Thoughts on Badders XC...

[Weezy]

Yes I did dingle12 - I absolutely admire him as a rider, but I too thought it stuck out, prob because it isn't something he is known for.

 

[mle22]

I just love Tony Warrs horse and the fantastic parthership they have, loved the way he talked to him as they went round - truly a horse of a lifetime! And well done the Irish - isn't Porter House Jiff a little star.

 

[dingle12]

Thought i was going soft as nobody has said anything on here, he really did stick out today and i felt sorry for the horse. Ive never known him ride like that before and as i said i really do like him as a rider.

 

[lannerch]

I was there so only saw a couple of horses at each fence and missed those right at the beginning and the end.

Horses that stood out, comanchie what a warrier, mark todds, daisys, paul looked good ( in more ways than one ) and I really loved I've been dun who I saw at the outlander bank and who if I had seen anywhere else would have struck me as a good riding club type but boy did he make it look easy, so how wrong I would have been!

Saw Anna warnecke fall at the corners, she looked nervous and got the line to the first one wrong had a bad jump and was then totally wrong to the second, she too hugged here horse though when she had come off really pleased he was ok which was lovely to see.
Did the horse fatality happen earlier on as that may be why she looked so nervous coming into the fence and was so grateful her horse was ok.

 

[bongo-girl]

With ref: CF...are you sure its not just that he is wearing a point 2 air jacket? They do bulk riders bodies out. I thought a few riders were looking 'bigger' last season and then realised what it was!

 

[charlimouse]

I think the horse fatality was after Anna Warnecke, but she is a lovely person, and loves Twinkle Bee to bits!

 

[dingle12]

With ref: CF...are you sure its not just that he is wearing a point 2 air jacket? They do bulk riders bodies out. I thought a few riders were looking 'bigger' last season and then realised what it was!

No i spoke to him last year at aston when i last saw him and i thought he had put a little weight on

 

[Weezy]

I too am sure it wasn't his P2

 

[lannerch]

Thanks she obviously did love twinkle b to bits that was very aparent and I was touched, was very surprised she was not wearing an air jacket though however thankfully neither her or twinkle seemed to be injured.

 

[rhino]

I really enjoyed the coverage today - LOVE Comanche and Buzz. I also like Black Drum but just found a pic of him at the finish which looks like he has blood on one of his front legs. Anyone know if he is ok?
http://picasaweb.google.com/baddershorsetrials/Badminton2010CrossCountryDay#5466704253843705506

 

[bongo-girl]

I noticed the blood too....near fore - right? Was only watching on tv, but he seemed ok when he pulled up...for all of a handful of trot strides that I saw. Guess proof of the pudding will be at tomorrow's trot up

 

[CastleMouse]

Well it was a good day for the Irish - All went clear (but with time-faults), except for Mike Ryan who had an unfortunate run out.

 

[CastleMouse]

I just love Tony Warrs horse and the fantastic parthership they have, loved the way he talked to him as they went round - truly a horse of a lifetime! And well done the Irish - isn't Porter House Jiff a little star.

Portersize Just a Jiff

He is a super little horse (he's only 15.1hh!!), and Camilla and him are an amazing partnership.

 

[j1ffy]

I was there today and obviously had a different perspective to watching on TV, but it seemed to be a good 4* course and made for great spectator-ing (to coin a verb in an American sort of way..!). We'd not been in a few years and my non-horsey mum couldn't believe how much more technical the course had become. I only saw one rider who looked in serious trouble, very tired rider on a very strong horse who took the long route at the Farmyard. She fell at the Outlander Bank I think, the course was held for a while. I was stunned to get back to the scoreboard and see how many non-completions there were.

In terms of the combinations I thought looked good, Spring Along is just wonderful; Opposition Buzz looked like he wanted a bigger challenge (!) and Portersize Just A Jiff looked great through the lake. However I may be biased as my old pony was calle Just A Jiffy!

 

[CastleMouse]

I just had a quick read through of the this thread, so apologies

Who was the Irish Captain going round on the grey? He rode beautifully and looked after his horse.

Geoff Curran and Balladeer Alfred

 

[mle22]

oops on the name of Camilla's horse - I'm hopeless with names is my excuse - he was still brilliant, as was I've Been Dun and Baladeer Alfred, Didn't see Austin go, had to go out - how was his round?

 

[SusieT]

superb course, left nothingt o be desired. Maybe it looks smaller on tv but the run of about 5/6 combinations on the bottom half of the course was v. v. tough, and the scoreboard reflects this.
Only one I wasn't impressed with was WFP who looked fair terrified riding into the open corners! (unusually!)
Otherwise, superb day, did no shopping but just watching xc from 11 to finish.

 

[j1ffy]

SusieT - meant to mention that run in my post too. Probably isn't so visible on TV due to editing but the countryside complex-farmyard-colt pond-hexagon hedge-outlander bank-shogun hollow was an amazingly intense section of fences that required sustained focus from horse and rider. I was exhausted as a spectator!

 

[Fiona]

oops on the name of Camilla's horse - I'm hopeless with names is my excuse - he was still brilliant, as was I've Been Dun and Baladeer Alfred, Didn't see Austin go, had to go out - how was his round?

Austin's round on Pocket Rocket was grand. Could see him getting a bit jittery coming into the shogun hollow (didn't he have a fall or a run out there a year or so ago on Hobby du Mee), but it was a good round for horse's first Badminton.

I loved watching Camilla Spiers, Daisy, Tony Warr, James Robinson, the german girl (Dietermann?).

Missed the last hour or so though - was Sam Watson good???

Fiona

 

[ELF]

Enjoyed today, especially the suprise performances both impressive and perhaps not so....

Absolutely gutted for Ruth Edge, I really wish lady luck would just shine on her for Badminton, she is IMHO a class act and I think to come back after the disappointment with Two Thyme in the morning and give the relative youngster Nick of Thyme such a fantastic ride in the afternoon shows just how good she is.

Emily Llewelyn rode beautifully and with such maturity - very enjoyable to watch. Interesting top 10 going into tomorrow - pretty sure it's not one many of us would have predicted?!

 

[MegaBeast]

. Seeing him hugging Percy nearly made me cry.

Glad I'm not the only softy in the house... I felt a bit choked when I saw that, bless, so nice to see a top rider obviously caring about his horse and not looking hacked off that something went a bit wrong and put pay to his shot at the Badminton trophy

 

[MegaBeast]

I too am sure it wasn't his P2

I think he always has been inclined to be a wee bit on the cubby side (been watching their series on H&C) but he did lose a lot for the Olympics, guessing it's all gone back on now

 

[kirstyl]

I just had a quick read through of the this thread, so apologies

Geoff Curran and Balladeer Alfred

Thanks Castlemouse. Quite a nice looking person too!

 

[oldvic]

Today was like an old fashioned Badminton - not a dressage competition. In those circumstances the most effective riders are not necessarily the most stylish but that is not to say that untidy is good.
Imperial Cavalier made a lot of mistakes but is powerful enough to get away with them in spite of jumping hollow and against the bit.
Chapel Amble was a saint but Rocket Science got so tired that he should have been stopped.
Kilpatrick River didn't look as comfortable as last year but Horseware Bushman and Portersize Just a Jiff were very good.
Coolgrange Merger is a fabulous horse, left to his own devices but ridden forward in a steady rhythm in a way that is not so easy on faster more competitive horses.
Toddy and Andrew gave their young horses every chance and a lot of confidence even if Avebury was naughty at the corners - the rest he made look easy. Yes, Andrew does push him along but he is not a TB and has to be kept up to the mark.
Lenamore and Springalong looked like the hardened pros that they are. Both have had naughty moments in the past but you would never have guessed that today.
Magenta was charming and so honest but her rider needs to become more positive.
Emily Llewellyn was very good on both horses although Pardon Me looked the more scopey horse.
Francis deserved to complete but I wonder how much his virus has taken out of him.
Tina was riding like she felt her horse's heart wasn't in it.
Some horses had naughty run outs, others could have had a bit more help. There are no prizes for style but some horses could wish that their riders could find a better balance to save their mouths.

 

[Starbucks]

I don't think Mary is getting enough credit here, a bit of a messy round on IC but I think she really showed her class to get him round clear in a good time.

I thought the course was a really good test. Bold horses and positive riders did well, but good control from the rider and honesty from the horse was definitely needed. Which surely is what XC is all about?

 

[aregona]

I was stabled next to Louise Skelton last year whilst eventing and spent along time chatting to her whilst plaiting our horses for the day. I can honestly say that she is a lovely person who loves her job and i really liked her.
However, her riding today was bad. Even if she does ride like that on a regular basis. She is not that far from me and i was going to go and have xc lessons with her, but i will give it a miss for the time being. If a child had her persition whilst going into a fence at pony club camp they would of been stopped from jumping until they found some better balance. As i said, i really like her however 4* or not, you should be safe in a persition. She is clearly a good rider otherwise she could not of qualified for 4*.

opposition buzz is such a class horse, great to see James R riding so determined. I can't help but think Sharon Hunt could do with a little more badminton luck. Tankers town looked great up until huntsman close

 

[G&T]

Nothing, but just very surprised that everyone thinks he's such a great rider, when he clearly is a very messy rider who has bad hands.

I agree about Nick Gauntlett, his style is obviously a bit rough and ready but I did think he had genuinely bad hands was rather crude in how threw himself around in the saddle to balance. Amazing mare which would have looked nicer with a smaller, lighter and more sympathetic rider. But hey ho I don't know the horse I guess.

p.s. I don't have an axe to grind about NG and think he is rather an attractive chap am I alone in feeling this way??

 

[marmalade76]

p.s. I don't have an axe to grind about NG and think he is rather an attractive chap am I alone in feeling this way??

Yuk!!

 

[Thistle]

Opposition Buzz was awesome, he and Sir Percival were the only two who made it look easy. FW was so unlucky.

Sam Watson - fantastic as was Emily L and Camilla spiers.

Fingers crossed for the trot up.

BTW I said weeks ago that Paul Tapner and Inonothing were on form and they were my tip to win (much as I really want Buzz to win)

 

[trendybraincell]

Alexander Peternell - my God, the man only took up eventing 6 years ago!!! He had a bloody brilliant attitude, was sooo happy to be there, I loved watching him and his smile and whoops! Funniest thing is to think his wife is a GP dressage rider, the horse is owned by Jenny Loriston-Clarke yet his dressage absolutely sucked!

I wondered if anyone saw his round.

His ride is even more impressive when you consider he had a pretty horrific fall a few weeks ago, the groom told me he actually flew