BEANIE Sturgis was full of praise for her steed Lebowski after the duo scooped a top 15 finish at Badminton Horse Trials and the Glentrool Trophy to go with it.

The Dauntsey rider was well down the field after her dressage score of 52.8 left her in equal 59th place.

However, a clear cross country round lifted the duo to 19th spot before a clear show jumping round in the sunshine on Sunday saw them climb up another eight places to claim the Glentrool Trophy for the most improvement after the dressage.

“He was just amazing and was just like a jack in a box,” said Sturgis about rejected polo pony Lebowski.

“He is really such a tiny ferret of a horse and he just felt amazing.

“They are bigger than him most of those fences and he just boinged over them and lugged me over and I was thrilled.

“I couldn’t have asked for more from the horse. I dreamt of a top 20 finish which he got and that is really exciting.

“He’ll have a bit of a break and aim for Gatcombe in the autumn for the open championships there.

“I’m not sure what three day he will do yet.

“He won’t go to Burghley, he told me he hates Burghley.

“He never gets beyond about fence seven, he doesn’t like it there and he is a great horse and I don’t’ want to demoralise him by taking him there.”

Lambourn-based Laura Collett also went clear in the show jumping to lift her to a 22nd place finish, having worked her way up the field.