7 May 2013

Paget wins Badminton Horse Trials

9:17 am on 7 May 2013

New Zealand equestrian Jonathan Paget has won the prestigious Badminton Horse trials in Britain.

Fellow countryman Andrew Nicholson has taken third place in the prestigious event in Gloucestershire.

The 29-year-old is only the second rider to win Badminton at his first attempt - the first being New Zealander Mark Todd in 1980.

Paget and his 15-year-old Olympic mount Clifton Promise were in second place after the dressage and cross-country rounds, then jumped clear in the show jumping to take the title.

He said he went into the event knowing he could win if all went well. "I had two very good horses ... and if I did three good phases on both horses, I thought, both of them are god enough to win this. My focus was to do the best dressage I could and finish on it."

Andrew Nicholson, who was vying for a grand slam of the Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton titles, missed out by half a point to finish third, despite also having a clear round in the showjumping round on Nereo.

World number one Michael Jung of Germany finished second.

Caroline Powell, another member of the bronze medal New Zealand Olympic team finished in 21st place.