Badminton debutant Paget stuns Olympic champion Jung

Jung, the reigning Olympic, world and European champion, rolled a pole aboard La Biosthetique-Sam that meant his fellow Badminton debutant – New Zealand’s Jonathan Paget – triumphed after jumping clear on Clifton Promise.

It also ensured that eventing’s richest prize – the £230,000 Rolex Grand Slam – went unclaimed.

British Olympian William Fox-Pitt and New Zealander Andrew Nicholson both entered the final showjumping phase with a chance of completing a clean sweep that had been achieved only once before, by Pippa Funnell 10 years ago.

The Grand Slam is awarded to any rider who wins consecutive Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton titles. Because Badminton was rained off last season, Fox-Pitt’s chance of glory was delayed by 12 months.

In the meantime, world No 1 Nicholson captured Burghley 2012 silverware, then triumphed in Kentucky eight days ago, creating an unprecedented situation of two riders contesting the Grand Slam at one event.

But Fox-Pitt had a fence down aboard Parklane Hawk, finishing fifth, while Nicholson was third on Nereo. The top three riders were separated by just 0.5 penalties.

Surrey-based Paget becomes the first Badminton debut winner since his countryman – double Olympic champion Mark Todd – prevailed in 1980, three years before Paget was born. In an ironic twist, he also did some showjumping training with Jung last winter. For Jung it was a painful change of fortune, after he won Olympic gold at Greenwich Park last summer when Sweden’s Sara Algotsson ended four days of competition by having the last showjumping fence down to gift him top spot.

“Maybe I was a little too fast and we jumped a little too flat,” Jung said.

“I had a good line and a good rhythm, but the pole went down.

“Maybe this winter, I will go to Jonathan for training.”

Paget mirrored the German’s renowned ice-cool temperament in front of a capacity 13,000 crowd to collect £65,000 and the prestigious silver trophy.

It is now four years since a British rider has taken the Badminton spoils, and the next highest home finisher to Fox-Pitt was Mary King and Imperial Cavalier in 13th place. Olympic team champions Germany, meanwhile, had three top-16 finishers as they put down an early marker ahead of this summer’s European Championships in Malmo.

“I was really pleased with how he (Parklane Hawk) jumped, and the one he flicked a toe at was the one that came down. It wasn’t to be,” Fox-Pitt said, who would have finished second had he gone clear.

“But the Grand Slam build-up has been fantastic excitement in every way. It has been such a good thing for the competition and for the sport and, for me, a great experience.”

Paget’s other ride Clifton Lush finished 14th, while Nicholson’s Burghley 2012 winner Avebury took 11th spot.