Eventing: Andrew Nicholson wins his first Badminton - riding Nereo
At home: Andrew Nicholson and Nereo
New Zealand eventer Andrew Nicholson has won his first Badminton title - riding his 17-year-old Nereo. Nicholson, who is based near Marlborough, is 55 and 21 months ago he broke his neck in a heavy eventing fall and for a time after his recovery was not sure he would continue to compete. He won on his 37th completion of a Badminton coompetition.
His victory in Badminton's 2017 four star CCI competition came with the final round of the show jumping phase. There were two German stars of the eventing world ahead of him.
First Germany's Michael Jung - who was defending his Badminton title - had a rail down and then Ingrid Klimke's jumping round fell apart giving her sixteen jumping faults and seven time faults - pushing her down to ninth place.
Nicholson's victory was greeted by wild scenes as members of his family, friends and eventers who earlier in their career had worked for him, rushed to congratulate him.
It was a great set of results for New Zealand riders who are based in the Marlborough area: Tim Price (based at Mildenhall) took third place with Xavier Faer and Sir Mark Todd (based at Badgerstown) in fourth and sixth place - riding NZB Campino and Leonidas II.
Tim Price was placed at 34 after the dressage phase. But on Saturday he was one of only two competitors to complete the newly designed cross country course with no jumping or time faults. The other competitor was Michael Jung.
This year Tim Price was the sole entrant from the Mildenhall stables as his wife, Olympic team member Jonelle Price, is expecting their first child in August.
For Marlborough-based Lissa Green it was her first Badminton. Her mother Lucinda Green won the Badminton title six times.
Despite being unwell in the days leading up to the competition, she finished her cross country phase on Malin Head Clover - with twenty jumping penalties and 55.2 time. She told BBC presenter Clare Balding she was delighted to have completed the course. However, her horse was withdrawn at the final horse inspection, so she missed the show jumping phase.