The Badminton Horse Trials is one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world, held annually in the grounds of Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England. This year saw an exciting finish to the event, with Australia’s Christopher Burton taking home the top prize. Here, we take a look at the exciting competition and the outcome of the 2019 Badminton Horse Trials.
Background to the Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day eventing competition, held annually since 1949 in the grounds of Badminton House in Gloucestershire. The event has become one of the most prestigious competitions in the equestrian world, and attracts some of the best riders and horses from around the world. This year’s event ran from Wednesday 8th May to Sunday 12th May.
Competition Format
The competition is split into three phases – dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. The horse and rider combination start the competition by performing a dressage test, which is judged on the horse’s obedience, suppleness, and responsiveness. The next day, the horses and riders tackle a challenging cross-country course, which includes a range of obstacles such as ditches, banks, and water jumps. On the final day, the horses and riders complete a show jumping course, where they must jump a series of fences without incurring any penalties. The combination with the lowest overall score is declared the winner.
2019 Entrants
This year’s event saw a total of 81 horse and rider combinations from 15 countries, including Australia’s Christopher Burton and his horse, Graf Liberty. Other notable entries included the 2018 winner, Piggy French, riding Vanir Kamira, and the reigning Olympic Champion, Michael Jung, riding La Biosthetique Sam.
The Dressage Phase
The dressage phase began on Wednesday 8th May, with Piggy French and Vanir Kamira setting the standard with a score of 41.3. However, this was soon overtaken by Christopher Burton and Graf Liberty, who scored a stunning 37.4, giving them a clear lead going into the cross-country phase.
The Cross-Country Phase
The cross-country phase took place on Friday 10th May, and saw some spectacular performances from the riders. Piggy French and Vanir Kamira put in a particularly impressive display, completing the course in a time of 11 minutes, 7 seconds, and incurring no penalties. Christopher Burton and Graf Liberty also put in a strong performance, crossing the finish line in a time of 11 minutes, 33 seconds, and incurring just 4.8 time penalties.
The Show Jumping Phase
The show jumping phase took place on Sunday 12th May, and saw a dramatic finish to the competition. Christopher Burton and Graf Liberty put in a faultless performance, jumping clear in a time of 42.41 seconds. This put them firmly in the lead, but there was still a chance for Piggy French and Vanir Kamira to overtake them. However, the pair incurred four penalties, leaving them in second place on a score of 42.9.
The Winner
As the dust settled, it was Australia’s Christopher Burton and Graf Liberty who emerged victorious, taking home the top prize with a score of 42.4. Piggy French and Vanir Kamira finished in second place, just 0.5 penalties behind Burton and Graf Liberty.
Conclusion
The 2019 Badminton Horse Trials was an exciting competition, with some of the best equestrian talent in the world competing for the top prize. In the end, it was Australia’s Christopher Burton and Graf Liberty who emerged victorious, taking home the trophy with a score of 42.4.
The Future of Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials is one of the most prestigious events in the equestrian world, and is sure to attract some of the best riders and horses from around the world for years to come. With the 2020 event already scheduled for 5th-9th May, we can look forward to another exciting competition next year.