Badminton, Great Britain, May 8, 2006 — Andrew Hoy and Moonfleet won the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI**** on May 7, 27 years after winning the event for the first time. The win comes on the heels of a victory with Master Monarch at the Rolex Kentucky CCI*** presented by Farnam last week. With these two wins, Hoy is in line for the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, should he claim victory at the Burghley CCI**** in September.
Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, riding the German Federation’s Sleep Late, had one rail at the plank fence but still had room to spare and held on to second place in her first-ever ride at Badminton.
Klimke seemed a bit star-struck as she accepted her trophy. “When I watched Badminton in 1995, I was sure that I would never be able to ride this course,” she said. “So to place second, especially to Andrew, is just like winning it.”
Oliver Townend on Flint Curtis, owned by Edward Nicholson, had two rails down, and held onto third place. At only 23 years old, Townend has only been riding Flint Curtis for three months.
This was Townend’s second time competing at Badminton; last year he wore the Union Jack for the first time at the European Championships. He said, “If a horse can put up with the crowds and fences here they can put up with them anywhere!”
Rails fell in profusion throughout the day; the British Eventing fence was particularly influential, since it was an upright only a few strides after a triple-bar. Jeanette Brakewell and her 18-year-old veteran Over To You were standing 11th going into the final phase on 52.0, but their double-clear round moved them all the way up to fourth place when every rider in front of her had one or more rails down. Moonfleet and Over To You were the only two horses to finish the event on their dressage scores.
James Robinson and Comanche also benefited from keeping the rails up, but had 2.8 time penalties to move them up from 13th to fifth place. Sharon Hunt and Tankerstown (53.6) finished sixth with one rail down. For complete results, visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.
Grandstand seating was sold out and overflow admissions watched the competition from a big screen TV in the concessions area. After the jumping and before the prizes were awarded, The Duke of Beaufort’s Hounds were brought out for a presentation, led by hunt staff and accompanied by several junior members.
Exclusive photo gallery! Go behind the scenes as the final preparations were completed for the world-famous Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.
