Sam Watson On Fairy Tales & Hard Luck Stories From Badminton 2011

Mark Todd & NZB Land Vision

If someone was to write the ideal fairytale ending to this year’s Badminton Horse Trials, it would be a carbon copy of the historic scenes which we saw unfolding before our eyes this afternoon. My tip at the start of the week was that a man on a grey horse would win, but I was leaving my options open with Oliver Townend and Ashdale Cruisemaster, Andrew Nicholson and Avebury, and eventual champions Mark Todd and NZB Land Vision all falling into that category.

Oliver was the hard luck story while Mark was the tear jerker, regaining his crown some thirty-one years after capturing the first of his four Badminton titles. Andrew, who groomed for Mark all those years ago in 1980, summed up the competition. He showed that brilliance wasn’t enough to win the World’s Greatest event this year. Despite performing two dressage tests in the forties, steering both horses clear and inside the time cross country, a rail lowered on the final day meant that he was only rewarded with 10th place on the aforementioned Avebury, and 12th onboard WEG bronze medallist Nereo who had two uncharacteristic rails in this afternoon’s show jumping. Any horse and rider in that top ten this year performed exceptionally. How fitting that the most talented man to ever sit on an event horse topped the pile.

Sam Watson: A Legend Leads The Pack

Mark Todd |Leading After Cross Country

Mark Todd, what a legend!! If you want to know what the riders of Badminton 2011 are thinking right now, that’s it. If anything was going to hold Land Vision back this week then it was probably going to be time penalties. But ‘Sir Mark Todd to be’ got every last inch out of his horse using his extraordinary feel and his palpable determination.

Despite all that, he hasn’t exactly got much breathing room – there are no less than eleven riders within a single show jump of our current leader. It will be a strange atmosphere in the lorry park because usually there aren’t so many combinations with so much to play for going into the final phase. There are still the inevitable casualties of a cross country course of this magnitude and again, heartfelt commiserations will be offered to the riders concerned. The camaraderie amongst competitors after the cross country is similar to that of the battle field, delight and pride for those who have defeated the common enemy and the deepest respect for the wounded.

Sam Watson: Impressions On The Dressage Scoring

Jakarta Managed A Perfect 10

Dressage over and what a display! Six combinations in the thirties, another twenty seven in the forties, and only thirteen competitors with a score of 60 or higher. That’s impressive and a seriously high standard. Welcome to the World’s top event. The judging was the best I’ve ever seen on the international stage. As usual there was the odd discrepancy with 4’s and 7’s appearing for individual movements but that happens and will continue to do so until eventing also has a ‘video referee’! I say that with tongue in cheek, but I was genuinely impressed with the consistent percentages from top to bottom across the three judges. Every single horse in the top ten scored higher than 70% from each judge. That reflects consistency of both performance and judging and was a pure delight to watch. But now the dressage is over and the intricate details have already been forgotten. Why? Because there’s a bigger fish to fry. It’s called cross country….

Sam Watson: It's Getting Quiet & Serious Down At The Lorry Park

Redesigned Withdrawn

It’s Friday morning, we’re basked in sunshine yet again and things don’t look like changing. Some of the riders, and I would have included myself in this bracket, would have been praying for a last minute deluge of rain before tomorrow’s cross country. But it will take divine intervention to soften the hallowed turf of Badminton at this late stage. Different event horses, just like racehorses, can be better suited to different ground conditions. Generally speaking, this dry quick ground will suit those at the top end of the dressage leaderboard, but every rider will be concerned about their horse’s legs when running over ‘good’ ground conditions. The Badminton team have hardly drawn breath where watering the course is concerned, so the best ground is definitely out on that course. Despite that, there will be riders who haven’t performed a great test who will now change their tactics on Sunday. Experience may be the order of the day, rather than going for an all out win from low down in the field. These horses aren’t machines, and while Badminton is an occasion which we generally save our horses for, there’ll be riders looking to next year and beyond for their ‘big win’.

Sam Watson Reflects On Day One Of Dressage

Laura Collett Is Delighted After Her Dressage Test

At the end of day one the riders at last have a leaderboard, or at least half a leaderboard to focus their sights on. For the riders that have been today their fate in the dressage phase has been decided. Those who have underperformed will have to muster a lot of mental strength to get over one disappointment and refocus for the next two disciplines. You can’t afford to head out on cross country day with your tail between your legs, or things will only get worse! For others it’s job done, time to pack away the dressage saddle and start concentrating on Sunday’s big test. And for the early leaders, every fence on that notorious course has just grown 10inches taller. With success comes pressure, some thrive on it and others just don’t.

Sam Watson Watching The Dressage

Andrew Nicholson & Avebury

So what does it feel like to wake up at Badminton Horse Trials on competition morning? Well, sometimes getting to sleep can be a tricky one, this mainly applies to the newcomers but everyone has nerves to deal with in some shape or form. The emotions swing like a pendulum all week, ranging from euphoria for those who dare to dream about winning to pure fear, which everyone experiences. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the fear is in relation to those big scary jumps out on the cross country course, but it isn’t really. It’s the fear of failure.

Sam Watson Reflects on Today's Activities

Big Crowds For The Trot Up

As the sun begins its decent so too does the hustle and bustle of trot-up day. The second year of the Grassroots Festival has been a success, blessed by the weather and making no intrusion on the main event. The crowds today have been busy, thanks largely to the aforementioned Grassroots competition. However, when I was a youngster making my Badminton debut all of two years ago, the volume of people at the first horse inspection was one of the first things to really hit me.

Guest Blogger: Sam Watson Switches Roles

Sam Watson | Guest Blogging At Badminton

Dear Badminton Enthusiasts,

So it is that Badminton 2011 is upon us. I’m Sam Watson and, up until last week, this was scheduled to be my third spin around what I unashamedly label The World’s Greatest Event. An uncharacteristic tumble at our last prep run and a subsequent minor injury to my top horse, Horseware Bushman, means that I have come here in an all-together different role, but one that is equally as terrifying….I have crossed over to the dark side and joined the press!! Throughout the week I will bring you Badminton from the riders’ point of view. What it takes to get here, what goes on behind the scenes, the mood and atmosphere in the lorry park and stable block, and the emotions, nerves, preparation and focus involved to be a part of this prestigious event.