‘I thought he looked like a five-star horse – now he’s here’: British rider makes Badminton debut with ‘roughed-off’ diamond turned five-star sparkler

It was a love of animals that first drew Mars Badminton Horse Trials first-timer Jack Mantel to horses.

The 30-year-old, who shares his first name with his Badminton ride Jack Daniels, have a foundation of solid form from which they make their CCI5* debut this week.

“We’re both still quite green at [the upper] level – he did his first event as a seven year old and he’s 11 now,” says Jack, whose dressage score of 41.2 is within the trend of his previous international results.

“He stayed with me and he really tried. I think we made a few big mistakes, but overall, I was really happy with him.”

Jack Daniels (by Indorado), who is owned by Pauline Strawson and another Jack – the rider’s partner, Jack Thomas Watson, was third at Blair and 18th at Bramham CCI4*-L last year.

Jack, originally from Cheshire, moved to Northumberland about four years ago and runs a producing, schooling and sales operation near Belsay with his partner.

Looking back at where he first caught his love of horses, he says: “I’ve always had animals, but my parents have never ridden. I was just animal obsessed, then got into riding and it went from there.

“I started riding at about the age of three or four, I had ponies all the way through – they were always very green, I fell off quite a few times!”

Jack Daniels was discovered by his jockey via a friend – the horse was roughed off in a field “up the road”, but Jack spotted a diamond underneath the wooliness. The initial plan was that he could make a nice field master’s horse for Jack Thomas Watson, but that idea went out the window when they saw the quality with which he moved and jumped.

“He’s a beautiful horse – he’s so elegant and I thought he looked like a five-star horse. Now he’s here,” says Jack, reflecting on what it was about the gelding that caught his attention.

“He’s such a good jumper, and he’s so genuine and honest. Hopefully we’ll have a good ride on Saturday – we’ll give it our best shot.”

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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