The creativity of Giuseppe Della Chiesa could determine whether a New Zealander wins the Badminton horse trials for a sixth time this year.
Chiesa is the course designer of what amounts to a temporary life-size mini golf course on the Duke of Beaufort's Gloucestershire estate, except riders and horses ratherthan dimpled white balls glide through obstacles in the pursuit of one of equestrian's six four-star eventing crowns, and an 80,000 ($166,160) winner's cheque.
Kiwi three-day eventers Andrew Nicholson and Jock Paget will be seeking empathy from the Italian when they contest the cross-country on respective mounts Nereo and Clifton Promise.
Both riders led after 40 of 81 participants contested the dressage yesterday.
The remainder completed the discipline overnight including New Zealanders Caroline Powell on Onwards and Upwards, Lucy Jackson on Willy Do and Tim Price on Ringwood Sky Boy. Nicholson (Calico Joe), Paget (Clifton Lush), Sir Mark Todd (Oloa) and Jonelle Price (The Deputy) rode their second mounts.
There's a quarry obstacle made of Cotswold dry stone walls; a fallen tree trunk creates a jump as part of the natural landscape; a giant's table complete with knife, fork and salt and pepper shakers which must be surmounted; and a log pile which resembles a precarious game of jenga waiting for unsuspecting riders to stumble over. The 6.5km course must be completed in 11m 30s to avoid incurring 0.4 penalties per second, or extra punishment if the horses refuse to jump or break an obstacle. A third refusal or the fall of a rider or horse results in elimination.
Nicholson has seven four-star eventing titles but has never won Badminton in a record 33 attempts. He conceded only 37.8 dressage penalty points on his 14-year-old chestnut gelding, meaning a swift and accurate cross-country run would position him to break his drought.
"When it was wet, it was tiring," Nicholson said in reference to the performance of Chiesa's course last year. The direction has been reversed this time.
"This way around means a tired horse after eight minutes is not going to get into too much difficulty. It rides hillier the other way.
"There are no surprises. I like how he's put in a few places where you have to sit on your backside and work. Riders like nice smooth curves to keep up the gallop but that's got too easy. Course designers now realise they've got to put in switchbacks to slow us down and make us work," he said.
Similarly, Paget with 41.2 penalties was thrilled with the performance of his 16-year-old bay gelding who helped secure him his maiden four-star title here two years ago.
"I like the cross-country course. It's big but fair and if you ride well the horses understand it. It's kind at the beginning, giving us lots of galloping fences off soft bends so you can gather pace, but slows down at the quarry and the lake."
