Mary King assesses the Badminton cross-country challenge Page 34:
Double Badminton winner Mary King believes the cross-country course will be a little more forgiving than last year’s, but it remains a true four-star test
ERIC WINTER made a real impact with his first track as Badminton course-designer last year, so it was fascinating to see what he has set for horses and riders this time.
It is a proper four-star test, but I think he has smoothed off some of the edges of last year’s course and made it a little more forgiving. The mistakes will mainly be recorded as run-outs, not fallers, I predict.
The track runs anticlockwise this time, and definitely has a different “feel” this way round. It’s not the most massive Badminton track I’ve seen — I still think what we jumped back in 1985, the first year I competed here, on Divers Rock, holds that record — but it contains plenty of accuracy questions and really does test every aspect of a horse and rider’s training, talent and courage. Eric says that he “hates the modern way of picking a flat piece of ground and putting something predictable on it”. He’s certainly done his best to use every possible piece of varying terrain here and, with its typically natural, not over-decorated look, it’s real cross-country.
How I wish I was riding it! I’ve been lucky enough to win Badminton twice — in 1992 with King William and in 2000 with Star Appeal — and to have had many other great rides here on wonderful horses. There is no other event like it; just driving through the gates makes me catch my breath, and memories come flooding back. Good luck to those competing. I shall be watching with great interest and not a little envy. Fence 1
asX starter The traditional flower box to kick off the challenge. There is nothing difficult about the fence itself, but starting in the highpressure atmosphere of the main arena, with a large crowd whooping and cheering, means riders must make sure their horses are properly concentrating and focused on the job in hand.
Difficulty rating: 3/10 Fence 2
roleX Feeder After exiting the main arena, riders swing left through the collecting ring and over this sizeable sheep feeder.
Difficulty rating: 3/10
Fence 3
HorseQuest Hump This is a new fence — a beautiful tree trunk from the Badminton estate sited on a mound. It’s good to have an interesting fence before the first combination to get horses’ brains into gear. They jump well from an uphill approach and, as long as riders keep coming forward on a balanced stride, it shouldn’t pose a problem.
Difficult rating: 4/10 Fence 4ab
HorseQuest Quarry A fairly straightforward test this year of a drop into the quarry over an upright wall, a neat left turn in the bottom and up a steep incline and over another wall. The drop is not enormous and partnerships will land on falling ground rather than at the bottom of the slope — but horses don’t know that on approach, so it is an early test of trust. It requires positive riding, good balance and forward momentum.
Difficulty rating: 5.5/10 Fence 5
rolex Grand slam skinny This narrow, curved brush over a ditch is a good fence — those who want to be properly competitive will jump it on an acute angle to save time. Real four-star horses will find it easy on the inside line, but Eric Winter’s track is already testing every aspect of training and ability.
Difficulty rating: 7/10 Fence 6abc irisH sport Horse Huntsman’s Close This question — an angled log and then two skinny logs — is quite different to previous years. It isn’t particularly big, but will test obedience and “handiness”. Riders will need to jump the first element on an acute angle to be able to ride a straighter line to the next two, which are on a right curving two strides. It will be easy — and very annoying — to have a run-out at the final element.
Difficulty rating: 7.5/10 Fences 7 & 8 traders table, WadWortHs Water A big, plain table and then the first jump into water — an angled, hanging log. It’s a good opportunity to get horses’ feet wet before the more serious ask of The Lake, and shouldn’t be an issue.
Difficult rating: 4/10 Fence 9abc
tHe lake The spectators’ favourite, and they will be able to see more fences than ever before from this area, which adds to the intensity of the atmosphere. There’s a log drop in with a nice profile that encourages riders to be brave and ride forward, then five strides to a brush in the water, followed by a very sharply angled brush after the bank out. It walks on three strides, but will probably ride better on a holding four.
There were quite a few problems here last year, but the only step out this time is part of the long route and, although there will inevitably be some that slip out of the side of the final brush, it should be a less problematic question.
Riders need to ensure their horse’s eye is firmly on the c element as they come up the bank; there is a lengthy alternative for those who don’t get a great jump over the brush in the water. It’s a real four-star test, but very jumpable.
Difficulty rating: 8.5/10 Fences 10 & 11 l200s and World Horse Welfare Gates It’s a right turn to the traditional Mitsubishi pick-ups, which aren’t difficult but need full concentration, as one or two good combinations have tipped up here over the years. Then riders leave The Lake area over a gate jumped off a turn. Eric says: “If they can’t jump a 1.20m vertical at any place on the course, they aren’t a four-star horse…” As long as riders are sensible here, they will be fine.
Difficulty rating: 5/10
Fences 12 & 13 Formulate! white oxers and stick Pile I remember the white oxers from last year — they ask the horse for a big effort and to make a good shape. The Stick Pile is another large but uncomplicated jump.
Difficult rating: 4/10 Fence 14, 15, 16ab
outlander Phev mound This comprises an open corner, then down a dip and a run up to upright rails on top of a bank, and down the other side to another corner. The right-hand route is more testing but more direct; the left-hand side is slightly longer with a 5cm bigger set of rails, but the terrain is easier. It looks perfectly jumpable to me and kinder than some of the questions here in the past but, as with much of this course, riders will need to choose the route that suits their horse best.
Difficulty rating: 8/10 Fence 17
devoucoux Quad bar This new fence of four sloping rails is huge and, jumped right on a scopey horse, will feel amazing — like you are flying.
It encourages forward riding, but riders mustn’t go wild on the approach as the landing is considerably lower than the take-off and, at the moment, with two and a half weeks to go, the ground is pretty soft in this area of the park.
Difficulty rating: 5/10 Fence 18abc
ecliPse cross Pond The direct route at the second water question consists of a slim, upright silver birch rail near the edge of the water, and five strides on a reasonably straight line through the water and over a parallel on top of a bank.
If riders keep their mounts contained, the distance will come up well.
The long option has an extra element and shouldn’t really be necessary at this level.
The accumulative questions from fences 14 to 18 examine accuracy, bravery and ability and finally containment and cleverness — everything cross-country is about.
Difficulty rating: 7/10 Fence 19
vicarage rolltoP Phew, a let-up fence which should give back confidence if any has been lost.
Difficulty rating: 4/10 Fence 20abc
hildon water Pond This was a really serious question last year and will still be a big draw for spectators, but should ride more smoothly. There’s a tight three strides from a log pile to a water cascade into the pond. The quick route involves a tight left turn in the water, during which riders must keep balance, rhythm and impulsion, and out on to the bank and over a brush. The angle to the final part looks acute when you are in the water, but there’s more room than I’d expected once you get to the fence.
It’s a clever question: Eric asks the riders to condense and get as neat a jump as possible over the a element, and they need to sit up and support with their leg on landing to get the third stride and to pop into the water, rather than balloon in on a faster, flatter stride.
Difficult rating: 7.5/10 Fence 21
national star trakehner This trakehner, with its gaping ditch, makes a stunning shot for photographers but should ride well.
Difficulty rating: 4/10 Fence 22 & 23
kbis vicarage vee Possibly the most famous Badminton fence of them all is back for 2018. The quick route is straight over the narrow, angled rails over the ditch; the long route is circuitous. I think the “Vee” itself is kinder than it has been in
recent times. The rails are slightly ascending and closer to the front of the ditch, and there is more rail to the right, giving horses more space to jump. It’s still a great test of trust, accuracy and bravery, though.
Difficulty rating: 8.5/10 Fence 24abcd
Shogun hollow The approach to the first, angled rail is through trees. The ditch at b is interesting — it is narrow in width and will be quite spooky, I think. The jump riders get over it will determine whether they have a smooth ride up and over the skinny angled house at c/d, or whether they need to reroute and go long to two different houses to avoid risking a run-out.
It’s not big, but it needs to be ridden well to pull it off. Big, rangy horses might find the two strides quite short — but it is up to their riders to throttle back without losing rhythm and impulsion.
Difficulty rating: 8.5/10
Fence 25
CountrySide haywain
A large but straightforward cart.
Difficulty rating: 4/10 Fence 26abc
JouleS CornerS These have a different location and more room between each element this year, but golly, they are massive. The first element is a brush box, followed by two brush corners on four strides on a turning left arc. They should jump beautifully and are more a test of scope and braking power than of pin-point accuracy, but need real respect, especially if the ground comes up soft.
Difficulty rating: 8/10
Fence 27
BhS taBle
Another big, plain fence with a turn into it.
Difficulty rating: 4/10 Fence 28
Crooked S BullfinCh Eric says he loves a bullfinch, and we hadn’t seen one for some time until he used one (in a different place) last year. I can’t see it causing too much trouble.
Difficulty rating: 5/10 Fence 29abc
SavillS eSCalator The last real question on the course. At this late stage, the less “hauling about” riders have to do, the better.
They need to choose the line from the big brush oxer to a choice of angled log brushes that suits the amount of horse left underneath them. Horses are asked to open up, then be under complete control to meet the two narrow fences well.
Difficulty rating: 8/10 Fence 30
fiSCher BruSh A vast hedge and ditch — straightforward as long as riders look up and keep kicking!
Difficulty rating: 7/10 Fence 31
rolex treetrunk This single fence on the approach to the arena is easier than the double of angled logs that were my poor daughter Emily’s downfall a couple of years ago.
Difficulty rating: 6/10 Fence 32
Shogun Sport Saddle The thing here is to keep a tired horse’s balance and focus — they re-enter the main arena and are faced with the packed grandstands and lots of noise. Big pats and huge relief once you have landed safely and galloped through the finish.
Difficulty rating: 5/10 H&H