Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo stayed on 23.7 penalties after a clear cross-country round at Badminton Horse Trials, leaving them one show jumping fence from victory. The round kept them in front after the dressage phase and put Canter on the brink of becoming the first rider to win MARS Badminton Horse Trials three times on the same horse.
Ros Canter at Badminton
Canter said the round would not have looked so perfect if she had not been on Walter. She also said she felt incredibly grateful to have a horse like Walter when she was not at her fittest, adding that his light gallop allows her to be one of the fastest in the world.
Her return to top-level riding has come quickly. She was back in the saddle during February after giving birth to her second daughter, Seneh, in January, and said the week had been more mental than physical because she had been working out timings around feeding the baby and having time to herself.
Badminton Horse Trials standings
Behind the leader, Harry Meade rose nine places to second on Annaghmor Valoner and Sarah Bullimore moved 16 places to third on Corimiro. Katie Magee was fourth on Treworra and Lucy Latta was fifth on RCA Patron Saint, while Tim Price sat sixth on Falco despite battling a clavicle injury.
The cross-country day produced 45 completions from 59 starters, with 34 clear rounds and seven riders inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 30 seconds. Switzerland’s Nadja Minder was the only first-timer to get around, finishing 14th on Toblerone.
Final inspection at Badminton
Canter said the crowds were amazing and she could hear them shouting “Go Walter!” before adding, “What will be will be tomorrow,” and “You have to remember that I am only human and Walter is only a horse.” The final horse inspection was scheduled for 8.30am the next day, with the lower placed horses due to jump at 11.45am and the top 20 at 2.45pm.
