Badminton XC day

No! Paul Tapnwr is down. He was looking so well. Nasty fall. That water stride is not working out easy.

And James Sommerville too!

To say people thought this would be a Badminton for the experienced, it seems to be working better for the newbies!

(I remember Harry Meade riding an over tired horse at Burghley that got stuck on a fence when he was young. And yes, Ollie got vitriol on HHO for anything he did about five years ago!)
 
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She was nursing home a desperately tired horse who clearly should have been pulled up, even the commentators were uncomfortable with it. She went into the last in a lolloping canter with reins waving in the breeze, slapped it down the shoulder to try to get some energy from somewhere and it pecked badly on landing and she hit the dirt.

Oh, not good. Thank you!

There goes Paul. Nasty fall.
 
I think as much as anything I can remember finding ollie very uncomfortable to watch and should have been pulled up but then feeling I was proved a bit wrong on SJ day.

Definitely a good job it is on good ground given the issues occurring!
 
I think as much as anything I can remember finding ollie very uncomfortable to watch and should have been pulled up but then feeling I was proved a bit wrong on SJ day.

Definitely a good job it is on good ground given the issues occurring!

No I remember being uncomfortable with oli, he rode v quickly as well that day from what I remember. But I don't remember horse being as tired as that, I've only seen a horse finish that exhausted at tatts a few years ago.
 
^ what only_me and ycbm said.

The horse was looking knackered for a long time around that course and she wasn't helping it - flapping and kicking and smacking it down the shoulder all the time.

Eek, there are a lot of falls this afternoon!
 
One rider so far not wearing an airbag? Biggest improvement in riding safety in a long time, imo. The frangible pins are working well, too.
 
Armada/oli have experience and was nursed home with support from rider, and to that point had a better round with less hairy moments imo. Still got a slap on the wrist though.


The American combo seem to have fair experience too, the horse is 16 and was 14th burghley last year and 8th Lexington?

anyway things seem to have moved on now!
 
there always is some towards ollie ;) but it proves the point that horses can and do complete like that and go on to complete successfully, I'm sure he placed the following day, so I would rather think people know their horse and which decision to make even if they aren't infallible.

Do you remember which year TP?

You really don't see it that often at 4* these days imho. It's a combination issue too, as in they'll look at experience of rider, age etc. Two 4* runs and your first Badminton isn't hugely experienced compared to some.
 
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What air jacket was James Sommerville wearing? I've not seen that style with such the high-up neck bit before.

Robinsons used to sell them. They are down the back only. He landed on his side, demonstrating perfectly why they aren't a good design!
 
On a different note, I'm actually enjoying Mike Tucker for once! I like it when he and Harry give proper informed opinions about things. Really nice to see them highlighting sympathetic rounds and good riding from people like Paul Sims and Austin O'Connor.
 
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