AUSTRALIAN rider Matt Ryan is hoping his under-par performance at the Mitsubishi Badminton horse trials on the Cotswolds last weekend won’t affect his selection prospects at European level.

The former team and individual Olympic gold medallist, who had a yard at How Caple and now rides from an Abergavenny stable, is currently hoping to change nationality and ride for Great Britain.

Finishing in 30th place at the prestigious three-day event was disappointing for 44-year-old Ryan who said he hoped it would not spoil his chances of being considered for the British team at the European Champion-ships in September.

The trials reached a nail-biting climax during the final show-jumping phase when 26-year-old Oliver Townend of Ellesmere, Shropshire, riding the grey gelding Flint Curtis, edged British rider William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo into the runner-up spot. Third was Australian Sam Griffiths on Happy Times.

Said an ebullient Townend after his victory: “My show jumping round was not the best but with one fence down it was just good enough to win.”

Placings changed dramatically during the competition and Ryan was in a promising 15th spot after the dressage. But despite going clear on the cross country course he had the misfortune to pick up damaging time penalty points totalling 13.2 mainly due to his horse slipping at Huntsman’s Close which resulted in him going the long way round the complex. He dropped to 32nd place and during the show jumping had two fences down to improve his position slightly.

Just behind Ryan in the final placings was Rosie Thomas of Tenbury Wells on her chestnut gelding Barry’s Best.

Her dressage test results sent her to a lowly 68th position but she made amends on the cross country course with no penalties whatsoever so that she was elevated to 37th and with one fence down in the show jumping finished the event in 31st place.

Leominster vet James Robinson on Comanche, a bay gelding owned by his mother Joy, looked as if he might be among the main winners once again after his commendable cross country run. Although being placed 22nd after the dressage, he only picked up 1.2 time penalty points on the cross country and moved to the 10th spot.

But hopes were shattered during the jumping phase when, although starting well, he went on to knock down five fences and sink to 34th place.

Said Robinson: “On the cross-country we had a good ride despite the horse being very strong and a little out of control at times. The course was in good condition and is getting more technical each year.”

Like Ryan, Robinson is a regular competitor at Badminton and was fourth in 2004 and 5th in 2006.

Louise Skelton of Eardisley rode two horses. With Bit of a Barney she was 74th after the dressage but improved to 44th following a good cross country phase. However, the big bay gelding was withdrawn after inspection on the final day.

Riding Partly Pickled, another bay gelding, she rode a better dressage test, finishing 39th but retired during the cross country after her horse ran out at a fence.