Hoy pleased with Badminton third (From Stroud News and Journal)

Hoy pleased with Badminton third

GATCOMBE'S Andrew Hoy was the best Gloucestershire-based rider at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

The triple Olympic gold medallist finished third on Master Monarch and sixth on Mr Pracatan.

However, Pippa Funnell headed the Trials with her third victory in four years on Primmore's Pride.

Hoy was delighted for his pupil Yoshiaki Oiwa, riding Voyou Du Roc, who was the first Japanese rider to compete at Badminton and finished in 11th spot after coming into the final showjumping phase in third spot.

Oiwa said: "I just wanted to give Rocky a good final ride. He is a quick horse and I knew if I rode him well, I could finish well."

Funnell, who won in 2002 and 2003 on Supreme Rock, produced a high scoring dressage test of 40.9 penalties to lead after the first two days.

Despite scoring eight's for a majority of her test, it was not faultless and she blamed herself when 'Kiri' broke in one of the extended trots.

Also breaking the 50-penalty barrier with a score of 46.1 penalties was defending champion William Fox-Pitt on Tamarillo.

Saturday's cross country caused problems for many top riders, including Leslie Law, who had two falls with Shear H2O (Fence 27) and his Olympic Ride Shear L'eau (Fence 13) and Kristina Cook, who fell at Fence 25.

Chipping Sodbury rider Nick Gauntlett, riding Arthur's Word, was also a casualty with a fall at Colts Pond.

Putting the disappointment of two falls last year behind her, Funnell kept her cool, retaining her lead ahead of Fox-Pitt, adding just 3.6 time penalties to her overnight score.

Fox-Pitt withdrew his first ride Ballincoola on the steeplechase but finished the day on his dressage score with Tamarillo.

A clear round by Fox-Pitt in the show jumping put the pressure on Funnell to go clear but with superb precision at every fence she took the title by just 1.6 penalties.