We visited Paul Tapner at his yard in Wickstead Equestrian Centre, Highworth nr. Swindon today to see how he was enjoying his first week as the 2010 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Champion. Here's what Paul had to say about his slightly crazy week:
Monday, 10 May 2010
Monday, 3 May 2010
Badminton Horse Trials 2010 Winner, Paul Tapner: "This win means so much"
Andreas Dibowski and Euroridings Butts Leon kept their clean sheet in the final phase to move up to second, while Daisy Berkeley and Spring Along enjoyed their best Badminton result to date to take third.
“As soon as I first started eventing, Badminton has been my aim. It doesn’t get much better than this,” he said.
Paul, who grew up in Sydney but who has been permanently based in the UK since 2003, admitted that Inonothing failed to impress him as a youngster.
“He had some very special behavioural problems back then – in fact his nickname is ‘Spinhead’. After I rode him in his first novice competition in 2003, it went so disastrously wrong that I almost phoned up his owner, Jenny Waaler, and told that I didn’t want to ride him anymore. But something held me back from making that phone call. And now look where we are.”
Mary King’s one rail down on Imperial Cavalier dropped her from second to fourth and allowed Germany’s Andreas Dibowski and Euroridings Butts Leon to rise up into second place.
This is a third consecutive runners-up position for this combination, who occupied the same spot in Luhmühlen and Pau last year.
“Normally if someone told me I would be second in a competition like this I would be very happy, but I think someday I would like to win a four-star,” said Andreas.
Daisy Berkeley (née Dick) and the irrepressible Spring Along jumped an immaculate clear to rise from sixth to third.
“He’s like fine wine – he gets better with age,” said Daisy of the 17-year-old.
Caroline Powell and Lenamore finished fifth with a double jumping clear, while vet James Robinson rolled just one pole to drop from fourth to sixth.
AUDIO INTERVIEW: PAUL TAPNER
FULL RESULTS
BIOGRAPHY: PAUL TAPNER
Watch Paul Tapner's Winning Show Jumping Round.
Watch Paul Tapner's Cross Country Round (on Stormhill Michael)
Looking back at yesterday's cross-country
Of the 81 starters that set off round Hugh Thomas's cross-country course at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, there were 57 finishers. Of these, 42 combinations jumped clear and four came home inside the time.
The final 20 have just started showjumping. There is less than a fence in hand between the top four, and just 8.4 penalties separating the top 10.
So near, yet so far
“Andrew told me to stick to my plan and ride positively, so that’s what I did,” said Sian, who has previously completed Burghley on two occasions and Pau CCI**** once before with the 14-year-old Just Appeal.
Nevertheless Sian admitted to being surprised at finishing inside the optimum.
“I set out hoping I’d be near it and he’s got a good gallop, but as I went round I kept looking down at my watch and thinking: ‘Wow, I’m well up there with my minute markers,’” she said.
Sadly, Just Appeal sustained an overreach yesterday that prevented him from showjumping.
“But we’ll be back for Burghley,” said Sian, who has just finished setting up her own yard in North Wales.
Seven horses withdrawn overnight, but leading contenders all pass horse inspection
Seven horses have been withdrawn overnight.
Sian Wynne Morris’s Just Appeal (31st), Sacha Pemble’s I’ve Been Dun (32nd), Geoff Curran’s Balladeer Alfred(pictured) (49th) and Selina Bodiliy (44th) were not presented, while Annabel Wigley’s Black Drum (18th), Sara Burdess’s Shiver St George (42nd) and Nicola Malcolm’s McFly (54th) were held and then withdrawn from the holding box.
Showjumping starts at 11am for the lower placed riders, followed by a parade of competitors at 1.45pm. Showjumping for the top 20 will begin at 2pm.
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