Show Jumping

:00:16. > :00:26.Well what a competition. My word, this has been brilliant. Such a

:00:27. > :00:29.partnership, these two. Exceptional. What a fabulous competition... Sheer

:00:30. > :00:45.class as a rider. Hello, welcome to Badminton, the

:00:46. > :00:51.historic and grand setting for the most important day of the east

:00:52. > :00:56.questryian calendar. When this first started the winner got a check for

:00:57. > :01:01.?150. Now they are presented with the Mitsubishi Motors trophy and get

:01:02. > :01:04.a cheque for ?100,000. If they can negotiate all three phases without a

:01:05. > :01:08.mistake, believe me they would have earned it. Particularly around the

:01:09. > :01:12.Lake, there'll be hundreds of thousands people here, across this

:01:13. > :01:21.vast estate and many of them will be hoping to see someone make a splash.

:01:22. > :01:29.Welcome. One of the great titles in the horse world and we have a field

:01:30. > :01:34.second to none... To us riders, it's totally sacred.

:01:35. > :02:03.Intense pressure. It's a very tough course. It's big, bold, difficult.

:02:04. > :02:09.Eventing is one of the only sports that genuinely gives men and women

:02:10. > :02:14.an equal chance of winning. If you look at the results you can see it,

:02:15. > :02:23.62 titles. 25 of them won by women. That is 40%. When you look back at

:02:24. > :02:28.the greats, there are three women who set the standard.

:02:29. > :02:44.Jenny Holdgate. Pippa Funnell... Sits up. Now pick it up... And she

:02:45. > :02:50.is a lovely clear round by Lucinda and wins the Whitbread trophy. The

:02:51. > :02:52.Badminton Horse Trials championship and ?1,000.

:02:53. > :03:02.The first year I won it was driving my tiny horsebox with my horse

:03:03. > :03:06.virtually over my shoulder at night. And turning on the news and in those

:03:07. > :03:09.days the news had who won Badminton. I couldn't believe it. That is what

:03:10. > :03:21.I remember first about Badminton. So the Queen congratulates Lucinda.

:03:22. > :03:25.I think I was ordinary. I wasn't super talented, but I really loved

:03:26. > :03:31.horses and loved the thrill that cross-country gave me. I was fairly

:03:32. > :03:34.chicken, so I very quickly adopted a seat that kept me as much out of

:03:35. > :03:38.trouble as possible. In other words, a defensive seat. In those days,

:03:39. > :03:45.very few people sat ready for trouble.

:03:46. > :03:52.I never quite imagined I would be able to win it. Incredibly lucky to

:03:53. > :04:01.have three very different horses, actually.

:04:02. > :04:06.Priceless, Master Craftsman and Welcome Houdini. All physically very

:04:07. > :04:09.different and, you know, what a joy to be able to have three horses win

:04:10. > :04:23.this amazing competition. The first time I won it on Supreme

:04:24. > :04:27.Rock, I really sensed that the horse just felt amazing. I just had this

:04:28. > :04:35.sense that I was convinced he had a chance of winning it.

:04:36. > :04:39.The feeling when I jumped the last show jump knowing I'd won it was

:04:40. > :04:47.disbelief. The stuff that dreams are made of.

:04:48. > :04:51.People really underestimate the such huge emotional ties that we have

:04:52. > :04:55.with our horses. It's about mind games and that's half the intrigue

:04:56. > :05:01.in the sport. It's about getting into the horse's minds.

:05:02. > :05:09.One thing about this particular sport is it's so rare with men and

:05:10. > :05:12.women competing absolutely level. Same dressage, same cross-country,

:05:13. > :05:18.same showjumping and I cannot think of another sport where that happens.

:05:19. > :05:21.Why hasn't there been a female winner of Badminton the last ten

:05:22. > :05:26.years? The dorss we have got in-- the courses we have got into

:05:27. > :05:30.latterly are possibly centred around strength because they are so trappy

:05:31. > :05:34.and tricky and technical. You've literally got to be able to have the

:05:35. > :05:39.strength to pull your horse from one line to another in a very quick time

:05:40. > :05:43.and it suddenly struck me this is the way cross-country should be

:05:44. > :05:47.going if men keep winning because there are plenty of very good girls.

:05:48. > :05:51.And one of the very best in the world is Ingrid Klimke, the

:05:52. > :05:57.49-year-old from Germany has come close to winning here on Bob. She

:05:58. > :06:02.empathises the emthe relationship between horse and rider. I got him

:06:03. > :06:08.when he was five. I bought him while he was such a new jumper and while

:06:09. > :06:12.so clever and while he's strong minded, he's a real fighter and

:06:13. > :06:18.knows exactly what he wants. He's very determined. So I really love

:06:19. > :06:23.his spirit. I know whenever I have a good line and whenever he sees the

:06:24. > :06:27.jump and knows his job, then I so much know that he will try and get

:06:28. > :06:32.over it. He's very clever and smart. And he has his own ideas. It's

:06:33. > :06:37.sometimes good because he takes over when he thinks it's time that he

:06:38. > :06:43.makes a decision. So he's not shy or spooky. He's very much bold and,

:06:44. > :06:47.what I love. I think it's really difficult and challenging because

:06:48. > :06:52.the fences are very high. Really big, big fences. It will not be an

:06:53. > :06:56.easy round. So it could be a woman for the first time in a decade. But

:06:57. > :07:01.when you look at the male contenders they are so strong and they include

:07:02. > :07:08.the best rider in the world, who is also the defending champion.

:07:09. > :07:12.I think the cross-country is very tough. You have to concentrate from

:07:13. > :07:17.the beginning to the end. There are many questions directly after the

:07:18. > :07:22.other. He's a strong powerful horse and the

:07:23. > :07:31.last months, the last weeks he's given me a very good feeling.

:07:32. > :07:34.I've come to Badminton to win it. I feel I have a chance. He's a very

:07:35. > :07:39.good chance. He's not getting any younger. I'm not getting any

:07:40. > :07:45.younger. I'm relying on him this year to win it for me. All to play

:07:46. > :07:50.for. He's been galloping very well at home and not feeling like he's

:07:51. > :07:55.17. Don't tell him he's 17. He doesn't know he is. Badminton is

:07:56. > :08:01.terrifying, isn't it, from start to finish. There's no let-up. I think

:08:02. > :08:04.Eric's done a fabulous job. You have to ride very well from start to

:08:05. > :08:11.finish and there's no let up and you cannot make a mistake. I'm actually

:08:12. > :08:15.looking forward to getting out there, but I cannot say I'm not

:08:16. > :08:21.inner vows. I was expecting something softer for the first year

:08:22. > :08:24.for Eric Winter. But it's been designed in a tough way in my

:08:25. > :08:28.opinion. I'm happy to see it. It a east not a dressage competition.

:08:29. > :08:32.It's an old combination now and we get along very well and I can rely

:08:33. > :08:38.on him and know everything about him. It's very good when you take a

:08:39. > :08:45.horse to such a tough competition. Well, here's an exact approximate of

:08:46. > :08:50.what the riders have to face. It is a big course, it requires a horse of

:08:51. > :08:54.great scope. And Eric Winter has designed it. What sort of test were

:08:55. > :08:59.you trying to set? I wanted to set a general test. I wanted to change the

:09:00. > :09:03.velocity of the course and go back a few years to big, bold questions.

:09:04. > :09:09.Slightly less combinations, but bigger jumping. So something like

:09:10. > :09:14.this is a real sort of rider frightener, a crowd pleaser. It

:09:15. > :09:18.looks enormous. When I came here as a child this was the sort of thing I

:09:19. > :09:22.thought, wow I would like to jump that. As a course designer I come

:09:23. > :09:27.here and look around and think I want to go back to that. There are

:09:28. > :09:31.only five difficult combinations on the field but they ask everything. I

:09:32. > :09:36.wanted to say actually the horse that jumped around here was an

:09:37. > :09:38.all-round athlete and the rider was an outstanding rider and not

:09:39. > :09:43.everybody in their first time should come here and think they would jump

:09:44. > :09:46.the straight ways all the way. It is about a relationship between you and

:09:47. > :09:48.your horse, the course and a recognition of what your horse is

:09:49. > :09:54.very good at and what you are very good at and what you are not. For

:09:55. > :10:01.you, personally of an honour is this? For me, amazing. The first

:10:02. > :10:08.event I ever came to. I walked aroind looked at fences like this. I

:10:09. > :10:14.rode a couple of times around here. I started to design. I spent a lot

:10:15. > :10:18.of time walking along. As many would have done, I would do this, not

:10:19. > :10:20.that. What an horn tore put out a course in a place like this.

:10:21. > :10:31.Beautiful! There are more than 807 horses

:10:32. > :10:37.competing here. They -- 80 horses competing here. There is the

:10:38. > :10:43.youngest horse in the competition. She a chestnut mare and is ten.

:10:44. > :10:48.She's ridden by the youngest competitor, at 20.

:10:49. > :10:55.He this horse is just over 15 feet high. He finished ninth last year.

:10:56. > :10:59.He's been here five times. This fella, Mouse, is coming to Badminton

:11:00. > :11:04.for the very first time at the age of 18. I reckon that makes him the

:11:05. > :11:13.oldest debutante ever. He's come over from Italy. He's big, too. 17

:11:14. > :11:21.hands high. He'll make the fences look small. The dressage test their

:11:22. > :11:25.suppleness, it is a sequence of steps and they have to follow it

:11:26. > :11:30.with complete accuracy. Last year Michael Jung set the pace on Sam.

:11:31. > :11:31.He's back to defend his title. Let's find out who was impressing the

:11:32. > :11:44.judges. There hasn't been an injure winner

:11:45. > :11:52.here at Badminton since 1965. Jonty Evans is trying to become the next.

:11:53. > :11:56.He produced a career-best dressage, for a score of 37.2, which puts him

:11:57. > :12:00.into third place. He loves the crowd. He was just brilliant. I am

:12:01. > :12:04.over the moon with him. I have said before that I know he'll turn up, so

:12:05. > :12:09.I have come and do my best. I think I did my best and he was there.

:12:10. > :12:15.If there is to be a first female winner for a decade, the hot

:12:16. > :12:23.favourite would be Ingrid Klimke, representing Germany on Horseware

:12:24. > :12:27.Hale Bob. She produced a beautiful dressage, in a high-quality

:12:28. > :12:33.competition. Her score was second best. He showed all his quality. I

:12:34. > :12:37.could ride the extensions and everything like I wanted. He walked

:12:38. > :12:42.so relaxed and quiet. It was really fun to ride him.

:12:43. > :12:48.Out in front, on his own, is the Australian Christopher Burton riding

:12:49. > :12:52.the 12-year-old Graf Liberty. He won last autumn and finished

:12:53. > :12:58.fifth at the Olympics and could be regarded as the rising star of the

:12:59. > :13:02.eventing world. This is why a dressage test of elegance, beauty

:13:03. > :13:08.and accuracy for an outstanding score of 32.9. I'm elated. I'm over

:13:09. > :13:11.the moon. He went in there and he got a little bit spriethly. Lifted

:13:12. > :13:15.his head and I thought we could be in trouble. He went back to work. He

:13:16. > :13:21.did everything so well. I was asked before, did I know he had that good

:13:22. > :13:26.a test in him? Of course, I did. I didn't expect it at Badminton in the

:13:27. > :13:29.main arena, that's for sure. The standard for dressage gets higher

:13:30. > :13:33.and higher. You can see looking at the leaderboard. Eight with scores

:13:34. > :13:38.in the 30s and not Michael Jung. He is ninth on Sam, with 40. The top

:13:39. > :13:45.seven come from seven Different nations. Not a single British rider

:13:46. > :13:48.because the leading Brits are in 18th.

:13:49. > :13:54.It is a truly global competition. For the last time on BBC television

:13:55. > :13:59.it will be described by Mike Tucker who is stepping down from the

:14:00. > :14:05.microphone. Our commentary team. I give you an idea of the massive

:14:06. > :14:09.crowds who are gathered to watch this cross-country course. All the

:14:10. > :14:16.riders agreeing this is a testing course. It needs plenty of respect.

:14:17. > :14:22.And we Seaman any number of stories unfold. Could Christopher Burton add

:14:23. > :14:26.Badminton? Could Ingrid Klimke become the first female winner for

:14:27. > :14:32.10 years or could Andrew Nicholson finally win the title which has

:14:33. > :14:37.alluded him so far at the age of 55? We will find out now, as we see how

:14:38. > :14:42.the early starters fare on the cross-country.

:14:43. > :14:51.THE COMMENTATOR: Mark Todd, first of two rides. This, the first real test

:14:52. > :14:56.on the course. He's away to the Lake.

:14:57. > :15:00.OK, here we are at the famous like. I started to come here in 1984 and

:15:01. > :15:06.been here since then and well before that. I'm going to jump the Flower

:15:07. > :15:12.Garden, land on my back side. A bit of leg pressure. Centre of the fence

:15:13. > :15:22.and then look up behind it and keep the leg on and ride up to the jump.

:15:23. > :15:30.As they jump I want to sit backwards. It is a 2 m jump. We

:15:31. > :15:35.don't want them pecking on landing and be shifted out the front or even

:15:36. > :15:42.take a few strides to get balance back again, you then miss almost B.

:15:43. > :15:48.Get to here, my eyes glued on the element behind us. Then we have one

:15:49. > :15:55.stride to here. So it is a very narrow, on a big angle, the jump is

:15:56. > :16:00.angled away from us. So we want to make sure we get the horse up close

:16:01. > :16:06.enough that it is very clear, he has to come up, jump through the gap,

:16:07. > :16:16.land, turn away we go and that's the Lake done for another year.

:16:17. > :16:21.COMMENTATOR: Well a lot has to happen here as Andrew Nicholson

:16:22. > :16:28.suggests. Oh, very hesitant. He has to sit tight,k by up the reaps. He's

:16:29. > :16:35.got the line? This isn't looking - a quick change of mind. You have to

:16:36. > :16:39.get the right track here, it is easy to pick up penalties. New rules,

:16:40. > :16:46.complicated but quite possible. I think he might have got away with

:16:47. > :16:52.that. He has got a bang in the face, I think. Well, now the Showgun

:16:53. > :16:57.Hollow comes up at 10. Two corners either side of the hollow. The blue

:16:58. > :17:03.route, red route, short route and very long route. This man, remember,

:17:04. > :17:09.rode in two show jumping Olympics as well as winning two medals eventing.

:17:10. > :17:16.A brilliant eye A superb exhibition of how that should be jumped. He

:17:17. > :17:20.heads to the bridge. This is one of the big famous Badminton fences. I

:17:21. > :17:24.don't think you will find anyone taking that red route. But there is

:17:25. > :17:29.a big scary ditch here. He needs the right shot. A little laboured. Had

:17:30. > :17:41.to reach for it, but safe. Look at the clockp counting down. Alexander

:17:42. > :17:50.Bragg at the Staircase. A good dressage test and a positive start

:17:51. > :17:54.for them. Here we are, fence 5. ABC, the Hildon Water Pond. For me starts

:17:55. > :17:58.at the top of the hill. The hill might help to close the horses up a

:17:59. > :18:04.bit but that's what we want to do, putted them in a more of a show

:18:05. > :18:08.jumping canter or collecting canter for the question to come then riders

:18:09. > :18:15.will be looking for the line. Choose a spot in the fence to jump. For me

:18:16. > :18:18.I want to look at the red flag to make sure I've go the my line early.

:18:19. > :18:22.The other important thing to remember is the who ares might not

:18:23. > :18:26.know it is a water jump until this late in the distance, so here we are

:18:27. > :18:29.keeping our leg on, sitting tall, trying to get a good strike at the

:18:30. > :18:32.fence then you see riders sitting up and looking. The most important

:18:33. > :18:35.thing is the line, you don't want the horse going left or right, you

:18:36. > :18:39.want them to follow the rider. Ideally you want them to land with

:18:40. > :18:44.you, take a stride. First stride, somewhere about here. Very important

:18:45. > :18:49.to hold my line. I really want my toe of my boot on that red flag. You

:18:50. > :18:53.can see how clever he has been the with course design because the

:18:54. > :18:57.horses will feel and the riders will naturally want to go left which

:18:58. > :19:01.wouldn't be a problem expect for the C element. So ideally, staying

:19:02. > :19:07.straight, keeping the right rein a little bit out here. Really good

:19:08. > :19:11.distances. You will see, in my opinion, riders doing it really

:19:12. > :19:14.nicely and making it look easy but plenty of things can go wrong at

:19:15. > :19:24.this tough fence, that's for sure, with these steep banks. COMMENTATOR:

:19:25. > :19:28.A very big log in. He has to land, balanced. His body position perfect.

:19:29. > :19:40.Has he got the line? Yes he has. He makes it look easy. Not sure all are

:19:41. > :19:44.going to do it that well. ! And the 13-year-old Zagreb at the Lake. A

:19:45. > :19:50.little bit of balancing there. A very nice jump a quick recovery from

:19:51. > :19:58.the rider there. That was a long stride there. He does it in two.

:19:59. > :20:05.Here we are at the Corral fence, it is a new fence for Badminton, it is

:20:06. > :20:06.really difficult. You have to climb up a hill to theist if,

:20:07. > :20:10.really difficult. You have to climb up a hill to theist if, very,

:20:11. > :20:13.upright railings, a hill, make another turn to climb up another

:20:14. > :20:17.hill and over for some railings. There are two options and it is up

:20:18. > :20:25.to us as riders to decide which is the best for our horse.

:20:26. > :20:33.COMMENTATOR: To Leonidas II coming to the Corral. He jumps that and is

:20:34. > :20:38.he going left or right? They are on an angle. Again, looking very well,

:20:39. > :20:49.very easy and looking good on the clock, too. Zagreb, a massive jump

:20:50. > :20:59.at the Bridge, looking impressive. So we are at fences 21 A, B and C,

:21:00. > :21:03.the Ewells Corners, the three jumps are big, wide, boxy fences, the

:21:04. > :21:11.first fairly straightforward to jump but finding a ride for in is

:21:12. > :21:17.important and it could be tricky. The riders are conscious of the fact

:21:18. > :21:20.they would like to get five canter strides, five strides between this

:21:21. > :21:25.part and the next part which will require riding forward. The riders

:21:26. > :21:29.will becomep around this corner and what becomes interesting, as they

:21:30. > :21:33.get to this point here, as you look down the line, you see accuracy

:21:34. > :21:40.starts to become apparent. Riders need to mentally build a wall on

:21:41. > :21:45.white flags on the left and the red flags on the right. As you look as

:21:46. > :21:49.you come by the width of the fences, their maximum height and top width.

:21:50. > :21:53.So the horses need to be scopy, accurate and bold. Ideally horses

:21:54. > :21:58.will land within this two-yard area of the back of the fence and then

:21:59. > :22:03.it's measured by four steps and we should find that take-off point is

:22:04. > :22:07.about here. As you can see, the apex of this corner moves away and the

:22:08. > :22:12.accuracy required is really important. We want horses and riders

:22:13. > :22:15.focussed on that line and then hopefully the accuracy carries you

:22:16. > :22:20.over the width of the fence. There should be some big pats as riders

:22:21. > :22:29.love away to the Lake at this point. COMMENTATOR: Two-thirds of the way

:22:30. > :22:37.around this course, Mark Todd and Leonidas II. 6,500 m. Got the line.

:22:38. > :22:45.And makes it look easy. Optimum time 11.35. Is he on target? And coming

:22:46. > :22:51.to the Hildon Pond for Alexander brag. He is going to be influential

:22:52. > :22:55.in this competition. That was very quietly popping his way through.

:22:56. > :23:08.Looking very impressive so far, this combination. The new course designer

:23:09. > :23:12.eased off the pressure of the course towards the end, Huntman's course

:23:13. > :23:16.looking easier. Mark Todd flying through there and off it the last

:23:17. > :23:20.quarter of the course. Coming to the two gates, very upright. Really

:23:21. > :23:24.breaks the rhythm. You can see Mark Todd just setting the horse up. 180

:23:25. > :23:29.degree turn, can go inside the tree and jump the next one on the angle

:23:30. > :23:35.and he does go inside the tree and jumps it beautifully.

:23:36. > :23:40.Looking for that time of 11.35 when he'll get no time penalties, 0.4 of

:23:41. > :23:46.a second after that. Well the Mirage Pond comes quickly after the Hildon

:23:47. > :23:51.Pond. Horses getting very used to water but it isn't a nice jump in. A

:23:52. > :23:55.good line. Interesting the. The horse had his eye on the little

:23:56. > :24:00.house on the ride. The rider knew where he was going but the horse

:24:01. > :24:06.wasn't so convincing. So, Mark Todd, remember the first of his two rides

:24:07. > :24:16.at the Quarry. Another accuracy test and this big castle wall. This horse

:24:17. > :24:21.looks full of running. And we turn to the very talented young French

:24:22. > :24:25.chap, Astier Nicolas Nicholas. He was so impressive in Rio last year

:24:26. > :24:33.with this horse and again, looking convincing.

:24:34. > :24:39.Within 400 m of home, Leonidas II, Mark Todd. Already over the time.

:24:40. > :24:44.That's significant, that red score up in the top is now counting up the

:24:45. > :24:49.seconds he is over. Four for every second. The penalties kicking up for

:24:50. > :24:54.Mark Todd. There were thoughts there would be quite a few inside the

:24:55. > :25:05.time. But I'm not so sure. He is he flies the last. And he's home. 78.1

:25:06. > :25:13.for the New Zealander. Has he made it look easier than it's going to

:25:14. > :25:19.turn out? CLARE BALDING: How did you feel the course looked? As it

:25:20. > :25:23.walked, he was big, he was tough, he is funny at waters sometimes, we had

:25:24. > :25:29.strides here and there but he was so gene wine he kept going but you have

:25:30. > :25:34.to ride all the way. And the time is tight. The time is tight. I think

:25:35. > :25:37.without my detour at the Lake, I could have' been closer but, I think

:25:38. > :25:43.the ground is fast and the horse finished full of running so I think

:25:44. > :25:49.it is possible to get within the time. COMMENTATOR: Well Astier

:25:50. > :25:53.Nicolas coming to the famous Lake. A massive drop in over this rail. This

:25:54. > :26:01.is for the stride and gets another one. Well, Astier recovering from a

:26:02. > :26:09.broken shoulder. I shouldn't think that did him much good. Support from

:26:10. > :26:16.the crowd. Again, we will just have a look at this. Pushes for that one

:26:17. > :26:20.stride. The horse almost looks as though it has stopped. It was

:26:21. > :26:30.incredibly honest to jump that. And hang on to his back teeth. Well, now

:26:31. > :26:36.the famous Quarry, still an accuracy test right in the middle before the

:26:37. > :26:43.big stone wall. The blue route, short one, the very long red route.

:26:44. > :26:47.Don't think too many will take that. Here comes the talented part-time

:26:48. > :26:53.Farrier. Alexander Bragg with Zagreb. He has ridden great maturity

:26:54. > :27:03.his first Badminton. Beautifully through the quarry.

:27:04. > :27:11.This is a very interesting horse. Huge strides as it gallops here. He

:27:12. > :27:24.has already seen a big stride right up the ramp. Made that look just

:27:25. > :27:30.like a little jump at home. Making his way up to the Hildon Povenlted a

:27:31. > :27:36.very big log in this. You really need the right spot for take-off.

:27:37. > :27:39.Oh, just leaves a leg there. And Astier, is shouting to the jump

:27:40. > :27:44.judge, telling him he is going the long way. A quick change of plan

:27:45. > :27:58.there but a good bit of riding. A massive jump in. Good reaction from

:27:59. > :28:03.the rider there. 38-year-old, Alexander brag has really impressed

:28:04. > :28:07.at first Badminton. He had that very good dressage of 34.6. He will add

:28:08. > :28:11.time faults but it is not going that many. The way it is working out,

:28:12. > :28:14.this is a brilliant round for the first timer. Alexander Bragg from

:28:15. > :28:28.Britain, completes. CLARE BALDING: Well I have an elated

:28:29. > :28:33.Alexander. Clear at your first Badminton, what was it like? I'm

:28:34. > :28:37.elated relieved. Emotional really. The horse tried really hard. Our

:28:38. > :28:41.first one. I thought he was getting hard, I tried to help him and almost

:28:42. > :28:46.add strides which made it harder but when I came in the to the finish,

:28:47. > :28:52.God did he gallop. I think learning from this, I think I could push him

:28:53. > :28:56.more knowing when he still has it there, he has t but super feeling.

:28:57. > :29:02.COMMENTATOR: Well, another first-time rider for Great Britain

:29:03. > :29:06.at the Pond. Oh, he shoots her out. Virtually straight into the water.

:29:07. > :29:11.She's been an outstanding young rider. Won medals, both individually

:29:12. > :29:16.and team for Great Britain, but sadly, that's the end of Badminton

:29:17. > :29:27.2017 from the young rider from the Midlands. Let's see it again. Leaves

:29:28. > :29:31.the rider badly. When the horse flips like, that you have no chance.

:29:32. > :29:36.Now this brill yanted young Frenchman making this course look

:29:37. > :29:42.relatively straightforward. A bit of a let-up fence there, and he comes

:29:43. > :29:47.to the Corral. Interestingly, he takes the right-hand route. The

:29:48. > :29:54.first one we have seen doing this. Oh, and just pops two there. He had

:29:55. > :30:00.to wriggle around the tree. CLARE BALDING: Well having her first ride

:30:01. > :30:07.is Li is, sa Green, the daughter of the six times champion, lieu

:30:08. > :30:09.Sindhia. -- -- Lucinda, who is looking more nervous than she ever

:30:10. > :30:18.did when riding. Good luck. THE COMMENTATOR: She's had several

:30:19. > :30:28.years in the build-up to her first Badminton. Getting to the latter

:30:29. > :30:32.part of the course now. Takes a little bit of an extra pull. There

:30:33. > :30:34.kicks on to the wall and the horgs is very clever. No room for a

:30:35. > :30:48.stride. Lissa Green at 10. Sits very tight,

:30:49. > :30:53.just like her mum. Chosen not to ride in the famous primrose colours

:30:54. > :30:59.that won six times here for Lucinada. The second to last fence,

:31:00. > :31:03.this horse has been interesting. Makes it look so easy and well

:31:04. > :31:08.within the time. He's just running out of petrol towards the end. The

:31:09. > :31:11.time tells. One of the fastest riders across the country that we

:31:12. > :31:15.have seen in recent times is coming to that last fence. He'll be a

:31:16. > :31:20.little disappointed, I think w this timing. It is a very tough course

:31:21. > :31:31.out there. We have not seen many near inside the time as yet.

:31:32. > :31:38.Well the Olympic silver medallist Astier Nicolas has got around. Many

:31:39. > :31:45.horses would have stopped in the lake. He will never stop. He's too

:31:46. > :31:51.good. He's a star. I felt a bit unhappy with some

:31:52. > :31:55.fences, especially at this lake because the horse has got a huge

:31:56. > :32:02.stride, is keen. He was in a perfect rhythm going forward. He should,

:32:03. > :32:10.every day this stride and having to add a second stride because it's so

:32:11. > :32:15.long was so punishing to him. To made the rest of the course very

:32:16. > :32:20.long. He got tired. The rest was difficult and like a gas tank has

:32:21. > :32:33.gone down like this and then after it was all down to his big heart.

:32:34. > :32:40.Lissa Green now at the Hildon Water Pond. Again, well ridden.

:32:41. > :32:44.This young lady is not daunted be think course. She's well through the

:32:45. > :32:51.water pond and now reaching the halfway point on the course.

:32:52. > :32:57.And the great German rider Bettina Hoy. The strongest point of the

:32:58. > :33:01.German team for many years coming to the Staircase. A little bit of

:33:02. > :33:04.fighting on the approach, just making sure she gets the right

:33:05. > :33:13.stride and gets three strides in there. That's quite surprising.

:33:14. > :33:18.Don't see many get that in. Over the big,er and now to the

:33:19. > :33:22.Caral. Certainly jumped better than we thought it might. The rails on

:33:23. > :33:29.the top of the hill, a big set of rails.

:33:30. > :33:36.And going to go around. Going round will lose them probably 15, maybe a

:33:37. > :33:40.few more seconds, but it's safer. Lissa trying to pump out a good

:33:41. > :33:47.rhythm and you see the twists and turns. That can rather daunt a

:33:48. > :33:52.horse, it can really tire him. Bettina coming to the Table. Has a

:33:53. > :33:56.very surprising run out. A pretty experienced horse this now. I have

:33:57. > :34:04.to say Bettina will be disappointed with that. She puts her hand up.

:34:05. > :34:08.Retires. That is a huge disappointment from Bettina and the

:34:09. > :34:12.German contingent. A bit surprising because I would have expected better

:34:13. > :34:20.from this horse. Clare Abbot for Ireland. Ireland with a big

:34:21. > :34:22.contingent here. Euro Prince. Represented in the worlds in

:34:23. > :34:24.Normandy. Positively through the water. That's as well as anyone at

:34:25. > :34:42.that point and she presses on. And Lissa at the Quarry. Sliding

:34:43. > :34:48.there on the landing. One or two horses have been slipping on bits of

:34:49. > :34:50.the turns here. Nearly home. . . She'll be very excited a at this

:34:51. > :34:59.stage. Looks back. She's safe. Had a 51.7

:35:00. > :35:05.drissage, as you can see. She's got ground to make up. Coming to the

:35:06. > :35:10.final fence in the arena, Lissa Green, I should think her mother,

:35:11. > :35:15.Lucinda, will be holding her breath at this point. She will be thrilled.

:35:16. > :35:20.Quite a few time penalties. The fact is she's completed this course. It

:35:21. > :35:25.has to be a very positive step for this rider in the future. And the

:35:26. > :35:28.horse looking good and relaxed and quite happy. Mrs Green very happy,

:35:29. > :35:35.too. Your first experience of Badminton

:35:36. > :35:40.and you have got around, well done? It was a bit of a wing and a prayer.

:35:41. > :35:44.That would be the way with this gorgeous horse. To keep him in the

:35:45. > :35:48.right balance was tough. A lot of work would be used. To be honest, a

:35:49. > :35:52.lot of people think you are very brave as well? Stupid or brave! It

:35:53. > :35:57.is a close thing. You have not felt great in the build up to this. To do

:35:58. > :36:05.that when you are not feeling that strong Orwell is amazing. I know. If

:36:06. > :36:09.I am on death's door I would drag myself out of bed. I did honestly

:36:10. > :36:13.worry yesterday morning that I might not have made it today. To have

:36:14. > :36:20.actually have completed, I can not believe it!

:36:21. > :36:29.Now Thibaut Vallette from France. He's at the Staircase. He gets very

:36:30. > :36:36.spooky there and again. Not the confident start we expected

:36:37. > :36:41.from this combination. At the Quarry for Clare Abbot, they

:36:42. > :36:45.have flown around this track. She sees a massive stride. Skinny in the

:36:46. > :36:55.middle and another big one. This horse is full of running. He has not

:36:56. > :37:00.been hanging around. Now Thibaut Vallette, this lovely horse. Big,

:37:01. > :37:05.bold jumping. It's what we expect from this horse. Oh, pops up. Leaves

:37:06. > :37:10.a leg. Very quickly tries to correct that. He'll get 20 penalties for

:37:11. > :37:13.that, I am afraid. This was a combination that we expected to be

:37:14. > :37:17.right at the top of the leaderboard. We've got a world-class field for

:37:18. > :37:21.this competition and this was one that we thought would really make

:37:22. > :37:28.their mark at what is their first Badminton.

:37:29. > :37:37.See it again. John Majors in really we right speed.

:37:38. > :37:45.-- jumps in really good speed. Doesn't get the speed he wants.

:37:46. > :37:49.Steps on it, slips at the back and you lose all impulsion. Does quickly

:37:50. > :37:55.try to change his plans, but too late. 20 penalties.

:37:56. > :38:02.Well we talked to Lissa Green earlier, having completed her first

:38:03. > :38:06.Badminton cross-country course. Now with me is her mother. What was

:38:07. > :38:11.watching your daughter like? Amazing. I never thought I would see

:38:12. > :38:15.this day. When I saw this course, I never thought I would see her gallop

:38:16. > :38:18.up that hill back into the arena to finish. One of the biggest courses I

:38:19. > :38:23.have seen. It is fantastic. I am thrilled. I didn't think those two

:38:24. > :38:29.would have enough to do it. They have. You sprinted from the rider's

:38:30. > :38:34.tent to come in with her. I was just so amazed to see her come over that

:38:35. > :38:37.log. We said this is a big drop and it's the second last fence, don't

:38:38. > :38:43.turn too quickly because they will be quite jelly legged. She did such

:38:44. > :38:46.a good job and she's been so sick for about ten days. I thought she

:38:47. > :38:52.wouldn't have the strength. She did. We went up there with her.

:38:53. > :38:57.This is Clare Abbot, Euro Prince. They set off very quickly. One

:38:58. > :39:01.wonders whether she went off too fast. She's the quickest we have

:39:02. > :39:07.seen to this point so far. Only six seconds over. This is a brilliant

:39:08. > :39:14.round from the Irish combination. Turning for the very last fence.

:39:15. > :39:19.This fence, designed by a young lady, a brilliant last fence. That

:39:20. > :39:27.is the best Irish round so far and goes third with the 60.1 completion

:39:28. > :39:30.penalty score. Brilliant French combination come to

:39:31. > :39:37.the Bridge. So impressive this horse has been

:39:38. > :39:42.over the last couple of years. Makes that look so easy.

:39:43. > :39:47.And so quickly back into his stride. Doesn't waste a second.

:39:48. > :39:52.Well, here is the Badminton title winner of last year, double Olympic

:39:53. > :39:58.champion, double European champion, it is the great Jung with La

:39:59. > :40:06.Biosthetique Sam, setting off. Water at the top of the hill here.

:40:07. > :40:10.Very cleverly done. Oh, fascinating! He's decided to go the long route.

:40:11. > :40:16.He obviously had that planned. Wastes some time, but is much, much

:40:17. > :40:20.safer. He doesn't actually hang around on

:40:21. > :40:27.that circle. He keeps the rit emgoing. Keep -- rhythm going.

:40:28. > :40:39.Michael Jung, ninth after dressage on 40. Still quite close. Very

:40:40. > :40:44.positive into the Lake. Picks up reins. This is why this man is one

:40:45. > :40:50.of the best we have ever seen. Nowhere in time could this man be

:40:51. > :40:56.the first. Coming to these corner ins in the

:40:57. > :40:59.middle of the park, in front of the wonderful Badminton house. A big

:41:00. > :41:03.jump. Five strides. Some are getting six in there. Then they found the

:41:04. > :41:06.distance quite long. Takes the flag out. Such scope. Incredible horse

:41:07. > :41:17.this! Well, this man has got so much

:41:18. > :41:25.ability in every side of this sport. Three disciplines and the man leads

:41:26. > :41:30.the world in each one. So quick. These two corners have jumped well

:41:31. > :41:37.again. Nice line as he heads off to the big footbridge.

:41:38. > :41:41.He's returned from Lexington. He won in Lexington last week on his very

:41:42. > :41:45.good mare. Now, could he set up another Grand

:41:46. > :41:50.Slam? Remember he won that here last year.

:41:51. > :41:55.Beautifully positive stride over the bridge and makes it look easy.

:41:56. > :42:04.Thibaut Vallette coming to that final fence.

:42:05. > :42:08.Must be quite good on the clock. Didn't get a perfect stride to that

:42:09. > :42:13.final fence. A big, deep sigh from the rider there. Looks as impressive

:42:14. > :42:17.as ever. Michael Jung coming to what is so

:42:18. > :42:27.far the most influential fence. Great line. Never looked in trouble

:42:28. > :42:34.at all. Time, it's looking promising. Remember, 11. 35 the opt

:42:35. > :42:41.mum time. We are counting down on that clock. So he's got now five

:42:42. > :42:45.minutes 50 seconds to get home. One of the let up courses on this

:42:46. > :42:51.course. There are not too many of them. The way the big fences keep

:42:52. > :42:59.coming is the significant feature that Eric Winter has built into this

:43:00. > :43:03.course. Do the Mirage Pond. Again line, accuracy and the speed of

:43:04. > :43:09.approach important here. It is a big drop in. You need an accurate line

:43:10. > :43:17.to the next hedge. Well done!

:43:18. > :43:29.En and Allstar B, coming to these big, big corners. Takes the flag

:43:30. > :43:38.out. Safely over the fence. Oh, very accurately ridden. Didn't

:43:39. > :43:45.waste any time either and gets a huge stride this horse. Holder of

:43:46. > :43:50.the under-25 champion, it is Tom McEwen.

:43:51. > :43:52.Tom good dressage at the Staircase. That's a confident start from this

:43:53. > :44:05.combination. Michael Jung coming to the Corral.

:44:06. > :44:10.Quite an influential fence on this course. Takes the left-hand route.

:44:11. > :44:14.He sees the stride from a long way out. That was incredibly quick. That

:44:15. > :44:18.is probably the best we have seen through there all day.

:44:19. > :44:28.Tom McEwen on this lovely horse, Toledo De Kerser at the Lake. Tom

:44:29. > :44:35.sits well. Good line.

:44:36. > :44:39.No problems there. Some young British riders have made

:44:40. > :44:43.their mark. Alexander Bragg, one of them. Is this young man going to do

:44:44. > :44:50.the same? Rosalind Canter having a good ride.

:44:51. > :44:53.These fences look quite small with this horse. He's got a big scopy

:44:54. > :45:01.jump. The horse that went very well in the

:45:02. > :45:07.World Championships and then bought for Tom to ride. Well over the

:45:08. > :45:13.Bridge. This horse got a really big jump.

:45:14. > :45:21.And Michael Jung coming to the end of this course on brilliant Sam. In

:45:22. > :45:26.case you wonder what's on his back, it's the wonder pony, making

:45:27. > :45:29.awareness of the bone Cancer Research for young people and look

:45:30. > :45:34.at this horse quicken towards the end of the course.

:45:35. > :45:38.Full of running. Sees a brilliant stride at the second last. And

:45:39. > :45:44.Michael is saying, come on. He's kicking on. The horse has his ears

:45:45. > :45:49.flat back. He's responding, he's full of running. He comes to the

:45:50. > :45:52.arena and a huge cheer from the crowds. No wonder. Look at that

:45:53. > :45:57.time. Eight seconds to go. Quick check at the last. Kicks on. Looks

:45:58. > :46:00.at the clock and that is an incredible performance. No wonder he

:46:01. > :46:11.looks so smug. CLARE BALDING: We know now the man

:46:12. > :46:19.to beat. And it is this man. Having said that time and in time penalties

:46:20. > :46:24.and Sam, the greatest horse, just brilliant at cross country and

:46:25. > :46:30.brilliant at everything. A brilliant horse. Great discipline. I think my

:46:31. > :46:36.dressage was really good. It is an amazing feeling when you see the

:46:37. > :46:38.horse has so much trust in you, he understands quick, an amazing

:46:39. > :46:44.feeling. The only horse inside the time and he made it so easy.

:46:45. > :46:50.What a rise up the ranks from Clare Abbott. Shows how influential this

:46:51. > :47:00.cross country cores is going to be. COMMENTATOR:. Tom Mc-Ewan now. Well

:47:01. > :47:09.over the corners. Still pressing on. Looks a promising ride And Rosalind

:47:10. > :47:13.Canter kicking on. A great performance the Burghley last year.

:47:14. > :47:17.A silly run out. But he is accelerating, enormous stride this

:47:18. > :47:21.horse and shows his scope around this horse. Look at the tierges

:47:22. > :47:33.pretty good. One of the fastest rounds we've seen. Very promising

:47:34. > :47:36.for the future. Two riders from Belgium here, Karin Donckers the

:47:37. > :47:40.most experience of them. A 37.3 dressage. She was fourth after

:47:41. > :47:50.dressage. She certainly has the experience to get around this

:47:51. > :47:54.course. Good lines. Now at the Countryside Birch but doesn't make

:47:55. > :47:58.it inside the tree. A couple of seconds Goth gone. You have to take

:47:59. > :48:06.every short route, surely, to get this time. And Tom McEuan has done a

:48:07. > :48:09.pretty good job out there and another horse, finishing full of

:48:10. > :48:14.running. The ground here at bad inton it is on the good-to-fast

:48:15. > :48:19.side. -- at Badminton. They have worked very hard on the course. They

:48:20. > :48:24.have been spiking it and working and Tom and Toledo De Kerser flying

:48:25. > :48:33.through the finish line. 54 seconds over the time. Karin Donckers at The

:48:34. > :48:37.Lake, goods the right-handed route and runs out. That's another of the

:48:38. > :48:41.world stars dropping down the leaderboard. This course is really

:48:42. > :48:50.having a very big affect on the overnight scores. Izzy Taylor coming

:48:51. > :48:55.to the bridge. Oh. And Izzy is pretty cross with that one. That was

:48:56. > :48:59.a bit of a nasty one. They were both lucky to walk away from that. That

:49:00. > :49:07.was good. The horse just stamping its reins but good to see them both

:49:08. > :49:12.standing. You can just see he comes around the corner, Izzy has seen the

:49:13. > :49:17.stride, pushing, the horse hasn't quite focussed. Goes to take off,

:49:18. > :49:29.sadly missed the fence and sadly the horse ends up in the ditch and Izzy

:49:30. > :49:36.stamps her fist in frustration. CLARE BALDING well for the last 16

:49:37. > :49:40.years Chris has been in charge of the Berlin team and seen them win

:49:41. > :49:46.countless medals. Now you have the British team. A great thin on the

:49:47. > :49:55.ground. Great cross country runners but what do you make of of them?

:49:56. > :50:00.Well, great highlights. Alexander Bragg, it is great he has had a

:50:01. > :50:06.great round today. So there are some foifs, I guess we are thin on the

:50:07. > :50:11.ground but at the same time it is a starting point you know that I see

:50:12. > :50:14.as a good base that we have to build on. One of the real highlights of

:50:15. > :50:17.the spring has been Zara Tindel and her performance out in Kentucky

:50:18. > :50:21.finishing third. I sadly couldn't go out to Kentucky, I had to watch it

:50:22. > :50:26.on the screen but it was fantastic to see her back in a great vain of

:50:27. > :50:35.form. She was riding cross country and then show jumping, just, yes,

:50:36. > :50:40.you know, as she did in 2012. COMMENTATOR: And Paul Tapner from

:50:41. > :50:47.Australia, at the Staircase. A nice jump in. Very fluid and positive. A

:50:48. > :50:54.A good start for them. Well Elisa Wallace coming home now. This horse

:50:55. > :51:01.looking weary. In the last mile, it has definitely looked like the

:51:02. > :51:05.petrol is getting low. Oh, leaves a leg and she gets Jupp unshipped,

:51:06. > :51:11.almost in crawling distance to the line. Oh, heartbreaking. Non-the

:51:12. > :51:14.worse I don't think but to get so near the finish, she will be just

:51:15. > :51:20.wondering, though, if she perhaps could have pulled up a little

:51:21. > :51:26.earlier and saved perhaps the horse that fall right at the end. Now Paul

:51:27. > :51:31.Tapner in the famous red colours, a good stride N swinging left but

:51:32. > :51:36.coming the quick way out. A good jump out and, oh, that was a nasty

:51:37. > :51:44.one. The horse, pole axed with the one stride. The horse chipped in.

:51:45. > :51:48.Ah, the look of frustration. That was a nasty one, though. We see it

:51:49. > :51:52.again, he gets a good stride up. Lands well. A little bit short.

:51:53. > :51:57.Takes the one stride and the horse, you could see, he didn't know

:51:58. > :52:03.whether to take one or two strides or go up to the fence. Got it all

:52:04. > :52:09.wrong and hit it with his forearms, and the two crashed to the ground.

:52:10. > :52:15.Great to see them all up and walking abut sadly an elimination for Paul

:52:16. > :52:19.Tapner. Now first time ride for Arianna Schivo. Oh, my word. That's

:52:20. > :52:24.the second. A lovely profile and hits it at the roots and down they G

:52:25. > :52:27.one has to wonder whether the qualifications for this level of

:52:28. > :52:34.competition are good enough when you see falls like that. Well, it is

:52:35. > :52:38.great to see Japan represented here at Badminton and Yoshiaki Oiwa and

:52:39. > :52:41.the Duke of Cavan. He is a good one coming out. He really rides for it.

:52:42. > :53:04.He was effective. This is James Sommerville, riding

:53:05. > :53:10.258ent. They are based in Yorkshire. The combination here for the first

:53:11. > :53:14.time at the Corral. And he is in and oh, missed it totally and flicks

:53:15. > :53:19.him. Now that fence on the angle, that's exactly what can happen.

:53:20. > :53:27.Experience there, perhaps, or lack of experience I should say. Well,

:53:28. > :53:30.young James will learn by it and luckily horse and rider

:53:31. > :53:35.non-the-worse for the problem. Hits it hard and when you hit it at an

:53:36. > :53:40.angle, that's exactly what happens, that the rider has nowhere to go

:53:41. > :53:45.than out the door and on to the ground. Well, non-the-worse. That's

:53:46. > :53:53.the cost of experience I think for James Sommerville there.

:53:54. > :54:00.And Yoshiaki Oiwa, at the Outlander bank, a big step up this and bounces

:54:01. > :54:11.over neatly. A good pat for the horse. A well-deserved pat at this

:54:12. > :54:16.stage. He doesn't get a good strike there on the top of that mound but

:54:17. > :54:19.the horse helps him out. It is so nice it see Japanp represented here,

:54:20. > :54:26.especially with the next Olympics coming up. There is no doubt this

:54:27. > :54:37.chap will be leading the squad there. The hill done Without Pond. A

:54:38. > :54:44.nice jump in -- the hitch ildon. He makes -- the Hildon Water Pond. This

:54:45. > :54:49.is Gemma Tattersall. They were third last year. They rode for Britain in

:54:50. > :54:53.the Rio Olympics. Away from the Staircase, the odd problem there but

:54:54. > :55:00.on the whole jumped pretty well. They head off to The Lake. Jerks

:55:01. > :55:06.jumping that big fence, the big Oxer. It is difficult to say it is a

:55:07. > :55:10.lettout fence, it is massive. Heading to the Corral. A good jump.

:55:11. > :55:15.In a little quick through the bottom. But the horse is very neat

:55:16. > :55:22.in front and Yoshiaki Oiwa kept his position very well. Didn't drop the

:55:23. > :55:35.horse or lean forward. Arctic Soul, at the Bridge. Won a prize last

:55:36. > :55:38.year. And over the big table there, coming to these rather influential

:55:39. > :55:47.corners right in front of the house. Look at the crowd. Loving this day

:55:48. > :55:51.of cross country. Gets a good five strides. Holds his line and pushes

:55:52. > :55:59.for that, two strides and actually very impressive. That's good and the

:56:00. > :56:03.horse very relaxed. Arctic Soul, Gemma Tattersall at the Pond.

:56:04. > :56:11.Disappointing dressage. 55.8. Got to get it back at cross country. Goes

:56:12. > :56:14.for a long stride in the middle and shouts long, another one just to

:56:15. > :56:20.remind the judges which way she's going to go. Can be good thinking

:56:21. > :56:30.sometimes. So loses a bit of time there. Remember, still only one

:56:31. > :56:36.inside that optimum time at the moment, Michael Jung and Sam. Psalm

:56:37. > :56:48.Griffiths at the Staircase. A previous winner of Badminton, this

:56:49. > :56:50.combination. Look so easy and so calm and relaxed. Let's hope the

:56:51. > :57:03.rest of the round looks like that. So, this is a very good sight for

:57:04. > :57:08.Japan. They really are putting in a big effort for those Olympic Games

:57:09. > :57:14.in Tokyo in 2020 and this could be the man who leaves them there. This

:57:15. > :57:20.was the horse that was bought out. It was found to be big and strong

:57:21. > :57:25.but Yoshiaki Oiwa has given this horse a peach of a ride. It is

:57:26. > :57:36.30-plus seconds over but this man has shown that Japan really now on

:57:37. > :57:43.the international stage. Well done. Sam Griffiths. He was here in 2014

:57:44. > :57:47.with this horse. He had an unlucky time last year. First corner, oh, he

:57:48. > :57:51.could have' gone the other side of the fence there. And crucially he

:57:52. > :57:58.has gone on. That could bring in a new rule which could end in 50

:57:59. > :58:04.penalties. And Gemma Tattersall going to the Corral. Always keen and

:58:05. > :58:08.enthusiastic this horse. Can get a little bit strong. Oh a rattle

:58:09. > :58:13.there. A slightly flat jump. She has to hold him and gets very close to

:58:14. > :58:19.that second element. But they get away with it These are on frangable

:58:20. > :58:23.pins these fences so easily dislodged but no problems there. And

:58:24. > :58:29.Sam Griffiths was in the bronze medal team for Australia in Rio.

:58:30. > :58:41.Finished fourth himself. He looks really in the groove as he heads up

:58:42. > :58:45.now to the big jump. And Gemma coming to the Quarry. Not the most

:58:46. > :58:51.difficult we have seen the Quarry but right at the end of a tough

:58:52. > :58:54.track. It is all about having the stamina. This is one of the fastest

:58:55. > :58:59.courses cross country. It'll be interesting to see what we are time

:59:00. > :59:03.is like, she is kicking away. Sam Griffiths, the 2014 winner here, at

:59:04. > :59:07.the Pond. Had an unlucky 20 penalties in the competition last

:59:08. > :59:13.year but so far clear and looking good. It is a very exciting prospect

:59:14. > :59:19.for Ireland here,p Jonty Evans on Cooley Rorkes Drift. A brilliant

:59:20. > :59:22.performance in Rio last year. Gets three strides in, takes the flag

:59:23. > :59:27.out. They'll need to settle into this course. A big test. Gemma

:59:28. > :59:31.Tattersall over the fence, still inside that optimum time. Not sure

:59:32. > :59:39.whether she can make it, no. She's not. But it is a good ride. This is

:59:40. > :59:43.good news again for Chris Bartle. This is a an important combination

:59:44. > :59:50.with the Europeans in Poland this year. Needs to improve the dressage

:59:51. > :00:02.but an excellent cross country again for Gemma Tattersall. They go 7th.

:00:03. > :00:13.He was a serious handful for mee, I'm 5'5", he is 17-1. He is an out

:00:14. > :00:17.and out galloping machine. Quite a handful. We had to go one long

:00:18. > :00:21.route. He jump sod well, almost too well that I didn't have enough time

:00:22. > :00:25.to get to the straight route and I didn't want to have a silly 20, so

:00:26. > :00:33.went wrong, so that's why we were a few seconds older. But gosh, that

:00:34. > :00:38.horse sore a machine. Well, Ireland will be having everything crossed as

:00:39. > :00:42.Jonty comes to the the Lake. Light on his feet this horse, he really is

:00:43. > :00:46.so good. You see it there, a brilliant piece of riding and away

:00:47. > :00:56.they g away from the Lake, clear and fast.

:00:57. > :01:03.Taking the favourite left-hand route.

:01:04. > :01:09.Careful jumping. Sees a good one. Nice jump. Doesn't waste any time

:01:10. > :01:18.there. Already 30 seconds over on the clock.

:01:19. > :01:24.On that good score of 38 could Jonty Evans catch Michael Jung t only one

:01:25. > :01:25.inside the time. This horse has got quite a round action. Still he

:01:26. > :01:38.covers the ground. A brilliant dressage test for Ingrid

:01:39. > :01:44.Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob, as they come to the Staircase. One of

:01:45. > :01:49.the best jumpers in the sport of eventing. When he came out as a

:01:50. > :01:53.young horse some of the top showjumpers were trying to buy him.

:01:54. > :01:57.He looks hesitant over these steps. Needs to step up a gear. It is many

:01:58. > :02:02.years since Ireland have won the title here. But this is certainly

:02:03. > :02:07.their best chance for a long time. Jonty Evans clear. Gets a good line

:02:08. > :02:16.through there. Still on target and far from slow.

:02:17. > :02:21.Sam Griffiths, nice gallop and turns into these fairly massive gates. You

:02:22. > :02:30.can see there from the penalties, the jump judge and the ground jury,

:02:31. > :02:34.they have given him 50 error for the error at the corner.

:02:35. > :02:37.I am sure there'll be discussions later on in the evening. Still

:02:38. > :02:57.looking full of running.

:02:58. > :03:02.Looking determined. Good jump in.

:03:03. > :03:06.Oh, and a big stride out. Still manages to chip in the second stride

:03:07. > :03:08.and quickly away. Quick pat for the horse. Thanks,

:03:09. > :03:15.mate! Jonty Evans coming up to the Corral.

:03:16. > :03:30.Based up at Cheltenham. I love the way this horse is so

:03:31. > :03:39.light, such a good jumper. Careful, but quick.

:03:40. > :03:50.Very neatly through there. There is a longer route. There it's three

:03:51. > :03:52.jumping efforts rather than two. Most of the riders are tackling it

:03:53. > :04:02.straight on. Not wasting any time. Ingrid has

:04:03. > :04:06.always been known as a very fast rider across the country.

:04:07. > :04:11.And a great stride over the bridge. You can see the horse's shape. The

:04:12. > :04:17.neck neek of his front legs and his head and neck in the balance. Just

:04:18. > :04:24.quite brilliant over that fence. Jonty Evans coming to the corner.

:04:25. > :04:28.This the fence he talked through. Jumps well enough.

:04:29. > :04:34.Oh, and the horse just looks right and glances right. Ah! I think Jonty

:04:35. > :04:39.will perhaps appreciate he didn't ride it quite as he should it should

:04:40. > :04:43.have been ridden and that's so unfortunate.

:04:44. > :04:47.Let's see it again. Just watch the horse look right.

:04:48. > :04:51.Impact left and then right. He tried to change it but could not get the

:04:52. > :04:56.horse to concentrate on the all-important line.

:04:57. > :05:00.That is such bad luck. And Sam Griffiths coming towards the

:05:01. > :05:05.end. This rather big log. A bit of a drop

:05:06. > :05:10.on the landing. It's quite an angle. Rileders have to be aware of that

:05:11. > :05:15.landing and keep the balance. He's kicking on T clock's looking good.

:05:16. > :05:21.He will, as yet, be unaware of the 50 penalties. I don't think he'll be

:05:22. > :05:26.a terribly happy bun any when he finds out -- bunny when he finds

:05:27. > :05:34.out. Kicking on to the last. Quite a good time.

:05:35. > :05:37.Comparing to everybody else what's ahead of him.

:05:38. > :05:44.How did you feel out there as you were going around your course? My

:05:45. > :05:49.horse went beautifully. She's a superb horse. It rode tough out

:05:50. > :05:51.there. It is showing in the results that it's a tough course to ride

:05:52. > :05:56.around. THE COMMENTATOR: Ingrid and

:05:57. > :06:02.Horseware Hale Bob. They jump the bank. A little

:06:03. > :06:07.hesitantly, but perfectly safely. She wastes nothing in the approach

:06:08. > :06:11.to the fence or getting away. The time is looking pretty comfortable

:06:12. > :06:14.at the moment. Still here country colleague, the

:06:15. > :06:22.only one inside the time, Michael Jung and Sam. Top of the leaderboard

:06:23. > :06:26.on the overnight score of 40. This is probably Michael Jung's biggest

:06:27. > :06:30.danger. They have been such competitive colleagues for many

:06:31. > :06:36.years. This water... Nicely over the log in

:06:37. > :06:40.the mid-. She's got the line. And there's no problem there. Two-thirds

:06:41. > :06:47.of the way around and Michael Jung will be biting his finger nails.

:06:48. > :06:51.And Jonty, disappointing 20 for them on the board, but he's kicking on

:06:52. > :06:56.till the end. Fantastic potential in this horse. I think it is a

:06:57. > :07:00.combination we'll see a lot of in the future. Certainly will be the

:07:01. > :07:03.mainstayer of the Irish team later this year for the European

:07:04. > :07:08.Championships. Has to put that disappointment behind him. It's a

:07:09. > :07:13.bit of a learning curve, but he has to be thrilled with this young horse

:07:14. > :07:23.and you can see he's delight. A great performance.

:07:24. > :07:30.So frustrating to have a run out? He was brilliant around the course. He

:07:31. > :07:33.was dubious about the Staircase. After that he seemed to grow in

:07:34. > :07:38.confidence and he was super. I cannot fault him. I have to hold my

:07:39. > :07:42.hands up. It was my mistake. So, we'll go away and we'll learn frit.

:07:43. > :07:45.When you look at the leaderboard, the guys at the top of the

:07:46. > :07:50.leaderboard do this week in, week out. I've only got this one at this

:07:51. > :07:54.level. I've got some lovely young ones. It was a great experience and

:07:55. > :07:58.he was fabulous. He didn't put a foot wrong. There was a lot of

:07:59. > :08:02.support for you, I was at the Staircase and the cheering must have

:08:03. > :08:07.lifted you? It does. I don't live very far away. I live near

:08:08. > :08:11.Cheltenham, so it's almost local and half of Gloucestershire comes to

:08:12. > :08:16.Badminton. It is great. They cheer you home and it does help. The crowd

:08:17. > :08:19.support is fabulous! A very frank analysis from Jonty. This girl could

:08:20. > :08:28.go top of the leaderboard. She's going that well. Coming up now

:08:29. > :08:32.to the Mirage Pond. The crowd has been absolutely enormous. They are

:08:33. > :08:34.still here now as we get to the exciting closing stages of this

:08:35. > :08:40.cross-country competition and the world's best and they are here for

:08:41. > :08:44.this year's Badminton title in a big way, beginning to get an exciting

:08:45. > :08:48.finish on the horizon. She east going to go -- she's going

:08:49. > :08:54.to go long. A few seconds wasted, but not many. Oh, a slip, we've seen

:08:55. > :08:59.one or two of those. The green grass on the fairly firm,

:09:00. > :09:05.fairly hard-going, really making it slippery in places.

:09:06. > :09:12.Up now to the Corral. Ears pricked. This is a horse with so much

:09:13. > :09:16.quality. A loot of the german breeding is involved. This, horse

:09:17. > :09:21.which has got it there too. It gives this emthe speed, has made them

:09:22. > :09:27.world leaders for so long. Being challenged by France now. But this

:09:28. > :09:32.lady is not going to be beaten easily at the.

:09:33. > :09:40.You have heard that rattling with those pins a lot, but there's no

:09:41. > :09:45.problem, they stay in tact. And the great Mark Todd. We heard

:09:46. > :09:52.him saying after his first ride that the horse finished full of running.

:09:53. > :09:57.I reckon we'll see him close tore the optimum time on this one. Such a

:09:58. > :10:02.brilliant rider over the years. 61 years young now. And he's still as

:10:03. > :10:11.determined as ever. A bit of a twist over that second

:10:12. > :10:19.fence. It is a big fence. Ingrid Klimke, now to those dual course.

:10:20. > :10:24.-- to the Joules Corners. And the horse jumps it easily. She's on tar

:10:25. > :10:38.et. This will be nip and tuck over the last third of the course here.

:10:39. > :10:46.Down into the Lake. The Bullfinch. At the Hunt 'sman close now. A

:10:47. > :10:51.stumble, but quickly picks up. All importantly for ingrid, the horse

:10:52. > :10:55.still looks pretty fresh. Remember her father won Olympic golds for

:10:56. > :11:04.Germany in the world of dressage. This lady is so talented.

:11:05. > :11:09.Actually this a horse that was part of some very big part of the horse

:11:10. > :11:16.jumping world. That could be important here at these gates. Oh,

:11:17. > :11:24.pops through. Everything's in tact. The Lake for Toddy. Didn't have the

:11:25. > :11:28.best jump in the first ride, but much better. Pure class in this one.

:11:29. > :11:36.Oh, kicks for the one and another horse, yet another horse to chip in

:11:37. > :11:42.that stride. He was quickly, he's waving to the

:11:43. > :11:48.crowds. He's a cool crowd. At the Quarry. The horse still

:11:49. > :11:53.looking full of running. The moment it looks as if she got that very

:11:54. > :12:01.close to the time. 11. 35, remember. As you look at that clock counting

:12:02. > :12:10.down, she's got 42 seconds left. She can afford nine seconds over and

:12:11. > :12:16.still be in contention. She would then be level with Michael Jung on

:12:17. > :12:20.Sam. So, nine seconds over. That's all she can afford to still retain a

:12:21. > :12:24.part leadership. Quicker than that, and she will take the lead and it's

:12:25. > :12:34.going to be that close. All uphill now. The horse full of running.

:12:35. > :12:38.Under the Grandstand roof. The crowd building here as we get towards the

:12:39. > :12:43.final climax of this cross-country. What a day it's been. She's going to

:12:44. > :12:46.go over. We're looking for something under nine seconds to get the lead.

:12:47. > :12:56.She's going to do that. She's going to do it. One second. Can you

:12:57. > :13:00.believe it! 0.4 of a penalty between Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung.

:13:01. > :13:07.Germany, one and two. A great finish in prospect.

:13:08. > :13:14.Well, Mark Todd didn't get the most perfect stride on his first horse at

:13:15. > :13:15.this bridge. The horse showing all its scope possible as he just pops

:13:16. > :13:29.over it. CLARE BALDING: Record crowds here.

:13:30. > :13:34.There are fence judges. At fence 24, they had a look at whether Ingrid

:13:35. > :13:39.Klimke dislodged the frangible pin. Did she break it? Did the fence drop

:13:40. > :13:43.down? If so, it would incur 11 penalty points. That's where she hit

:13:44. > :13:48.it. You will see her look around when she jumps the second gate. The

:13:49. > :13:53.judges said, yes, you have hit it, you have broken the pin. That is 11

:13:54. > :13:58.penalties. She appealed and the grand jury finally took those

:13:59. > :14:01.penalty points away. Which means she does lead narrowly from her

:14:02. > :14:05.countryman Michael Jung. The best of the British at the moment is

:14:06. > :14:13.Rosalind Canter ahead of Alexander Bragg. Then we have Mark Todd and

:14:14. > :14:17.Yoshiaki Oiwa. Well Ingrid Klimke has had a torrid

:14:18. > :14:21.five minutes. You thought you were leading, then you thought you

:14:22. > :14:27.weren't and now you are. And now they took it away. He did a

:14:28. > :14:34.fantastic round and he deserved it. He's a good jumper. They gave you 11

:14:35. > :14:38.penalties and you appeal it? Yes. He was jumping it very careful for

:14:39. > :14:45.So they went and checked it again and realised everything was clear.

:14:46. > :14:51.So now, on reflection, what do you think you've done so far at this

:14:52. > :14:56.competition? I think I'm so proud of Bobby because he was bold. It was

:14:57. > :15:00.tough. It was not an easy round. I could not wave to the crowd, enjoy

:15:01. > :15:05.myself too much. I knew everything was quick. He wanted to go fast. He

:15:06. > :15:10.was a bit strong. He wanted to go faster than I wanted to prepare.

:15:11. > :15:14.Every time I had him, he saw the line, jumped and was fluent and pure

:15:15. > :15:17.fun, really. I don't know whether you realise this, you could afford

:15:18. > :15:22.to be nine seconds over and be level with Michael Jung. You were eight

:15:23. > :15:27.seconds over, that is why you are in front. So, one second. So we both

:15:28. > :15:34.will have to ride clear tomorrow.ly give everything to do it. Bobby is a

:15:35. > :15:39.very good showjumper, isn't he? He is a very good showjumper. I have no

:15:40. > :15:42.worries he does it well. I did the alternative route at the third

:15:43. > :15:44.quarter. I think that was a few seconds. But I am very, very happy.

:15:45. > :16:06.Well done, ingrid. Thank you. Mark Todd at the Hildon Pond. Now a

:16:07. > :16:13.little tap on the shoulder and just pops out. These are enormous logs.

:16:14. > :16:18.Well, this is Lauren Kieffer, one of the leading American riders. On a

:16:19. > :16:27.very good horse, Veronica and by Rebecca Farm. Her second ride.

:16:28. > :16:31.Safely through the Staircase. The Mirage #1k57 pond has caused some

:16:32. > :16:36.problems throughout the day. -- Mirage Pond. Perfect line in and

:16:37. > :16:44.equally perfect out. Brilliant style. Didn't have a good ride on

:16:45. > :16:53.her first. Didn't get round but now the Lake. A lovely mare. # oh, oh, I

:16:54. > :16:59.thought she might duck out but this is a mare, that with Lauren has been

:17:00. > :17:01.twice second at Kentucky. Well the dressage leader starts, CHistopher

:17:02. > :17:07.Burton and Graf Liberty. Over the first. An incredible test. Todd on

:17:08. > :17:13.his second ride. Back at the corners. He had that good dressage

:17:14. > :17:17.of 43.6. He won't go into the lead but he could get up into the top

:17:18. > :17:23.five. This a man who has won here four times. CHistopher Burton, a big

:17:24. > :17:45.threat to Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung. A

:17:46. > :17:48.really good jump here. The mare, that Karen O'Connor rode and

:17:49. > :17:52.finished her career but taken over by Lauren Kieffer and has been very

:17:53. > :17:56.successful. Surprised she's gone the long way round. This is a mare

:17:57. > :18:02.that's normally quick across the country. Did have a nasty fall going

:18:03. > :18:11.across the gate in Rio. The Lake for Graf Liberty. A little test on the

:18:12. > :18:16.landing. Gets the one stride. Not many have done that. That just shows

:18:17. > :18:28.the scope of this horse's jumping ability and the length of his

:18:29. > :18:31.stride. So, Mark Todd, NZB Campino. NZB the New Zealand firm that

:18:32. > :18:37.sponsored him to bring him out of retirement. He retired in 2000. Came

:18:38. > :18:43.out for Hong Kong Beijing in 2008 and he is back in the top of the

:18:44. > :18:47.world. Could he have two in the top ten? A great performance that would

:18:48. > :18:52.be for Mark. Time ticking away. He is quick but not inside the time.

:18:53. > :19:01.Stops the clocks 17 seconds over. 50.4, goes third. CLARE BALDING.

:19:02. > :19:09.Mark Todd is another who had a smooth ride. How did Campino feel?

:19:10. > :19:13.Not the fastest thing on four legs but tried hard. Around a curse like

:19:14. > :19:17.this sometimes it feels messy but the good horses want to jump the

:19:18. > :19:23.fences and want to go between the flags and they try their heart out

:19:24. > :19:28.for you. COMMENTATOR: The great Veronica and Lauren Kieffer through

:19:29. > :19:33.the Quarry. They haven't looked the fastest around this course but thief

:19:34. > :19:41.jumped immaculately. Never putting a foot wrong. Christopher Burton, he

:19:42. > :19:46.won Burghley last year. He could challenge the two Germans. Oh, ran

:19:47. > :19:50.out of energy there. The horse just dried up on him and this is a

:19:51. > :19:54.surprise. This is probably the fastest rider of cross country

:19:55. > :19:59.throughout the world. Not normally a case of the horse losing momentum

:20:00. > :20:03.but he did there and so that's 20 penalties and puts Chris Burton out

:20:04. > :20:07.of the reckoning. And Tim Price had, well that's interesting. He has The

:20:08. > :20:11.Lake and going the long route. Unexpected. Not quite sure what is

:20:12. > :20:16.going on here but he's obviously had this planned. Oh and just a little

:20:17. > :20:21.cautious in. Maybe that's why he didn't tackle that big log but takes

:20:22. > :20:26.the quick route out. Gets the two strides and turns away and really

:20:27. > :20:31.wastes very little time. A little slap with the stick to make sure he

:20:32. > :20:35.stays going forward. Lauren Kieffer finishes. Lauren Kieffer, the

:20:36. > :20:40.leading American rider at the moment. David O'Connor the team

:20:41. > :20:45.manager, here trying to support the Americans but they've not had a good

:20:46. > :20:49.day and the surprise is - she's clear but the surprise is she is

:20:50. > :20:55.over time. Normally the mare is very quick indead but it is going to be a

:20:56. > :20:57.67.2 score for Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. That will put them 13th

:20:58. > :21:07.place. And here Christopher Burton, a

:21:08. > :21:14.little bit dejected after that silly stop at the water but makes nothing

:21:15. > :21:30.of these trick Y corners. And Christopher Burton coming to the

:21:31. > :21:34.end. Well that's fascinating. After the stop he slowed up. Was visibly

:21:35. > :21:38.going slower and look at the time, faster than most competitors out

:21:39. > :21:41.there. So he must have been right up on the clock before he had that

:21:42. > :21:45.problem. Disappointing but this horse was off last year, so he will

:21:46. > :22:00.be happy that he is back and showing the form.

:22:01. > :22:06.Tim Price and Xavie Faer a may scombroort of the team these days.

:22:07. > :22:14.His wife who rides expecting a baby in August so it is up to him right

:22:15. > :22:19.now. Up to the Corral. Positive and jumps it well. Looking good on the

:22:20. > :22:25.clock. Oliver Townend on his second ride. ODT Ghareb. Oh, tips Oliver

:22:26. > :22:29.forward into the Lake. Quick recovery. That shows Oliver's

:22:30. > :22:34.brilliance, strength and balance. He reorganised himself and the horse

:22:35. > :22:40.and jumps out beautifully. Still a big crowd here. Dogs, children, you

:22:41. > :22:48.name it, they all come here to watch this cross country, it is a big

:22:49. > :22:53.crowd. Tim Price comes to the Joules Corner. He has gone quickly, but he

:22:54. > :23:03.could come a long way up the leaderboard with a good, quick

:23:04. > :23:09.round. The Hollow for Oliver Townend. A good picture of the horse

:23:10. > :23:19.kicking out there, hiteding the flag. Perfectly legal. Under way.

:23:20. > :23:22.Back with Tim Price. He had a disappointing ride at Lexington, so

:23:23. > :23:34.he will be looking to make it up here. He is through the Quarry.

:23:35. > :23:40.Nearly in sight of home. And Oliver, at the hill done Pond. Almost lifted

:23:41. > :23:47.the horse over there. Keeps it going, keeps the momentum. Doesn't

:23:48. > :23:54.waste a lot of time. Andrew Nicholson on the great Nereo. This

:23:55. > :24:00.man has won all the majors except the title here at Badminton. Nereo

:24:01. > :24:06.now a senior but Andrew thinks he's in good nick. It Tim Price and Xavie

:24:07. > :24:10.Faer coming into the arena. Look at the time. This is very impressive.

:24:11. > :24:18.Probably the fastest we have seen all day. Faster than Michael Jung.

:24:19. > :24:21.We knew he was fast across the country but look at that, cruising

:24:22. > :24:26.over the finish line, one second within the time, brilliant. Nice to

:24:27. > :24:33.get close to the time and inside the time on a day like today. I'm really

:24:34. > :24:35.pleased. And on a day like today, it makes a real difference to the

:24:36. > :24:40.leaderboard. Definitely. I want to do a bit of dressage on this horse,

:24:41. > :24:45.which will come in future. It is not all about a climb. But it is great

:24:46. > :24:53.to come out and have a climb like that and testament to a great day's

:24:54. > :25:00.sport of cross country. Tait ate Andrew Nicholson and Nereo. This

:25:01. > :25:05.horse has won Burghley and several of the big ones. Could this horse

:25:06. > :25:10.now be in contention for this win? Dressage is good enough. The Joules

:25:11. > :25:15.corner for Oliver. Look at his expression. Eyes on the fence. Oh,

:25:16. > :25:19.doesn't get the perfect stride. Recovers quickly and stretches for

:25:20. > :25:23.that two stride. Not the fastest horse of Oliver's but he's doing a

:25:24. > :25:30.brilliant job out there. Andrew Nicholson. 15, 16 months ago he was

:25:31. > :25:35.covering from a virtual broken neck. A brilliant recovery. Now very much

:25:36. > :25:41.back on son. Gives himself sometime. Riding brilliantly. Good build-up.

:25:42. > :25:48.It is showing. Away from the Hildon Water Pond and he is on a good

:25:49. > :25:51.target. And Oliver setting up for the gates. We have seen them being

:25:52. > :25:55.rattled and broken pins. He almost lifts the horse again. And

:25:56. > :26:02.interestingly, he swings around the tree it is. To get straight for that

:26:03. > :26:07.final gate. Taps in 234 in front but leaves it standing. Andrew Nicholson

:26:08. > :26:11.coming to the Corral. We have seen him exercising his neck a little

:26:12. > :26:16.when he has been riding. Just stitches up. He wants the free do.

:26:17. > :26:20.Needs all the freedom to get ride lines and angles but he dozen that,

:26:21. > :26:27.no problems. They are looking good at the rail. Well, kicking and

:26:28. > :26:32.giving it all he is worth and Gharee Berks gallops to the final test.

:26:33. > :26:38.Tail squishing, ears back and the crowd cheers. A brilliant ride. The

:26:39. > :26:42.horse has enjoyed that cheer from the crowd. Gives a great jump over

:26:43. > :26:47.the last. Look at the time, as I said not the fastest horse of

:26:48. > :26:54.Oliver's but brilliant performance. 13 seconds, 6th position. Andrew

:26:55. > :26:58.Nicholson back at the Quarry with Nereo. 17 years' old but looking

:26:59. > :27:07.good. Full of running. Quell get a look now. Andrew trying it make

:27:08. > :27:12.every use of this great old horse. Filing down to the two big rushes.

:27:13. > :27:28.It is going to be nip and tuck. Very close. Remember, on that score of 38

:27:29. > :27:33.he is on, after dressage. Ingrid Klimke is there and Michael Jung,

:27:34. > :27:37.40. That means he canner hardly afford any time at all. Across the

:27:38. > :27:44.second last. Now for home. The horse is giving 200%. The crowd will love

:27:45. > :27:48.this. He's such a competitor and the crowd so knowledgeable. They'll be

:27:49. > :27:55.urging him home. He's not going to get there. It's.4 for every second.

:27:56. > :28:02.One slip, two slips, over the last. Oh, it is going to be close. He is

:28:03. > :28:06.not going to make T there we are, six seconds over, he goes third.

:28:07. > :28:11.What a round from the Kiwi. Clare Balding. He was so close to

:28:12. > :28:16.making the time. He looked close to slipping out there? He slipped it a

:28:17. > :28:22.few times but he is a big, rangy horse. He is older N his youth he

:28:23. > :28:27.probably would've pedalled the back legs quicker or less stride or maybe

:28:28. > :28:33.I was pressing a bit hard, who knows but when the ground is dry with

:28:34. > :28:39.green grass, you notice on a big horse, my first never slipped but

:28:40. > :28:44.she's like a pony. Early margins, barely a sense in it between the top

:28:45. > :28:48.three. Clear round. That's what we have to do, so the pressure is still

:28:49. > :28:51.on. Andrew Nicholson never holds back but look at the leaderboard,

:28:52. > :28:53.dominated by Germany, New Zealand and Great Britain moving up the

:28:54. > :29:05.order: 31 horses jumped clear and just two

:29:06. > :29:11.with inside the time. Not a fence between them, not even a time gap

:29:12. > :29:19.between the two top and then a gap to Tim Price. Now this is the final

:29:20. > :29:25.day where the Mitsubishi trophy will be decided. Now after vets

:29:26. > :29:30.inspections, three horses didn't make it through, one is Lissa

:29:31. > :29:35.Green's horse and Becky's who jumped clear cross country and most

:29:36. > :29:43.significantly, aleggs Ander Bragg 's horse, did a grab, they were lying

:29:44. > :29:47.in eighth but had to pull out. Emily Galruth had a heavy fall. She was

:29:48. > :29:52.taken to Southmead hospital and remains in intensive care. Our

:29:53. > :29:52.thoughts are with her and hope she makes a speedy recovery.

:29:53. > :29:57.thoughts are with her and hope she makes a speedy recovery. As well as

:29:58. > :30:00.today's action and seeing who will be this year's champion, we'll bid a

:30:01. > :30:06.farewell to a crucial member of our BBC team. Zblts appropriate that

:30:07. > :30:10.Mike Tucker is bowing out at Badminton. Born and raised nearby,

:30:11. > :30:18.he started competing here in the 196 #0s. He put on a great show for the

:30:19. > :30:21.BBC cameras. Tait tanchts Mike unfortunately is catapulted out of

:30:22. > :30:28.the saddle. Even before he retired he was getting straight off the

:30:29. > :30:33.horse to join the commentators. Oh, Lucinda takes no time. And again

:30:34. > :30:38.perfection through there. Combining commentary and riding must have been

:30:39. > :30:42.a challenge in 18 138 when he came oh so close to winning Badminton on

:30:43. > :30:46.a horse he bred himself. General Bugl he can. A natural over the

:30:47. > :30:51.cross country fences, dressage hampered his chances of victory that

:30:52. > :30:55.year but even so, only the great Lucinda Green could beat him it take

:30:56. > :31:03.her fifth title. Go on, go on, go on. For 40 years, Mike has been

:31:04. > :31:08.entertaining us with his crucial contribution to equestrian sport on

:31:09. > :31:12.the BBC and since 1992 he has been our lead comem Taitor all around the

:31:13. > :31:17.world. He has seen Zara Phillips grow from a little girl who looked

:31:18. > :31:26.up to him, to a ruder who became world champion.

:31:27. > :31:36.She's done it, Zara Phillips, the world champion. He's been the choice

:31:37. > :31:42.to guide us through the Olympics, first in London... What a

:31:43. > :31:47.performance! And last year in Rio, with more gold for Charlotte

:31:48. > :31:52.Dujardin and Skelton skel. Mike, it has been an amazing career.

:31:53. > :31:59.Important for you to finish here at Badminton? There's been a huge

:32:00. > :32:05.family association with this estate. My father farmed here, my mother was

:32:06. > :32:10.born here. This was always going to be the local gym karn that from the

:32:11. > :32:15.word go. Some years you rode and commentators, not at the same time,

:32:16. > :32:19.nearly! It was a challenge. One that one enjoyed because there's a lot of

:32:20. > :32:24.similarities between riding and commentating. It's all adrenaline,

:32:25. > :32:28.as you are well aware. Having done it, you could actually put more into

:32:29. > :32:31.the commentary. I really enjoyed that. You always had a particular

:32:32. > :32:37.strength of feeling for the Olympics. When did that start? Well,

:32:38. > :32:44.it started in 1968. We were all given the opportunity to go as

:32:45. > :32:50.grooms to hex co-and I was -- Mexico and I was very privilege to groom

:32:51. > :32:58.Cornishman. They won gold, an amazing Olympics. The one memory I

:32:59. > :33:01.have it is when I was holding the horse, the National Anthem was

:33:02. > :33:06.played. It was magic. I remember saying to myself, gosh, I want a

:33:07. > :33:11.piece of this. That is where it all stemmed from. You set yourself an

:33:12. > :33:17.ambition to call a British gold medal. That is dependant on other

:33:18. > :33:26.people. It took a long time to come. My word, it did. Started 1996, and

:33:27. > :33:33.it was London when everyone came right in a big way. This could be

:33:34. > :33:38.the first gold... Since 1952 and Britain have got gold! Three gold

:33:39. > :33:45.medals. It was wul worth waiting for. What a game to bow out on in

:33:46. > :33:50.terms of success in Rio. It is the fairy teal of all. Charlotte --

:33:51. > :33:55.fairy tale of all. Charlotte winning back-to-back was special. The one

:33:56. > :34:00.for me which was the best moment of my commentary life, that was Nick

:34:01. > :34:05.winning that individual gold. For a man's career who'd gone from highs

:34:06. > :34:09.and lows and remembering he broke his neck in 2000, came back to the

:34:10. > :34:14.best form on the world stage and that last day he did get better and

:34:15. > :34:18.better. It was magnificent. I had tears in my eyes. I'll be the first

:34:19. > :34:23.to admit. It's been a pleasure to listen to you for all of those

:34:24. > :34:27.years, work alongside you for some and good luck for today. Thank you

:34:28. > :34:31.very much. Very kind. And before Mike does his final piece

:34:32. > :34:36.of commentary for the BBC, he was out there in the middle of the arena

:34:37. > :34:41.to receive a very special trophy from the Duchess of Cornwall. That

:34:42. > :34:48.is what he uses to comment tat with and a picture of the British horse

:34:49. > :34:53.federation. Very apt she should make that press sensation. Our leader in

:34:54. > :35:00.the clubhouse is Mark Todd, at 61. He's going strong. He has two horses

:35:01. > :35:05.in the top ten. He went clear and on 58.1 penalty points, he is our

:35:06. > :35:12.leader. It is four penalties. It is one penalty for any second or part

:35:13. > :35:20.of a second over the optimum time, 87 seconds and the first horse we

:35:21. > :35:31.will see live is Oliver Townend. We are joining our commentary team.

:35:32. > :35:46.THE COMMENTATOR: Winning in 2009 on Flint Curtis. To finish on 56.2, in

:35:47. > :35:52.seventh place. But he's got No leeway whatsoever.

:35:53. > :36:03.Toddy finishing on the first of his two rides. He went out of word with

:36:04. > :36:10.Leonidas on 68. A combination which have not always

:36:11. > :36:15.had their best results, but Olly is very competitive. The time has been

:36:16. > :36:18.very influential throughout the day. That is unfortunately one down there

:36:19. > :36:24.for Oliver and another one. It is going to be expensive. It's a very

:36:25. > :36:31.good track. It is big, it's square, it's vert kasmt

:36:32. > :36:35.-- vertical. Although it looks a very flat arena in here, there's a

:36:36. > :36:40.gentle slope up and down and it does make a difference to the horses'

:36:41. > :36:43.strides. The downhills, just sit there and hold tight. A long way off

:36:44. > :36:51.that. That's a short distance in there.

:36:52. > :36:55.Oliver made it look quite easy. He's, I think deliberately keeping

:36:56. > :37:04.off the rails, acting for a little bit of standoff. Not getting him in

:37:05. > :37:07.too close. Another one goes. Already gone down more than three places. He

:37:08. > :37:21.was seventh. And the last. It's expensive. It's 16 to add.

:37:22. > :37:26.The time is all right. So 72 .2 for Oliver and Ghareeb.

:37:27. > :37:32.So, he goes down seven places. Expensive.

:37:33. > :37:40.Yes, it was expensive. Just kicked it out in front there. He got one of

:37:41. > :37:42.them earlier behind. And Oliver looks despondent as he

:37:43. > :37:53.walks out. Now the turn of Rosalind Canter.

:37:54. > :37:59.She's been one of our top young riders for quite a while. Here last

:38:00. > :38:04.year she had to withdraw in the end of the day before she'd even done

:38:05. > :38:12.cross-country simply because the horse's heart was not in the rhythm

:38:13. > :38:19.required. She went to burg burly last year. Really cross-country this

:38:20. > :38:24.combination went well. Rosalind Canter with Allstar B.

:38:25. > :38:30.54.5. Currently in sixth place. She's going to stay ahead of

:38:31. > :38:38.Yoshiaki Oiwa of Japan and indeed Mark Todd, she's got to jump clear.

:38:39. > :38:43.Full house. Absolutely packed. And we're in for a nail-biting

:38:44. > :38:49.finish. Britain want young stars for the future and this very much could

:38:50. > :38:51.be one. Certainly could be. She did a brilliant round yesterday. Again

:38:52. > :39:12.she did a great round at burglary. -- at burley.

:39:13. > :39:17.He wants to jump the fences. And Ross has done a brilliant job of

:39:18. > :39:21.jumping with him and on the flat. A real hopeful for the British team, I

:39:22. > :39:30.should think. Later this year for the European Championships that are

:39:31. > :39:35.going to be held in Poland. It is great to see some of the

:39:36. > :39:39.youngers coming through for the British selectors, so they have

:39:40. > :39:44.choice. Clare said one of her disappointing bits of news this

:39:45. > :39:55.morning was the withdrawal of Alexander Bragg and Zagreb, they

:39:56. > :39:59.were potentially another pair. We'll see that combination around for a

:40:00. > :40:03.long time, hopefully. The reason he was out this morning will not

:40:04. > :40:21.detract from his future career. Clear! And inside the time.

:40:22. > :40:30.Stays on that 54.5. Remain in sixth place. Recognition

:40:31. > :40:34.as a future star. He gets lots of height over these

:40:35. > :40:39.fences. He never touched the pole in there.

:40:40. > :40:45.Ears always forward, looking to what he's doing. Look at the height

:40:46. > :40:49.behind. So Rosalind Canter will be our

:40:50. > :40:53.leading British rider here at Badminton. A great chance to be

:40:54. > :40:57.selected for the British Championships. This is our leader,

:40:58. > :41:04.Ingrid Klimke, in that bright jacket, I love to come back here and

:41:05. > :41:10.watch the riders go for their final preparations. She knows the title is

:41:11. > :41:16.within her grasp. The people that can beat her, well Michael Jung, he

:41:17. > :41:19.can. He's over on the right. The top five are three New Zealanders, two

:41:20. > :41:24.German riders and Andrew Nicholson. What a story. The record of 35

:41:25. > :41:28.completions, but never won Badminton before.

:41:29. > :41:37.THE COMMENTATOR: Well, this is where every fence down gets to cost the

:41:38. > :41:45.winner of this year's trophy could get ?100,000. A record top prize.

:41:46. > :41:52.The second ?54,000. Then down to ?41,000. Then to ?21,000. So a pole

:41:53. > :41:56.will be very expensive. Mark Todd jumped a brilliant round earlier on

:41:57. > :42:03.his first horse and he is particularly good in this phase. A

:42:04. > :42:05.rider that's jumped right at the top level, at Grand Prix, representing

:42:06. > :42:10.New Zealand and showjumping as well as eventing. He could have done it

:42:11. > :42:15.in dressage as well, had he wanted to turn his hand to that.

:42:16. > :42:22.Such a good eye. And incredible balance. This horse goes with his

:42:23. > :42:29.head quite low. Mark doesn't interfere with him. He uses his head

:42:30. > :42:35.and neck to balance himself. The Kiwis hoo-ha r had what such a great

:42:36. > :42:42.record -- who have had such a great record. He probably jumped one of

:42:43. > :42:47.the worst showjumping rounds he's ever jumped. Dropped New Zealand out

:42:48. > :42:51.of a team medal and him out of a medal. I think that is one he'll

:42:52. > :43:01.want to forget. He will not be thinking about that at the moment.

:43:02. > :43:12.Brilliant! His showjumping experience of two Olympics have

:43:13. > :43:15.really helped him in that phase. He gets at least fifth place. Could it

:43:16. > :43:22.be more? Well, before we see the top four,

:43:23. > :43:28.let's grab a word with Ross. How did you do it? Well, it is just trying

:43:29. > :43:32.to hold, and I have never been in an atmosphere like this. But I am on a

:43:33. > :43:42.super jumper. He's consistent. As soon as he goes to the start, he

:43:43. > :43:47.clocks into work mood. Mode. This is a terrific result. A very different

:43:48. > :43:55.experience to last year? Last year we did the dressage test. He had a

:43:56. > :43:59.heart defibration. He had to go to the vet. We have been learning all

:44:00. > :44:04.the time. We have been gearing up for a good result. It is a case of

:44:05. > :44:09.getting all three together at the right time. We pulled it off. It

:44:10. > :44:12.could be the start of a very good year for you. Well done. Thank you

:44:13. > :44:26.very much. Now it is Tim Price. New Zealand,

:44:27. > :44:31.and this a mare who went beautifully across-country yesterday. 48.2.

:44:32. > :44:38.Along with Michael Jung. One of only two to go inside the time. But this

:44:39. > :44:45.a horse that hasn't jumped too many clear rounds in a final phase.

:44:46. > :44:51.He's jumped clear twice since he started in 2015 in eight runs.

:44:52. > :45:02.Very important he jumps one here. He's on 48.2. He has got one, but

:45:03. > :45:06.not two fences. A clear round would put the pressure on the top three.

:45:07. > :45:12.It certainly looked impressive so far in this round. As the round goes

:45:13. > :45:16.on, sometimes... Oh, certainly something there. He pushed and got

:45:17. > :45:20.the result he wanted. But it is often as the round goes on and these

:45:21. > :45:23.horses get a little bit flatter if they are not known to be careful. So

:45:24. > :45:37.far, looks good. The New Zealanders are trained by

:45:38. > :45:40.one of the top Spanish show jumpers, ever. He is a very good man on the

:45:41. > :45:41.ground. one of the top Spanish show jumpers,

:45:42. > :45:45.ever. He is a very good man on the ground. Has he got this combination

:45:46. > :45:52.wound up to jump a clear round at a crucial time? Got to jump clear to

:45:53. > :45:57.stay ahead of Mark Todd. . One like to go.

:45:58. > :46:05.Oh, a little tap there. One to G a brilliant round. Oh, he really has

:46:06. > :46:09.held his nerve. He's got a time fault, though. He's got a time

:46:10. > :46:23.fault. But that, I think is going to keep him in fourth place. 49.2.

:46:24. > :46:29.And he stays ahead of Rosalind Canter. Well, Mark Todd is with me

:46:30. > :46:33.so. Two horses finishing so high. Well done? I'm chuffed. A great

:46:34. > :46:38.week. Both have come out today and jumped well. They felt really good

:46:39. > :46:43.after yesterday. So I'm declieted. You know and I know -- I'm

:46:44. > :46:47.delighted. You talked about Rio, the worse Dave your life and the horses

:46:48. > :46:52.come out here and jump clear, in fact both did. I don't know what it

:46:53. > :46:59.was in Rio that upset him. I think he is much happier on grass for some

:47:00. > :47:03.reason, although he is a bit nooky out there, he tries harder What is

:47:04. > :47:08.your prediction? Who will win from the top three? Well, I have to say,

:47:09. > :47:11.you know, Ingrid and Michael are so consistent. You know everybody would

:47:12. > :47:15.love Andrew to jump a clear round and do well. This horse hasn't been

:47:16. > :47:18.the most consistent but having said, that everything seems to be jumping

:47:19. > :47:24.very well this afternoon, you never know. Thank you, Mark and well done

:47:25. > :47:28.again. Thank you. COMMENTATOR: Well, this a man who has had 35

:47:29. > :47:34.completions around Badminton, never won it. Within in the top 3 on

:47:35. > :47:40.numerous occasions. This horse has been good to him. Helped him win

:47:41. > :47:45.individual bronze in the worlds in 2010 in Kentucky but this phase has

:47:46. > :47:49.tended to be his weakest. Only jumped clear in the final phase on

:47:50. > :47:55.five occasions out of 11 completions. But could this be the

:47:56. > :48:03.one that really matters? And then gives him a chance of making that

:48:04. > :48:15.dream come true and getting him that Badminton win which he really,

:48:16. > :48:22.really wants? I must just remind you he is 0.8, not 8, but 0.8 behind the

:48:23. > :48:40.leader. Oh, he is living dangerously.

:48:41. > :49:00.It's almost too frightening to say anything watching this.

:49:01. > :49:19.Come on. Ah, the clock, he is going to get a time fault. He is going to

:49:20. > :49:25.get one but that's a all. That is masterful piece of riding in the

:49:26. > :49:32.final phase. He has done his job and so has Andrew. 41.4 his final score.

:49:33. > :49:37.It could be time faults deciding this. Well, we have never seen this

:49:38. > :49:43.horse jump for many, many years a clear round and Andrew did a

:49:44. > :49:50.masterful job out there. Absolutely fantastic. None of us wanted to

:49:51. > :49:55.speak, none of us wanted to breathe whilst he was out there and Nereo,

:49:56. > :49:59.lived up to his brilliant reputation of being a fantastic horse and a

:50:00. > :50:08.brilliant cross country horse. Now great in the show jumping as well.

:50:09. > :50:19.So, to the last two of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse

:50:20. > :50:22.Trials. It's Germany 1 and 2 but Andrew Nicholson for New Zealand

:50:23. > :50:30.right up there. Neither can afford to have a fence down to keep ahead

:50:31. > :50:36.and, in fact, two time faults - and we've had plenty with more - could

:50:37. > :50:39.also decide this. Michael Jung, double Olympic champion, double

:50:40. > :50:45.European champion and of course holder of the Badminton title when

:50:46. > :50:51.he jumped clear last year. He's jumped some seven clear rounds of

:50:52. > :50:57.his nine starts in four star final day jumping. But he did two years

:50:58. > :51:04.ago lose the Badminton title at the very last fence.

:51:05. > :51:14.He gave that first fence a little rub, which probably would help.

:51:15. > :51:17.Michael such a good show jumper and Sam is a very good jumper but he has

:51:18. > :51:31.had the odd fence down. We know it Oh, and there it goes. Well, that

:51:32. > :51:40.has moved up, putting pressure on Ingrid right now. Pressure is the

:51:41. > :51:46.dangest danger for both Ingrid and mike A last year he won in Kentucky.

:51:47. > :51:50.If he had won here he could have' set up another Grand Slam at

:51:51. > :51:56.Burghley but it is not going to be. He has been such a prolific horse.

:51:57. > :52:02.An incredible winner throughout his career and at 17 years of age, still

:52:03. > :52:03.looks like a youngster and gave a masterful performance cross country

:52:04. > :52:19.yesterday. Time to going to be all right. It's

:52:20. > :52:25.the one fence down. It drops him below Andrew Nicholson and Nereo. A

:52:26. > :52:34.final score of 44 for Sam and Michael junction. CLARE BALDING: He

:52:35. > :52:39.can't defend his title but this man could win it for the first time. It

:52:40. > :52:45.is rare to get a clear on Nereo but gosh you did well there? Yes, he

:52:46. > :52:50.needs to be a very good jumper and probably has not got such a good

:52:51. > :52:56.reputation because he has been fast at big events and the ground has

:52:57. > :53:00.been very heavy and they are not machines but he showed today he can

:53:01. > :53:05.do it and 17 years old, all I need now is Ingrid to help me out and,

:53:06. > :53:11.here we go, we'll wait and see. The dream will yet come true. We may

:53:12. > :53:14.keep you here and find out. COMMENTATOR: Down to the last. The

:53:15. > :53:19.overnight leader, after that challenging cross country yesterday,

:53:20. > :53:27.it is Ingrid Klimke on Horseware Hale Bob Old for Germany. 39.6, so

:53:28. > :53:35.she can't afford to have a fence down. Nereo now on 41.4, so, she

:53:36. > :53:44.couldn't afford to have two time faults. She could have one and still

:53:45. > :53:50.win but she couldn't have two. She would be the first female rider to

:53:51. > :53:56.win Badminton since Lucinda Freddics back in 2007 and of course in 2015

:53:57. > :54:01.she finished second to Chilly Morning and William Fox Pitt.

:54:02. > :54:10.Well, we know this is a brilliant show jumper and Ingrid said at the

:54:11. > :54:17.end of her cross country round that she's pretty confident about him in

:54:18. > :54:21.the jumping ring. A little rub there at the back. But then there is the

:54:22. > :54:29.pressure and the expectations but Ingrid is a pretty cool girl - oh.

:54:30. > :54:33.Andrew Nicholson has won his first Badminton title. Well, well, well,

:54:34. > :54:40.the crowd will go mad with that result. Oh. Well, we've had two of

:54:41. > :54:45.the best horses and riders in the world just have poles down and given

:54:46. > :54:50.Andrew Nicholson his first Badminton win. I can't tell you how thrilled I

:54:51. > :54:54.am for him. No, me, too. I couldn't agree more. Let's just remind you,

:54:55. > :55:00.particularly those who don't watch the sport on a regular basis. Andrew

:55:01. > :55:05.Nicholson to nearly broke his neck at Gatcombe horse trials in the

:55:06. > :55:09.final fence in 2015. He made a major recover rain sadly, it is all

:55:10. > :55:12.falling apart P oh, dear, Ingrid Klimke is one of the best riders in

:55:13. > :55:16.the world and she doesn't deserve this because she is dropping down

:55:17. > :55:21.now, dropping down the order and as we said earlier, it is going to be

:55:22. > :55:25.expensive It is going to be expensive. Poor Ingrid, it has gone

:55:26. > :55:33.wrong. But as well as Andrew, I would like to say a huge thank you

:55:34. > :55:38.and recognise Libby, the owner of Nereo, an incredible owner, so loyal

:55:39. > :55:45.over the years. You are absolutely right To the last. She is going to

:55:46. > :55:54.get time faults as well. It is 12 jumping and five, actually one time.

:55:55. > :55:59.It is 13 and she goes on to 58.6 and it is going to drop her down to

:56:00. > :56:03.fifth place. Well, well, well, one thinks back to the days of the horse

:56:04. > :56:11.she rode at Championship level for many years, she had some horrible

:56:12. > :56:24.finishes then but one didn't expect it today and... No, we didn't expect

:56:25. > :56:27.that at all. CLARE BALDING: I am with the man who has won Badminton

:56:28. > :56:34.for the first time in his career. Andrew Nicholson. Oh, hugs all

:56:35. > :56:37.around. That is aextraordinary. Your grandson there and son here.

:56:38. > :56:42.Desperate for Ingrid it went wrong but for you a very long time coming?

:56:43. > :56:48.It has been wrong for me quite a few times as well. I know what it is

:56:49. > :56:52.like and it is worth the wait. I can assure you, the feeling is much

:56:53. > :56:54.better when you've waited. You missed this competition last year

:56:55. > :56:58.because you were still recovering from a broken neck. Doctors told you

:56:59. > :57:03.you should never ride again? No my so you are on, a clever man, Jeremy

:57:04. > :57:08.Reynolds he is watching today. He told me straight after surgery that

:57:09. > :57:13.he had done a very good job. I had good, strong bones and he was very

:57:14. > :57:19.sure I'd be all right, it would be whether my mind would let me. So,

:57:20. > :57:24.yes, clever men these surgeons. I don't think there has ever been any

:57:25. > :57:28.doubting your mind. Oliver Townend was one who rushed forward to

:57:29. > :57:31.congratulate you when we knew you were going to win. We will have a

:57:32. > :57:35.look at those celebrations, you will see the strength of feeling around

:57:36. > :57:39.event riders and owners, how much they put into the sport. How much

:57:40. > :57:43.they know he has been through and Oliver Townend joked - it is the

:57:44. > :57:51.only way he gets on TV these days, which is not true. But that shows

:57:52. > :57:55.how much people appreciate... And the likes of Jonty Evans andestaway.

:57:56. > :57:58.These people who have worked for me when they were young, and they are

:57:59. > :58:01.beating me regularly at big events and I feel very proud being

:58:02. > :58:05.associated with them and that's why they are so excited for what I've

:58:06. > :58:11.done. Yeah, it's a good feeling. This is the won you really wanted,

:58:12. > :58:16.wasn't it? Yeah, it is the first event I came to when I came from New

:58:17. > :58:22.Zealand when I was 18. I came to groom for Toddy. I thought it was

:58:23. > :58:27.easy, no problem at all. You just turn up with a horse and take the

:58:28. > :58:32.prize home. That was 1984. I have learned it is not quite so easy.

:58:33. > :58:37.Well, you couldn't deserve it more. Lilly is in tears, and your daughter

:58:38. > :58:43.and grandson and Mark Todd wants to congratulate you. Let's confirm the

:58:44. > :58:48.place, Andrew Nicholson is the Badminton champiour fore2017. Toddy

:58:49. > :58:51.is congratulating you, over to Mike to confirm.

:58:52. > :58:55.COMMENTATOR: Well, in what has been a tough competition where experience

:58:56. > :58:58.has counted, it has been won by Andrew Nicholson, that will be

:58:59. > :59:04.without doubt the most popular result that could have' been

:59:05. > :59:13.expected at this this stage. Michael Jung was second and Tim Price for

:59:14. > :59:16.New Zealand in third. Mark Todd then Rosalind Canter, Marked to and

:59:17. > :59:21.Ingrid Klimke there too. Many congratulations to the man who broke

:59:22. > :59:36.his neck and who has come back here to the champion. -- to be champion.