What they said
A Tough Track
OF the 40 competitors who took on the Kelvin Bywater-designed show jumping course at Badminton on Sunday, only two kept an entirely clean sheet. One was the eventual runner-up, New Zealander Tim Price, and the other came from the morning session in the form of Germany’s Arne Bergendahl and the eye-catching grey mare Luthien NRW, whom he jumps to national 1.40m level at home. The riders were unanimous in their respect for the track:
“When I walked it this morning, I knew it would be influential. There were questions all the way round. It was very square, a lot of roll backs onto water trays, three doubles… It’s a proper big track.” - Padraig McCarthy“It’s as big a Badminton show jumping track as I’ve seen, and quite technical. The distances vary; you go from a little bit open to a little bit closed. It’s a true five-star show jumping track.” - Austin O’Connor“I think it was tougher than normal; square, a tight time, it put everyone under pressure and we saw the consequences of that when there weren’t a lot of clear rounds inside the time.” - Tim Price“I thought he jumped probably one of the best rounds of his life actually today.” - Ros Canter on Lordships Graffalo