AFTER the usual day of drama on the cross country course at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, there was joy for some Wiltshire riders and disappointment for others who had been well-placed after the first two-day dressage phase.

With the top three places going to Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class, Piggy French on Vanir Kamira and Australian Chris Burton in third, Marlborough-based Kiwi Andrew Nicholson is poised to move up the order, lying in fourth with Swallow Springs after a fast clear round across country, up from 10th place.

Hot on his heels is countryman Tim Price with Ringwood Sky Boy, also based in Marlborough, after his fast clear round lifted him from =15th to sixth. He will be delighted, having retired his first ride Bango at the first fence in the Lakeside complex early in the day.

A third Marlborough-based New Zealander, Jesse Campbell rose from equal 24th to 15th with Cleveland after a clear cross country round with just time penalties.

However Chippenham rider Kitty King’s event came to an end when, having been sixth with Vendredi Biats after the dressage they came to grief cross country. They first fell victim to the tricky new-look Shogun Hollow, jumping so big over the middle ditch they ran out of steam and stride before the final element, earning themselves 20 penalties, before suffering a fall at the Outlander Bank three fences later and being eliminated.

Swindon rider Tom McEwen lies 16th after cross country with Toledo de Kerser, down from third after dressage, after collecting penalties for breaking a frangible pin (a safety device designed to make a fence fall apart when hit very hard by the horse) at the Lake complex and then getting time penalties.

Alicia Hawker from Chippenham lies in 23rd after going clear today with Charles RR, up from 69th after dressage, while Cirencester rider Tom Rowland and Possible Mission are 38th, down four places from their post-dressage placing, having also gone clear.

Chippenham’s Georgie Spence and Halltown Harley stay in their post-dressage 46th place after also going slow but clear today.

Also going forward to show jump tomorrow are Swindon rider Julia Norman and Carryon Bobby Boy had a slow clear round and Malmesbury-based Ellen Cameron and Hanleen Crown Jewels who had one stop at the Young Minds brush for 20 penalties.

Chippenham’s Harry Meade retired Away Cruising after the dressage, as the horse had a stiff neck due to an allergic reaction; Swindon-based New Zealand maestro Mark Todd and NZB Camping retired on the cross country after a stop at 10 and Becky Woolven from Tetbury was eliminated with Charlton Down Riverdance after a fall at the big Worcester Avenue Table early on the course.