Badminton Starters - The Vital Statistics

 

Laura Collett (GBR) on Rayef in the lead after Day 1 of Dressage at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011 - opener for the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2011 © Kit Houghton/FEI

Former winners

This year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials field includes seven previous winners: Mary King, Lucinda Fredericks, Oliver Townend, Mark Todd, Pippa Funnell, William Fox-Pitt and Paul Tapner.

 

First-timers

There are twenty-two first-timers in the field, including 13 overseas combinations. Lauren Shannon (Zero Flight and Quixotic), Joy Dawes (Finnisterre) , Izzy Taylor (Briarlands Matilda), Laura Collett (pictured) (Rayef), Flora Harris (Law Choice), Ben Hobday (Uptons Who) , Lucie McNichol (Zeus Of Rushall), Sarah Stretton (Lazy Acres Skip On) and Alice Pearson (Beau Bear) make up the British contingent, while Ireland’s first-timers are Aoife Clark (Vaguely North and Master Crusoe), Joseph Murphy (Electric Cruise) and Louise Lyons (Murphys Miracle).

 

For France, Karim Laghouag (Havenir D’Azac), Didier Dhennin (Ismene Du Temple), Gwendolen Fer (Leria Du Ter), Helene Vattiere (Jubal) are all making the trip to Badminton for the first time, while first timer Jrina Giessuein (Thunder III) is Switzerland’s sole representative. For the USA, Buck Davidson (Ballynoe Castle RM) and Jennifer Wootten (The Good Witch) are making their debuts here, as are Canada’s Selena O’Hanlon (Columbo) and Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch (Port Authority).

 

Mares

There are eight mares in the field: Prada (Lucinda Fredericks), FRH Fantasia (Andras Dibowski), Quixotic (Lauren Shannon), Briarlands Matilda (Izzy Taylor), The Good Witch (Jennifer Wootten), Calma Schelly (Marina Kohncke), Roma ML (Fiona Hobby) and Carerra (Susanna Bordone).

 

Youngest/oldest

At 21, Laura Collett is the youngest competitor in this year’s line-up by just one week – Camilla Speirs, who rides the smallest horse in the field, the 15hh Portersize Just A Jiff, also has an August birthday, while Emily Llewellyn is the third 21-year-old in the field. The oldest rider is France’s 57-year-old former World Champion Jean Teulere.

 

Source: Badminton Horse Trials