japan, Ireland, France, Denmark, Canada, Brazil and Australia are also on the card.

WHAT: Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

WHEN: May 2-6, 2018

WHERE: South Gloucestershire

MORE INFO: www.badminto-horse.co.uk

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison