Cold and windy at the jog this morning…we had to wrestle Jonelle’s puffa jacket off her before she jogged Chilli’s Morning Star (Ollie) and she was quick to grab it back straight afterwards. She looked amazing in her https://www.meandem.com striking outfit but it was more like a spring ensemble than winter which is what it felt like in the Park today. Rosie had won the grooms prize which meant that the bowler hatted stewards refused to let her leave the main yard so with the new route back to the stables going via the Kennels road Jonelle had to not only take Ollie back the long way herself but, as she tipped shaving out of her shoes later, she informed us she even had to remove his bridle and rug him up!
Tim’s suit was a little warmer and he is, as we know, made of sterner stuff and he and Falco looked fabulous down the strip. Breakfast time for all and a course walk for the riders up at the top.
Technical and square was the conversation after the walk with plenty of roll back questions. Jonelle and Ollie jumped in the morning session ( or the ‘losers session’ as she dubbed it) and were one of only two clear rounds, albeit with 0.8 of a time penalty to sit into the lead going into the the lunch break. That clear round saw her rise from 26th to eventual 12th by the end of play which is just incredible on Ollie’s Badminton debut!
Meanwhile Tim had to wait and wait for his turn to jump and the poles were falling thick and fast. There is a different kind of pressure in jumping Falco as he is so renowned for jumping an amazing round that if you mess up as a rider it’s all on you. They warmed up like King Edward and a clear was never in doubt from the first fence and when they crossed the line in time it made them only the second round all day to to the double ( the first being Arne Bergendahl some 4 hours earlier).
The climb up the board started and culminated in eventual second when the record breaking Lordships Graffalo (Walter) made history with his third Badminton win ( to add to his two Burghley’s). No one likes to benefit from other riders mistakes but what the hell, Tim and Falco earnt this every step of the way!
The world might see the record breaking third Badminton win as history but to me Falco is a living legend himself. He was a brat as a youngster, he was branded a quitter in his formative years as he struggled with the footwork to compliment his amazing jump and plenty of people wrote him off when he was just learning his trade. He might have been late to the party but when he did arrive it has been with some flourish. Think ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’ as a double World Championship bronze medallist, an individual 6th at Paris Olympics, he has never been out of the top 2 in his 5 star completions (two seconds and a win at Pau, Maryland and now Badminton at 5 star) and at 17, thanks to the team around him, he looks as good as ever.
It might not have been the perfect build up to Badminton but it sure as hell has been a vintage one. Huge thanks to owners Nikki Axon and Sue Benson for their faith and as always, the horses are so happy thanks to Rosie Thomas and Louella le Moigne who are the most dedicated and loyal girls on the international circuit.
Full results etc on https://www.badminton-horse.co.uk
