Historic victory for Ian Stark in CCI **** Badminton

45 year old Ian Stark delivered a historic performance at the 50th CCI **** Badminton. With a grand total of 100 points Ian won the 50th Badminton Horse Trials. His partner-in-crime was the gorgeous 8 year old Jaybee, a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred by Norfolk Air and owned by Lady Hartington. 

Ian and Jaybee placed fourth after the dressage test with a low 69 points score. The pair started as first combination in the cross country and set an example on how a course of such great difficulty should be completed.  With only 21 time faults to be added to his dressage score, Ian took a strong lead. Even though Jaybee knocked off one pole in the jumping course, Ian gathered 100 points and distanced himself from 2nd placed Mark Todd, who rode a total of 120 points.

The expressions of happiness and joy on Ian's face were indescribable. After the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta this British rider thought of resigning his competitive career, but with fresh quality horse material being presented at his barn Ian had no choice but to continue. Lady Hartington is a permanent contributor of high potential horses and with Jaybee a perfect match seems to be made. With his third Badminton victory Ian cannot be but only pleased. He hopes to qualify for Sydney and with the young Jaybee the chances are obviously high. The American Karen Millikin ended third with Out and About (149 points).

Another, yet different, historic fact took place in Badminton. For the first time in this Horse Trials'  history a photographer was knocked over by a participating horse. Stuart Tinney, who had made such a valiant save when nearly unseated jumping into the Lake, jumped over the chestnut railings into the crowd. His horse Tex ran over photographer William Cox, an American  from Oakland, California. William was dragged over the railing and fractured his forearm. "I was more afraid that my camera would be damaged than being injured myself," he commented. This was William's first visit to Badminton, a trip of which he dreamt for more than twenty years. 

Visit the official Badminton Horse Trials page at http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk
Courtesy Image by Badminton website