Britain’s Ros Canter produced the biggest winning margin in elite eventing history to win the Badminton Horse Trials aboard Lordships Graffalo.
The former world champion, second last year, had a nine-penalty lead following Sunday’s cross-country section.
And in Monday’s showjumping, Canter collected just four time faults, giving her a 15-penalty winning margin.
“Today could not have gone any better for him. It is incredible,” the 37-year-old said of her horse.
“He is the out-and-out event horse – he has got a classic technique,” the world number three, who finished with a score of 35.3 penalties, added. “He loves himself, which is great.”
Former world number one Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class came second for a sixth top-three result for the pair at either Badminton, Burghley or Kentucky – the Grand Slam of eventing.
Ireland’s Austin O’Connor took third aboard Colorado Blue, his first podium at Badminton 24 years after his debut.
Canter’s victory is a third straight British success at the event after Piggy March in 2019 and Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett last year, following a break for the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is certainly going to take a long time to sink in and the team I have around me, I just couldn’t do it without them,” Canter said, after adding a first Badminton crown to world individual and team golds plus two European team titles.
Source – BBC Sport
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