Many of Australia’s elite eventing riders will tackle the world’s most famous horse trials at Badminton, England, in early May, hoping to make the World Equestrian Games team.
Thirteen of the 85 accepted riders are Australians and New Zealand has 14 starters listed. The event received 130 entries from 14 countries with those not accepted on a waiting list.
The Aussies heading to England are Peter Atkins riding Henry Jota Hampton; Christopher Burton on TS Jamaimo; Emma Dougall Kelecyn on Ice Age; Lucinda Fredericks on Flying Finish; Sam Griffiths on Paulank Brockagh; Andrew Hoy on Rutherglen; Bill Levett on Shannondale Titan; Bill Levett on Silk Stone; Seumas Marwood on Wild Oats; Wendy Schaeffer on Koyuna Sun Dancer; Paul Tapner on Kilronan and, most importantly, Natalie Blundell on Algebra.
Hoy, Tapner and Fredericks are previous winners of the famed event. The course has a new designer, Giuseppe Della Chiesa, and has been modified with a spectacular new water complex.
