Badminton Horse Trials 2003

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PIPPA FUNNELL AND SUPREME ROCK CLAIM SECOND VICTORY

In a nail biting finish to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Pippa Funnell and Supreme Rock gained their second consecutive Mitsubishi trophy – holding on to the title by the slenderest of margins – just 0.4 ahead of the Finnish combination of Piia Pantsu and Ypaja Karuso.

The British combination of Jeanette Brakewell and Over To You made up for last year’s disappointment by jumping a good clear to move up to third place – making it an all female top three.

Pippa and the Pitt Lewthwaite’s 15 year old gelding had everyone holding their breath as although the combination had two fences in hand, they looked to be making slow progress and when one fence fell it was going to be a tight run to the finish.

The combination is the first to win a second consecutive Badminton since Ian Stark and Sir Wattie in ’86 & ’88 – the event had to cancelled in 1987. Captain Mark Phillips also won two in a row in ’71 & 72 with the aptly named Great Ovation.

Piia Pantsu concluded a fairytale Badminton debut jumping a superb clear round – one of few over the coloured poles - to take second place with the Swedish bred Ypaja Karuso who has clearly enjoyed his trip to the Gloucestershire Park.

Cornerman and Pippa, third before the show jumping, collected eight faults dropping to a final sixth place while Andrew Nicholson and Mr Smiffy, in fourth place going into the show jumping suffered the biggest disappointment, taking out five fences and dropping out of the top ten to 13th place.

Click here for Badminton 2003 Photo Gallery.