Todd Takes Fourth Badminton Title

Todd Takes Fourth Badminton Title

Mark Todd rode himself into the history books at the Badminton Horse Trials this morning when he notched his fourth win at the prestigious three day event in the UK.

Aboard the striking grey NZB Land Vision, Todd, the oldest rider to have won Badminton, was a picture of calm as he completed the showjumping phase.

However, the 55-year-old says it didn't all go his way aboard a horse having just its first four star start.

“We gave that first fence a little nudge and that woke both of us up.”

But he was full of praise for Land Vision who he rates as as good as any other he has had. Just a single rail separated the top 12 combinations going into the showjumping, so there was no room for error.

“I had a good feeling about this competition and for some reason always felt this was mine to have this year.”

Caroline Powell and her grey Lenamore finished in sixth spot after also going clear and inside time in the showjumping, finishing just 3.6 points behind Todd, with Andrew Nicholson 10th on Avebury and 12th on Nereo after uncharacteristically taking a couple rails.

But the day belonged to Todd, who will be on a plane to Kentucky in the wee hours, to compete at the Rolex four star event on NZB Grass Valley.

“It is like a fairy tale,” he says. “When you come back, you hope you can get back to the level you have been at but to actually come out on a horse at his first four star start and beat such a strong field is just amazing.”

It is 31 years since Todd first won Badminton aboard Southern Comfort. He retired after the Sydney Olympics in 2000 but was back with vengeance eight years later and last year was part of the New Zealand that won bronze at the World Equestrian Games.

Now he's looking to the London Olympics.

“This horse has a whole lot more in him too – he's been a winner from the word go and I have always thought an awful lot of him.”

Those sentiments are reiterated by New Zealand eventing high performance coach Erik Duvander.

“We've still got a lot of hard work to be done before London but everyone is noticing that the New Zealanders are tracking it,” he says.

Duvander said the win was incredible for both Todd and New Zealand sport.

“To do what he did before he retired and then come back and win again is just amazing. He rode the whole competition with a lot of confidence in his horse, who is still just a young horse and one I think we will see excel even more in time to come.”

Duvander praised the efforts of the other Kiwis too, saying Powell had been outstanding on Lenamore and her young horse Boston Two Tip, who finished 31st, had stepped up well.

It had been unfortunate for Andrew Nicholson and Nereo, to have had two rails in the showjumping.

“This is a horse who is a very good showjumper and has had maybe just a rail in his life.”

Looking forward, Duvander says New Zealand has a great future in eventing, especially considering Nereo, Avebury and Land Vision were all young horses and there were rising stars Jonathan Paget and Clarke Johnstone just waiting in the wings.

“People from all nations are talking about the New Zealanders.”

Results – Mark Todd (NZL) NZB Land Vision 43.6 penalty points 1, Piggy French (Great Britain) Jakata 45.2 2, Mary King (Great Britain) Imperial Cavalier 45.8 3, Sam Griffiths (Australia) Happy Times 46.3 4, Niklas Lindback (Sweden) Mister Pooh 46.7 5, Caroline Powell (NZL) Lenamore 47.2 6.

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