Boyd Martin and Cracker Jack (Libby Law Photography)
Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) will ride Lucy Boynton Lie's Cracker Jack in the horse’s European debut at Badminton. He and the 2003 Thoroughbred gelding were seventh in last fall’s The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International CCI3*, which also served as The Dutta Corp./USEF Three-Star Eventing National Championship. This year, the pair finished third in an Advanced division at the Cloud 11 ~ Gavilan North LLC Carolina International and had a solid prep run in The Fork CIC3*. By competing at Badminton, Martin will have competed at all six CCI4* events in the world.
“‘Crackers’ has arrived on the world stage and is ready to pounce. It’s been a long road, but we are here now. I think we are in good shape,” said Martin.
Martin will be joined by U.S. athletes Buck Davidson and Libby Head at Badminton. Davidson (Ocala, Fla.) brings Sherrie Martin’s The Apprentice for the horse’s Badminton debut. The pair finished just behind Martin and Cracker Jack in eighth place in last fall’s The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International CCI3*. Recently, Davidson and the 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding were third in an Advanced division at The Fork. Head (Talbotton, Ga.) will ride her Young Rider mount and longtime partner, Sir Rockstar, in her European debut. She and the 1998 Thoroughbred gelding had respectable performances in the Cloud 11 ~ Gavilan North LLC Carolina International CIC3* and The Fork CIC3* to prepare for their first competition abroad.
Martin also had the option to use a portion of his grant towards his entry with Stephen Blauner and Kenneth Shelley’s Master Frisky, but he withdrew the horse from the event last month. In addition, Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, Va.) received a grant to attend Badminton with The Donner Syndicate, LLC’s Donner, but instead elected to compete at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover.
Fresh off his win at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover with fischerRocana FST, Michael Jung (GER) will look to claim the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. The Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing awards $350,000 to the successive winner of Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, and Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Last fall, Jung won the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials with La Biosthetique-Sam FBW. A win at Badminton with his longtime mount, La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, would earn Jung the coveted title.
Find out more about the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI4* and watch live on feitv.org.
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