And the winner of Badminton Horse Trials 2011 is…

The results are in for the famous Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011, as the final phase has just been completed.

Following four days of spectacular dressage, thrilling cross-country and nail biting showjumping the scores are in and the sought after Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011 crown has gone to Mark Todd from New Zealand!

Mark Todd riding NZB Land Vision at Badminton Horse 2011

Toddy is the oldest ever winner of Badminton ever at fifty-five years old, he won the title back in 1980 and thirty-one years later he has returned to Badminton to win again.

Piggy French and Jakata for Great Britain placed second with her best ever dressage score and best ever performance at Badminton.

‘He was fab, he jumped great today,” said Piggy of thirteen-year-old Jakata; “If someone had told me at the beginning of the week that we could come second I wouldn’t have believed them!”

Piggy French & Jakata

With just one fence between the top eight riders on the final day it was always going to be a hard competition to call.

Young British rider twenty-one-year-old Laura Collett led on the first day of dressage after she completed a spectacular test with Rayef in her Badminton debut, but was overtaken by Ruth Edge riding Two Thyme who led after phase one was completed with an impressive score of 33.3 penalties.

Laura Collett & Rayeff

However, the combination became unstuck on the cross country yesterday and retired, leaving the competition wide open and it was anyone’s for the taking.

New Zealand’s Mark Todd, who returned to the sport and came out of retirement in 2008, led after the cross country phase overnight last night with NZB Land Vision, and was last to showjump today. He went into the arena with less than a fence in-hand as Piggy French jumped clear – and only one time fault to spare.

After his impressive win, his sights are now set on London 2012.

One of the hottest Badminton’s in the history records, crowds were treated to brilliant sunshine whilst watching one of the most famous three day events in the world.

For the full results of Badminton 2011 please click here. Remember, for photos and a full report please see the May Issue of Hooked on Horses Magazine – out at the beginning of May 2011.