Mark Todd will make his Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials comeback this year, as one of the final riders accepted off the waiting list.
Last night at 6pm was the cut-off time for wait-listed horses replacing those who were withdrawn.
Mark, who was originally 29th on the waiting list with NZB Grass Valley (pictured), heard over the weekend that he had a space at Badminton. It is 30 years this year since he made his Badminton debut — winning in 1980 — and 10 years since he last rode there.
He told H&H on Monday: “I wasn’t getting my hopes up, but I’m very excited now.”
85 to trot-up
Thirty-one horses were accepted off the Badminton waiting list in total, fewer than in the past two years (43 were accepted in 2009 and 38 in 2008).
The only part of the draw still to be confirmed is who the riders with three horses listed will actually run, as competitors are limited to two horses each, although they can “double enter” more. But riders can only actual arrive at Badminton with two horses.
The riders with three horses still listed are: Mary King, Joe Meyer, Andrew Nicholson, Jeanette Brakewell, William Fox-Pitt and Paul Tapner.
The system takes into account that these riders can only run two of their horses, so assuming no one else withdraws between now and 4pm on Thursday, 85 horses will trot-up in front of the ground jury (Britain’s Nick Burton, New Zealand’s Nicoli Fife and Germany’s Christoph Hess) in the hope of starting the competition.
Read a feature on Mark Todd’s Badminton highlights in the second part of our Badminton preview in H&H out tomorrow (29 April). Also in tomorrow’s Horse & Hound, read Tina Cook’s thoughts on her ride Miners Frolic’s preparation and who to watch.
H&H online is bringing you live written coverage of the two days of dressage at Badminton and much more. Visit www.horseandhound.co.uk/badminton2010 for full details of our coverage and don’t forget to buy H&H on 6 May for a 15-page special report from Badminton.
