Just a gigantic tree, with roots, that the horses and riders are going to jump over, off a blind turn – that’s all. Photo via CrossCountryApp.
One (very experienced) rider’s sick to his stomach (with nerves, we think, not dodgy burger or something); another’s very glad she had a trip to Badminton as a spectator last year so she’s not so stagestruck by the sheer amount of people she’ll be performing in front of; stats guy Sam Watson predicts more runouts than usual, and every rider is very, very aware that the middle of the course is very, very intense.
The leader of the pack, Ros Canter, is open-minded about what may or may not transpire when she takes her turn on Eric Winter’s track, given the relative inexperience of her horse, Izilot DHI, despite the gelding already having a 5* win under his cinch. Nothing’s a given when it comes to Badminton. But one thing is for certain – this is not a dressage competition and there is a serious amount of work to be done before anyone can even begin to dream of their Badminton completion.
Last year we were all, very Britishly, talking about the weather – the incessant rain that mucked up everything. This year, the weather’s still very much on the riders’ minds. Yes, we’ve had years (it seems) of neverending downpours which have thoroughly saturated the ground, and yes, it’s still sticky despite the fact that the rain has, in fact, relented in the past couple of weeks (huzzah!). However, it’s forecast to be in the low-20s C / high 60s into the 70s F for cross country day – temperatures we’re just not used to in Britain generally at the best of times, never mind as we come out of a very long winter.
The horses won’t have been working in that kind of heat, and it’s likely to take its toll as they gallop across the country. Add to that the potentially holding ground, and well, that’s a whole other dimension added to an already huge challenge.
Like last year, the riders will have to be smart and sensible, and totally on their game in terms of horsemanship. They did the sport proud twelve months ago on the whole, with top names pulling up when they looked to be going well, using all their feel and relationship with their horses to make the very best decision for them. This is something that is very much on the riders’ minds as they come into tomorrow’s challenge, with the majority noting that horsemanship will 100% come before competition.
I think that’s a positive note for me to end on.
Let’s get the riders’ reactions – in their own words – to the challenge ahead at the 75th Anniversary MARS Badminton Horse Trials…
If you want to see when your favorites will be heading out of the start box, you’ll find the ride times here.
We’ll be bringing you live updates from the whole of today’s cross country – eyes on EN for our live blog – as well as daily reports from each stage of the competition, and SO MUCH MORE! Keep it locked onto EN and click here for all the Badminton content you can handle As if that isn’t enough, we’ve also got loads of great IG content happening courtesy of our team on the ground too @goeventing.
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🇬🇧 Ros Canter – Izilot DHI – 25.3 – 1st
Ros Canter Izilot DHI. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Clubhouse leader Ros Canter may be sat on a 5* winner, and she may be in with a shot of retaining her Badminton title from last year (the last person to do that was Pippa Funnell in 2002/03), but she’s keeping a level head and thinking horse-first:
“We’re very open minded about tomorrow. I intend to go out the start box meaning business. We’re here to be competitive if we can, but the length of this course, the ground and everything else, would be a bit of a question mark for this horse. He’s a bit less proven, he’s less blood than Walter [Lordships Graffalo – last year’s champ] anyway. If at any point I think he’s done, we’ll be calling it a day. But up until that point, I’ll be going out, trying to knuckle down and get on with it.”
Are there any particular fences she’s got her eye on?
“The log coming out of that top water, the angled log [Fence 18, which comes after the MARS Sustainability Bay combination]. I think it’s one of those less than a split second things, whether it goes right or wrong. It’s got that big, old stump and roots on it, so it’s even more blind. But it’s big all the way around. I’m not sure there’s one combination that shouts out at me, other than that it’s Badminton and, every time I do the first course walk, I go, ‘Ooh, that’s okay,’ because each individual fence is okay. But then you start to break it down and you go, “Well, that’s a ditch, and then two later, that’s a ditch, and that’s a ditch, and then, that’s a drop, and that’s drop, and that’s a drop,’ and that’s where it starts to become the challenge.”
A lot of ditches and drops then, and that log is on quite a few of the riders’ minds.
🇬🇧 Bubby Upton – Cola – 27.3 – 2nd
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It was an emotional moment for everyone when Bubby completed her dressage test on Thursday. It’s wonderful to see her back, doing what she loves, on a horse that she loves. She’s one determined lady, that’s for sure. How does she feel about what she’ll face when she gallops out of the start box with Cola?
“I’ve only had a really brief look at it [when we spoke to her, she’s certainly walked it properly by now!] and it always makes me laugh, asking what do you think of the course – I think I said that a couple of years ago. Of course, it’s absolutely enormous and a lot to be jumped out there. But there’s no horse that I’d rather be sat on on Saturday, so I’m really excited for it.”
🇳🇿 Tim Price – Vitali – 27.7 – 3rd
Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Tim summed things up very nicely when we asked him what he thought of the course:
“I think it’s really solid, really challenging. The time is going to be really difficult with all the various combinations, and we have to think about our lines. When you’re thinking, you’re usually slowing down a little bit. It’s big and I’m excited to have a go.”
🇺🇲 Boyd Martin – Tsetserleg TSF – 29 – 4th
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Boyd’s kinda out of his comfort zone here at Badminton. He has been here once before, in 2016, but he didn’t complete. There’s added pressure this time around: he’s going for a completion in all seven of the world’s 5*s. He’s been top-10 at all six of the top-level events he has completed, it’s just the elusive spring big B that’s eluded him… thus far. He’s in a great spot, on a great horse, who deserves a top-placing just as much as Boyd wants it. Eventing fans should all have their fingers crossed for this pair as they gallop off down the track.
Boyd seems to be feeling the nerves of tackling the unfamiliar, particularly as he’s so familiar with the 5* tracks he’s frequented over recent years:
“I’m sick to my stomach. I haven’t done this one very much – I’ve only done it once, and I didn’t finish. I’m pretty familiar with the Kentuckys and Luhmuhlens and Paus, and even Burghley – I’m quite comfortable there now. I’m going to walk it a couple more times than usual just to really get an understanding of where I want to be. It looks pretty tough to me.”
Are there any parts that are playing on his mind more than others?
“It just looks big – big jumps. And that circle, down the Vicarage Vee area [Fences 22, 23, 24 and 25] – to me that just looks relentless. It’s just tough question after tough question. I feel like if I can get through that and I’ve got a bit of horse left, I should be alright.”
🇬🇧 Emily King – Valmy Biats – 29.2 – 5th
Emily King and Valmy Biats. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
That tricky middle section has caught Emily’s attention on this not just proper, but proper, proper track:
“It’s a proper, proper track. I think Eric [Winter] has done an amazing job. It’s got some big questions: the loop down at the bottom [the Vicarage Vee area Boyd also noted], the pond up there [Fence 17AB MARS Sustainability Bay], and the step down [Fence 26ABCD The Lightsource bp Mound] – all of that.”
Emily’s one of the riders who really impressed last year, when she was going brilliantly, is desperate for the Badminton completion that’s eluded her thus far, but pulled ‘Val’ up on course and walked home. We couldn’t see anything untoward with the horse, and there wasn’t. Emily felt him start to feel like things were just getting a bit too tiring, due to the muddy going, and she heard him and responded accordingly. She’s thinking very much along the same lines this year, with horsemanship at the forefront of her mind:
“There’s a lot happening and I think that [the ground] is drying up, so hopefully it will make a little bit easier for [the horses]. But still, I think they’re going to be feeling the softness there, so [we need] just to look after them, and I think we’ll all have that at the forefront of our minds – that we might need to be a bit steady in places to just get them home and feeling good and safe.”
🇳🇿 Caroline Powell – Greenacres Special Cavalier
30 – 7th / CBI Aldo – 35.6 – =33rd
Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
There’s a wee bit of a question mark on the ground for Caroline, but overall, she’s just going to give it a darn good ride:
“I think it’s a nice course. I think there’s a lot to jump at the end, a lot that can go wrong. There’s no one piece in particular that I’m thinking, ‘Oh, that’s a bit unjumpable,’ but there’s so much happening. We’ve also got the ground, which is going to be a wee bit undecided how it’s going to ride. It is drying out all the time. I think the course is a good course, as good a course as I’ve seen for a while, and I think everything’s there in front of you to jump, you’ve just got to give it a good ride and hopefully we will do.”
🇬🇧 William Fox-Pitt – Grafennacht – 30.6 – =8th
William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Eventing legend William Fox-Pitt walked the course with eventing king Yogi Breisner. He’s won five of the seven 5*s and has completed here at Badminton 24 times on 16 different horses – he’s been the champ twice and has graced the other two podium spots with his long, long frame on multiple occasions. He didn’t even seem to notice the jumps out there:
“I’m very excited to have been able to walk the course with Yogi Breisner – he had some good ideas about it. I think it looks good – it’s a decent track, isn’t it? I think it will be holding in parts, particularly in the second half, and I think it’ll ride well until the Lake [Fence 10ABCD] – that’s pretty damn good ground, to be honest. Round the back it’s mucky in bits, and it varies a bit, and it’s going to get harder – it’ll walk good underfoot, but it’s pudding for a long way down because it’s rained for the last six months. There’s no firmness there. It’ll be hard work – some will go well in that. It’s very different to last year, which was quite slippy and slidey, and maybe felt a bit uncomfortable, but the horses weren’t having to work so hard as maybe they’ll have to work here.”
This is William’s 20th time at the Badminton estate. What’s he learned over his two decades of competing here?
“You never know what’s going to happen. Since 1998, it’s changed quite a lot: it’s short, it’s technical, it’s high-powered, but it’s a lot less time on horseback. We were riding, in the old days, for nearly an hour and a half on cross-country day, and now we’re on for ten minutes. It’s just so different, and it’s exciting, because it’s maybe more demanding and more competitive, with trickier lines, angles, and turns, but you do need a different apparatus to do it with.”
🇬🇧 Gemma Stevens – Chilli Knight – 31.7 – =10th
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Gemma’s got a long wait ahead of her before she gets her Badminton cross country underway, which is a blessing and a curse, really. She noticed the big fences during her course walk, and the question after question. She’s under no illusions – she’s definitely at a 5*:
“I mean, Jesus, it’s Badminton. It’s serious. Down in the Vicarage area, it’s so intense – big fence after big fence, after question after question. [Eric’s] used every single bit of the ground. The second water, [Fences 17AB and 18 MARS Sustainability Bay], that is five-star ten out of ten question. I think that’s going to cause trouble and as yet, I don’t have a plan for that one fence, but I have a plan for everything else and that is straight.
That is a benefit of going near the end, although it’s a long day. It’s terrible for the nerves, but actually it is nice to learn a bit about the course. It’s really tough going out first round these five-stars when you’re just not sure how they’re gonna jump it, but listen, it’s a tough track. Probably [at] Fence Five you’re at five-star, you’re at Badminton, and it means it.”
🇬🇧 Pippa Funnell – MCS Maverick – 31.9 – 12th
Pippa Funnell and MCS Maverick. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Pippa’s won this whole dang thing three times, and, as ever, has delightfully clear opinions about what’s out there on track. And she really Does. Not. Like. that tree stump. Not. A. Bit:
“It’s beautifully presented, very clever. Lots of questions all the way through, really. We’ll be glad to get through Huntsman’s Close [Fence 7ABCD] – that’s a tough ask early on. Then it all comes – The Lake [10ABCD], the Vicarage [Fences 15ABCD and then Fences 24 and 25] – it seems very intense all the way. It seems as though we’re longer out there. I think it’s a bit deceiving when you’ve been here so many times, you think you come out and you’ve got a long way to go home, but you’ve actually got longer in that Vicarage loop with plenty of drops, plenty of big drops. If I’m honest, the fence I really don’t like is that tree stump out of that water [Fence 18, which comes after the MARS Sustainability Bay combination that Ros also noted]. It’s an ugly thing, you can’t see it and it’s got the roots of the tree and I don’t like that.”
She’s sitting in a good place with her relatively inexperienced at the level MCS Maverick, who showed a whole bunch of character and then some at the First Horse Inspection eliciting a big “Wooooo” from the crowd. But he was settled and attentive in the Main Arena for his dressage, which has got to have Pippa feeling really good about getting out there on him:
“I’ve had some really good rides on him cross country. He gave me a fantastic ride at Pau [for his 5* debut, where he finished 11th] and at Bramham. But listen, this is Badminton and it’s different. He’s got all the ability to jump around: he’s got scope, he’s got gallop, he’s got all that. He’s got to concentrate on me and concentrate on what he’s got in front of him to jump.”
Pippa went for a hack/to scout out the ground. It’s a concern, particularly as she’ll be last to go:
I personally thought the ground is still a concern. I think it’s softer than we all think. It’s important that I didn’t want to override the horse at all, so I went for a lovely hack this morning and I was surprised at how wet it was, so we’ll see [what it’s like] at the end of the day.”
🇨🇭 Felix Vogg – Cartania – 32.6 – =15th
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Swiss rider Felix Vogg won Luhmuhlen on his birthday in 2022. It’s not his birthday here at Badminton, but I’m really not sure that the stars aligning is a formal a prerequisite for a Swiss man to win a 5*. He’s right in line to push up the leaderboard tomorrow with his World Championships partner, Cartania, but he’s feeling like there might be two courses out there:
“[It’s] a totally different course again than last year. A lot of questions as well, especially in the middle part – it seems a bit like a small, short four-star format in the middle part. I think there’s a lot to do and will be interesting.”
🇺🇲 Cosby Green – Copper Beach – 33.7 – 18th
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Cosby Green’s feeling a little stagestruck at her first Badminton, but she’s in attack-mode:
“It is stunning. I cannot wait to get out there. The jumps are massive and it seems like they’re not possible, but I believe it is and I’ll just go out there and give my horse the ride he deserves and attack it. I did come [last year as a spectator], which I’m so glad I did because otherwise I would have been in shock yesterday, just seeing the people at the [First Horse Inspection]. I was really nervous just for the number of people, so I’m glad I have a little bit more expectation of what to expect on Saturday with the crowds.”
🇬🇧 Kylie Roddy – SRS Kan Do – 34 – 20th
Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kylie is particularly concerned about the weather, and the ground:
“It’s not really a day look forward to here is it? [I think that depends on whether you’re riding or spectating with a glass of something fizzy, perhaps. I digress, back to Kylie.] But it is a day where the gauntlet is laid and I truly believe that the ground is going to be a massive influencing factor with the temperature. We’ve got some softer going at the moment, which could go a bit sticky. I think we’ve got about 23 degree heat [Centigrade] on Saturday. When you think about the winter that these horses have had – they’ve probably not even galloped anywhere near that heat. So there’ll be a fatigue factor that kicks in and it’ll be efficiency in the way you ride your lines. Efficient cross country riding, I’m sure will pay dividends on Saturday.”
🇬🇧 Laura Collett – Hester – 34.1 – 21st
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Laura’s a previous Badminton champion, but she’s here this year with a 5* debutant. She’s got experience on her side when it comes to formulating a plan in terms of how she’ll ride the course, and her plan for Hester is purely about having a good experience:
“I think it’s a really decent cross country track. I think it’s built beautifully. There’s not one fence in particular that stands out; I think it is from start to finish a test. The Vicarage area [Fences 15ABCD and then Fences 24 and 25] is seriously intense, and we’ve learned over the years that that really takes it out of them mentally as well as physically, so just have to bear that in mind. This this week for [Hester] is all about giving her a good experience. She has been a fantastic cross country horse, but she has lower mileage and we’ll see what happens tomorrow, but I’m looking forward to it.”
🇳🇿 Jonelle Price – Grappa Nera – 34.4 – =22nd
Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Jonelle’s been coming to Badminton for two decades, and won the thing in 2018 with Classic Moet. She’s in no doubt that she’s at Badminton, but she does have doubts about the ground:
“I think it’s a true five-star track – it is a true Badminton track. It’ll be interesting how much the ground proves a bit holding. Obviously with the heat – we haven’t had any hot weather this year, so I think that’s going to hit the horses quite hard. It’ll be interesting to see how they come home and it’s big all the way home. I think you’ll need some sensible riding and the accumulation effect: I think it’s really important you keep them confident, and jumping healthily all the way around.”
🇬🇧 Felicity Collins – RHS Contend OR – 34.5 – 24th
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Felicity’s plan is to have one, but really, it’s all about what happens when you get out there:
“[Eric’s] built a very good track, but there’s a lot of areas where you can have a problem and I think my main feeling from it is, it’s about knowing your horse, knowing what you’re sat on. I think you’ve just got to ride your lines and prepare your horse in the right way, and then they’ve got to decide where they want to take off from. I don’t think it’s going to be the easiest course to plan for – I think it’s going to be a bit about getting out there and seeing seeing what you’ve got, really.”
Will she watch what’s going on to help with that?
“I am someone who does like to watch when you’ve got the opportunity to, so I’ll try and pick some good jumping horses, some nice scopey horses, and some good riders to watch and hopefully get some confidence, and they’ll make it look really easy.”
And is she as focused on the ground as many other riders are? For sure:
“We won’t know until a few horses have gone round. I don’t think it’s as much as last year – I don’t think anything could be this like that. But yes, obviously it’s gonna be a hotter day and it’s whether the ground is a bit tacky as it’s drying. And you’ve got hot weather and maybe tired horses because of that.”
🇬🇧 Tom Rowland – Dreamliner – 34.9 – 29th / KND Steel Pulse – 36.9 – 47th
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‘Dermot’ be nimble, Dreamer be quick, horseys jump over.. the jumps. I clearly didn’t think this through when I set out down this path. Anyhoo… Tom’s hoping his two rides – ‘Dermot’ AKA HND Steel Pulse, and ‘Dreamer’, clearly Dreamliner – will be nimble enough to make those very, very tight acute turns he’s spotted out there:
“I think it’s quite different in the sense that obviously, it’s very big and brave and you’ve got big jumps – a lot of big jumps – but I think you will also need quite a nimble horse, maybe more so than in recent years. [There are] a lot more skinnies and some really very, very tight acute turns. Obviously we do have that, but there seems to be even more of an emphasis on this – you really want that nimble horse.”
🇬🇧 Alice Casburn – Topspin – 35.3 – 30th
Alice Casburn and Topspin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Youngest rider in the field for three years running, Alice is here with second generation homebred Topspin, and has got two top-20 placings under her belt, as well as two top-10s at Burghley. She’s walked the course with her mom, who owns, bred and used to ride Topspin. Alice can really go out there in the confidence that her horse has been here, seen that, and knows what he’s doing by now:
“If I have a stop before the unfinished bridge [Fence 13], I probably won’t carry on because [Topspin] should really know what he’s doing now. But then when you hit that – I said to mum, ‘I’ve got brain ache!’. And that’s what mum always says about five-stars; she said, ‘If you put one of those questions in a four-star, it’d probably be alright,’ – but it’s the accumulation – big fence after big fence. I’d like to think he knows what he’s doing by now, but with horses, that’s the excitement of it! You never know.”
🇺🇲 Alexandra Knowles – Morswood – 35.6 – =33rd
Alexandra Knowles and Morswood. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Allie and ‘Ginge’ are here from the States for their first trip to Badminton. How does she think he’ll take to the British track?
“[Morswood’s] a cross country machine. It doesn’t look easy, by any means, but I would rather do it on this horse than any other horse, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s a beautiful track, a lot of different questions and we’ll see how we get on.”
🇦🇺 Sammi Birch – Finduss PB – 36.2 – =39th
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There’s no place Sammi’d rather be than sat on Finduss PB (rhyme intended) – on Saturday at Badminton:
“Certainly doesn’t look [like anything’s] unjumpable, but I think the ground’s going to play a big factor. And it’s the cumulative effect really, isn’t it, at Badminton? so that’s exciting. And to be honest, I don’t want to be sat on anything else on Saturday. Fingers crossed, I can do him justice.”
🇬🇧 Kristina Hall-Jackson – CMS Google – 36.2 – =39th
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Kristina is really, really hoping for the clear round that’s eluded her thus far at her three attempts at the British 5*s – this is her second Badminton. She knows Google’s got it in her, it’s just a case of getting all their ducks in a row on the day:
“It’s a very big, bold track. Compared to last year, it’s a lot tougher out there and I’m just hoping it suits us. She’s a big galloping machine, and hopefully, it’s not going to be a dressage competition.”
🇬🇧 Wills Oakden – A Class Cooley – 36.2 – =39th / Arklow Puissance – 39.4 – 61st
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Wills will be making his way out of the start box twice on cross country day. What’s his plan for his guys?
“I think you just take it each time as it comes and just see what’s there, and take each ride as it comes. You just hope that they come out the start box feeling as strong as I think they are. At the end of the day, if they’re not, you bring them home safe and well and look after them, and go again.”
🇬🇧 Alexander Bragg – Quindiva – 37.6 – 51st
Alex Bragg and Quindiva. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Alex is one of the riders that pulled up on course last year, showing great horsemanship when he felt his mare wasn’t enjoying the ground. What does he think of the going this time around?
“I know [we’ve had] the sunshine – it looks fantastic on top, but it is going to be tacky in places, really tacky. I’ve got a late draw, whether that’s good or bad I find out tomorrow, but I shall be picking different bits of ground and watching how the horses are traveling and jumping out of certain areas as well.”
But is he more optimistic than last year? Yes:
“It’s a really good course actually. I like the fact, when you come over from the intense area at the back [The Vicarage Vee area], you come up that draw uphill back towards the lake, which is always heavy going. It’s a nice finish from there and it’s much shorter than it has been. I think that’s great for the horses and we should see lots more finishes than last year coming over that MARS fence in the main arena, and hopefully lots more happy people that can jump on the Sunday.”
🇬🇧 Tom Crisp – Liberty and Glory – 38 – =54th
Tom Crisp and Liberty and Glory. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tom is famous for taking a long drink from the lake last year, following it up with a couple of widths of doggy paddle. He’s obviously hoping for a drier round this time, but what does he think of the course?
“It felt a bit stronger this year, but you can often walk a course and it walks difficult but it rides quite well, and then it can be the other way around. The the ground is going to add a dynamic to it. Hopefully people will have learned from last year – we might get a few fitter horses. I think [Eric’s] been quite fair to finish the last minute and a half on the flat, so the tired horses won’t look so bad coming over the finish line. It does feel more technical, but it is a real strong patch in the middle. I think it starts early on and doesn’t really let up, does it? Until you’re on the way home.”
🇬🇧 Rosie Bradley-Hole – Romantic – 38 – =54th
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Rosie is succinct in what she thinks of the course – basically big:
“It looks big. It looks like an Eric course, but [Romantic’s] very honest and genuine so if I can get my lines, she will try her best for me.”
🇬🇧 Helen Bates – Carpe Diem – 38.5 – 58th
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Helen is much preferring the weather this year to last. She’s also noticed that the course is big. And Badminton:
“I think there’s enough to do. There’s quite a lot of combinations. I don’t think there’s going to be that much let up. And it’s big – it’s Badminton – but I’m really excited to get out there. Definitely since Wednesday, it’s drying out all the time. The sun is really, really helping. I think there’ll still be a couple of soft patches but it’s definitely better than when it’s raining.”
🇮🇪 Sam Watson – SAP Talisman – 39.1 – 60th
Sam Watson and SAP Talisman. Photo by Tilly Berendt
Hoping for the luck of the Irish, stats geek Sam thinks the course is brilliant. And of course he can’t help himself, and makes a prediction or two:
“It’s brilliant. There’s more chance of runouts than Eric normally builds, but it has all his normal features of slowing you down – using terrain, using every lump and bump. I’ve never known the Vicarage Vee – and there’s pretty much two of them – to be Fence 25 on course, and it’s pretty much a direct run home. I don’t think the Vicarage Vee has ever been so close to the finish line or ever will be again, with the route he’s done. It’s going to be different to see how horses are at that stage because the ground is dead. There’s a lot of jumping to do, a lot of concentration and they’re going to have to hold it all the way to the end.”
He’s found himself a little down the order going into the cross country, but he’s on a great guy for the job and is sure to be one of the speedier combinations, based on past form. He has another prediction for us, some life advice, and a whole lotta love for this awesome sport:
“I’d love to have been on a 35 – it gives you an extra four penalties, an extra 10 seconds. But look, we’re there. I think it’s going to be a very disruptive and very influential Saturday, and that’s what the sport should be, and that’s, of course what this horse should thrive on. It keeps me sharp as a rider and keeps me feeling alive about how great this sport is. It’s tough, it’s challenging. I’m out of my comfort zone 100%, but that’s a good place to be.”
And there you have it, straight from the horses’ mouths, so to speak.
Go eventing!
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MARS Badminton Horse Trials [Website] [Entries] [Timetable] [Tickets] [Radio Badminton] [Livestream] [Cross Country Course] [EN’s Coverage]
