Toddy enjoys dream comeback ride

It has been 10 years since Mark Todd last competed at Badminton, but the Kiwi maestro returned in fine style with NZB Grass Valley, making up for a mediocre dressage score of 55.8 with an exhibition round across the country that left him with 8.8 time penalties.


“He’s not a speed machine, but he keeps up a good gallop and I couldn’t be more delighted with him,” said Mark, whose broad grin when he crossed the line said it all. “He would be the least experienced horse I have ever ridden here, but each time I asked him to go on and pick up, he responded.”

Grass Valley looked to relish the softer ground and Mark is confident that the experience will have brought the 10-year-old on enormously.

“He’s capable of a dressage mark in the 40s, but he felt a little stiff yesterday and perhaps didn’t do his best test,” said Mark, who has nevertheless earmarked the gelding for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

View his Video Diary following Cross Country