Thursday,
May 5 - The first Day of Dressage
At
the lunch break on Thursday, last year's winner of the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse
Trials CCI**** William Fox-Pitt stood in first place on a score of 48.7. This
ride, however, was with Ballincoola, an 11 year old liver chestnut 
gelding
who finished Burghley last year in 11th place, after having placed 4th at Rolex-Kentucky,
in the spring. His 2004 Badminton winner does not go until the middle of the last
rotation on Friday. (William and Ballincoola are pictured at the right.)
Milla
Healey, age 35, a Brit who rode Zarzoo a 13 year old Irish Thoroughbred who had
placed 10th at the Blenhein CCI***, in 2002, and 9th the last year, slipped into
the second spot on the only other score in the 40's. Her's was 49.3.
Milla
said of Zarzoo, "I bought him from and old dealer in Melton Mowbry - he's
now retired. We came up through the levels together." Regarding the Cross
Country Course, Milla mused, "You have to keep your concentration in the
middle section - just keep thinking. The fences come up very fast."
Australia's Andrew Hoy, fresh from his runs at Rolex-Kentucky, stoods third with
Mr. Pracatan (54.5), while Andrew Nicholson (NZL) was in fourth on 54.8.
The
only American to ride in the morning was Will Faudree, of Southern Pines, North
Carolina with his and his parents 16 year old Antigua, who was the 
travelling
spare for the Athens Olympic Games last year. This pair were part of the Pan American
Games Gold Medal Team at Fair Hill International, in 2003, and has placed at Rolex-Kentucky
twice, having finished 10th in 2004. (Will and Antigua are pictured at the
left.)
Will
said, "Antigua got here on Tuesday. He has been a bit wild for the last few
days. He lit up when I entered the arena My focus was to try to keep the lid on
him. He's very, very fit this year and feeling a lot better."
Eleanor
Brennan, the youngest rider at Badminton this year, rides for Great Britain, but
resides in the USA and is a student of both Kim Severson and Sandy Phillips. Eleanor
had a horrid time. Bailey Zwei was tense in the rein back, tense at the walk,
showed serious resistance and did at least one flying change early for 79.3 -
the second worst score of the morning.
*
* *
After
lunch Clayton Fredericks, of Australia, rode W.P.in Limbo, a 13 year old grey
gelding to a score of 54.3 for 4th place only to be joined in an exact tie by
Magnus Gallerdal and Keymaster, a 12 year old Swedish bred thoroughbred who rode
immediately after them.
Heidi
White, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, who had been Short Listed for the
Athens Olympic Games, did her Dressage at the end of the third rotation and turned
in a beautiful test with her own 12 year old Thoroughbred gelding Northern Spy
for a final score of 54.5. This was good for a tie for fifth place with Andrew
Hoy, of Australia, with Mr. Pracatan.
Heidi
commented, "I just lost him a little bit a few times. We salvaged as much
as we could. I've never been to Badminton before." Speaking of the Cross
Country course she said,"I think it's as big a course as I've ever seen."
In
the fourth rotation of the day, Kitty Boggis and Five Boys scored a 52.0 to slip
into 3rd place. She later said, "I have had a hemotoma on my leg. A young
horse had a fall in the water and stood on me. I have had it drained and it is
all right now."
The
top Ten on the Leader Board after the First Day:
1.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR),
Ballincoola - 48.7
2. Milla Healey (GBR), Zarzoo - 49.3
3. Kitty
Boggis (GBR), Five Boys - 52.0
4T. Clayton Fredericks (AUS), W.P.
In Limbo - 54.3
4T. Magnus Gallerdal (SWE), Keymaster - 54.3
6T.
Andrew Hoy (AUS), Mr. Pracatan - 54.5
6T. Heidi White (USA),
Northern Spy - 54.5
8T. Andrew Nicholson (NZL), Fenicio -
54.8
8T. Eric Smiley (IRE), Macloud - 54.8
10. Leslie Law (GBR),
Shear H2O - 55.4
(Kitty
Boggis, Milla Healey and William Fox-Pitt
are
pictured above at the Thursday Press Conference.)
(Only
6.7 faults separate the top 10 competitors. 36 horses competed on Thursday.)
Others
of interest:
22T.
Will Faudree (USA),
Antigua - 61.3
35. Eleanor Brennan (GBR), Bailey Zwei - 79.3
