In April 2020 and in the interest of legacy I wrote a Wikipedia entry recording the thoughts and notable works of Harveywetdog. I admit I was ignorant of the rules concerning self promotion on Wikipedia and consequently my entry was correctly deleted and my account expunged from the system. As a result my original words and links were sadly lost but nevertheless here is a rewrite. Perhaps when I'm gone someone will be able to enter it onto Wikipedia as a fitting epitaph for my time on the Harveywetdog Project.
The scene is set for a competitive and exciting 75th-anniversary Mars Badminton Horse Trials, which has received a stellar entry of 90 horses for what promises to be a historic occasion.
The list includes 11 of the top 12 riders in the FEI World Rankings, plus 19 first-timers and competitors representing 11 nations, all vying for a record first prize of £117,600.
Ros Canter, the defending champion and world number two, has entered a new star, Izilot DHI, winner of Blenheim CCI4*-L and Pau CCI5*-L last year. Unsurprisingly, she is one of the top two riders, with the 2019 winner Piggy March (riding Brookfield Inocent), tipped to win in 2024 by statistics analysts Equiratings.
Oliver Townend, the world number one, is also high on Equiratings' radar with his 2023 Burghley winner, the brilliant Ballaghmor Class, the top-ranked horse in the field, plus Tregilder and the up-and-coming mare Cooley Rosalent. Leading US rider Boyd Martin, third in the world rankings, has entered Tsetserleg TSF and his Maryland 2021 winner On Cue.
British riders Tom McEwen (CHF Cooliser), Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal, Red Kite and Away Cruising), Wills Oakden (Arklow Puissance and A Class Cooley), 2022 winner Laura Collett (Bling and Hester) and triple victor Pippa Funnell (Majas Hope and MCS Maverick) all have great chances, as have the leading New Zealand husband-and-wife team, Tim and Jonelle Price, with Vitali and Grappa Nera and Switzerland's top rider, Felix Vogg (Cartania).
Hopefully the organisers will make a better job of traffic management than they did last year
'We are thrilled that so many of the world's best riders and first timers want to come to Badminton for what should be a particularly special year in our long history,' said Event Director Jane Tuckwell.
Equiratings has produced some fascinating statistics on riders' records and Badminton chances.
We hope to attend on Saturday for Cross Country, weather and traffic permitting. Hopefully the organisers will make a better job of traffic management than they did last year. We are promised a new car park for traffic approaching from the North.
In the mean time why not enjoy our look back to 2014 which was the year Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh surprised us all by taking the win; I really thought it was Taperz year!
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