Kristina Gifford had a Badminton she would probably prefer to forget... and for the time being she has, due to the amnesia she is experiencing after a crashing fall from her normally so careful veteran, General Jock. Earlier in the day Tina had fallen from The Solicitor as he tripped coming out of the water. The Solicitor had never looked to be enjoying himself and Tina eventually called it a day just after the Charisma Pond.

Worrying times as Tina Gifford is air-lifted to hospital

General Jock, however, was showing every sign of enjoying himself immensely up until his fall at the final element of the Beer Garden. Tina, knocked unconscious by the fall, was airlifted to hospital. Fortunately, she was well enough to be discharged the next day.

Of the thirty-six first timers (a record number), most faired pleasingly well although Portugal's Carlos Grave was forced to retire at the seventeenth fence having broken his rein following a fall at the fourth! Switzerland's Max Eichenberger, who at fifty three was the event's oldest ever debutante, was going well before crashing out at the Galant Bridge (Fence 26). Louisa Lockwood, the youngest competitor - beating Tristram Owers by a month - had a fantastic ride on Fair Impression, coming home with no time faults and climbing from equal sixty-second to tenth place and Caroline Pratt, who had two rides, went clear on Francis Kinset's nine year old, Primitive Control, to lie twelfth.

Portugal's Carlos Grave and the grey Monochrome jump the Colt Wall	Switzerland's Max Eichenberger jumps the first part of the Shogun Sport Turn
The event's youngest competitor, Louisa Lockwood, flies the final element of The Lake on Fair Impression	Caroline Pratt enjoys a wonderful ride on Primitive Control

Tristram eased Hatherden's Riverdance up having heard on the commentary that he had been given twenty faults for a run out at the water. The faults were later revoked and Tristram was lying in seventeenth place going into the show jumping. "I still had a brilliant ride, although I had a scary moment at the Pinin Bank when he clipped the log with his front legs."

New Zealander Andrew Nicholson, riding his Olympic hopeful, New York, snatched the lead from Leslie Law within the last hour of competition, only to have it taken from him six horses later by Mary King and Star Appeal.

Continues........

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