Nicolas makes Badminton history

5:58pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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HISTORY was made at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2008 when Nicolas Touzaint became the first French rider ever to win the most prestigious three-day event in the world, writes Di Alexander From being placed ninth in the dressage phase he stormed round Hugh Thomas's tricky and demanding course, which caught out many top riders and Olympic hopefuls, to finish on a score of 44.4.Admitting at Saturday's press conference to be "in very high spirits" Nicolas, 27, was confident about the following day's vital show jumping round where the top four contenders had such close scores that one fence down could dramatically change the order.

In the end third placed Polly Stockton and Tom Quigley lowered three poles and dropped to sixth place while William Fox-Pitt and Ballincoola, Lucy Wiegersma and Shaabrak and Nicolas with his eight year-old bay gelding, Hildago de L'Ile, each has one pole down and the order remained the same.

A delighted Touzaint said: "To win Badminton has always been my dream - even more than my Olympic medal and European title."

Meanwhile, Gatcombe-based Zara Phillips was delighted with her finish. She demonstrated her gutsy style once again by riding her two more novice horses, Glenbuck and Ardfield Magic Star clear across country to finish 16th and 19th respectively. She also won the Glentrool Trophy for the greatest improvement between her dressage placing and the final result- Ardfield Magic Star moving up a massive 59 placings from 78th.

Georgie Davies and Fachoudette who, with Polly Stockton, had one of the only two clear rounds within the time on the cross country course. They finished 10th to win the Laurence Rook Trophy for the best placed British young rider at her first Badminton.

Of the many local riders who qualified for the world's most prestigious three day event, Harry Meade and Midnight Dazzler who finished 13th won the Cotswold Life Trophy for the highest placed local rider for the third year in succession, with Rodney Powell and Zin Zan II close behind in 14th place.

Gatcombe-based, Australian Andrew Hoy and Moon Fleet, in the lead after the dressage, who were eliminated as early as The Quarry (fence 5) while fellow Australian Clayton Fredericks, who led after day one of the dressage, came to grief on Nullabor at the HSBC Hexagon Hedge and New Zealander Andrew Nicholson retired on Armada at the Blue Cross Roundtops and on Silbury Hill at the Lancer Village, only three fences from the end.

Julie Tew from Northleach, riding Sir Roselier also retired at the Blue Cross Roundtops but Chippenham-based Beanie Sturgis and Monarch's Rock finished a very creditable 27th while Georgie Spence, also from Chippenham, rode Running Brook II into 30th and won the saddle which is traditionally presented to the best British rider under 25.

Local riders who came to grief where not alone - some of the brightest and best failed to complete the cross country course. Mary King and Imperial Cavalier had an uncharacteristic fall two fences from home, while Pippa Funnell and Ensign got no further than Huntsman's Close and Ruth Edge and Muschamp Impala, who started the day in second place, fell in the Lake as did James Robinson and Commanche.