Eleven Irish riders competed at this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials – three of whom finished inside the top 20, all riding Irish Sport Horses. Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello were best of the Irish, finishing in 13th place, one spot ahead of Clare Abbott and Euro Prince in 14th, while Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift took 20th place overall.

Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello (ISH) were awarded the Glentrool Trophy, as the horse and rider who made the greatest improvement on their dressage placing. They rose an incredible 62 places having been 75th after dressage to jump clear cross country and show jumping to take 13th place overall on a score of 68.

Clare Abbott and Euro Prince finished with eight faults in the final jumping test to take 14th on a total score of 68.1. Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift (ISH), who were lying in third place after dressage, had an unfortunate run out cross country which dropped them into 25th place. They produced a foot-perfect final jumping round to take 20th place on a score of 78.4.

In total, 10 of the Irish riders managed to complete Badminton’s demanding three phases, with Camilla Speirs opting to retire Portersize Just A Jiff on cross country.

Austin O’Connor and Kilpatrick Knight (ISH)(TIH) finished 26th, Sarah Ennis with Horseware Stellor Rebound (ISH) (32nd), Cathal Daniels with Rioghan Rua (ISH) (33rd), Ciaran Glynn with November Night (ISH)(TIH) (36th), Michael Ryan with Dunlough Striker (ISH) (38th), Dominic Furnell with Ballycahane Flower Power (ISH)(TIH) (42nd) and Jim Newsam with Magennis (ISH) (45th).

DRAMATIC FINAL

A dramatic final round saw New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson rise from third place at the start of the day to win at Badminton for the very first time with Nereo.

Nicholson, who broke his neck just two years ago following a fall at an event, jumped clear, adding just a time penalty in the final show jumping round.

He watched on as first, Germany’s Michael Jung (La Biosthetique Sam) and then Ingrid Klimke (Horseware Hale Bob) faulted to hand the title to a jubilant Nicholson on a final score of 41.4.