Two competitors withdrew before the final horse inspection at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this morning and two more after it.
Before the trot-up, Germany’s Andreas Dibowski (pictured) pulled out FRH Little Lemon, who lay 16th after cross-country, and France’s Pierre Marie Dubois, who had a somewhat hairy round with Ira D’Islea, also withdrew.
Ireland’s Austin O’Connor’s ride Hobby De Mee was sent to the holding box, but the ground jury (David Lee, Marilyn Payne and Judy Bradwell) passed the horse when he was represented. But Austin has now withdrawn.
Another Irish horse, Michael Owen’s ride King Bob, has now been withdrawn, although he passed the trot-up.
Third-placed Polly Stockton had an anxious moment when she was asked to trot Tom Quigley up again on a loose rein, but he passed when she did so.
Trot-up commentator Giles Rowsell reported that Dee Kennedy, who took a nasty fall from Big El at The Horse Deals Quarry yesterday, has a neck injury but is stable in Frenchay hospital.
The first session of show jumping starts at 11am, with the top 20 jumping at 2pm this afternoon. Zara Phillips will be the first rider to jump this afternoon, with Ardfield Magic Star. She is the only rider with two horses in the top 20, and will jump Glenbuck, who lies 13th, out of order to allow her time to warm him up.
Log back onto www.horseandhound.co.uk later for a final Badminton report and don’t forget to buy H&H next Thursday (8 May) for a 16 page report, with comments from Carl Hester, Ginny Elliot and William Fox-Pitt.
