World's Best At Pre-Olympic Badminton
Monday, March 31, 2008
Olympic Connections
The world famous Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, which run from May 1st-4th, has always had Olympic connections.
After the first London Olympiad in 1948, where the British team, in the then somewhat new-fangled sport of Three Day Eventing, didn’t do too well. The 10th Duke of Beaufort offered Badminton Park as a venue for an annual practice competition to sharpen up the British act and the first Badminton was in 1949. In 1952 at Helsinki GB won gold.
Badminton almost immediately became the pinnacle of the sport, but still retains its role as an Olympic testing ground, now employed by many nations.
Badminton, A Very International Event
At close of entries on Thursday 13th March there were representatives of no fewer than fourteen countries, including Brazil, Japan, Croatia, Italy, Denmark and the USA, hoping to make the cut of 85 starters from an entry of 150. This year there is a waiting list system, so that riders can move up the list for contention till the Monday of the event.
Already the top of that list, World Champion Zara Phillips has benefited from a withdrawal and can now start Ardfield Magic Star. Badminton is now a very international Event. Some riders will be staking their claim for an Olympic place, while others, secure in their selection, will be running their second string horses.
Five Previous Winners
Event riders today seem to have a long shelf life, so there are five previous winners of the Mitsubishi Trophy in the line up. Mary King, who has publicly tipped herself to win, has entered Imperial Cavalier and Appache Sauce. William Fox-Pitt has entered four to pick two from, Balincoola, Macchiato, Parkmore Ed and former title holder Tamarillo. Rodney Powell, who won on the Irishman in 1991 comes with Zin Zan II and Andrew Hoy, a Burghley winner as long ago as 1979, comes with his 2006 Badminton winner Moon Fleet. It is also great for the sport to see the return of Pippa Funnell at Badminton, who runs Ensign.
The current Gallic star of eventing Nicholas Touzaint, double European Champion, comes with Hildago de I’lle. Andrew Nicholson, from New Zealand, who has ridden round the park an astonishing 26 times, but yet to win has three entered; Silbury Hill, Armada and Ginger May Killinghurst.
Badminton Debutantes
Though the old pros keep coming back, there is always the excitement of a group of Badminton debutantes. At this stage there are only fourteen first timers but others may squeak in.
