Wednesday,
May 3, 2006 - The First Veterinary Examination
Seventy-six
horses, representing thirteen nations, were presented at the First Veterinary
Examination on Wednesday Afternoon at 4:00 PM, in front of Badminton House.
Of
these, three were sent to the Holding Box: Tobias Gronberg's Amaretto for
Sweden; Lucy Diamond's Carousel VI, for Great Britain; and Regis Prud'hon's Bayou
Messipierre, for France.
Of the above three the first two, Amaretto and
Carousel VI, passed upon re-inspection. though neither trotted up four square.
Sadly, France's Bayou Messipierre was not passed upon re-inspection, so seventy-five
go forward to do their Dressage on Thursday and Friday.
As
usual a star studded line up is entered for this year's renewal. Included are
four former Badminton winners: Rodney Powell, the winner in 1991, on The Irishman;
William Fox-Pitt (GBR), the winner in 2004 with Tamarillo (who also place
d
second in 2005 and runs again this year); Mary King (GBR),who has won twice previously,
in 1992 with King William and, in 2000, with Star Appeal (Mary rides Cashel Bay
this year) (Mary and Cashel Bay are pictured at the right above.): and
Pippa Funnell (GBR) who has won three times previously, in 2002 and 2003 with
Supreme Rock, and in 2005 with Primmore's Pride. Pippa rides Ensign this year.
(Pippa and Ensign are pictured at the left.)
In
addition, Matt Ryan (AUS), the Olympic Individual Gold Medalist from the Barcelona
Olympic Games, in 1992, brings Bonza Katoomba to Badminton this year and Andrew
Hoy (AUS) fresh from victory at the Rolex Kentuc
ky
CCI****, last weekend and therefore eligible to gain a second leg on the Mitsubishi
Challenge, will ride Mr. Pracatan, seventh here in 2003, fifth in 2004, and sixth
last year, as well as Moonfleet, the winner of the Landrover BurghleyCCI****,
in 2004.
It
is always a bit of fun to try to pick the young riders who will do well. This
year, in with a chance are Matt Ryan, 23, who rides Cermont, a thirteen year old
Irish bred gelding who placed at Saumur and Thirlestane last year, (Matt and
Cermont are pictured at the right above.) and Park Pilot, a 12 year old skewbald
gelding who placed second at Blenheim, in 2004, and represented Great Britain
in the European Championships last year. Oliver Townsend is also 23. He rides
a thirteen year old Irish bred gelding who placed twelfth at Badminton last year.
There
are more Europeans than ever before. Among the most distinguished are
Ingrid
Klimke and Sleep Late, Bronze Medal Winners at the European Championships in 2005
(Ingrid and Sleep Late are pictured at the left.) and Karen Donkers, of
Belgium, fourth in the same European Championships last year.
The
Dressage begins on Thursday morning at 9:45 AM.
