Walter does it again! Two impeccable jumping phases moved him up from fourth after dressage to the top spot on Sunday, making him the first horse to ever regain the Badminton title (five other horses have won Badminton twice, but all did it back-to-back).
The dressage didn’t quite go to plan, when Ros and Walter had expensive (double co-efficient) errors in two of the four flying changes, and on cross-country day there was a nervous moment when they were given a flag penalty in Huntsmans Close – but fortunately it was removed when the Ground Jury reviewed the video footage. Walter came home comfortably inside the optimum time.
Despite uncharacteristically bad nerves on the final day (Ros very aware that Caroline Moore was no longer on hand to distract her), Walter pulled a clear round out of the bag, leaving no rails in hand for Oliver Townend – and when Cooley Rosalent tapped a pole, victory was Ros’. She dedicated her win to Caroline.
Photo © Hannah Cole