Classic Eventing Nation

Entries Closing Soon for Devon’s Prestigious $50k Arena Eventing

By on May 11, 2026 10:30 am -

Boyd Martin and Miss Lulu Herself. Photo by Mane Source Media for Devon Horse Show.

Entries are still open for one of the most exciting and prestigious nights in equestrian sport — the $50,000 Devon Arena Eventing at the 130th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair!

This year’s Arena Eventing will take place Sunday, May 24, 2026, under the lights at the iconic Devon Horse Show Grounds for an unforgettable evening of elite competition, an electric atmosphere, and a $50,000 prize purse. Devon Arena Eventing offers one of the sport’s most exciting opportunities to compete before an enthusiastic crowd in a thrilling, single-evening showcase of fast-paced eventing competition.

The course will be set as a hybrid of cross country and show jumping obstacles, with a max height of 1.15m for cross country fences and show jumping fences up to 1.20m. This competition is classified as an Intermediate Level/Arena Eventing and will be run under the USEF Rules for Eventing Annex 2.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

Eventing competitors: Both Athlete and Horse, though not necessarily as a combination, must have obtained two MERs at the applicable level or above in the twelve-month period prior to the
competition. USEF MER Requirements apply to all U.S. and foreign athletes.

Jumping Competitors: Both Athlete and Horse, though not necessarily as a combination, must have completed two Jumper classes with no more than 4 jumping faults, 15cm above the fixed height of Cross Country jumps for the applicable division (or higher) in the six month period prior to the competition in question e.g. Intermediate Eventing Competition: a 1.30 Jumper Class with no more than 4 Jumping faults.

Further qualification information can be found here.

Event Details

What: $50,000 Devon Arena Eventing

When: Sunday, May 24, 2026

  • 6:15 PM – Course Walk and Acclimation
  • 7:15 PM – Competition Begins

    • Where: Devon Horse Show Grounds (23 Dorset Road, Devon, PA)

    If you need assistance, email [email protected] or call (610) 964-2723.

Monday News & Notes

By on May 11, 2026 12:01 am -

One Big Thing: Sanna Siltakorpi Wins First CCI4*-L at Sopot

To były piękne zawody! Serdecznie gratulujemy zwycięzcom! Dziękujemy naszym Widzom, że byli z nami i kibicowali…

Posted by Hipodrom Sopot on Sunday, May 10, 2026

It was a big weekend in Poland as our other major Long format of the weekend took place at Sopot. Seven nations were represented in the CCI4*-L division, and it was Finnish Olympic and WEG athlete Sanne Siltakorpi who took home her first win at this Long level with her Olympic and European Championships horse Bofey Click. They finished on their dressage score of 33.4 to seal the deal on the victory.

Accompanying Sanna on the podium are fellow Finnish rider Axel Lindberg, ticking off his first 4*-L with second place on Quelle Bonne, and Germany’s Heike Jahncke in third with Olimond’s Quibelle OLD.

You can view full results from Sopot here.

Major International Results

MARS Badminton CCI5* (England):Website] [Scoring] [EN’s Coverage]

Tryon International Three-Day Event (NC): [Website] [Live Stream Replays]

Sopot Spring Carnival CCI4*-L/S (Poland): [Website] [Scoring]

U.S. Weekend Results

The Vista Spring YEH/NEH Qualifier (NC): [Website] [Scoring]

Galway Downs Sprint H.T. & Preliminary Challenge (CA): [Website] [Scoring]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (SC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Unionville May H.T. (PA): [Website] [Scoring]

Queeny Park H.T. (MO): [Website] [Scoring]

Other Links & Reading

Training Tip of the Day

Some quick education after cross country at MARS Badminton with commentator and 5*/WEG rider Sinead Maynard:

Go Eventing

The best possible send-off from Badminton:

How Mia Farley Got Her Groove Back: Stories from the Tryon International CCI4*-L

By on May 10, 2026 6:57 pm -

Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

October, 2025. Mia Farley had just finished up the Maryland 5 Star, where she had seen another CCI5* podium finish slip from her grasp after a gutting show jumping round with the incredible Thoroughbred Phelps. It was the third consecutive time she’d had four rails down on Sunday at a CCI5*. It was enough to make anyone question themselves.

It made me quite sad, to be honest. I’ve known Mia since she was just a kid, kicking around Training level and still living in California. She’s always been a bright, positive person. But recently when I’d see her before show jumping — after the immediate elation of a clear, fast cross country on a once in a lifetime horse like Phelps had eased and she’d come down from the high — she wasn’t the same person. She’d make jokes, but underscoring them all was this presence of defeat. She didn’t look forward to Sundays. Over time, she found it harder and harder to believe in herself.

“I think that’s also my personality – I tell jokes to get out of things,” Mia told me. “But yeah, it sucks. It sucks when it happens over and over again. So as much as Phelps put my name out there — he was an amazing cross country horse and great dressage horse who taught me how to ride very detailed — in show jumping, I was just losing more and more confidence.”

Following that Maryland last year, where she’d also had tough jumping rounds with her two 3* horses, Mia needed to get away. She drove home overnight, and the next day, she dialed a number she never had before.

When the call picked up, Mia started crying. She’d dialed Peter Wylde — show jumping Olympic medalist turned pro coach, who’s worked wonders for the riders he’s helped and become a student of eventing himself at this stage in his career.

“I would really like some help,” she managed. And Peter, being Peter, was eager to help. “I was wondering when you would call,” he said warmly.

It was a big change for Mia, and something of a catalyst in itself.

Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

For nearly a decade, since she left her home in southern California, Mia’s been a part of the O’Connor Event Team, coached by David O’Connor as well as Karen O’Connor (who also owns her 4*-L partner at Tryon International this weekend, Invictus). David and Karen have been a huge part of Mia’s life, and their quiet, consistent support have contributed directly to the success she’s had in the sport thus far.

“Honestly, part of the reason I was so mentally unstable after Maryland was because I was so worried about insulting the O’Connors by reaching out to someone else,” Mia said. “They’ve done so much for me. I didn’t want them to feel I was abandoning them.” She did call David first, before she talked with Peter, and she needn’t have worried. David and Karen both encouraged her and have supported her decision (and of course, David remains Mia’s primary coach still).

“I think that’s also been a big thing for me this year is the people around me — everyone working together. David and Karen have been so supportive for so long and now I have a base [of skill] and we can start adding things,” she said.

While it would not be accurate to attribute a big change or improvement solely to one thing, it’s not a secret that Peter Wylde’s work with riders like Boyd Martin and Jennie Brannigan has made a notable impact. For his part, David O’Connor’s quiet, diligent emphasis on repetition, simplicity and horsemanship is reflected strongly in Mia. And six months or so into Mia’s additional tutelage with Peter, it’s also not a stretch to say that his influence is already visible in her three clear show jumping rounds delivered today and yesterday at Tryon International — one of which netted her first CCI4*-L victory with Invictus. To be clear, Mia doesn’t always have show jumping struggles on paper, and she’s sat on good jumpers this weekend. For her, the victory was primarily mental.

Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

It was also after that fateful Maryland 5 Star that Mia felt something else shifting within herself. “I really love having a light, happy barn,” she described. But she admits that sometimes, her general sense of amiability could hold her back. “This year, I feel like I’ve really paid attention to a lot of the details of our sport, and it’s made a big difference. I’ve kind of taken myself a little bit more seriously this year. I like to stay humble and realistic and stuff, but this year I was like, you know what? I need to start doing well, damn it.”

Invictus isn’t the first horse aside from Phelps that Mia has competed at this level — earlier on, she partnered with BGS Firecracker to finish second in the 4*-L at Fair Hill in 2019, for example — but in truth she doesn’t actually have a ton of mileage at this Long level. So, with that in mind, she admitted she was a bit nervous coming into the weekend, and she also knew she’d do a lot of learning.

It’s nice when you can enjoy a successful stopover on the never-ending road of education.

“I feel like my training with Peter is still a little bit new, where he’s working on me more than he is the horse,” she explained of what she put into practice this weekend. “With me, with every horse, it’s just bringing in more quiet. I think I might be physically quiet, but mentally I think had lost so much confidence. I think in my head I started getting really quick, and then kind of making the horses move a little bit too quick, and then going through the front rail or something. So it’s just been bringing that quietness back, and then just the relaxation and confidence — confidence on my part to give them confidence. And consistency — every time we jump, it’s just consistency, like competitive training.”

“Sammy’s” victory this week – confirmed today over Chris Barnard’s show jumping track with just one second of time added to her finishing score – stamps him as a true horse for the future who frankly only keeps improving (and is only 10, as an additional benefit). “I definitely learned that he has all the things to be a top horse,” she said. “I mean, I haven’t had many top horses, but he’s felt the best of the three so far. And I’ve been pretty lucky with Firecracker and Phelps. [Invictus is] a very classy, mature horse, and so I think — obviously staying realistic with him — I need to start thinking of him as a proper horse!”

Mia Farley and Invictus share the prizegiving with Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

A proper horse indeed, and bred to do the job with WBFSH world-ranked #1 eventing stallion Diarado as the sire and the off-track Thoroughbred mare Sunset Paradise as the dam. Invictus was bred by Karen herself; she competed Sunset Paradise to the 1* level and retained her as a broodmare afterward. He’s got at least 75% Thoroughbred make-up in his DNA, and he’s really gone from strength to strength as his education continues with Mia, who’s produced him since he was a three-year-old. The 2027 Pan American Games may be a year away, but it’s not difficult to imagine Mia being a serious contender for a coveted Team USA spot.

As for Mia, she seems to be in a good space right now. We say often how much of a village it takes to even exist in this sport, and while we say it often, it shouldn’t lose its weight. “It’s such a good group of people,” Mia said. “In Kentucky, Liz [Halliday] has offered up her arena so Peter and I can go over there and jump the horses. Everyone works so well together. We have an amazing team at the barn. It’s a very inspirational thing, just the people —- I’m very inspired to be the best I can.”

Maya Clarkson’s Happy Send-off into (Somewhat Forced) Vacation

Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Maya Clarkson hasn’t been riding with 100% health for a few months now, having torn her hip labrum last fall. Initially, she worked through the pain, but with the severity of this type of injury it got to the point where she eventually elected to schedule surgery to repair it.

That surgery is taking place tomorrow, actually.

The timing worked out well. She got her spring season done and had wanted to earn a 5* MER (Minimum Eligibility Requirement) at a spring 4*-L with Maks Mojo C. She also had a young horse, Redfield Pixar RFB, who needed a 2*-L to build off of (she finished on her dressage score in the top 12 of the 2*). So, she slotted the surgery in for this coming week, a slightly slower period — competition-wise — after a busy spring for every active rider that would allow both her and her horses to take a breather.

Luckily, Maya says she rides even better under pressure — not necessarily placing or score-influenced, but more internal or environmental — because that timing made this weekend all the more important, professionally. There are only a handful of 4*-L events in the U.S. and one in Canada each season, so there is a lot of inherent pressure for things to go at least acceptably well.

“Going in, I definitely put the pressure on myself to get the MER, especially with the surgery tomorrow and everything,” Maya said. “I was kind of like, ‘well, if I don’t get an MER, I guess I’ll postpone [the surgery] and go to Bromont’ — which wouldn’t be the right thing to do anyway, because I was a little broken today! It’s perfect [timing]. They’ll have vacation, which they both very well earned, and so will I, and then we’ll be back at it and crack on in the fall.”

Maya did more than just earn that MER, though — she retained her second place position despite one rail and a smidge of time today, finishing her first 4*-L in her sophomore effort on a score of 41.1.

Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“I know that both the horses are capable of the results that they achieved today, but I certainly was not expecting that coming into the weekend,” she laughed. “I was hoping — I was like, ‘just get through the weekend, have a good horse show.’ And it certainly was more than that. I’m just so excited — they’re awesome. They could not have been better, I don’t think.”

I asked Maya how her warm-up was used today, as I think it’s interesting to learn about how everyone uses the warm-up. Every horse is different, of course, but Maya takes a bit after her longtime coach Lauren Nicholson in that she’s a minimalist. She doesn’t typically jump school on a Sunday morning at a three-day, and in warm-up she doesn’t usually jump more than five fences, none of which are set at competition height.

“He’s one that I don’t jump that much, even at the Shorts and everything,” she elaborated. I got on him kind of early and flatted and stretched him around a little bit. I’ve definitely found what works for him. I basically jump a three-foot or meter-high oxer, and then I make the back rail four or five holes higher and wider. I’ll jump both of those once, and then I make it square, and I only jump maybe a 1.20 meters. So I don’t even actually jump to height, because I’ve just found he doesn’t need it. He actually jumps a little bit better if he’s just saving his jumps — he knows how high to jump. Then I jump a vertical, and I really mostly leave it at that. He knows how to jump. I could go in there and jump twenty fences to make myself feel better so that I’m perfect — but is that really going to change the result? Probably not. And then I’ve jumped 20 more fences he doesn’t need to jump. So why?”

“I want to ride well, and I want to do the right thing for my horses, and I want to get better,” she said of what she feels when she puts pressure on herself. Looking back on the weekend, she’s confident she accomplished all of the above.

And she’s looking forward to being pain-free. I asked if she was nervous about the surgery at all. “Honestly, I’m ready for the nap,” she laughed.

Arielle Aharoni’s Show Jumping Practice Pays Off

Arielle Aharoni and Cooley Baltic Sea. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Arielle Aharoni splits her time these days between eventing and show jumping. She’s got a couple of horses for each discipline, and her partner this weekend, Cooley Baltic Sea, has done a bit of Grand Prix jumping himself and frequently operates as her stand-in if one of her jumpers doesn’t feel quite ready for a class.

Today’s show jumping course designed by Great Britain’s Chris Barnard was a tough one. The sample size was, of course, on the smaller side with just ten horses to jump in the 4*-L, but it took until Arielle — third after cross country — to see a clear round inside the time. The final fence was actually the bogey of the day, its positioning after a triple combination and stature as a vertical added technicality that caught four riders out. The time allowed of 66 seconds was also influential, with just one other rider (Tamie Smith and Jump To Day D) managing to catch it.

Arielle describes herself as a typically quick show jumper, and she has a lot of belief in her horses to know how to the answer the questions. Adding to that, she says her extra show jumping practice has had a noticeable impact on her riding.

“A lot of it comes down to just posture and making sure I stay off that front rail, and making sure I have enough canter to make the width of these spreads,” Arielle described. “I think you need to have a gallop in the show jumping to get the width, but also keep those shoulders back to keep their heads up and shoulders up, to make sure they stay off that front rail. That was probably the first thing the jumpers picked on me about — ‘why are your shoulders so forward?’ And they’re like, ‘heads up, shoulders back, get that front end off the ground, and keep the canter!’ Stop balancing so much, because the turn balances them, and if you’re balancing and the turn is balancing, all of a sudden you have no canter and not a lot of choices. If you keep the gallop and keep them up, then when you get straight to the fence you can balance and still have enough canter to get over the fence. You have a lot of options that way.”

“I think it’s really great to cross-train the horses,” Arielle said of her hybrid program in which her event horses go to the jumper shows and her show jumpers go cross country schooling (and even compete themselves at schooling shows). I observed that it seems we’re in an era in which more and more pro riders are branching into the other disciplines — German Olympians Sandra Auffarth and Michael Jung just competed on a Nations Cup team last week, riders like Laine Ashker and Will Coleman compete in FEI Grand Prixs in dressage (Laine) and show jumping (Will), for just a few examples.

Arielle Aharoni and Cooley Baltic Sea compete at Live Oak International. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

“Well, it helps you can win a little prize money more often,” Arielle laughed. “But my first love is eventing, so that will always stay. I think it’s beneficial, especially as eventers, to be able to go into each discipline — it helps us with the eventing, and I’m sure the eventing helps with the other sport too. I think we have to elevate our standards to go with the straight show jumpers or the straight dressage horses, and I think that helps in the long run. I think there’s a little less pressure going in —- like, this is not my main sport but I’m doing it anyway, so you have a lot of fun doing it and the horses still get a good education from it.”

In the 12-year-old Cooley Baltic Sea, Arielle now has a confirmed 4*-L horse, her first since her first 5* horse, Dutch Times. Originally competed by Great Britain’s Wills Oakden (and then sourced to Liz Halliday before eventually being sold to Arielle and Filly’s Hope LLC) and coming out of the same breeding family that put together the match for this weekend’s Badminton podium-finisher Annaghmore Valoner (Harry Meade), “Crunchy” has been an exciting horse for Arielle to make her way back up to the top levels with.

The cycle of every sport is typical — top horses come and go, and young horses ready to step up don’t always follow immediately on their heels — and Arielle has acknowledged throughout the weekend that it’s challenging to be away from that path to 5*.

“I definitely felt green coming back up the levels with this horse,” she said. “He’s definitely a different ride. It requires a bit more — he needs help from me a little bit more than Dutch [Times] did. Dutch was always in balance, found his own distances, knew when there was a combination. I was so spoiled with him! So it feels good to feel like I’m back.”

I had sort of figured that Arielle might have brought some of her jumpers to Tryon with her, as happening alongside this week was the Tryon Spring #2 hunter/jumper series. Eventers like Kentucky 5* champion Will Coleman (who was sixth in the $30,000 Tryon Grand Prix under the lights on Saturday with Comme Again HS) and Sharon White (who brought three of her eventers this weekend along with her 3*-L horse, Arden Augustus) were competing themselves. Arielle laughed.

“I actually didn’t know there was a jumper show too!”

Lisa Marie Fergusson and Ratheoin Quality Imp jump to 4th place for Canada. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Here’s a look at your final top 10 from the Tryon International CCI4*-L. Our next 4*-L in North America takes place at MARS Bromont June 4-7, so we’ll be back on the ground with you then. Entries for Bromont are still open and close on May 26, and you can find more information here.

Go Eventing!

Tryon International Three-Day Event (NC): [Website] [Scores] [Live Stream Replays]

A League of Their Own: Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo Take Historic Third Badminton Title

By on May 10, 2026 2:54 pm -

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

From the onset of this morning’s jumping session at MARS Badminton, which comprised places 21-40 on the provisional leaderboard, it was clear that the tightly-packed scoreboard would be put through its paces. Rather than the straightforward Badminton showjumping courses of old, this year’s track continued the trend towards much more jumper-y, testing questions that we’ve seen over the last couple of years, with rollback turns into water trays – a particularly tricksy question for horses who’ve jumped so many ditches the previous day – and three doubles on the course, as well as the optical illusion of a white top rail against the background of the white members’ tent, all of which tempted a loose hoof and the fates along with it.

Of those twenty horses this morning, just one would make the time and leave all the poles in the cups: that was the diminutive, catlike Luthien NRW, ridden by Germany’s Arne Bergendahl, whose extraordinary jump had contributed to a couple of mistakes over Eric Winter’s course yesterday, but which stood her in phenomenal stead today.

Another couple of combinations would manage the clear, though not the clock – but otherwise, a two-rail benchmark was set, with ordinarily strong final-phase performers knocking surprise rails.

When the top twenty came forward, that two-rail average didn’t lessen its grip on the competition. By the time two-phase leaders Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo entered the ring to lay out the final round of the day, their overnight lead of a rail and time had become a comfortable buffer of 10.2 penalties – two rails, comfortably, with time aplenty to set up sensible turns and cruise on home.

It was a generosity of penalties that they didn’t come close to using up. There aren’t many horses and riders – nor many top-level competitions – that produce a dominant feeling of relaxation in a bystander, but that’s where Ros and fourteen-year-old ‘Walter’ raise the bar: each step is measured, each moment considered, every movement decisive and every breath taken in fully. They never hurry; they never panic – and so, even when the pressure reaches its zenith, it’s possible to watch, learn, and enjoy.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

We talk so much about what the modern era of eventing is, and what it should look like, and how, indeed, we should promote a less rough-and-tumble iteration of a sport that’s always been all about grit and guts. Ros and Walter prove you can have both in spades sans the thrills and spills of old, and in so many ways, they have become the paragon of what forward-facing, modern, and social-license-friendly equestrian sport can look like.

And then, of course, there’s the whole matter of a woman doing it all: riding at the top, winning at the top, prioritising her work while also having a family and doing her utmost to make it all work for her. There’s no doubt it takes a colossal amount of juggling, and plenty of help, but here she is – a three-month-old baby in her arms, six-year-old Ziggy at her side; husband Chris and mum Heather on the periphery; another Badminton trophy on the mantlepiece.

The pair’s clear showjumping round today, which saw them add 2 time penalties to their otherwise faultless score card, doesn’t just earn Ros and Walter their third Badminton victory; it also makes Walter the first horse ever to take this title three times, and secures him his well-earned places in the annals of eventing lore and legend. There’s a very compelling argument to say he’s the greatest event horse of all time – he was second here on his debut as a ten-year-old in 2022, fourth at the World Championships later that year, a winner in the impossibly swampy Badminton of 2023, a member of the gold medal-winning British team at the Paris Olympics in 2024, victorious at Burghley that autumn, top of the leaderboard at Badminton and Burghley alike in 2025, and now, once again, our champion. It’s a crying shame, really, that the Rolex Grand Slam couldn’t have stuck around one more year, because no horse and rider pair has ever seemed so assured of victory in triplicate, and neither rider who had previously won that rarefied title had done so on one horse.

It’s unlikely that the enormously pragmatic Ros is even thinking in those terms, though.

“One day it won’t happen for us – I’m certainly not perfect and I made mistakes even last weekend at a competition, but for now I’m just so lucky,” she says.

“I’m just absolutely stunned, really – it probably won’t sink in for a bit. I try not to let myself get involved in all the things people have been saying about him being the first horse to do it three times, and all the things like that, so I think that will all sink in a bit later. But gosh, I’m just absolutely in awe of how he jumped today. I thought it was probably one of the best rounds he’s ever jumped, and probably one of the best rounds I’ve ridden as well. I’m just delighted we were able to pull it off at the right time, really.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Once Walter had popped over the influential water tray at fence five, Ros laughs, “I could see him clocking the next fence, and he started doing these little grunts like, ‘I’m gearing up for this, mum, I’m gearing up!’ He just loves his job.”

“I can’t put into words how lucky I am to ride a horse like him,” she continues. “People say, ‘oh, but you’ve trained him well,’ but he really makes my job so easy. He loves it, and he’ll be so content tonight. He’s a truly special personality, not just in the way he performs, but the person he is, too. We’re lucky to have him in our lives. He’d be here [at the press conference] slurping everybody’s drinks if he could – he just loves it all.”

Though she came into the competition as the firm favourite from the outset, for Ros, the path to victory didn’t necessarily look quite so clear.

“Coming into this week I wasn’t quite sure what to expect – whether my emotions would cope with it, whether my body would cope with it. But I just love these top-level competitions; they’re the reason I do it,” she says. “It’s incredibly special.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Has anyone so abnormally capable ever been so, well, normal? One moment she’s jumping five-star fences as though they’re sticks in the back garden; the next she’s back on the floor, either holding her new baby or being pulled from interview to interview, rocking back and forth as she answers questions, her body innately looking to lull a tiny person, her instincts as both sportswoman and mother both working overtime all at once. Even, as the case was today, when she’s operating on bugger-all sleep, and any of the rest of us would be falling over ourselves with fatigue.

“Seneh’s normally a very good sleeper, but last night, she was up between 1 and 4 a.m., so I’m pretty exhausted!” laughs Ros. “Chris will drive us home, so hopefully I’ll sleep on the way home, and hopefully she’ll sleep on the way home – and then we’ll celebrate at some point, but it definitely won’t be tonight!”

“You can look at it [as a particular challenge],” she continues, “or you can look at it that we’re extremely fortunate to be able to do this sport as a true family sport – they can all be very much included. Ziggy was in the main arena for the prizegiving; Seneh’s been with me all week. We’re incredibly lucky. Harry’s had three horses to ride all week, which is a massive achievement in itself; Tim’s got a broken shoulder – there’s always something that makes it a challenge to be here.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Perhaps the bigger hurdle overcome, to Ros’s mind, is the extraordinary journey she’s been on as a rider. She’s the first person to acknowledge, time and time again, that she’s neither naturally brave nor naturally quick, and that those – plus the ability to deal with pressure – are skills she’s had to develop.

“For all the young people out there, I just want to say that when I was just starting out eventing I had a go at doing Juniors and things like that, and I really wasn’t very good,” she says. “I’d been told to improve my dressage and I did, and then I went to the Junior National Championships and ended up 2nd going into showjumping. I was so nervous and couldn’t cope with the pressure at all, so I got a terrible shot to the treble combination, took out the first two parts and had a stop at the last part. I went from second place to about second from last in that round. And so I suppose what I mean is that anyone can learn to deal with pressure. It’s not just about learning to ride well, it’s all the other bits that go with it. So for anyone who does get nervous, if they still have the dream, it’s absolutely possible to do it.”

Tim Price and Falco. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

 After Arne Bergendahl’s clear round inside the time this morning, just one more horse and rider pair would accomplish the feat in this afternoon’s session. That was Tim Price with his 2021 Pau champion, the seventeen-year-old Falco, who Tim described earlier in the week as “a fake event horse”: one who has always been a freak of a jumper, but has had to learn how to be a cross-country performer.

Yesterday, he proved that he’s absolutely learned that lesson, dispensing with the occasional silly 20s – misdemeanours, but never felonies – of his younger years and delivering a fast clear round with just 4 time penalties, which saw him climb from 10th to 5th place. And today? Tim could sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride – a ride that boosted the pair up to second place.

“I’ve always said he’s the horse for the final day, and when he was making mistakes at two- and three-star level, this was the thing I was really desperate to get to – the Sunday at a long, and a significant one,” he says. “I’ve had a few now [with him] and he’s just so much fun. We take all the horses for all their qualities; every horse has their issues, but showjumping isn’t one of his.”

He is, he continues, “a fantastic little horse. He’s a small package and I’m a little bit big for him, but his brain is in his feet – he knows exactly where he can take off and he gives me everything he’s got to give. It’s the first time I’ve been at Badminton on a horse I can relax on in this phase and just put my leg on. I really wanted to get to today on him, which made yesterday such a special thing.”

Though Tim is slightly more healed up than he was at Kentucky, where he competed with a freshly operated-on shoulder, he credits his partnership with the elder statesman of his string with helping him make this week work while still not 100% himself.

“He’s my old friend – I’ve had him ten years. If it was another horse it might not have been such a doable proposition,” he says.

Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Harry Meade notched up another five-star podium finish, taking third place aboard the classy but complicated Annaghmore Valoner after knocking a single rail to drop down a spot on the leaderboard.

“I’m delighted; I thought she jumped beautifully, and she went in there and handled the cheers, the atmosphere, and the crowd really well,” he says. “She went in a beautiful, soft way, jumped out of her skin – and she had a rail, which was very, very minor, and I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Harry has been knocking on the door of a five-star win for a long time, but something that’s always been very clear is that as much as he’s a fiercely focused competitor, he’s also a bone-deep fan and student of the sport. That meant that although his time didn’t come this week, his admiration for Ros’s victory – and what it means for the broader story of eventing – was nearly as sweet a feeling.

“People who study the sport might think, ‘oh, well that horse is the most likely one to win,’ but it is so difficult to get a horse to the start line. If, in December, you looked at all the horses who were being aimed at Badminton, [by the time the event comes around], probably 30 to 50% of them don’t get it to the start, either because their form hasn’t been good enough, or they picked up a minor injury… so to get to the start, and then to get to point where you can deliver – and not just deliver, but do it in the style that Ros has done it every single time – is enough for the pundit to be able to say she’s the favourite. But the horsemen, they know that it doesn’t just happen. Ros has already credited Walter, but her technical ability, and her coolness under pressure, means that their achievement of winning three Badmintons will stand the test of time as a legacy, not just for Walter, but for her as an extraordinary competitor.”

Tom Jackson and United 36. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Fourth place went to Tom Jackson and the exceptional ten-year-old United 36, who looks the part in all three phases, and with whom he climbed from first-phase 20th place after adding just 3.2 time penalties yesterday and 0.4 time penalties today.

“I mean, what a horse,” grins Tom. “He’s just answered every question, everything we’ve asked of him, for the whole time we’ve had him – and yet again, he’s put himself in a brilliant position. I couldn’t be more pleased with him.”

“He’s always been a good jumper, but in the past two four-longs we’ve done with him he’s had a rail, and so we thought maybe he was just a bit on the weak side. So we’ve worked really hard over the winter to get him as strong as possible, and he felt really good out there; it was a tough enough track for him, with the twists and the turns and keeping him balanced, but he really, really delivered.”

Katie Magee and Treworra. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

British Open Champions Katie Magee and Treworra tipped one rail to drop a single place to fifth, completing a climb from 26th after dressage.

“He jumped brilliantly,” says Katie. “I was a little nervous, and he really looked after me – he’s an absolute superstar. It’s been a brilliant week. I absolutely love it here – it’s horsey paradise.”

Tayla Mason and Centennial. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

The climbers of the week were New Zealand’s Tayla Mason and Centennial, who had begun the competition in equal 40th place on a 36.5 and leapt upwards to 14th after a cross-country round that saw them dig deep with an agricultural jump into the MARS Lake, after which they grew in confidence and boldness, weathered a hold on course, and finished looking a picture. Today, Centennial – or Chase, as he’s known at home – was on flying form, very nearly jumping Tayla clean out of the tack over the final fence and securing a clear round with 1.6 time penalties, boosting them up to sixth place.

It was a remarkable round not just for that climb, but for the about-face in form it represents for the gelding in this final phase: he’s jumped clear at the level once before, at Maryland, but has also tipped three or four fences in previous efforts, which Tayla has worked hard to combat.

“We’ve been working hard on the showjumping, and it’s taken a while,” says Tayla. “It takes a long time to get a five-star horse, and then it takes a long time to get the correct system – after all these years, I have a solid one now, and it’s really exciting.”

“His biggest thing is he just doesn’t get high enough, so we’ve been working on gymnastic stuff – we trot to fences in the cross-country training to develop that fifth leg, but actually, it helps in the showjumping as well. Every horse is different, so it’s trial and error in all the exercises you can do, and then whatever works for that horse works. I think that’s why it takes so long. What I do with Chase is not what I do with my other horse; what works with one might not work with the other one, and so it’s taken some time, but I’m really excited that I’ve managed to create a solid system with him.”

Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

British-based Frenchman Gaspard Maksud added another five-star placing to his record with the excellent Zaragoza, knocking one rail but moving up from 12th overnight to seventh place.

“She jumps very well – she had a cracking round yesterday on the cross-country, and then she jumped well today,” says Gaspard. “We just came a bit close to that double and had one down, but I think that’s more me than her – she really tried for me.”

Felix Vogg and Cartania. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Switzerland’s Felix Vogg was relieved to find his Maryland winner Cartania considerably more rideable today than she had been yesterday, partly thanks to an occasional and tactical tack change: today, he went bitless.

He rides her in the hackamore “three times a year – otherwise she gets used to it! That’s the key at the moment, that she’s rideable and quite nice to ride.”

They, too, had a single rail, but stepped up nonetheless from 11th to eighth.

Ben Massie and Filao de Perle. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

France’s Ben Massie and Filao de Perle added one rail and 0.8 time penalties to finish their climb from 25thto ninth, while overnight third-placed Sarah Bullimore and her ten-year-old homebred Corimiro slipped to tenth place with two rails, but demonstrated enormous class in the ring, further cementing the rangy gelding’s status as one of the most exciting young horses at this level.

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

“I’m chuffed to bits with him,” says Sarah. “I mean, obviously I’m disappointed, because he’s normally an amazing jumper. We’ve changed to a different bit, and maybe that wasn’t the right decision, I don’t know. It’s still a learning curve: he’s just ten, and he’s new to the level, and if you don’t try these things, you don’t know. Maybe we’ll rethink on the bit for next time, but there is always a next time, and he’s got phenomenal future ahead of him.”

Two rails knocked top ten challengers Aaron Millar and Friendship VDL one spot down to eleventh, while three apiece shifted Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint and Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney d’Arville from 5th and 8th to 17th and 19th, respectively.

Cosby Green and Jos UFO de Quidam. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Best of the bunch for the US was Cosby Green and Jos Ufo de Quidam, who took 22nd place after a neat and tidy clear just one second over the time allowed, while Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl tipped two rails but added another Badminton completion to their record for 40th.

Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

And that’s all she wrote – for now, anyway – from MARS Badminton 2026. It’s been a week that’s surprised us in so many ways, but all of us at EN feel so lucky to be reporting through an era in which that great big non-surprise at the top became another chapter in the story of a woman and a horse that the sport will talk about for decades to come. May their reign continue; may the foundations of their success influence us all. Go Ros, Go Walter, and Go Eventing.

The top ten at MARS Badminton 2026.

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Tickets] [Live Stream] [Entries] [Schedule] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

Rapid Update from MARS Badminton: The Show Jumping Phase

By on May 10, 2026 12:34 pm -

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

EN’s classic full report will be with you just as soon as our boots on the ground have wrangled all the action into a readable format, until then, here’s a rapid update of what went down in the show jumping phase at MARS Badminton.

THE HIGHLIGHTS:

History has been made at MARS Badminton Horse Trials.

1️⃣ 🇬🇧 The Badminton 2026 winners are Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo who secure their place in the record books with back-to-back-to-back wins after leading the competition from start to finish. They jumped a steady clear, adding 2 time penalties with Ros knowing she had the buffer to take it steady, and win Badminton on a score of 25.7.

2️⃣ 🇳🇿 Runners-up this year are Tim Price and extraordinary jumper Falco who added nothing at all in the final phase to finish on a score of 33.9.

3️⃣ 🇬🇧 Rounding out the podium are Harry Meade and the mare he loves so much Annaghmore Valoner, who slipped down from 2nd with a rail down and 0.8 for time and end up on a score of 35.1.

4️⃣ 🇬🇧 Just 0.7 off the podium placings are Tom Jackson and exciting newcomer to the level United 36 who jumped clear but were just a fraction of a second over the time to add 0.4 and finish their Badminton on a score of 35.8.

5️⃣ 🇬🇧 And finishing in 5th place is Katie Magee and Treworra who truly proved their mettle in a quality field, adding just one pole and ending on a score of 37.3.

🇺🇸 Best of the US is Cosby Green and Jos Ufo de Quidam who jumped clear with 0.4 of a time penalty this morning to finish in 22nd place on a score of 48.9.

Here’s the top 20:

You’ll find the full scoreboard right here.

FIRSTS:

We’ve just witnessed Ros and “Walter” becoming the first horse and rider pair to defend the Badminton title for three consecutive years, but there were other ‘firsts’ in the offing this week too:

⭐ Rookie horses making their mark:

  • Tom Jackson and United 36 had a stunning start to the horses’s top-level career, adding just 3.6 penalties to their dressage score across the competition and finished up the horse’s first 5* in 4th place.
  • Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Royal Encounter picked up just a single pole to finish on a score of 48.4 and finishing just outside the top 20 in 21st place on the horse’s debut.
  • David Doel and Midnight Rollercoaster had two rails to finish on a score of 55 in 25th spot.
  • Michael Owen and Monbeg Darwin took two poles and added 2 time penalties to complete on a score of 65.9 in 28th place.

❗ 15 Badminton debutant horses made it through to the final phase, with all 15 picking up a completion. One such pair was Wills Oakden and Keep It Cooley who have gained their first 5* completion on their second start at the level.

‼️ 2 combinations achieved their first Badminton completion the second time of asking:

  • Aaron Millar and Friendship VDL withdrew before cross country last year – they jumped a superb clear with just one second of time yesterday, adding two rails and 1.2 time today, and have banked a Badminton finish just outside the top 10 in 11th place for their record.
  • Arne Bergendahl and Luthien NRW took a tumble last year but crossed the finish flags this time, going on to jump the only clear inside the time in the morning session of show jumping and completing the competition in 35th place.

LEADERBOARD CLIMBERS:

One of the most interesting aspects of eventing is the potential for combinations to ascend through the placings as the competition progresses.

30 horse and rider pairs made leaderboard leaps this week; 30 also found themselves in the ascendency as today’s show jumping played out. Notable risers include:

  • Jonelle Price and Chilli’s Midnight Star who jumped in the morning session having started off the day in 26th place and ended up in 12th place after putting in a valuable clear, albeit with 0.8 time, on a day where they were few and far between.
  • Tayla Mason and Centennial jumped clear this afternoon, adding just 1.6 time and rocketing themselves into a 6th place finish, having started out in 40th after dressage and 11th after cross country.
  • Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza started out behind the pace in 38th after dressage, but a clear inside the time yesterday propelled them up into 12th, and their round with a single rail today saw them finish up in 7th place.

TOUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE:

It can’t be everyone’s day, that’s just the sport, and there were a few combinations who found it tough going in the final phase, although we must remember that a Badminton completion – heck, just a Badminton entry, really – is an achievement in and of itself.

However, the cups seemed shallower for some in the show jumping ring, including:

  • Tom Bird and Cowling Hot Gossip had a great time out on cross country yesterday but found things altogether more tricky today, lowering 10 poles in total for 40 jumping penalties and adding a further 3.6 time.
  • Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver de Haar were another pair to find the show jumping phase difficult after a superb round yesterday, catching 7 rails and adding 28 jumping and 1.2 time penalties.
  • Holly Richardson and Ballyneety Silver Service were the first clear inside the time yesterday, but today’s effort was a different story, with 5 poles down and 1.6 time dropping them out of the top 20 to end up in 27th.
  • Nadja Minder and Toblerone tumbled 9 places down the leaderboard after picking up 4 rails and 0.4 time in the ring today. Nevertheless, Nadja looked delighted with her Badminton completion and there were huge pats for her pal as they left the ring.
  • Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Luhmühlen winner Hooney d’Arville were in the top 10 coming into day, but ended up in 19th place after having 3 poles down and adding 0.4 time.
  • Lucy Latta and 2024 Badminton runner-up RCA Patron Saint were right in the mix in 5th place after the cross country, but an extremely tough day in the office – literally, Lucy has food poisoning – saw them have 3 rails and 1.2 time and drop to 17th place.
  • Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl had a disappointing day out on cross country, dropping from 2nd place after dressage to 45th. They added a further two poles and 1.2 time today and finish up in 40th position.

THE STATS:

The show jumping phase got underway this morning with the cross country finishers who sat outside the top-20 as things stood after yesterday’s action.

👌 20 competitors came forward, with 4 jumping clear to complete their Badminton experience. Only one of those clears was inside the time – that came from Arne Bergendahl and Luthien NRW.

⬇️ 4 pairs had one pole down, 8 lowered two, 1 took three, and 3 had four or more.

⏰ 13 picked up time faults.

The most influential fence on course was the oxer going into the double at 12A, which came down 7 times, followed by the oxer coming out of the double at 5B, the water tray at 6 and the parallel going into the double at 8A which each came down five times. Two competitors picked up jumping penalties at the final fence. Only one fence stayed up throughout the session, the vertical flanked by postboxes at 4.

The top 20 on the scoreboard after cross country went this afternoon to wrap the 2026 edition of MARS Badminton up.

👌 Just 3 combinations finished up with a jumping clear this afternoon, making the clear round total 7 from 40 rounds. Just one of them was inside the time – that came from Tim Price and Falco.

⬇️ 7 pairs had one pole down (11 overall), 5 lowered two (13 overall), 2 took three (3 overall), and 2 had four or more (5 overall).

⏰ 15 picked up time faults (28 overall).

The fences which came down most often this afternoon were the water tray at 6 and the oxer at 10, which each came down 5 times. The oxer going into the double at 12A was the most influential overall, coming down 11 times over the two sessions. Every fence on the course came down at least once.

A moment for our MARS Badminton 2026 champions, Ros Canter’s Lordships Graffalo:

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins/Girl in the Field.

It’s been an epic week of sport, for sure.

Eyes on EN for the full report coming soon.

Go eventing!

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Scores] [Live Stream Replays] [EN’s Coverage]

Badminton Field Thins by Five on Sunday Morning – Including Top Ten Contender

By on May 10, 2026 5:23 am -

Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The field has further thinned at this morning’s final horse inspection at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, with five cross-country finishers bowing out of the competition ahead of today’s showjumping finale.

Two horses were withdrawn before the horse inspection, including one from the top ten: that was Will Rawlin’s Ballycoog Breaker Boy, with whom he sat seventh after adding just 5.6 time penalties yesterday. The other morning withdrawal was Kylie Roddy’s SRS Kan Do, who was overnight 40th, having added 20 jumping penalties at the Mayston Hollow at 26ABC yesterday.

It wasn’t wholly plain sailing for the remaining 43 horses presented to the ground jury of Christina Klingspor, Amanda Miller, and Angela Tucker, either: four were sent to the holding box, and of those, just one ultimate passed and will go on to showjump. The successful party was the USA’s Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl, who had led the dressage on Thursday but suffered a tricky second half of their cross-country round yesterday to sit 45th overnight.

Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Two horses were re-presented, but ultimately spun: Ireland’s Sarah Ennis and her 2023 European Championships ride Grantstown Jackson, who had sat 19th overnight with just 3.6 time penalties added yesterday, and China’s Alex Hua Tian and Chicko, 34th after hitting the frangible device at the Vicarage Vee and adding 14 time penalties, will not showjump this afternoon. The final pair held, Great Britain’s Tom Rowland and Dreamliner – 18th with 5.6 time penalties yesterday – opted not to re-present, and withdrew from the holding box.

These changes allows for some movement into the business end of the leaderboard – Switzerland’s Felix Vogg and his Maryland winner Cartania, who had a turbulent round for 7.2 time penalties, will now step into tenth place, while Ireland’s Sam Watson and Ballyneety Rocketman and Harry Meade and pathfinder Et Hop du Matz will step up to nineteenth and twentieth places, respectively, putting them into the afternoon showjumping session.

That gives us a neat 40 horses and riders to see through to showjumping today, in two halves: the lower-placed 20 horses and riders will take to the ring from 11.30 a.m. (6.30 a.m. EST), while the top 20 will jump from 14.45 BST (9.45 a.m. EST).

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Two-phase leaders Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo have a comfortable lead of 6.6 penalties over second-placed Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner, which gives them a rail in hand plus plenty of time, too, at this stage. From Harry onwards, though, it’s all getting rather tight: a single rail spans second to sixth, while two rails down for Harry at this stage would topple him all the way down to eighteenth. We can expect plenty of movement throughout the leaderboard today after yesterday’s 11:30 cross-country effort – and you can make sure you don’t miss a moment by tuning in on Badminton TV. We’ll be back with the full story at the end of the day’s competition – in the meantime, Go Eventing!

The top ten after cross-country at MARS Badminton.

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Tickets] [Live Stream] [Entries] [Schedule] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

Sunday Links

By on May 10, 2026 12:01 am -

One Big Thing: Sunday at Badminton

Rosalind Canter and Lordships Graffalo jump to the MARS Badminton victory in 2025. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

It’s going to be a pretty epic Mother’s Day (happy Mother’s Day to all of our amazing mothers out there, also) as we wind down another spectacular edition of the MARS Badminton CCI5*. We are looking forward to an exciting finale, which could see history made from multiple angles as we rally on ahead to our show jumping conclusion.

Of course, Ros Canter will be the name that’s top of mind for most today as she prepares to jump for a historic third consecutive Badminton victory with the same horse in the once-in-a-generation Lordships Graffalo. After adding nary a penalty to their dressage score of 23.7 on Saturday’s Eric Winter-designed cross country course, Ros and “Walter” will have a somewhat comfortable (if you can use that word in this sport, which really you can’t) margin over second-placed Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner (30.3) and third-placed Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro (31.1).

Here are some ways for you to get caught up if you’re visiting us before show jumping:

And of course a sample of some stories from our friends around the media circles:

On today’s schedule (all times below are local BST):

  • 8:30am: Final Horse Inspection
  • 11:30am: Show Jumping – First Group
  • 1:55pm: Band Display in Main Arena
  • 2:30pm: Parade of Competitors
  • 2:45pm: Show Jumping – Top 20
  • 3:50pm: Parade of the Duke of Beaufort’s Hounds
  • 4:05pm: Parade of Prizewinners and Presentation of Prizes

We’ll be back with more for you throughout the day, and you can use the link list below to catch up further!

Major International Events This Weekend

MARS Badminton CCI5* (England):Website] [Tickets] [Live Stream] [Entries] [Schedule] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

Tryon International Three-Day Event (NC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Schedule] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Sopot Spring Carnival CCI4*-L/S (Poland): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

U.S. Events This Weekend

The Vista Spring YEH/NEH Qualifier (NC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]

Galway Downs Sprint H.T. & Preliminary Challenge (CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (SC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Unionville May H.T. (PA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Queeny Park H.T. (MO): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Other Links & Reading

Training Tip of the Day

Use these cavaletti exercises in your next ride!

Go Eventing

Caroline Powell shows the ultimate level of acceptance when a day doesn’t go your way:

Invictus Rings True for Mia Farley on Cross Country Day at Tryon International CCI4*-L

By on May 9, 2026 8:21 pm -

Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Mia Farley knew she’d come out of this weekend’s CCI4*-L at Tryon International having learned new things, both about herself and her ride, Karen O’Connor’s Invictus. Ten years old this year, Invictus has quite a few competitions at the 4* level under his belt, including a debut at the TerraNova 4*-L in the fall of 2024, but today he confirmed a lot of what Mia had wanted to see on cross country.

It wasn’t a smooth day for all on Clayton Fredericks’ course, which exerted its influence across the 3* and 4* levels (Beth Perkins is the designer of the 2* and 1* levels this weekend) throughout the day. Things came a bit unraveled for overnight leaders Caroline Pamukcu, who encountered trouble at fence 19B, a corner combination. Caroline and Connor had two surprising runouts here, after which Caroline opted to call it a day. This opened the door for someone else to step ahead, as dressage runners-up Phillip Dutton and Denim had also found themselves with a truncated weekend after very sadly missing fence 7 on course.

Mia, who had gone early in the running order, had already laid down a standard with Invictus, who demonstrated his growth and strength to improve on his first 4*-L cross country result by jumping clear with just two and change time penalties added. They’ll now move ahead to show jumping as the leaders with a score of 32.4, one pole’s cushion ahead of Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C (36.7).

Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Mia had a good sense of what kind of day it was going to be early on in the going. “I think Clayton wanted us to get a get some pace in the first minute, because it was pretty much single fence after single fence,” she debriefed. “And I was worried about, I think it was 8AB, because it was our first combination. It was a log down the hill to the squirrel and then a corner [at 9]. But when he came back to me there, I kind of knew that I could trust him for a lot of the course.”

Despite his general affable temperament, “Sammy” isn’t actually the most “set it and forget it” type of horse on cross country. “It’s not that he’s unridable, he’s just so laidback so when I do set a rhythm and try to be quiet on him, in a way I do need to kind of keep changing it up so he stays on top of it. But that’s just kind of his personality.”

The overarching feeling she has this evening is that this horse has truly revealed that he has a lot of the ingredients to be a top horse. His fitness was a key component of that gut feeling on Saturday, further underscored by the feature of the famous WEG Hill at Tryon — a grueling uphill climb that was the concluding portion of the 2018 World Equestrian Games track: “He surprised me in the sense that, while he has a lot of Thoroughbred blood, I honestly thought he might get a bit tired at the end, but he didn’t — he just kept going.”

Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“It makes me excited, because I think that, after today, I learned that he’s got a lot of the things that we’re looking for as a top horse,” Mia continued. “I was very impressed with him today. I feel like he had my back just as much as I had his.”

Following cross country at Kentucky, where Mia eventually finished on the podium of the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, she shared in the press conference that she had lost a bit of her confidence in the final phase. The past few months have been a study in regaining that — she’s recently enlisted the help of show jumping Olympian Peter Wylde for this component of her riding — and she’s feeling fairly calm ahead of tomorrow.

“My round at Kentucky [gave me more confidence] and so did my [three-star] show jumping yesterday with Pina Colada,” she shared. “He knows the job tomorrow, and I know that he’ll try. He show jumped well at TerraNova [in 2024, his last 4*-L]. It’ll just be a little bit a part of this learning weekend — I’m definitely learning a lot about him.”

Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Maya Clarkson also enjoyed a fun day today with Maks Mojo C, a horse she’s achieved a lot of milestones with, including her first 4* competitions. This weekend marks this pair’s second 4*-L and this time they earned their first clear cross country, moving up to claim second overnight with their score of 36.7 and just time added today.

Due to some setbacks — Maks Mojo C underwent surgery on his neck in 2024 to repair some damage, similar to an operation horses like Sara Kozumplik’s Rock Phantom have had — this sophomore effort at the Long level was a bit of a long time going. But looking back, Maya says she appreciates having the extra time to gain mileage at this level.

“I think when we moved up to the level, neither him nor I were truly ready for what we took on,” she said. They moved up to the level in 2023, having wrapped up their 3* campaign with a podium finish at the notoriously testing Bromont 3*-L. “He was my first Intermediate horse, so I don’t have that much experience, either. And so when we first got to the four-star level we just couldn’t get it right. I mean, it was fine, it was never anything bad, but it was more like ‘oh, we have a lot of work to do. We’re both really green.’ But I think we’ve learned a lot together and grown together, and it’s pretty cool sitting on him now and feeling like there’s a lot more left in the tank.”

Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Maya also feels the longer courses suit “Maks” better as it is. “he’s quick enough in the shorts, because he’s super rideable — he goes in a leather snaffle for cross country — so I never really have to pull him in Shorts, but I never really let him run, run, just let him cruise around. So today I was like, ‘okay buddy, you got it,’ and he was just awesome.”

And the main highlight for Maya?

“I had fun,” she said. “Honestly, like, the whole thing. I remember when I moved up to the four-star level, it never really felt very fun.” By the way, here she paused to hand out milkshakes and dinner to her crew, so A+ Boss Award there for the milkshakes in particular. “Before he got his neck surgery, it honestly, like never really felt fun. It felt harder. And he was trying so hard, like he’s a good horse. And so once we figured out that his neck was uncomfortable, I feel like he does find it easier now.”

Arielle Aharoni and Cooley Baltic Sea. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Arielle Aharoni was also able to climb up in the standings to move from seventh into third with Filly’s Hope LLC’s Cooley Baltic Sea, adding 16.8 time penalties for a two-day score of 51.1. This was a first 4*-L effort for the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding and really, a first long format in almost two years for Arielle herself. Since the retirement of her 5* partner, Dutch Times (who, by the way, has enjoyed spending his retirement with Arielle’s mom, Christina), Arielle’s been producing a string of young horses and also splitting time in the show jumping world (Cooley Baltic Sea actually stepped in for one of her jumpers at Live Oak International last year, jumping in the CSI1* Grand Prix). So today, it was a mixture of nerves and excitement — but then, more nerves — as she prepared to leave the start box.

It didn’t help that the 4*-S, which ran ahead of the Long division, was quite exciting and saw many problems, some of which came at questions shared by both courses.

“I was quite nervous heading out there, and I was changing my plans last minute,” Arielle laughed. “I had been watching the four-Short, and I was, like, my entire plan just…Oh, my God. I don’t think I’ve actually ever been that nervous heading out! I thought the two hardest questions were going to be the squirrels [at fences 8 and 9] and then the water of course. So I was kind of setting him up for the first half like, ‘we are not running out through our right shoulder!’ And you know what? He was pretty game. I had seen people slip around that turn to [fence 8] in the Short, so I planned on adding. I probably should have left him do the seven to the four, he was right on it. But I’m very proud of how he got through all that so easily. The biggest thing was that I was thinking he might get a little bit tired going up the incline, but when we got there he just galloped harder. I wanted him to get home clear and sound, and not gassed, so I was really happy with that.”

“He’s got a lot of fight in him,” she continued. And this is a different ride to her former top horse, Dutch Times, who she describes as an Energizer Bunny type that never got tired, never stopped fighting for the flags. So what would that feel like, if it happened with this horse? Today, she didn’t have to find out. “You always wonder if things don’t wind up perfect, if they’ll bail on you, but some things were not perfect out there and he was still getting his way through those flags. So I’m thrilled with that. And I learned he’s got a lot of run at the end of this! I hadn’t done a four-Long with him yet, so you always worry about how much gas they have in the tank. Now I know!”

Tamie Smith and Danito Take US Equestrian Open Qualifier CCI4*-S

Tamie Smith and Danito. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Tamie Smith is probably already working out a way to come back to the East coast this fall to run for the $200,000 US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park (VA) in October. She’s the current series points leader — which, remember, will net you an additional cash prize of up to $25,000 at the end of the season — with 205 points earned so far, and now adds another pile to the collection with 50 points earned from her 4*-S win today.

Danito was rerouted to Tryon after having some uncharacteristic blips on cross country in the equal division at Kentucky two weeks ago. Today, he encountered no such strife and added 8.4 time penalties to his 19.5 dressage score after show jumping double clear yesterday. His 19.5 provided enough cushion to have the time well in hand, making it a cruising victory for the 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Ruth Bley.

Tamie was a very busy woman today, so we didn’t quite get a chance to catch up with her before publishing this, but we’ll have plenty of opportunities to keep track of her as her East coast campaign begins to wrap up.

Will Coleman (who celebrated his birthday this week — happy birthday!) brought home second place with his 2025 Kentucky 4*-S winner Off the Record (owned by the Off the Record Syndicate), adding 3.2 easy time to their score to finish on a 30.3. Boyd Martin was able to jump up from ninth into third with Dallas LLC’s Shanroe Cooley (35.8).

Chris Barnard will design tomorrow’s show jumping tracks as we wrap up the Long divisions at Tryon. The jumping is scheduled to begin at 10:30am EST with the CCI2*-L, followed by the the CCI4*-L at 12:00pm EST and the CCI3*-L starting at 1:05pm EST. This phase will be live streamed on Horse & Country and you can access that feed here. To catch up on additional scores from Tryon and other information, refer to the link list below.

Tryon International Three-Day Event (NC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Schedule] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

“I Thought, ‘You Just Have to Try to Believe'”: Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo Top Turbulent Badminton Cross-Country Day

By on May 9, 2026 3:53 pm -

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

About an hour into today’s cross-country phase at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, it all looked a bit as though the writing was on the wall: the course was too soft, the time too gettable, and the whole day of sport set to be a non-event for the 59 starters and the 100,000 or so spectators on site.

“I was getting,” admits course designer Eric Winter, “a little bit worried.”

Certainly, the course had walked easier than in 2024, when it last ran in this direction. The twisty routes through multi-part combinations of that year had been replaced by much more direct lines through a proliferation of two-parters, and as this pivotal phase loomed closer, the general vibe around the place was a much more relaxed one than it necessarily has been in previous years. Several people even – dare we say it – expressed some amount of underwhelm.

So when the first couple of riders headed out on course and returned home with easy, steady clears – 4.4 time penalties for pathfinders Harry Meade and Et Hop du Matz and 13.6 for US rider Cosby Green and Jos Ufo de Quidam – and the third rider, Tom Jackson, added just 3.2 time penalties on the five-star first-timer United 36, and then Holly Richardson and Ballyneety Silver Service, a relatively inexperienced combination in the field, made the time by some twelve seconds, it truly did look as though the writing was on the wall.

But the beauty of a clever Badminton track is in the details that don’t come to the fore until a large enough sample size is on the table for review, and while this year’s course may not have been heaving with technical questions, Eric had made some canny calls in the way he’d used terrain, creating a cumulative effect that shifted horses off their balance and rhythm frequently enough to open the door for costly mistakes – and a time that was tight enough to exert its own influence.

It’s easy to look at seven rounds inside the time as an indicator of a soft clock, but it’s all relative: the horses and riders who caught the time easily were up on the clock early on and could then sustain the rhythm and balance over the variable terrain; those who found themselves playing catch-up were more susceptible to losing their stride pattern and having to take risks or long routes along the way. That, plus the extraordinarily tightly-packed scores after the first phase – overnight leaders Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo very much excepted – created a ripple effect throughout the day that enacted a seismic shift across the board.

“I was watching the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix last week, and I thought, ‘I could drive around that track like Kimi Antonelli [at a normal pace],” says Eric. “But I couldn’t do it at 215mph. When you add the speed into it, it amplifies [the intensity of the track].”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

If you had to watch one ride to see in perfect clarity how rhythm wins out over haste and hustle, you don’t need to go much further than first-phase leaders Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who added neither time nor jumping penalties to retain their lead and further solidify their bid to hold onto the Badminton title for the second year in a row.

Although Ros hasn’t had, perhaps, the most traditional lead-in to a major event – she had her second child, Seneh, at the tail end of January, and is still breast-feeding – such is the partnership she’s built with ‘Walter’, and so solid is the integrity of her foundations, that from the first fence to the final one, neither horse nor rider looked like they’d missed a day of training.

Though five-star cross-country riding can sometimes be inherently scrappy – it’s a test, after all, of the ability to adapt when things don’t go wholly to plan – there was never a moment in which Ros looked like she needed to over-adjust or make a sea change en route to a fence.

“I’m just very privileged to ride a horse like Walter, because he actually gives me time to set up, even for the normal fences,” says Ros. “There was never a moment where I’m really behind, so I’m able to give him the best version of myself, because he allows me to.”

But it’s easy to look at a round like theirs and see the harmony, the communication, and the framework of sensible training that’s helped the partnership get to that point. What it doesn’t necessarily communicate quite so readily is how much is going on inside a rider’s head, not just in the moments before they’re counted out of the start box, but in each of those achingly long eleven-and-a-half minutes on course.

“There’s a lot of pressure going around on a horse like that. Even coming to the final fence, I was like, ‘please don’t mess it, please don’t mess it up!’ But he’s just an absolute legend, isn’t he? He’s just the most amazing cross-country horse in the way he looks for his fences, but he lets me ride how I need to ride, and he gives himself every chance to clear the jumps.”

It never, she says, “feels [as easy as it looks] while you’re out there. I think there’s pressure not only around riding Walter, because of what he does and what he can do – but I actually haven’t been fast yet properly this year, other than a random intermediate where I still didn’t make the time. So there was pressure from that side today as well. Physically, I’m not up to where I was, but I was very confident that it wasn’t going to be a massive physical battle for me out there, because he makes my job so easy. But mentally, it was a lot of pressure.”

And, of course, “it’s been busy this week. It’s been really busy, having a baby and breastfeeding and all that, too. It was a question to myself: could I do it without having those moments to myself that I normally get? So today, I just woke up and I thought, ‘you know what? You just have to try and believe that even if you don’t put quite so much time into the things you normally do, that you can still do it, that you’ve still got it.’ And he just helped me do that the whole time.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

A rider’s preparation for a cross-country round of this magnitude is relentless in its attention to detail: every moment is accounted for, every stride considered, every practice fence calculated. We see that in action, in all its various forms, throughout the day – the grooms with a lead rope clipped on until the split second their charge needs to leave the box; Emma Thomas sprinting behind Icarus as he’s ponied, riderless, into the arena alongside a hunt horse and only springing aboard the very moment she’s essential to the equation; the ones who hang back as long as possible, keeping away from the intoxicating buzz of it all until they know any further hesitation will risk a penalty.

And so it’s a particularly tricky thing when a hold on course necessitates a red light at the start, and all the work that’s been put in to create a peak of both energy and agreeability begins to unravel. That’s what happened to Ros today, and those spare minutes spent waiting, not knowing how long the wait might go on for, probably felt like the longest of her day.

Once again, though, they became a testament to her horse’s unmatched brain.

“I just thought, ‘well, that’s a bit annoying’ to start with,” says Ros. “And then they said, ‘oh, it’s going to be a bit longer’. But Walter just kind of settled down and wandered around. I was just a little bit concerned that he’d settle down too much, because he’s so comfortable with crowds and things like that, and he was just quite happy. He’d have wandered around there all day — but actually, I picked up canter and gave him a little niggle with my leg, and he responded by pricking his ears. And I thought, ‘no, it’s absolutely fine. He’s not heating up, so we’ll just go with it.’”

With that faultless clear under their belts, Ros and Walter are one enormous step closer to a third Badminton title, which would be a fifth five-star title – they also won Burghley in 2024 and 2025. It’s not a bad CV for a horse who’s only fourteen this season, and it’s also a chance to make some eventing history: no horse has ever yet won Badminton three times. They head into tomorrow morning’s final horse inspection with a 6.6 penalty lead – but Ros remains pragmatic and won’t be moved to buy into the concept of sure things.

“There’s a long way to go before we get to that point,” she says. “The priority at the moment is Walter this evening. We’ll try and look back and enjoy the day today, and then it’s all about getting my head back into gear ready for tomorrow. Anything can happen; I’m a human, Walter’s a horse, and at the moment, I just get to be continually grateful to be the person who gets riding.”

Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Sitting those 6.6 time penalties behind her is Harry Meade, who tackled Eric’s track three times today, with three very different rounds. The first, aboard pathfinder Et Hop du Matz, was a sensible, reasonably steady fact-finding mission that accrued 4.4 time penalties, moving them from 40th place after dressage to 22nd after cross-country – “it’s his first Badminton, and he smiled the whole way around,” he says – and the third, near the end of the day’s sport, delivered one of the great shocks of the day when Harry picked up his first ever non-completion in 18 starts at this event.

That came with Cavalier Crystal, the three-time Burghley podium finisher, who’d been fourth here in 2025 and was, arguably, the strongest competitive shout of his three enviable entries. But at the tail end of an exceptional round, she jumped over the small ditch at the first element of fence 22AB, Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard, and stepped on her overreach boot. Had it happened anywhere else, there might well have been space for the catty mare to find her footing and pat the ground to get herself out of the complex, but the angled rail at 22B came up so shortly thereafter that even with her best effort to get cleanly to the other side, the frangible device was activated and Harry was thrown from the tack.

“She’s my most experienced horse, and she was sensational,” says Harry. “She basically pulled herself over that fence, and it’s really sad, because she’s an amazing horse who was desperately trying to do the job. That was my eighteenth ride around here, and I’ve had seventeen amazing rides – but ironically, that was probably the best of them all [until that point]. But that’s the sport – it keeps us all very grounded.”

It’s Harry’s second ride of the day, the 2024 Bramham CCI4*-L champion Annaghmore Valoner, who becomes his best hope for the title this week after finishing nine seconds inside the time to climb from first-phase 11th to overnight second.

“She was easy-peasy – and I love her,” says Harry, who inherited the ride from Sam Griffiths in 2022. “I’ve always had a real soft spot for her. I said to somebody the other day – maybe this sounds really weird – but she’s the only horse that I am happy to inhale her exhale. I wouldn’t even say that about my wife! That’s how much I love this horse.”

That soft spot has allowed Harry to see through the mare’s complicated interiority to the brave, bold event horse underneath.

“She’s always been a highly-strung, nervous, insecure, lacking confidence, slightly erratic horse. We’ve done plenty of lobbing around, working on relaxed breathing, but now she’s done two five-stars already and been fourth twice at Burghley. She jumped around this very, very easily – it was just a shame the time wasn’t 30 seconds tighter!”

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

One of the rounds of the day must be that of Sarah Bullimore and her ten-year-old homebred Corimiro, who made his five-star debut at Pau in October with a fifth-place finish, and looked today as though he’d had ten times that amount of experience at the level. He, like the more experienced horses ahead of him, looked unhurried, unruffled, and rhythmical all the way around, adding nothing to his scorecard to move from 19thplace to overnight third, just 1.8 time penalties behind Harry and Annaghmore Valoner.

“He’s phenomenal,” says Sarah, who bred the gelding from her former Europeans team ride Lilly Corinne, but nearly lost him as a newborn to dummy foal syndrome. “He’s the reason I’m still doing this and the reason I get out of bed in the morning. He’s just a pleasure – every phase is a pleasure. He’s a pleasure to take out hacking – everything he does, he just wants to go and do a good job, and wants to get on with it. He’s always saying, ‘come on, let’s, let’s do the next thing!’ He’s got a great brain.”

 Among his attributes, she says, are “such scope and such range, and just power. I knew maybe find he’d find a couple of distances a bit short. He’s always looking to go between the flags.”

That inclination helped them at the double of hooded corners at 28AB, when he slipped behind and Sarah made a quick decision to do an uncharacteristic addition.

“We hadn’t planned to put the extra stride in at the corners at the end, but with the big slip in the middle, [it was the right move],” she says. “But bless him, he just picked up and went, ‘okay, another one, fine!’ That was literally our only sort of sticky moment, and it wasn’t his fault. It was just quite greasy on the turn, and I hadn’t thought about it.”

Katie Magee and Treworra. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

British Open Champions Katie Magee and Treworra also romped home clear inside the time, moving themselves up the order from 26th to 4th – “he’s got such range and scope, hasn’t he?” she beamed – while Ireland’s Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint, second here in 2024, added just 2 time penalties to make a leap from 18th to fifth, equal in score with sixth-placed Tim Price and Falco, but ahead on the leaderboard because they finished closer to the 11:30 optimum time.

Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

“He’s incredible, and I’m so lucky to be sat on him,” says Lucy. “He really lives for days like this – he’s a pleasure. But I’m actually a little bit frustrated with myself that I was five seconds over, because he had the legs for it today. He felt incredible underneath me, I just didn’t quite meet a little bit of time.”

Tim Price and Falco. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Though it’s a first Badminton for Tim Price’s Falco, it’s not a first five-star: he was second at Maryland in 2024 and won Pau in 2021 – and he was sixth at the Paris Olympics two years ago and a double bronze medallist at the 2022 World Championships, to boot. But he’s also been what Tim wryly refers to as a “fake event horse” – he’s always been a preternaturally good jumper, but has had to learn how to be a cross-country horse.

Today, the seventeen-year-old, who’s owned by London 2012 course designer Sue Benson, proved that that learning is well-cemented – and heads into Sunday in overnight sixth place.

“He’s been quite a good four-and-a-half-star horse around some Paus and some other things,” laughs Tim, “but he was fantastic out there. He jumped super, and he looked after me a couple of times, which is what you want them to do. And he’s pulled up really well, touch wood.”

Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Though he’s never a horse that gives the fences much air, Will Rawlin’s Ballycoog Breaker Boy demonstrated today that an unconventional approach doesn’t necessarily engender an ineffective one. The lanky duo put 5.6 time penalties on the board, and will head into tomorrow morning’s final horse inspection in the same seventh position they occupied after dressage.

“He pulls it out of  the bag for me – he’s such a champ,” says Will, who’s well-supported here by members of his microsyndicate-style WRE Experience. “I’m so lucky to be riding a horse like him. He really just performs on the stage like this – he loves the big stage, and he loves the big tracks. He’s not the biggest jumper over the fences, and it doesn’t get pretty when it gets to the end, when he gets tired, but he will always pick up and get down and carry on galloping.”

Will’s handful of time penalties were accrued in the final few fences on the course, when that bit of leg-weariness began to kick in, and Will made the sensible call to steady up and help his horse in the air.

 “It’s a shame, because we were really on our minute markers – which I was actually quite shocked and surprised about, because I didn’t really look at my time much, but I just kept on talking to him, plugging away,” says Will. “I said, ‘come on, keep going. We’ve got this’. And he kept on going. Over the last three fences he really had to make an effort to jump, but I always knew he was going to get over the fences. Probably from a spectator point of view, they all thought it was a bit hairy. But I’ve got so much trust in him and he’s got so much trust in me, and we’ve got such good partnership that we just support each other wherever we are on the course.”

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney d’Arville. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Belgian five-star champions Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney d’Arville – another homebred in our line-up – slip a scant handful of places from third to eighth after adding 6.4 time penalties on course, but a delighted Lara was delighted with another classy Badminton clear after a little hiccup early on.

“We had a scary moment at fence two – I had a forward shot, and she drifted to the left, and she took out the decor on the side; a big barrel,” she explains.

But no harm was done, and the pair made light work of the rest of the course – though, like Will, Lara opted to preserve her horse over the final fences rather than chasing down the time.

“I thought I rode my horse and not the results, which was the biggest achievement for me to happen today,” says Lara. “And she did well; she felt happy, so I’m happy.”

The course, she says, “was turning more than I would have expected. I felt a bit like I was in the Monaco Grand Prix. Then you have some long stretches, but you don’t know how much you want to keep in the tank, but everything came really in front of me and I think we did a pretty good job to achieve what we wanted to today.”

Tom Jackson and United 36. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Tom Jackson was double-handed today, and while his second ride, the former Nicola Wilson mount Hawk Eye, had an educational completion after a similar stumble to Harry Meade’s Cavalier Crystal, his five-star debutant United 36 started his day – and ours – with an impressive, quick clear.

“It’s just quite unbelievable,” says Tom. “He’s just a ten-year-old, and this time last year he hadn’t even done a four-star long. He just ate that up and made it feel like he’d been doing it for however many years before. I’m delighted with him.”

The pair will go into tomorrow’s finale in ninth place, up from 20th after adding just 3.2 time penalties.

Aaron Millar and Friendship VDL. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.

Aaron Millar rounds out the top ten overnight with another excellent climb, this time from 36th with the smart Friendship VDL. The pair cruised around without any extracurricular activities and added just 0.4 time penalties, stopping the clock on 11:31.

“I owe it all to the horse,” says Aaron of the . “It’s been  a little bit of a worry, because he’s only done two Open Intermediates early on in the season before he came here, but I’ve always believed in the horse. I know he’s a good horse.”

 It’s a welcome return to the top level for the pair, who jumped clear around Burghley in 2024 and then had an abortive 2025, withdrawing after dressage here and then before the dressage at Burghley.

Those incredible climbs into the top ten were also made possible by a number of surprise mistakes by well-placed combinations: dressage runners-up Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl dropped to 45th after a shock refusal at the house atop the bank at 18AB, which caused several problems throughout the day, and then two frangible activations later on; Caroline Powell and her 2024 winner Greenacres Special Cavalier also stopped here and then retired, stopping at the neighbouring ice cream van for a treat before hacking back to the stables; Brazil’s Marcio Carvalho Jorge and his first-timer Royal Encounter slipped from 6th to 27th after a clear round with 15.2 time penalties when the horse tired late on course and Marcio executed some clever – but very long – long routes; Wills Oakden and Keep It Cooley dropped from 8th to 43rd after some green mistakes; Emily King and Valmy Biats swapped 11th for 44th when adding 40 jumping penalties for circling between fences at Sustainability Bay and between the parallels at 30ABC. Bubby Upton, too, moved out of the top ten, from 9th to 24th, when adding 12 time penalties in a measured round with Cola.

The US contingent had a mixed bag of a day: alongside those heartbreaking penalties for Tiana and Cancaras Girl, there was a retirement for Grace Taylor and Game Changer in the midst of a punchy round; a frightening fall for Cassie Sanger and Redfield Fyre at Sustainability Bay, after which both are thankfully totally okay; while early-goers Cosby Green and Jos Ufo de Quidam had a happier outing with 13.6 time penalties and a climb from 35th to 29th.

Next on the agenda? An evening of icing, hand-walking, and polo mints for the horses who tackled today’s track; a pint for the rest of us; and the countdown to tomorrow morning’s final horse inspection at 8.30 a.m. (3.30 a.m. EST), for which 45 horses and riders are currently eligible. We’ll join you then with all the news you need to know. Until then – Go Eventing!

The top ten after cross-country at MARS Badminton.

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Tickets] [Live Stream] [Entries] [Schedule] [Scoring] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

MARS Badminton Cross Country – All the Action As It Happens: Live Blog

By on May 9, 2026 6:00 am -

Badminton done gone Yellowstone, y’all. Photo via CrossCountry App.

We’re back with EN’s classic live blog for the second time this season to bring you every scrap of the cross country action as it happens from MARS Badminton. Stay tuned ENers, we’re in for one heck of a ride. I’ll be with you all day long as the story of this year’s immense field duking it out against Eric Winter’s mighty track unfolds.

The line up spans 5* winners to rookies having their first taste of the top and there’s everything to play for as the best day at Badminton dawns.

Here’s a little look at what’s in store.

Wonderful “Walter” and the Legend that is Lordships Graffalo:

There’s history making in the offing with reigning champs Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo going for back-to-back-to-back wins (as a Wrexham AFC local, I’m well versed in this kind of Hollywood-inspired story – IYKYK). Badminton has been running since 1949 and in all that time no horse and rider pair have ever managed the ultimate feat three times – that’s how special this combination is. Not only that, but Ros and “Walter” have already done the double-double, having won both Badminton and Burghley for the past two years; if they win this weekend they’ll be aiming for the triple-double in the fall.

What a privilege it is for eventing fans to witness this kind of stardom, achieved with such quiet grace and seeming effortlessness. They get their bid for further greatness underway at 9:17am ET / 3:17pm CEST and are certainly a combination that you do not want to miss.

Harry’s Ladies are Up For It:

Harry Meade’s at Badminton with his herd once more and has three chances at finally quelling the 5* win door knocking that’s grown more and more insistent over recent seasons. He’s the only World No. 1 not to have won a 5* and will be going for his classic clears inside the time today in a bid to put that right.

He’ll trailblaze with last year’s Kentucky 3rd placer Et Hop du Matz, before the showdown begins between his two talented mares.

Cavalier Crystal’s beaten Annaghmore Valoner to the Burghley podium two years running – which lass will triumph in the battle between Harry’s ladies this week? On the one hand, Annaghmore Valoner’s at Badminton for the first time, but has those two Burghley 4th places under her cinch. And on the other, Cavalier Crystal was 4th at Badminton last year and has two consecutive 3rd place finishes at Burghley on her card.

It’s a scrap between the stablemates you don’t want to miss.

Et Hop du Matz is first on course at 6:30am ET / 12:30pm CEST, Annaghmore Valoner gets the girl power going at 8:53am ET / 2:53pm CEST and Cavalier Crystal will have her say at 10:43am / 4:43pm CEST.

5* Champs are In Da House:

The field is positively oozing with quality (the good kind of ooze). There’s strength and depth throughout the line up which isn’t reserved to those who’ve already proved their class by adding to their bling cabinet, however, for the purpose at hand, I’ll highlight the ones who’ve done just that:

Tim Price has no fewer than six 5* wins to his name, although so far Badminton has eluded him. He’s having a crack at putting that right this week with Pau winner Falco. See them in action at 10:19am / 4:19pm CEST.

Laura Collett’s got three 5* victories on her card, including Badminton in 2022. She comes forward with the interesting mare Bling, who’s been improving year on year and placed 10th at Burghley last fall. They leave the box at 9:35am ET / 3:35pm CEST.

Felix Vogg made history at Maryland last season when he became the first Swiss rider to win two 5*s, having already won Luhmühlen on his birthday back in 2022. His Badminton ride Cartania made it happen for him in Maryland and she’s keen as (Swiss) mustard out on cross country. It’ll be squeaky bum time for Felix (and viewers with a nervous disposition) at 10:15am ET / 4:15pm CEST.

Fellow history maker Lara de Liedekerke-Meier took the Luhmühlen crown in 2022 to secure Belgium’s first ever top-level victory. She’s at Badminton with her 5* queen, homebred Hooney d’Arville and hoping for another taste of glory. See how they fare in their quest at 10:10am ET / 4:10pm CEST.

The 2024 winners are back after missing out on defending their title last year. Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier turned the tables true and proper when they returned after coming last to win the whole dang thing a year later. Caroline’s also a Burghley winner (with the late, great Lenamore) and no doubt wouldn’t mind having a hattrick of 5* wins on her card one bit. They’ll be on track at 10:47am ET / 4:47pm CEST.

It’s a Rollercoaster, Baby, Just Gotta Ride It:

We all know that eventing’s a game of ups and downs, literally and figuratively. All the familiar adages apply about getting back on the horse and not winning is learning and brushing yourself off and keeping on trying, and eventers are some of the toughest stock out there. This all no doubt applies to every single rider in the field, but I’ve picked out a few who’ve had heartbreak, disappointment and nearlys but not quites right in front of our eyes on the world stage at Badminton:

No one is more aware of the big dipper-ness of eventing than Gemma Stevens, who, with Bicton pop-up 5* winner and careful show jumper Chilli Knight, last year went into the final phase in a podium position, only to leave the ring heartbroken. I have to admit, I shed a tear alongside Gemma that day. But redemption is the name of the game so often in eventing and Gemma’ll give it everything she’s got and then some to not let history repeat itself. They were clear inside the time on cross country day last year so you’ll have to be quick if you want to catch them in action at 6:55am ET / 12:55pm CSET.

2024’s runners-up on their debut at the level, Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint were unable to return last year for another crack at the Badminton podium after a disappointing run of bad luck for Lucy and the exciting gelding. But here they are, primed and ready to show the world what they’re made of once more. They’ll be speedy out there – see them at 7:39am ET / 1:39pm CEST.

Alex Hua Tian had the save of the day last year with Chicko, and although his competition didn’t end with him eating dirt, it also didn’t end by crossing the finish line. This pairing have been 4th and 6th at Pau and are tantalizingly close to a first 5* podium. See if they have better luck this year at 8:49am ET / 2:49pm CEST.

Emily King is another podium door knocker who’s had to get used to a few knocks of the not so good kind on her journey with Valmy Biats. They’ve got 11 5* starts on their card and six completions, but when things are good, they’re great. They were 5th at Badminton last year and 4th the year before and surely, surely, one day very soon they’ll get their toe on that podium step and never get down. See if that year might be this year at 9:21am ET / 3:21pm CEST.

Bubby Upton’s another one who’s felt the bitter disappointment of what might have been at Badminton. Her and her best pal Cola had looked unstoppable in 2022 but then the unthinkable happened – Bubby was excited to see the finish flags, Cola was excited to see the finish flags, everything got a bit too exciting and they picked up 20 penalties at the very last fence. They say every day’s a school day but ugh, what a rough way to learn a lesson. To be honest, though, if anyone can deal with a setback and come back more determined than ever, it’s Bubby. She proved that a million times over in 2024 when she battled through rehab for a serious spinal injury and then returned to the sport at Badminton and was dressage leader going into cross country. A frangible device spoiled the party that year, then last year there was further disappointment when two uncharacteristic rails in the final phase dropped them down the order to 8th. It will be Bubby’s time at some point, no doubt about that. Check out this determined gal at 7:15am ET / 1:15pm CEST.

American Girls:

Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl brought Day One home for the US with an elegant performance from both ladies in the dressage phase shooting them right to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 28.1, including a whopping 9 for a flying change. Afterwards Tiana couldn’t believe it – that the horse she planned to sell as a “cute Juniors horse” was in the lead at Badminton. She summed up her journey with the special mare very nicely, saying, “She proves that if you just keep chipping away and you train them well, then they really can keep growing and growing”. We’re here for it, for sure. Catch their round at 8:25am ET / 2:25pm CEST.

New Kids on the Block:

And finally, a couple of interesting notations who are newer to the 5* scene, although piloted by jockeys who know and thing or two about the big time.

Long-time top eventer Sarah Bullimore brings forward her homebred Corimiro, who catapulted himself onto the 5* scene last season as a 9-year-old when he put in the round of the day on his debut at Pau – we’re talking miles inside the time and a smooth and very accomplished round. He ended up in 5th place, but for a rail in the show jumping he’d have won the thing. Watch out for this up-and-comer at 7:19am ET / 1:19pm CEST.

Daisy Berkeley’s back for the first time in 16 years and she’s well up for it with talented newbie Diese du Figuier. Last time she took on Badminton it was 2010 and she was on the podium. This time she comes forward with a rookie horse at the level, but he’s an exciting one who’s shown all the potential and then some. Have a look for yourself at 9:45am ET / 3:45pm CEST.

See the ride times for the full field here.

The above is a mere scratch on the surface of a field that’s so deep with talent you need a submarine to access its depths. For more – so much more – and especially if you’re of the ilk to crave the context for the Badminton form threaded through this live blog, take a deep dive into EN’s awesome Form Guide, where you’ll find the stories behind the numbers as well as a full bio of background for both horses and riders. Eventing geeks, click here and enjoy!

We know that Saturday’s a day when the leaderboard often gets jumbled up like a Boggle cube, but we have a podium following the dressage phase and it looks like this:

1️⃣ 🇬🇧 Top of the class between the white boards were Ros Canter and Lordship’s Graffalo who laid it all down and then some in the dressage ring to sit on a score of 23.7, 4.4 penalties ahead of the rest of the field.

2️⃣ 🇺🇲 Chasing the top spot are Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl who made light work of the test for a score of 28.1.

3️⃣ 🇧🇪 Rounding out the podium placings after the first phase are Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney d’Arville who made their mark on the competition with a score of 28.6.

You’ll find the full scoreboard right here.

I’m as ready for the best day to truly begin as you are, however we do have to wait for starter’s orders. The live blog will begin when the first horse and rider combo leave the box, so whilst we anticipate that first countdown of the day, here’s some links for your perusal:

▶️ For absolutely everything about the competition this week, including schedules, reports, how to keep up with what’s going on and allsorts more, be sure to bookmark our Ultimate Guide which is brimming with Badminton deets.

▶️ Take a look at today’s track with Tilly’s Course Preview and see each fence up close and personal, along with explanations from course designer Eric Winter, by clicking here.

▶️ Get an insight into the riders’ reactions to the course right here.

▶️ Short on time but want to catch up on what’s been going on? We’ve got the ticket – for a rapid read of the main points from the dressage phase check out our brand new Rapid Update here.

▶️ And if you’ve got the time on your hands, you’ll find EN’s classic daily reports from the first two days of competition here: [Day One AM] [Day One PM] [Day Two AM] [Day Two PM].

As you know, here at EN we are never happier than when we’re typing our fingers down to bloody stumps, wearing ourselves thin to breaking point, befriending the owls and up with the larks, all to deliver the goods to you, fellow eventing nerds. You’ll find all of our blood, sweat and tears right here.

(Un)official footage from EN HQ:

via GIPHY

And that’s not all because we’re nothing if not generous in sharing our crazy. There’s also super fun shenanigans going on over on our Instagram channel @goeventing – follow along.

With all that said, a little ‘refresher’ on the no. 1 rule of following EN’s classic live blog: refresh, refresh, refresh – and all will be revealed.

If you’re catching up with this later and are the type to like things in order, scroll ⬇️ and read ⬆️. If going backwards is more your jam, have at it.

Kick off’s at 6:30am ET / 12:30pm CEST.
Stay tuned – and go eventing!

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Tickets] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

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12:10am

SUMMARY OF THE DAY’S SPORT

Keep it locked onto EN for our classic full report – coming as soon as Tilly’s boots on the ground have wrangled the riders, knocked out 100,000 words and tracked down a cheeky chinchilla who’s schmoozing somewhere amongst the hospitality offering.

Until then, here’s a look back at some of what went down in today’s cross country:

1️⃣ 🇬🇧 Leading the pack is Ros Canter and Lordship’s Graffalo who stormed round the track clear and well inside the time to land on their superb dressage score of 23.7, 6.6 penalties ahead of the rest of the field – in show jumping terms that’s a whole fence plus a whole whack of time.

2️⃣ 🇬🇧 Chasing the top spot is Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner who really showed her mettle with a clear inside the time to stay on their dressage score of 30.3.

3️⃣ 🇬🇧 Just under 2 penalties behind second place, rounding out the rolling podium, is Sarah Bullimore and her wonderfully talented homebred the 10-year-old Corimiro who delivered another clear inside the time at the level and are still on their dressage score of 32.1.

4️⃣ 🇬🇧 It was a great day for Katie Magee and Treworra who were also clear inside the time at the level and jumped from 26th to 4th, and are on their dressage score of 33.3.

5️⃣ 🇮🇪 Lucy Latta had a great round with RCA Patron Saint, climbing the leaderboard from 18th to 5th after adding just 2 time penalties to their dressage score to sit on 33.9.

🇳🇿 Tim Price and Falco are on the same score of 33.9, but added 4 time penalties, making them further from the time than Lucy and therefore in 6th place.

Here’s a look at the rest of the top 20:

You’ll find the full scoreboard right here.

But the scores aren’t everything, oh no. Yes, we’ve got big hitters gunning for the win, but eventing is about so much more than that. Here’s some points of note from today’s competition:

▶️ 45 combinations completed cross country from 59 starters, with 6 combinations eliminated and 8 opting to retire on course. Problems came at 13 different fences, with the Vicarage Vee at 25 causing the most trouble overall with 5 combinations coming unstuck there.

⏰ Time After Time After Time After Time – 7 combinations made the time.

Ros Canter and Lordships Grafallo were 13 seconds inside.

Holly Richardson and Ballyneety Silver Service were 12 seconds inside.

Harry Meade and Anaghmore Valoner were 9 seconds inside.

Katie Magee and Treworra were 6 seconds inside.

Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro were 1 second inside.

Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza were also inside but I missed by how much, so sorry to them.

Tayla Mason and Centannial were also inside but due to their hold we didn’t get an exact time, sorry.

👌 34 combinations jumped clear, 5 had frangible penalties and all flag penalties given were reviewed and taken away.

🪜 Leaderboard climbers are one of the unique features of our sport, and we had a fair few in the ascendency today:

Sam Watson and Ballyneety Rocketman rocketed themselves 32 places up the board into 21st place.

Padraig McCarthy and Lady Ophelia jumped 27 places into 20th place.

Three combinations clawed their way 26 places:

Aaron Millar and Friendship VDL were just 1 second over the time and find themselves in 10th place after that excellent showing.

Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza added nothing to their dressage score and are now in =12th.

Tayla Mason and Centennial had the ride of their lives with a clear inside the time and are now in 14th place.

🥰 Some other rounds of note, but there were really so many:

Nadja Minder and Toblerone who had a ball out there with her mate making childhood dreams come true.

Cosby Green and Jos Ufo de Quidam who went out early and had a peach of a ride.

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney d’Arville were so together you could slide a piece of paper between them.

Tom Jackson and United 36 were very impressive on the horse’s debut at the level, leaping from 20th after dressage into the top 10.

David Doel and Midnight Rollercoaster ended the day with a round that really showed what a great horseman David is and what Badminton’s all about for a 16-year-old horse at his first 5*, delivering a very nice clear jumping round with time.

💔 Not everyone can have the best day, that’s the sport sometimes, and there was huge disappointment for Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl who’d been brilliant in the dressage and sat in second going into today. They completed but with a 20, two frangible penalties and time. Afterwards Tiana said she’s proud of her little horse, just getting to Badminton is a huge achievement and jumping round the cross country course is a great thing.

All this, and much, much more, in vivid detail below – scroll ⬇️ and read ⬆️.

Wowza. What. A. Day.

It all wraps up tomorrow…

The show jumping phase is due to start at 6:30am ET / 12:30pm CEST with the top 20 going at 9:45am ET / 3:45pm CEST.

Thanks for following along with the live blog. I may no longer have fingerprints but all’s always well when we’ve had an epic day of cross country.

Don’t forget – eyes on for a full report, coming soon.

Box rest beckons for me.
Until next time ENers – Go eventing!

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Tickets] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

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11:20am

STAY TUNED FOR A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE DAY’S SPORT HEADED YOUR WAY.

Keep hitting that refresh button – more horsing around coming up very soon…

via GIPHY

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11:18am:

That’s a wrap for the horses but the moment the doggos have been waiting for:

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11:15am

Here’s the top of the leaderboard at the end of all that:

Although they’re on the same score, Tim is actually in 6th as Lucy was closer to the time.

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11:12am

David shouts “Long route” at the Hollow at 26abc and gives the horse a really great ride through there. Nearly there now.

He’s careful through the corners at 28ab, beautifully ridden by David, of course.

He’s actually really good on the clock, despite taking a couple of long routes and really giving the horse a sympathetic ride on his debut at the level.

The horse looks to have plenty of gallop at the end of the track. He crosses the line to the cheers of the crowd. David has really given this horse a wonderful ride. Around 30 seconds over the time but a really good clear, confidence-building round. What a great way to end the day.

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11:10am

David and Tom are seeing the competition out now.

David’s horse has really gained confidence as he’s gone and he takes the straight route at the water at 20abcd and does great.

Tom is heading for home, over the time but banking a completion nonetheless. 12.4 time penalties for them, plus that 20. Disappointing but really great to see Hawk Eye finishing so well.

FYI: The doggos are in the Lake 🐶

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11:05am

FINAL COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 David Doel – Midnight Rollercoaster

David Doel and Midnight Rollercoaster, who’s making his debut at the level aged 16. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 35.8
Place: 37th

🏸 Form: Making his 5* debut (Midnight Rollercoaster, not David – he’s fresh off a 3rd place at Kentucky).

This is the final combination to go today.

It’s so interesting to see David riding horses other than Galileo, who we’re so used to seeing at the top level with him. He’s such a stylish rider in all phases on all horses. “Rocky” sure put his best hoof forward in the dressage, working hard for David despite not finding it the easiest phase. He’ll be happier out on cross country today.

The final horse is out on course.

David opts for the long route through Huntsman’s at 6ab, riding this rookie horse with care and wanting to give him a good experience. They have a nice ride into the Lake at 9ab and then really shows the horse the way through the related combination at 10ab.

Tom and Hawk Eye are super through the water at 20abcd, making it look very easy. Tom is absolutely flying and seeming very confident.

Goodness. Again. Hawk Eye does a little the same as Cavalier Crystal at 18ab. He jumps the ditch but then seems to stand on himself and pulls a shoe. They can’t jump the rails from there. 20 penalties for them. Gutted. They continue on.

Here’s a look at Caroline’s horse visiting the ice cream truck:

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11:02am

PENULTIMATE COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Tom Jackson – Hawk Eye

Tom Jackson’s got his eye on the prize with Hawk Eye. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 33.9
Place: 29th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut, but he’s been 19th at Burghley.

This gelding sure has a lovely head, he really is a smart horse. He got off to a smart start in his dressage test too but unfortunately got into a bit of a muddle in the canter work which really impacted his score. He’s amongst the highest-ranked cross country horses in the field though, so expect a leaderboard climb today.

Tom and Hawk Eye set off really confidently and get a really smooth ride through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. He’s got a real chance of putting the cat among the pigeons in terms of the leaderboard today. They are very neat and tidy through the KBIS Slalom fences at 14ab and 15, slicing their way through there. Impressive thus far for them.

What is happening? Caroline has run into a problem at the LeMieux Village at 18. She jumps the ditch but misses her back legs and absolutely can’t jump the b element. She stumbles into the cabin fence which completely deforms. Horse and rider look fine, but what a disappointment.

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11am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇳🇿 Caroline Powell – Greenacres Special Cavalier

Caroline Powell finally gets to bring her Badminton champ Greenacres Special Cavalier back for another go. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 28.9
Place: 5th

🏸 Form: 2024 champion.

“Cavvy” was so ready at the horse inspection on Wednesday, clearly glad to be back at Badminton. He stood up and gave the crowd a wave and Caroline breathed a huge sigh of relief when she made it to the end of the jog strip. Wowzers, what a start to their competition. The mare continued to be a little on her toes in the early part of her dressage test but once she settled she absolutely showed off her highlights and pulled in some big marks. Watch out for a brave and bold round incoming.

Caroline has a super ride through Huntsman’s at 6ab, shaving off every second possible as she aims to keep her top placing.

O.m.g. Harry Meade is on the ground. They get a good jump over the ditch at 22a but then Cavalier Crystal seemed to stand on herself and couldn’t get her legs up for the rail. The frangible device breaks, the horse tries to get over the fence, Harry’s popped out of the tack. He’s quickly up looking perplexed. That’s not something you see every day. Bummer.

It’s disappointing news for Holly also, who’s decided to put her hand up.

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10:55am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Harry Meade – Cavalier Crystal

Harry Meade’s talented lady, Cavalier Crystal. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 34.6
Place: 33rd

🏸 Form: 4th last year and has been 3rd at Burghley for the past three years.

Harry’s receiving yet another Armada Dish this year to bring his collection up to three, matching his dad’s total – he was the youngest ever rider to bag one when he got his first. “Nell” saw a g-g-g-ghost on the jog strip on Wednesday. Harry sure had his work cut out for him before the competition had even properly begun with both his gals giving him a hard time at the first horse inspection. That continued in the first phase for this mare a little, with a bit of tension impacting the marks throughout the test. She’s likely to stay on her dressage score though, with a quick clear very much on the cards today.

Just three more combinations to go after Harry and “Nell”.

Harry is superb through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab, classically classy and stylish. He makes it look effortless. They’re foot perfect through the LeMieux Village combination at 18ab.

Sadly we see Holly have a mishap at 20. They just don’t get to the corner in the water right and can’t jump it from there. 20 penalties for them. They continue on and have a really good jump over the Vicarage Vee at 25, Holly made sure he was totally straight there.

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10:57am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Holly Richardson – Bally Louis

Holly Richardson’s got the course well and truly etched into her brain ready for her ride with Bally Louis. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 41.2
Place: 55th

🏸 Form: EL in 2024 for missing a jump, but has been just outside the top 20 at Burghley.

“Louis” was his characteristically sweet self on the jog strip on Wednesday, pootling along and getting the job done. He put in a workmanlike round in the first phase, trying his best although he’s not a natural dressage horse. What he is though is a great cross country horse – super fun and game for the job. Holly’ll have a ball today with this guy.

Grace decided to put her hand up after that problem so Holly has the course to herself for a short while.

Holly looks to be having a lovely time with Bally Louis and has been jumping clear all the way. Not necessarily the quickest, but really fun to watch. They get a really nice shot over the bounce at 18ab and Louis jumps really big over the Trakehner at 19.

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10:50am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Tom Strawson – Public Address

Point-to-pointers turned eventers Tom Strawson and Public Address. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 38.5
Place: 48th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut, but was 21st at Burghley.

It’s a far cry from point-to-pointing to doing dressage between the white boards, but “Brian” put his best hoof forward and flew the flag for the Thoroughbreds in eventing with a solid test. There’s no doubt his previous career prepared him for the scope and bravely required to put in a good round today. This’ll be a fun pair to watch out there.

Sadly we see Public Address looking a little sore after struggling through the Slalom fence at 14ab and 15. He gets straight off and the vets are immediately on hand.

Ah. Grace was having a cracking ride but then Game Changer jumps the ditch at 22a enormously, knuckles a little on landing and there’s just no way they can make it over the b element.

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10:45am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇺🇸 Grace Taylor – Game Changer

British-based US eventer Grace Taylor is hoping to be on her game with Game Changer. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 30.8
Place: =15th

🏸 Form: 18th in 2024, 30th last year.

“Sydney” had a scratchies on the jog strip on Wednesday, with proceedings paused while he got just the right spot. Good on you, lad, scratchies wait for no one. He looked very, very strong as Grace hung onto him, bucking and kicking when it was time to stop at the end. As he walked away he looked over his shoulder at the judges with a gleam in his eye. Grace could well have her work cut out for her, this guy’s got some sass. He stayed on her side for the dressage phase though so hopefully that’ll be the case today too.

Grace gets a bold start to her round and looks to be having a very brave round so far. Game Changer is great through the water at 20, clever with his footwork and Grace is very much in balance. Their partnership looks so strong and this round is looking fun so far.

Here’s a look at her at the earlier Lake:

Yikes, there’s a moment for Gaspard at the middle element of the Hollow at 26abc. It’s a bit of a miss but they make it over. He’s flapping his elbows as he jumps the roll top before the last and is absolutely thrilled as he crosses the finish line. CLEAR INSIDE THE TIME!!! He points to Zaragoza, high fives the groom and waves to the crowd. A super round for them.

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10:40am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇫🇷 Gaspard Maksud – Zaragoza

Gaspard Maksud and “Zoom Zoom” Zaragoza. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 36.4
Place: =38th

🏸 Form: 25th last year, and 7th at Burghley.

Gaspard did not disappoint at the horse inspection on Wednesday, with a red beret and matching shoes and a giant cock on his chest. Yep, you read that right. Curious? Click here. They left themselves with a bit to do today after some tension crept into their dressage test, with Zaragoza really wanting to have a look and see if the crowd was watching her. It’ll be pedal to the metal from Gaspard, who’s a bit of a heart-in-the-mouth kind of rider on cross country day. Squeaky bum time.

We see Gaspard being characteristically brave early on but then don’t see a lot of him afterwards, sorry but they’re showing as clear on the live scores.

Padraig is brave off the step at 26a and Ophelia really jumps well through the skinny line for the b and c elements. He comes toward home and really rides for the line. Clear jumping and just 2 seconds over. A fabulous round from this exciting mare.

Here’s a look at them over the Vicarage Vee:

The time’s not quite there for Tim and Falco but that doesn’t take away from what’s been a great round. Clear jumping, 6 time penalties for them. They finish on the same score as Lucy Latta but go just behind into 6th as they’re further from the time.

We’re hearing from Lara about the bond she has with Hooney, that she rode the horse underneath her today and not for the position. She says she listened to her and never chased the clock. Hooney did pick up a little cut and so Lara said they’ll pay attention to that overnight with regards to tomorrow’s show jumping.

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10:35am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇮🇪 Padraig McCarthy – Lady Ophelia

To be or not to be for Padraig McCarthy and Lady Ophelia?

Dressage Score: 38.2
Place: 47th

🏸 Form: Making her Badminton debut, but she’s been 15th at Pau.

This horse really is one beautiful lady and commanded attention on the jog strip on Wednesday. She tried to take off towards the cross country course but Padraig convinced her to wait for today. She was right on board at the start of the dressage phase, putting in a neat performance and really listening to Padraig, but sadly a couple of expensive mistakes happened in the later stages and so they find themselves with a bit to do today.

Ophelia looks keen when we catch up with her at the KBIS Slalom at 14ab and 15 but Padraig convinces her to take a smooth line through there.

Falco shows some clever footwork through the farm yard fence at 22ab and then gets an absolute corker over the Vicarage Vee at 5. He’s bold down the step at 26, very brave and then gets a great shot through the two skinnies at b and c.

Felix has crossed the line, clear jumping but with 7.2 time penalties, all that setting up really does eat away the seconds.

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10:30am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇳🇿 Tim Price – Falco

Tim Price and “brat” boy Falco, who’s well aware of how talented he is. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 29.9
Place: 10th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut, but he’s been 2nd at Maryland and won Pau.

Tim’s fresh from Kentucky and at his second 5* of the season, despite having a shoulder injury he picked up when he had a run in with a gate while riding a bike and lost. Tim hasn’t missed a Badminton in over a decade so that’s not about to stop him, but perhaps stick to four legs in future, hey. He’s got a bit of work to do today after a couple of expensive mistakes in what was otherwise a really stunning dressage test. Tim’s a master of producing a smooth cross country round and is always great to watch.

We’re into our final 10 combinations of the day now.

Tim gets a big jump into the Lake at 9a but he stays in balance and navigates round the related fences there. Really efficient and tight lines through there. Falco’s barrelling along with a grin on his face, showing what a great jumper he is at every fence. Tim opts to go round at the water at 20 and takes a pull too many into the final element but Falco works things out.

Cartania seems to have settled down a bit as she comes to the water at 20 but it’s very sticky over the middle element there, jumping almost from a stand still. But they go through there clear. They come to the big brush corners at 28ab and get a sweet line through there.

Lara’s had a peach of a round with Hooney. They stay inside the top 10 with clear jumping and 6.4 time penalties. Here’s a look at them earlier on in the course:

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10:25am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇨🇭 Felix Vogg – Cartania

Felix Vogg and super keen Cartania. Photo by Veronica Green-Gott.

Dressage Score: 28.7
Place: 4th

🏸 Form: 15th in 2023, 11th in 2024, EL last year, but won Maryland.

Swiss history maker Felix came into the first phase at Badminton meaning business, for sure. He had his game face on but Cartania didn’t always make things easy for him, feeling the atmosphere a little and wanting to have a look round to take in all the excitement. There were some excellent highlights and brave riding from Felix though to really go for the big scores and they’re in a great spot coming into today. This should be an exciting round.

Cartania looks keen at the start of the course, very feisty. They get very close to the white gates at 5ab and he looks back to check the frangible device is intact. Oop, they jump huge into the Lake at 9a and then get too close to the b element, hitting it with both front legs and tipping Felix right out of the plate. He rights himself and somehow manages to come round to the next part of those related fences without picking up penalties. A little wild, to be honest.

Lara opts to go round at the water at 20abcd but doesn’t waste any time and cut an efficient line through there. She goes on a long one at the final element and takes the flag but we can’t see on screen how close that was.

Meanwhile Ben has finished clear jumping with 3.2 time, a great showing from a rookie horse.

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10:22am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇧🇪 Lara de Liedekerke-Meier – Hooney d’Arville

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and homebred Hooney d’Arville have already made history for Belgium. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 28.6
Place: 3rd

🏸 Form: 14th last year, and won Luhmühlen in 2024 on her debut at the level.

So cool to be riding your baby round Badminton, with “Hooney” following in her mom’s 5* hoofprints. This pair got their competition off to a great start with an accomplished test in the dressage phase which was truly a pleasure to watch, and scoring a big PB to the obvious delight of Lara. She’s well-used to an eventing podium, with 21 international wins on her card last season – a record breaking result. She’s a superb rider across the country so we’re in for a masterclass – eyes on.

Lara is so balanced as she rides through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. This pair clearly have so much confidence in one another. Really smart from both of them. They have a really neat jump over the big white plant oxer at 12 and kick on.

Aaron’s on his way home now and comes into the arena to huge cheers. The clock’s green. But goes red just as they cross the line. A superb clear jumping round and just a single second over the time. Excellent.

We still haven’t seen Ben, sorry, but he’s close to home and clear jumping according to the live scores.

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10:20am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇫🇷 Benjamin Massie – Filao de Perle

Benjamin Massie and Filao de Perle were clear inside the time at Pau last fall. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 33.2
Place: 25th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut, but he’s been 7th at Pau.

I spied a mullet on the jog strip on Wednesday, hidden under Benjamin’s helmet today, sadly. “Filao” was very keen for cross country day when he saw the MARS M in the main arena as he headed over for his dressage test, but he came nicely back to Benjamin once he was in the ring. He’s by Tom Carlisle’s late, great Upsilon and has already proved to be an exciting addition to the 5* scene. He sure was spicy at the first horse inspection, channeling his oh là là to the max. Will we see some Upsilon magic today? Eyes on this one.

Ben is having a great spin with his Badminton rookie. We haven’t seen a lot of him but what we have been has been smooth and impressive.

Aaron is very neat through the Sunken Road at 21ab.

Here’s a look at them at the fence just before that:

We’re hearing from Nadja who says Toblerone is a “cool pony”. She’s surprised when Clare tells her she’s gone into the top 10! She hopes that she can inspire girls and boys in Switzerland to dream big, just like she was inspired by the eventing greats like Andrew Nicholson and William Fox-Pitt when she watched Badminton as a kid. Lovely.

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10:17am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Aaron Millar – Friendship VDL

Aaron Millar’s hoping it will be his day, his week, his month, or even his year with Friendship VDL. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 35.5
Place: 36th

🏸 Form: WD before XC last year, but she’s been 25th at Burghley.

“Friendly” left a gift for the team to clean up a-l-l the way down the jog strip on Wednesday. Good for the roses. She kept things contained in the dressage ring putting in a sweet test, trying hard for her pal and being there for him almost the whole way through. A couple of bobbles but nothing that can’t be worked on for next time. It’s so great to see them go today after the disappointing withdrawal last year.

Aaron doesn’t look to be going super speedy but he’s looking for a completion here above all else. They’re popping away sweetly and look to be enjoying their time out on track. They get a smooth shot through the water at 20 but take the corner at the d element. It’ll be reviewed but looked to be OK.

Here’s a look at Nadja waving to the crowd at the finish:

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10:15am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇧🇪 Wouter De Cleene – Quintera

Wouter de Cleene’s looking for a clear round with Quintera. Photo by Alex Jeffery.

Dressage Score: 37.7
Place: 44th

🏸 Form: 46th last year.

Not so fun fact – Wouter’s got a bunch of stitches in his face and a black after being kicked by a horse a couple of days ago. It’s a tough sport, for sure. Things weren’t so easy for this pair in the first phase with some of mistakes creeping in so they’ve got a bit of work to do today.

Oh duck! Wouter and Quintera are a bit unbalanced through the water at 8, they make it through the owl hole but things are messy and Wouter’s bounced out of the saddle and has an unscheduled dismount. Horse and rider look to be OK but that’s so disappointing for them.

Meanwhile Toblerone looks a little tired as he nears home but Nadja knows this guy well and is taking good care of him. They come into the main arena and over the last. She rides for the line. Clear jumping and 6.8 time. What an achievement for this young rider and her 19-year-old pal.

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10:10am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇨🇭 Nadja Minder – Toblerone

Nadja Minder and her sweet-like-chocolate pal Toblerone. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 30.3
Place: =11th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut, but he’s been top 20 at 5* twice.

Nadja rocked the jog strip on Wednesday wearing sneakers and a suit, looking totally chill with her equally relaxed buddy – very cool to see them enjoying their first time at Badminton together. This Young Riders to 5* pairing stepped right up to the mark in the dressage phase, pulling in some great scores for their highlights and putting themselves in a good spot heading into today.

They’re very quick and economical through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. Nadja means business, for sure. We see them fly off the Broken Bridge at 13 and then straight through the huge brushes at the Slalom at 14 and 15ab, no doubt there. They’re so determined this pair, which they show in boatloads at the water at 20abcd. Totally committed, off the final element but some great footwork from the horse and a great ride from the rider and they make it happen. Great job! The Vicarage Vee at 25 looks easy, what a feeling that must’ve been.

Dreamliner’s such a dependable sort and he’s given Tom a really great ride round today. He’s clear jumping and 14 seconds over, going just outside the top 10. Very nice work from both horse and rider.

Here’s a look at them enjoying their time out there today:

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10:05am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Daisy Berkeley – Diese du Figuier

Daisy Berkeley’s back at Badminton after a 16 year hiatus – she was on the podium last time around and brings forward super-talented newcomer Diese du Figuier. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 32.9
Place: =23rd

🏸 Form: Making his 5* debut, but Daisy’s been on the Badminton podium.

Daisy’s swapped her Radio Badminton headset for her helmet this year and the airwaves’ loss sure is our gain as we get to see this experienced rider take her exciting newbie round the track. They got their campaign off to a great start with a soft and confident showing in the dressage phase, and he horse looked truly beautiful shining in the sunshine and showing off the daisies brushed onto his bum by a very attentive groom.

Oops, we see Daisy at the Lake at 9. They get a huge jump over the fish at a and just can’t make it to the b element. That’s so disappointing, but this is a learning exercise for this talented rookie horse. She jumps through the next combination in the water at 10 and then decides to call it a day.

Bling is full of running as she nears home after what’s been a really great showing from the mare. Laura punches the air as she crosses the line, just 4 time penalties to add and into the top 10. Brilliant.

Here’s a look at well-deserved big pats for Bling:

Dreamliner is dreamy over the Vicarage Vee at 25. No biggie for them.

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10am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Tom Rowland – Dreamliner

Tom Rowland’s hoping for a dream of a round with Dreamliner. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 32.2
Place: =20th

🏸 Form: 7th in 2024, 12th last year.

Local lad Tom doesn’t have far to come to get to Badminton and he sure looked right at home in the dressage ring with “Dreamer”. A confident test from both horse and rider put them in the very busy middle of the pack coming into today. This guy’s reliable as the day is long and really knows his job. He looks like a fun horse to go cross country on so let’s enjoy the ride.

We first see them through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab where they’re really positive and really confident. Tom was worried about the turn there but they got it very nicely.

Oh, Marcio has a big moment at the roofed corners at 28ab. They don’t get a good jump at all over the a element and Marcio’s thrown forward and loses his rein. He somehow amazingly manages to get everything back together and comes back to the b element without crossing his tracks. That was some nifty navigating. They make it round to the end, albeit a little leg weary and cross the line with 15.2 time penalties.

Here’s a look at them earlier on course:

We see Laura and Bling over the Vicarage Vee at 25 and Laura says, “Good girl” as they gallop away. She sounded really pleased with the mare. They’ve had trouble at the big step down at the Hollow at 26 in the past but there’s no question this time around.

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9:55am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Laura Collett – Bling

Previous Badminton winner Laura Collett and the interesting mare Bling. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 33.5
Place: =27th

🏸 Form: 43rd last year, but she was 10th at Burghley.

Laura’s back eventing after breaking her collar bone early in the season but looked so ready in the dressage phase with Bling, with her game face on and going for every single mark she could. The horse looked confident and really with Laura which sure bodes well for today.

Laura gets a really smooth line through Huntsman’s at 6ab, showing us just what a fabulous cross country rider she is. Laura wastes no time through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. Bling looks to be really enjoying her time out there.

We pick back up with Marcio through the farm yard at 22ab with a very nice ride and then around to the Luckington Corners at 23/24 and over the Vicarage Vee at 25 as though it’s nothing. This horse really is super impressive.

Sam has crossed the finish line clear with just 0.8 of a time penalty. Super news.

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9:50am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇧🇷 Marcio Carvalho Jorge – Royal Encounter

Marcio Carvalho Jorge and newly-minted 5* contender Royal Encounter. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 29.2
Place: 6th

🏸 Form: Making his 5* debut.

The Queen was at Badminton yesterday during this pair’s dressage test – a royal encounter for Royal Encounter, how apt. They really rose to the occasion with a soft, confident and happy showing on the horse’s very first time at the level. Accurate riding and a very correct test put them in a good place for today. One to watch for the future, and right now. How will “Felix” find his first 5* track?

We see them up at the village fence at 18ab and get a great shot through the bounce step there. The horse looks very confident on his first time at the level.

Emily and Valmy cross the finish line with a couple of problems out on course. Valmy got very strong and she had to circle away from the big parallel at the second element at 30, as well as that 20 from Sustainability Bay. 40 penalties for them and real disappointment.

We’re not seeing Sam, sorry, but he’ll be nearing home now.

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9:45am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇮🇪 Sam Watson – Ballyneety Rocketman

Sam Watson of EquiRatings geekdom and rocket-powered Ballyneety Rocketman. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 39.6
Place: 53rd

🏸 Form: 40th last year, but he was 13th at Burghley.

“Rocket” was very bouncy and keen down the jog strip on Wednesday, totally ready for lift-off. We saw a little of that in the first phase, where “Rocket” had one eye on the cross country fences in the arena. Sam gave him little pats on the way round to encourage the horse to relax some. It’s time to let all that power loose. Hang on tight, Sam!

We pick up Sam at the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. Rocket looks very keen as he gallops toward the waterfall fence at 11.

It’s a packed crowd at Badminton:

Ros is looking really good on the clock as she nears home. The whole round has just been seemless and beautiful.

She comes into the main arena, over the last, through the line. Perfect.

That round was clean enough to eat your dinner off.

CLEAR INSIDE THE TIME!!! 13 seconds inside. Easy peasy. The crowd are showing their appreciation for a superb round.

Here’s a picture of them at the Lake:

OK, so there’s something weird going on for Emily at the water at 20abcd. She seemed to present and then circle away. That’s 20 for them, but we’re really not sure what happened.

We’re hearing from Ros about how incredibly grateful she is for Walter. She says it’s been both a physical and mental challenge for her to be here. She’s feeding a baby and doesn’t have the time to focus on herself that she would usually. She gives all credit to Walter and her team, she’s proud of all of them and herself.

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9:40am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Emily King – Valmy Biats

Emily King’s been knocking on the door of a 5* podium for a while now with Valmy Biats. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 30.3
Place: =11th

🏸 Form: 4 starts, 2 completions – 4th and 5th place.

“Val” can be super strong but he was soft and rideable in the dressage phase, ears flopping and really listening to Emily. They put in a great clear round to get their Badminton underway and hopefully there’s another on its way across the country today.

We see Emily through Huntsman’s at 6ab and they waste no time at all through there. Val’s looking rideable at the start of the round. They drop neatly into the Lake at 9a and finds the four strides to the b element really easy. Emily looks to be super focused.

The crowd is clapping their appreciation as Ros and Walter make their way around the track and I’m applauding from my sofa too.

Sustainability Bay at 20abcd is really lovely. She saw her stride, took her time and made it all look very easy.

They get quite close to the rail after the ditch at 22b but doesn’t miss a beat. It’s noticeable how quiet things have got for this combination, even Tina Cook in the commentary box is holding her breath and whispering.

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9:35am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Ros Canter – Lordships Graffalo

Reigning champs Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are going for back-to-back-to-back wins. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 23.7
Place: 1st

🏸 Form: 3 starts, 3 podiums – 2nd, 1st, 1st. Also the reigning Burghley double champ.

“Walter” got his competition off to a characteristic start on Wednesday at the first horse inspection, happily jogging along like it was just any other day. Heavy is the head that wears the crown does not apply one iota to this guy. Despite being the protagonist for the big B’s over the past two seasons, he’s got no sense of his own importance, or of the occasion, he’s just a sweet guy having a lovely time. There was silence for their dressage test until the end, when they went storming into the lead and the crowd erupted. What a partnership this is. Let’s enjoy the masters at their work.

Cheg back after a quick bathroom break.

OK, here we go. Ros is on course.

They are classically neat and tidy at the start of the course, as expected. That hold won’t have bothered them at all, they’re such pros.

They have the course to themselves for the minute.

We see them come to the first water and through the owl hole at 9 – perfect through there.

The crowd is really quiet at the drop into the Lake and make their way through the big combinations at 9ab and 10ab, until they’re through and then the cheer comes.

There’s such an easy grace to these guys. He gets a brilliant jump over the white rails at the Project Pony Puzzle at 12. Broken Bridge next.

Beautiful.

Walter’s got his ears pricked as Ros balances for the Slalom combination at 14 and 15ab. Super neat through there.

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9:30am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇫🇷 Luc Château – Viens du Mont

Luc Chateau and Viens du Mont are looking for a hattrick of completions. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 40.8
Place: 54th

🏸 Form: 2 starts, 2 completions – 11th in 2023 and 32nd in 2024, and has been top 10 at Pau.

“Viens” sure knew he was at Badminton during the dressage phase, a little on his toes and definitely looking forward to today. He sure was ready to run. Shout out to his groom for his immaculate tail braid. We’re looking at a leaderboard climb for this pair today – they’re super experienced and brave across the country.

Unfortunately, Luc has an early fall at Huntsman’s at 6B. The horse caught a leg on the B element and Luc’s flung over the top.

Ros Canter’s been held at the start while he receives medical attention.

Good news: Luc is up on his feet and walking off course after that heavy fall at the Huntsmans Close. Ros should be sent on her way shortly, and they both look utterly relaxed as if they were simply waiting for their mates to go on a hack.

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9:25am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Fiona Kashel – Creevagh Silver De Haar

Fiona Kashel and her hero “Hero”, AKA Creevagh Silver de Haar. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 30.5
Place: 14th

🏸 Form: 2 cross country runs, 2 completions, including 35th place last year.

Another white white horse whose gleaming tail is a sight to behold. He flicked and swished it all the way through his dressage test, well aware of how beautiful it is. He was happy in his work though and it, rightfully IMO, didn’t seem to have an impact on the scores. It’s such a testament to his team that this veteran of the sport looks so fabulous. Fiona had a great ride in the first phase and is, hopefully, in for another one today.

Fiona Kashel finishes home clear with Creevagh Silver de Haar, adding just 12 time penalties to make good on this year’s effort.

We’ll just wait for Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, our overnight leaders and defending champions, who are still held at the start.

Here’s a look at her:

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9:20am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Emma Thomas – Icarus

Emma Thomas will be flying high today with Icarus. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 45.5
Place: 59th

🏸 Form: 52nd last year, but he’s been top 20 at Burghley.

Emma brought some dark fairytale vibes to the horse inspection on Wednesday with a fur-trimmed coat that wouldn’t be out of place on some kind of dark winter queen. Fabulous. They were a little late to the dressage party, coming into view well after the bell had rung and cantering straight into the ring. To say Icarus feels the atmosphere is an understatement. He went to wave at the judges after the halt but Emma rode brilliantly, sympathetically persuading the horse to give his best effort. Today is his favorite, for sure. Watch them fly.

We don’t see a lot of Emma, sorry, but we do know that she picked up 20 penalties and had 6 time faults.

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9:15am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Wills Oakden – Keep It Cooley

Wills Oakden is looking for a first 5* completion for Keep It Cooley. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 29.4
Place: 8th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but has one previous 5* start.

Wills brought his knees to Badminton for the horse inspection on Wednesday, gracing the jog strip with a kilt, sporran flapping away as he trotted along. Suits you sir. A little misunderstanding in the dressage phase was really disappointing but they still went sub-30, showing just how much quality this horse has on the flat. He’s one of the fastest in the field today – eyes on.

The horse pecks slightly on landing at the water at 9ab and 10ab but Wills’ in balance and no drama there for them. There’s a lot of clicking as they come through the LeMieux Village at 18ab but they get the bounce and then kick on. He opts for the longer route at Sustainability Bay at 20 but the horse breaks into trot in the middle and they don’t have the oomph and come to a stop at the corner rails on the way out. 20 for them and cat amongst the pigeons for the top 10 on the leaderboard.

Oh, the frangible device goes at the Vicarage Vee at 25, almost exactly the same as what happened with Alex, the horse backed off and brought the hind down on the back rail. 11 penalties there for them.

Here’s a look at Wills earlier on in the course:

Max opts for the long route at the Hollow at 26ab. The horse dropped off the step nicely but Max must’ve felt that he didn’t want to take the risk of the two skinnies afterwards. max gets a really great line through the brush corner combination at 28.

We’re hearing from Harry about how much he loves Annaghmore Valoner. He says it felt easy, that the time could’ve been 30 seconds tighter and she’d have still made it.

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9:10am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Max Warburton – Deerpairc Revelry

Max Warburton’s looking to add a Badminton clear to Deerpairc Revelry’s card. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 31.8
Place: 17th

🏸 Form: 45th last year but he’s been 18th at Burghley.

“Paske” had his tail up in the air and was really keen for the job at the first horse inspection on Wednesday, looking super fit and totally ready. He put in a nice workmanlike test in the dressage, very correct and relaxed, clearly happy in his work, but he’s not the flashiest mover on the flat and the scores reflected that. He’s amongst the fastest horses in the field today though – blink and you’ll miss ‘em.

We first see Max through the water at 9ab and 10ab, they’re very neat through there and the horse looks to be relishing the challenge today.

Harry’s nearing home now and doesn’t look to be in a rush at all. What a luxury to feel like you’re up on the clock. They get a superb jump over the rails at 30, the final combination. The mare’s looking great and traveling easily as she comes into the arena and over the last. CLEAR INSIDE THE TIME!!! And easy, 9 seconds under, could’ve been much more. Into the lead they go.

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9:05am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Harry Meade – Annaghmore Valoner

Harry Meade is knocking on the door of a 5* podium with talented mare Annaghmore Valoner. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 30.3
Place: =11th

🏸 Form: Making her Badminton debut, but she’s been 4th at Burghley for the past two years.

“Annie” said ‘no thanks very much’ on the jog strip on Wednesday and attempted to leg it back to the stables. Harry’s into boxing but had to channel his inner wrestler to convince his feisty lady to strut her stuff. He’d got her on side for the dressage phase and although she had a little spook at a flower pot, there was no big drama. Roll on to today’s round then – eyes on this one for a quick clear.

Harry is having a classic Harry round, quick and neat and tidy and very smooth. They get a superb shot over the bounce after the step at the Village at 18ab, excellent cross country riding and jumping from this pair. He takes the same line through the water at 20 as he did earlier with his first ride and he’s very efficient through there. They get a bit of a sticky jump through the farm yard at 22ab but Harry’s in balance and the horse is very genuine.

Here’s a look at them, ears pricked and eyes on:

Finally we get a view of Alex, he’s up at the Vicarage Vee and 25. Sadly it’s not great news. The horse really backed off coming in and breaks the frangible device with his hind end, so 11 penalties to add there for them. They continue on.

We see Alex over the line, carrying that 11 and with 14 time penalties, but a Badminton completion nonetheless.

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9am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇨🇳 Alex Hua Tian – Chicko

Alex Hua Tian’s hoping not to have the save of the day this time around with Chicko. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 32.8
Place: 22nd

🏸 Form: 1 start, looking for his first completion, but he’s been 4th and 6th at Pau.

Alex is such a technician across all three phases and really showed off every bit of his skill in the dressage phase, producing a beautifully presented test. It wasn’t without mistake and has left them a little work to do today, but they’re generally very good across the country so watch out for a leaderboard climb, should all go to plan.

We haven’t seen Alex and Chicko, sorry, but the live scores are showing them as clear through the Vicarage Oxer at 16

Will continues to have a good ride as he nears home now. He’s neat through the roofed corners at 28ab and isn’t far off the time as he comes towards the rails combination at 30abc, the last big combination. He hasn’t got his foot down but he’s covering the ground. He’s not quite going to do it. He jumps the last looking a bit tired, but they’ve done it. 5.6 time for them.

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8:55am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Will Rawlin – Ballycoog Breaker Boy

Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy have a lil’ moment. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 29.3
Place: 7th

🏸 Form: 2 starts, 2 completions – 24th in 2024 and 23rd last year.

Former model Will elicited a big cheer as he came down the catwalk jog strip on Wednesday. Will used his long legs to great effect in the dressage phase, keeping this equally leggy horse contained. They cut an elegant pair as they made their way around the ring, picking up some very nice marks and riding themselves into second place on the first day; they were 7th coming into today – a super start for their Badminton. Now to continue that buzz.

This pair are very neat through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. He’s a big horse but Will really managed the distances through there very nicely. They look a bit steady but this horse has a huge stride so it’s quite deceptive.

Here’s a look at Will getting a flyer at the waterfall at 11:

Michael continues to have a nice, confidence-building ride with his rookie horse. They’re not speeding but the horse looks confident and happy on his first time at the level. They cross the line with 28.6 time penalties and clear jumping. A very nice effort from this exciting horse for the future.

Meanwhile, Arne has crossed the line with 15.2 time. The 20’s not showing on the live scores but we did see it happen.

We’re hearing from Tayla about what a privilege it is to ride Centennial, saying he’s such a kind person. Aw, lovely.

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8:50am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Michael Owen – Monbeg Darwin

Michael Owen’s no rookie with 21 5* starts on his card but Monbeg Darwin is brand new to the level.

Dressage Score: 34.3
Place: 31st

🏸 Form: Making his 5* debut.

“Darwin” was keen on the jog strip on Wednesday, preferring to canter because it’s just more fun. This really is a good looking horse, a real solid type that looks like he’ll be fun on the cross country. He put in a good performance in the dressage phase for his first time in the big atmosphere of a 5*, showing a lot of promise and was very pleased with himself afterwards. Let’s see what he makes of his first big track.

We see Michael go confidently through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. He really brings the horse back for the KBIS Slalom at 14ab and 15, giving the horse time to see the questions there.

Here’s a look at them:

We’re hearing from Tiana who’s disappointed but says the horse looks good, that she’s proud the horse is even here in the first place and that she’s jumped round Badminton.

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8:45am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇩🇪 Arne Bergendahl – Luthien NRW

Arne Bergendahl and homebred Luthien NRW are back at Badminton for a redemption round. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 38.8
Place: 49th

🏸 Form: 1 start, looking for her first completion.

“Luthien” was super springy at the horse inspection on Wednesday, head up in the air and taking it all in. She is uber fit and showed some of that off when she opted to gallop off toward the cross country course, kicking up dust in her wake. That springiness continued in the dressage ring – this mare is chock-full of power and not the easiest to keep contained on the flat, but Arne knows her so well, with her being a homebred, and rides her incredibly tactfully. She’s ready for today, no doubt about that.

They are flying at the start of their round, through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab flat out and very confident.

He’s held just after the waterfall fence at 11.

Tayla’s also being held on course.

Perhaps the hold is while the pin broken by Tiana is fixed.

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8:42am

OK, we’re back on track.

Tayla’s horse still looks strong as he comes to the end of his round, he’s so bold. She’s crouched low as she comes to the main arena and the finale. Not the best jump over the last but they’re over the last and through the flags. We’re not sure on the time just now due to the hold and there’s a flag question, I’ll update you as I know the deets.

Here’s a look at them having a much better drop into the water at 20 that they had at the MARS Lake:

Arne and Luthien are also back running and going very fast and brave. It’s a bit heart in the mouth at times. They’re super brave over the Vicarage Vee at 25. He comes back nicely for the big step down at 26a but then he’s very quick away and get to the skinny on a half stride and just can’t do it from where Arne asks. They pick up 20 there and come back round to continue on.

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8:40am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇳🇿 Tayla Mason – Centennial

Tayla Mason and homebred Centennial are back for a second go after “Chase” chased the clock last year and put in a speedy clear round. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 36.5
Place: =40th

🏸 Form: 19th last year, he’s also been 8th at Maryland.

There was no wait list this year so Tayla had more time knowing she was definitely going to be at Badminton this time around after a final-second call-up last season. “Chase” showed some nice highlights in the dressage test but doesn’t find his work on the flat easy. No so today though – he is a cross country demon and looks to be very fun across the country. Have a good ride!

Ooo, Tayla has to ride with everything at the Lake at 9a. Voice, elbows, legs, big growls. The horse really backed off there. That’s not the kind of start you want to Badminton but he seems to settle as he goes along.

Sarah Ennis has crossed the line, clear jumping and 3.6 time.

Meanwhile, Tiana goes for an extra stride in the bending line between the two roofed corners at 28ab and the horse drifts, taking the flag. They’ve been given 11 for that flag but it’ll be reviewed. And then a frangible device goes for 9 penalties at 30. She comes into the main arena and over the line. Really disappointing after being in such a great position. Provisional score overall for the two phases for them is 87.4 but there are penalties under review.

Here’s a look at Tiana earlier on in the course:

We’re hearing from an emotional Helen Bates saying that it’s a little girl’s dream to have a horse like Carpe Diem. Warm and fuzzies right there.

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8:35am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇺🇸 Tiana Coudray – Cancaras Girl

British-based US eventer Tiana Coudray and ‘Facebook find’ Cancaras Girl are going for a third Badminton completion. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 28.1
Place: 2nd

🏸 Form: 2 starts, 2 completions, including 25th in 2024.

“Cara” sure looked spicy on the jog strip on Wednesday – she’s one hot lady, that’s for sure. She was super elegant in the dressage phase, really putting out a great showing for the US – so cool to see this gal proving just how good she is on the flat. They were in the lead after the first day and sit in 2nd going into today. You go girls! Now to keep that quality up. Eyes on.

Tiana’s got her game face on at the start of her round. She takes the inside line at Huntsman’s at 6ab and the horse really listened to her. They get a really good jump over the fish at 9a into the Lake and then the distance to the skinny comes up really nicely. They get a smooth turn back to the arrowhead at 10a and then the horse questions the stride for a split second before the b element but trusts Tiana and they make a great job of it. They get a flyer over the waterfall at 11. Very much on their game.

And then there’s huge disappointment as she comes to a stop at the cabin at the LeMieux Village at 18b. The horse just can’t get her legs up after the bounce up the step. A really disappointing 20 for them and a maracas moment for the leaderboard as it’s shook up with them having been in 2nd.

We see Sarah through the water at 20abcd, taking the longer route but very quick with it. Sarah’s good on the clock as she comes through the Hollow at 26abc, and really drives the horse through the line there. She’s headed for home.

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8:30am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇮🇪 Sarah Ennis – Grantstown Jackson

Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson are a speedy combo across the country – hang tight for a leaderboard climb. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 34.5
Place: 32nd

🏸 Form: 2 starts, 2 completions, including 17th place in 2024.

Sarah’s one of the riders picking up an Armada Dish this year for 5 Badminton completions and got off to a great start in the dressage with “Jackson – just one whoopsie near the end, but Sarah used all of her ringcraft to pick up every available mark. He’s a cross country horse through and through, and is ready to thoroughly enjoy himself today. This horse is rapid, and Sarah’s a speedy lady – hang onto your hats as they fly across the country.

Sarah helps her horse find the line through the Lake at 10ab, really determined riding there from her. She’s crouched low and kicking on straight away, not a single second wasted.

We’re hearing from Jonelle who says that the horse is better for the trip. He’s bigger and stronger than she’s used to but she enjoys him. They seem to have overshot the Quarry and had to come back round but she’s not sure if she crossed her tracks. There was time wasted for sure though.

Helen Bates has crossed the line with Carpe Diem. Clear jumping and 9.2 time.

Here’s a look at her over the Vicarage Vee:

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8:25am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Helen Bates – Carpe Diem

Helen Bates is hoping Carpe Diem’s more “Diego” and less “Demon” as they go for a hattrick of Badminton completions. Photo by Laura Dupuy.

Dressage Score: 39.4
Place: 52nd

🏸 Form: 2 starts, 2 completions – 37th and 42nd.

“Diego” sure showed up for the dressage phase, putting his best hoof forward and trying really hard to stay with Helen. He had a little bit of his “Demon” side on his shoulder as the test went along but Helen really knows this horse well and rode him very sympathetically. He’s a fabulous jumper so today is very much more this guy’s speed.

Helen rides positively between the a and b element through the water at the Lake at fence 9. The horse’s ears are pricked and he’s really enjoying his job. They make a neat turn back round to the skinny at 10a and then back into the water for the b element. They look fabulous as they gallop along the side of the lake and over the waterfall at 11 before making the tight turn and heading off towards the Vicarage field. Oh, the farm yard at 22ab is a bit uncomfortable. He stands off the ditch at a, puts in a huge leap, but stays on the line and they make it through clear. That’s partnership for you.

Meanwhile, Jonelle’s horse seems to have settled into the round and they’re looking very much together as they near the end of their round. We see them pop the big rails at Savill’s Keepers at 30abc, taking the two obstacles for the quick route. Jonelle’s having to work hard but there’s no one better on cross country day. They come into the arena and cross the line. The 20 at the Quarry is under review, perhaps a crossing of tracks happened there, I’ll update you when I know more. They complete with 10.8 time.

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8:20am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇳🇿 Jonelle Price – Chilli’s Midnight Star

Jonelle Price is at Badminton with 2015 champ Chilli Morning’s son, Chilli’s Midnight Star. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

Dressage Score: 33.5
Place: =27th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but was 9th at Maryland last season.

This horse put in a great showing in the dressage, showing off the scope and power that’ll come in handy today. Jonelle’s always superb but she really did stand out in the Badminton Main Arena, riding positively and tactfully and really showing the audience how to get the very best out of a horse that was a little on his toes. Lots to come from this guy in the future, for sure, for now though, let’s watch a master of cross country riding at work.

We see Jonelle circling back to the Quarry at 4ab, looking to have had a problem there. The live scores show her as having picked up a 20, but it seems it’s being reviewed. I’ll update you as I hear more. She continues on though, getting some experience under this young horse’s cinch. He’s very keen and strong coming into the KBIS Slalom at 14ab and 15 but Jonelle keeps him on the line through there. They take the straight route through the water at 20.

“Good boy!” says Sam as they come through the farm yard at 22ab. There’s big pats after the Vicarage Vee at 25 and then it’s all hands and elbows on deck to make the line through the skinny brushes after the big step at 26.

OK, so we’re hearing that Sam has retired. That’s all I know for now, sorry.

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8:15am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Sam Ecroyd – Boleybawn LeCrae

Sam Ecroyd and Boleybawn Lecrae are a speedy pairing with a clear inside the time at Pau – blink and you’ll miss ‘em. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 36.9
Place: 42nd

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but was 17th at Pau last season.

“Patrick” had a good look round at the horse inspection on Wednesday, making sure everyone was watching him. He really does seem like a huge character of a horse. He was on his best behavior in the dressage phase and got a good rub and scratchies on the neck for his efforts. Good lad. Now it’s time for the fun bit.

We see Sam hail a cab off the Broken Bridge at 13. He’s really riding positively and wasting not a second of time. He’s got the course to himself for the moment. He’s very neat over the T Bar and ditch at 17 and then get a neat shot over the step and bounce at 18ab, the Lemieux Village. They go the quick route through Spillers Sustainability Bay at 20abcd and really look to be having a great spin.

Here’s a look at them making these big fences look easy:

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8:10am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Emma Hyslop-Webb – Jeweetwel

Emma Hyslop-Webb and the quirky character Jeweetwel. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 45.5
Place: 59th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but has 2 Burghley completions on his card.

“Huey” had his ears and eyes on stalks on the jog strip on Wednesday, taking in all the atmosphere and super hyped up for it. He was pretty tense in the dressage, holding his breath the whole time it seemed, but Emma really rode superbly, keeping things as accurate as possible on a very difficult ride. Let’s hope he can focus on the fences today and not let the excitement get the better of him.

Jeweetwel is very, very keen and strong at the start of his round. Emma’s really got her work cut out for her. They take the flag at the Lake at 9b and then another one at 10a. The control is really tricky. The Broken Bridge at 13 is very scary. Then they shoot on past the KBIS Slalom combination fences at 14 and 15ab and have to come back for it. The red flag comes out and they have to pull up.

Meanwhile, Jesse has completed, carrying those 20 penalties and 7.6 time penalties.

Here’s a look at him at the end:

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8:05am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇳🇿 Jesse Campbell – Cooley Lafitte

Jesse Campbell’s hoping to regain his Badminton debut form with Cooley Lafitte this time around. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 38
Place: =45th

🏸 Form: 15th in 2024, WD after dressage last year.

Fun fact – Jesse’s outfit for the first horse inspection was entirely thrifted and pre-loved, even his shoes. “Henry” was a little wobbly out on the jog strip, clearly sensing the big occasion. We held our breath as he came down the center line for dressage, but Jesse rode incredibly tactfully and the gelding really got to show off some of his best bits. Sure, the walk was a little jiggy joggy, but he went forwards (as opposed to sideways like last year) and Jesse really did give a masterclass in riding a hot horse sympathetically. Today we’ll see a different horse altogether – he’s bold and brave and very, very good at his job.

He gets off to a good start but he’s having to really ride for these big fences. We see him pop through the water at 20abcd really well and look to be having a settled ride together. They make a neat job through the Luckington Lane Corners at 23/4 but then, oh no. The Vicarage Vee doesn’t happen for him. The line’s not there and he jumps to the right of the red flag, just over the ditch, and has to go round for the long route. 20 penalties there for them.

Meanwhile Kylie’s kicking for home. She clears the last and has completed Badminton cross country. Yes, with penalties but a completion nonetheless. 14.4 time penalties.

Here’s a picture of Kylie at the Lake:

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8am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Kylie Roddy – SRS Kan Do

Kylie Roddy’s hoping to put her bad Badminton luck firmly in the rearview with SRS Kan Do this time around. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 32.9
Place: =23rd

🏸 Form: 3 starts, looking for first completion, but has been 5th at Pau.

Kylie says she’s here to enjoy every moment, which is an attitude we can totally get behind. They certainly got off to a sweet start with some nice work on show in the dressage phase, which Kylie was obviously thrilled with. On another note, check out this guy’s massive feet – all the better for galloping with.

Kylie’s having a really fun round, which is great to see. They absolutely fly the Vicarage Vee at 25 and waste not time in galloping on. They’re brave off the big step at 26a but then, oh rats. He just doesn’t lock onto the skinny at b, they don’t get the stride and they pick up 20. She’s very fast to get onto the long route though and kicks on for home.

Arthur is nearing home now. He’s neat through the roofed corners at 28ab and then get a good shot over the parallel rails at 29. They have picked up 11 penalties for a frangible device, not at the water but a couple of fences later at the Vicarage Vee at 25. He crosses the line and is thrilled with his completion. He’s just over the time – 1.6 penalties.

We’re hearing from Lucy speaking to Clare Balding and she says she’s frustrated with those 5 seconds as her horse had the legs on him to go a little quicker.

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7:55am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇫🇷 Arthur Marx – Church’ile

Arthur Marx and homebred Church’ile, whose dam and grand-dam competed with Arthur’s dad. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 39.2
Place: 51st

🏸 Form: 3 starts, 1 completion – 50th last year.

Arthur was showing all kinds of mankle on the jog strip on Wednesday with “Pumba”, another one of this year’s entrants with the same sire as Lordship’s Graffalo. Look out for his amazing tail as he makes his way around. He had it on full display in the dressage, blowing in the breeze while he produced a sweet test for his pal, for which he decided he deserved a good bite of Badminton grass as the end, and making the audience giggle.

We see them go the slightly longer route at Sustainability Bay at 20abcd and get super lucky through there. They hit both the pins, getting very close to the final element. Arthur’s tipped right forward but manages to right himself and gives the horse a very big pat as they gallop on. That was a bit of a heartstopper for them.

Meanwhile Tom and Cowling Hot Gossip haven’t had much screen time, sorry, but they’re showing as having finished on the live scoring, clear jumping with 8 time penalties.

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7:50am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Tom Bird – Cowling Hot Gossip

Tom Bird and the first horse he backed when he was just 15 years old, Cowling Hot Gossip. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 45.1
Place: 58th

🏸 Form: 39th last year.

“Jasper” was looking for the cross country course as he made his way along the jog strip on Wednesday with a face that seemed to be saying, this bit’s boring – when’s the good bit? And like a kid in the back seat of the car wondering if we’re there yet, he continued his griping in the dressage – when’s the good bit? It’s today, my friend – have at it, buddy.

We catch up with them at the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. They jump through there neatly and look very together. They make nothing of the massive waterfall at 11, the World Horse Welfare Fence.

Lucy’s very bold through the Hollow at 26abc, brave off the big step and then pushing for the distances through the two skinny brushes. They’re coming towards the end of the course now and the horse isn’t getting very high over his fences but he’s so efficient. They come into the arena and jump the last. 5 seconds of time for them but a brilliant round.

We’re hearing from Bubby and she’s thrilled with Cola and proud of the round he gave her. She says he’s a once in a lifetime horse for her, having brought her all the way through from Young Riders.

Here’s a look at Katie, Treworra and their team at the end of their foot perfect round:

She says to be at Badminton is just indescribable.

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7:45am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇮🇪 Lucy Latta – RCA Patron Saint

Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint’s round was the quickest of the day in 2024. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 31.9
Place: 18th

🏸 Form: Runner-up in 2024.

Another Grafenstolz entry, like Lordship’s Graffalo, “Paddy” was 2nd on his debut at Badminton. Will he go on to take the top spot too? We’ll have to wait and see. This is a really powerful, strong horse but he’s beautifully produced and looks really rideable, which he showed off in spades in the first phase. A big PB earned big pats and a big cheer from the appreciative crowd. Not a bad way to start your Badminton. Let’s admire this guy’s lovely big ears as he locks on to the flags and hunts his way round.

Lucy’s having a really confident round, really pushing forward for distances and riding with great feel. They’re neat and tidy over the fences but then gallop on really quickly.

Here’s a look at them at 10a, after making the turn there really cleanly:

Cassie’s up at the top of the course and oh no. They have a tumble in the water at 20abcd. The horse just caught a knee at the c element, the frangible device comes down and they end up getting wet. We see both up on their feet and the vet and medic team are there straight away. I’ll update you if we get more info but it all looked to be OK from what we could see.

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7:40am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇺🇸 Cassie Sanger – Redfield Fyre

21-year-old Cassie Sanger is the youngest US competitor to ride at Badminton and is doing so with her own Redfield Fyre. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Dressage Score: 37.5
Place: 43rd

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but he’s been top 20 at Kentucky and Burghley.

Cassie was channeling the English springtime in a pretty tea dress at the horse inspection on Wednesday. She was back in her breeches for the dressage and really rose to the challenge. It wasn’t always the easiest ride but what was very clear is that this horse is brimming with scope and power, which is very exciting for today.

Cassie gets in close to the skinny arrowhead at 10ab on her way back to the lake but the horse gets his feet up and they make it through there unscathed. They get the bounce stride at the LeMieux Village at 18ab, putting in some nifty footwork to get the job done there.

Katie’s round continues to be super. She absolutely commits at the roofed corner combination at 28ab and they’re looking good on the clock as they near home.

Here’s a look at them over the fish going into the Lake at 9a:

She comes into the main arena with time to spare – CLEAR INSIDE THE TIME!!! 6 seconds inside. What a thrilling round they had.

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7:30am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Katie Magee – Treworra

Hoping to break into the top 10 this year, Katie Magee brings Treworra forward for the horse’s fourth time at the level. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 33.3
Place: 26th

🏸 Form: 11th last year.

Katie was the best British first-timer last year at Badminton and she’s back for more. Both horse and rider came into the dressage ring meaning business and produced a rhythmical and easy test. This horse has so much power and looked totally ready for today.

Katie’s having a great round, this horse really does look like a fun ride. They get a great shot through the owl hole at 8, the first time getting their feet wet. They’re bold into the lake at 9a and Katie rides bravely to the b element. Really well done there for them. The horse is very keen over the white rails at 12, it’s an unusual plank rail there at the Project Pony Puzzle. They have the course to themself for the time being.

Here’s a picture of Sarah at the end of her round with her talented young homebred Corimiro:

She says to Clare that she was there when her horse was born and had to give him mom a helping hand. She says he’s the reason she’s still doing the sport.

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7:25am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇱🇹 Aistis Vitkauskas – Commander VG

Aistis Vitkauskas wears a hat silk knitted by his grandma when he goes cross country with Commander VG. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 50.5
Place: 61st

🏸 Form: 2 completions, 37th last year, 26th in 2023.

Commander’s tail was swishing the whole way through his dressage test but he managed to keep a lid on the fireworks in the early stages at least. Not so much later on when he made it quite clear what he’d rather be doing. Aistis ended up halting early, incurring error of course penalties, but they made it through, just. Dressage is not this guy’s favorite. Cross country though, that’s a whole other story.

Sadly we catch up with Aistis as he has a problem at the KBIS Slalom at 14 and 15ab. They don’t get the distance and the horse scoots to the side. Aistis puts his hand up. A shame for them.

Sarah’s looking good for the time… It’s been a little heart in mouth in places but SHE’S DONE IT!!! 1 second inside the time, the second clear inside the time at the level for this young horse. Incredible.

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7:20am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Sarah Bullimore – Corimiro

Sarah Bullimore and exciting homebred Corimiro. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 32.1
Place: 19th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but he was 5th at Pau last season on his first time at the level, where he was clear and well inside the time.

This lovely horse really did have an old head on his young shoulders in the dressage phase, coping admirably with the atmosphere in the Badminton Main Arena. The highlights in the test were as impressive as expected, but some points were dropped when he tried a little too hard. We can’t fault him for that though. Eyes on for a very interesting round.

Sarah’s horse looks confident as he makes his way through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab. We catch back up with her at Sustainability Bay at 20abcd and the horse takes a couple of trot strides before the big rail in the water there. He’s got such a huge stride but makes it work. Clever pony. He drifts a little over the Vicarage Vee at 25, but Sarah’s beautifully balanced and all’s well. He’s super bold off the big step at the Hollow.

Bubby’s a little further down on the clock than we’re used to seeing her. She has to really work to get the stride to the c element at the Hollow at 27 but she’s kicking on toward home now. She seems to have made up some time as she comes into the main arena and they get a great shot over the last. She’s clearly delighted with her pal. Clear jumping and 12 time penalties.

Simon comes into the main arena and over the last. He’s really chuffed with his little horse and rightly so. It wasn’t the easiest round but they’ve got a Badminton cross country completion on their card.

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7:15am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Bubby Upton – Cola

Bubby Upton and long-time bestie Cola. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 29.8
Place: 9th

🏸 Form: Making his 5th Badminton start – he’s been 8th twice, most recently last year.

Cola added a little fertilizer to the Badminton turn at the start of his dressage test, getting things out of his system before the big stuff. He was a little tight at times leaving some work to do today, but still managed to stay sub-30. A quick clear is on the cards for today.

Bubby gets off to a very confident start, classic Bubby crouched low and absolutely going for it. She wastes not a single smidge of a second through Huntsman’s at 6ab. Really smooth and superb through there. She’s very quick through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab and then sees a huge one at the waterfall fence at 11.

Here’s a look at Bubby over the first fence:

Austin’s cross the finish line after really giving his mare a great ride. The flag penalty has been taken away and they’re clear with 28 time penalties.

Simon’s having to work quite hard round the track but Autograf is jumping nicely for him. He finds things a bit tricky at the Luckington Lane Corners and ends up taking a long, long route there, circling round to take the two options rather than 23 and 24 in one go. He’s picked up a flag penalty at 9b also.

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7:10am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Simon Grieve – Autograf

Simon Grieve had a ball at Burghley and Autograf – watch out for his infectious grin as he makes his way round the track with his pal. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 36.4
Place: =38th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but was 18th at Burghley last season.

We’ve got back-to-back Buster’s on course. This one’s sired by Grafenstolz, like a few others in the field – another is Lordship’s Graffalo. Simon’s got 20 5* starts to his name now and looked every bit the cool dude in his shades on the jog strip on Wednesday, eliciting a big cheer from the crowd. He’s a popular guy and full of love for eventing. If you don’t already, check out his social media where he’s doing great work for our sport. His grin was on show as he turned back onto the center line heading for the halt at the end of his dressage test, with lots of pats for “Buster” who looked very pleased with his efforts. Now onto the best bit.

We haven’t seen a lot of Simon but catch up with him having a bit of a sticky ride between 9a and 9b at the Lake. Simon’s sat way back driving forward and they make it through clear.

Austin’s horse looks to be growing in confidence as she goes round the track. She has a little look in the ditch at the farm yard at 22a but pops over nicely. She’s super at the Vicarage Vee, really brave.

Meanwhile, David and Ferro Point have crossed the line clear jumping with 18.4 time penalties. A lovely round from the little mare.

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7:05am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇮🇪 Austin O’Connor – Sixmilewater

Hoping for the luck of the Irish, Maryland winner Austin O’Connor will traverse the approximately 4 mile course with Sixmilewater. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 34.8
Place: 34th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but he was 27th at Burghley last season.

“Buster” was really quite opinionated on the jog strip on Wednesday but Austin managed to convince him that this game’s a team effort. This horse has a huge character but was firmly Team Austin in the dressage ring. Big sigh of relief from Austin at the end of what was a neat test from “Buster”. Great start for them – how will their Badminton continue?

There’s a “Go on Austin!” from the crowd as they come through Huntsman’s at 6ab. Austin has a moment at the Lake at 9ab – he’s in his hunting seat as the horse looks down through the fish into the water. That puts them on a long one to the b element but Austin pushes on and they make it through, doing a really good job at 10ab and putting the slight scare behind them. They’ve been give a flag at 9b. He opts for the slightly longer route at the second water at 20abcd, which seemed like a smart choice given what happened at the Lake.

David is committed at the Vicarage Vee at 25, really super stylish through there.

Here’s a look at him coming off the Broken Bridge at 13:

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7am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 David Doel – Ferro Point

Fresh off a flight from Kentucky, where he came 3rd, David Doel brings long time gal pal Ferro Point forward for her first Badminton. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 41.9
Place: 57th

🏸 Form: Making her Badminton debut but she’s been top 20 at Pau.

This long-term partnership was totally on show in their dressage test, with “Ferro” trying really hard, ears on David and doing her best. It was a test of two halves though with her eventually showing that she’s not the easiest on the flat and David leaving us in no doubt about just how skillful he is in the saddle. “Go on!” David says to the mare as they make their way through the Slalom at 14ab and 15. The horse has quite a short stride and had to push for the distance there.

David is quick through Huntsman’s Close at 6ab.

We’re seeing something going on with Gemma before the Vicarage Vee. She’s pulled up. She’s devastated. She gives him a big hug. She hasn’t got off though, so there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the horse. Tina Cook in the commentary box wonders if he’s lost a shoe. That’s such a shame for them. She was flying and really going for it but sadly, that’s eventing sometimes.

Here’s a look at them earlier in the course at the Lake:

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6:55am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Gemma Stevens – Chilli Knight

Speedy duo Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight are looking for redemption and a podium placing. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 34
Place: 30th

🏸 Form: 14th and 15th in 2024 and 2025 – he was clear inside the time on cross country day last year and sat on the podium overnight.

“Alfie” was a total pro at the horse inspection on Wednesday, he knows this game. He was very relaxed in his work in the first part of his dressage test, so much so he rested a hind in the halt. But a tricky moment halfway through was expensive when he threw up some fancy footwork that’ll be more useful today than it was during his test. She said afterwards that not a single one of those mistakes has happened during training and that the score is 5 marks outside where she’d hoped to be. A disappointing start but the opportunity to set things straight today.

Gemma is super quick through Huntsman’s at 6ab, wow, she’s up for this! She balances the horse going into the Lake at 9ab, making sure he’s able to get a great shot through there. She brings him right back for the KBIS Slalom at 14ab and 15, that’s a fence where you really do need to take some care.

Meanwhile, Holly is still going nicely with Ballyneety Silver Service. We see them through the roofed corners at 28ab and they pop thorough there making very little of that big question. They’re headed for home now. They have been s-p-e-e-d-y! CLEAR AND 12 SECONDS INSIDE THE TIME!!! What a round. She didn’t take a pull, the horse jumped and jumped and she is absolutely thrilled. The horse looks fabulous after that too. So great to see.

Here’s a look at Cosby flying through the finish line:

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6:50am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Holly Richardson – Ballyneety Silver Service

Holly Richardson’s hoping to serve up a classy round with Ballyneety Silver Service. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Dressage Score: 41.2
Place: 55th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but he was 14th at Burghley last year.

This striking white horse is appropriately named “Butler” in the barn. He saw a ghostie on the jog strip on Wednesday, but perhaps it was just a reflection of his gleaming white tail. Props to all the grooms, seriously, but especially the ones who have to scrub those white tails, we salute you. “Butler” was a little opinionated at times in the dressage phase, a guy with his own mind, clearly. Perhaps he’d spotted the cross country finale fence alongside the arena and fancied getting straight to the good bit. It’s today, buddy – have at it.

Holly makes a confident start and is really good through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab – that combination is really riding well and coming up clear for the horses. They are quick and look to be totally on the same page and having a great round so far.

Oh no, we catch up with Caroline as she takes a tumble very late on course, at the roofed corner combination at 28ab. The horse just caught a knee on the way up and twisted, chucking Caroline out the side door. The horse gallops off towards the finish flags and we see Caroline up on her feet righting her hat silk.

We’re hearing from Harry who says it rode as it walked. He says he went out with a mean business kind of attitude and it sure showed.

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6:45am

NEW COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇳🇿 Caroline Powell – High Time

Caroline Powell’s hoping for a great time out on track today with High Time. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 38
Place: 45th

🏸 Form: 21st last year but Caroline’s a Badminton and Burghley winner.

“Henry” was a little on his toes in the dressage phase and Caroline gave a masterclass on managing a horse with a lot in the tank. He was very much ready for today. Let’s watch him let loose.

Caroline’s very confident through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab, so far the horses have read those questions and managed the turn really well. She sees an absolute flyer at the waterfall fence at 11. She’s got her pedal to the metal, for sure. She’s very smooth through Sustainability Bay at 20abcd. They’re in a really great rhythm everywhere, with the horse jumping out of his stride and really rideable so there’s no time wasted in setting him up.

Tom’s really good through the corner combination at 28ab and then says, “C’mon!” to United 36 as he gallops along towards home. He’s relatively good on the clock, quicker than Harry at this point. Where will he land? He’s encouraging the horse all the way. They come into the arena and over the MARS M. There’s massive cheers. Just 8 seconds over the time on a rookie horse, what an exciting horse this is. He’s pointing to the horse. A superb round for them.

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6:40am

THIRD COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Tom Jackson – United 36

Tom Jackson’s got two chances – the first of them is 10-year-old United 36. Photo by Sophie Robins/Girl In The Field.

Dressage Score: 32.2
Place: 20th

🏸 Form: Making his 5* debut but Tom’s had two 5th place finishes.

“Ted” was looky looky on the jog strip on Wednesday and showed off some lovely lateral work. He had his mind firmly on the job in the dressage ring though, showing all the scope and power he’ll need today and looking very pleased with himself after he was done. This is a really good looking horse and I’m excited to watch how he takes to his first 5* track.

Tom and “Ted” are very neat and confident through the Lake at 9ab and 10ab – the horse looks really happy and brave on his first time at the level. He’s jumping really nicely and looks to be totally with Tom. They’re quick through the LeMieux Village at 18ab taking the big step up and then the cabin on the mound in their stride.

Cosby’s having a great round, making these big fences look like child’s play. She’s very neat over the Vicarage Vee at 25ab, taking the straight route, so the rails and ditch in one. Woah, she’s brave through the Hollow at 26abc, really fast off the huge step and then taking a stride out to the skinny brush at b and c. She brings the horse back for the roofed corners at 8ab and is nearing home now. She crosses the line and punches the air. Clear and a great ride for them with 13.6 time.

Here’s a look at Harry waving to the crowd:

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6:35am

SECOND COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇺🇸 Cosby Green – Jos Ufo de Quidam

First up for the US, Cosby Green and Jos UFO de Quidam. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 34.9
Place: 35th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut but he’s been 8th at Luhmühlen.

Argentinian-bred “UFO” sure showed that he knows his job on the jog strip on Wednesday, taking all the Badminton atmosphere in his stride. That pro approach continued into the dressage ring, from both horse and rider, with Cosby all smiles and looking very relaxed and enjoying the moment.

We see Cosby looking very bold at the start of her round. We catch back up with her as she comes to the Lake at 9an and 10ab and she’s really neat through the first part, making the turn to 10 smoothly and finding no problems at all with the first water. Cosby chooses the slightly slower route at Sustainability Bay at 20abcd but doesn’t waste much time. She kicks on.

Harry comes through the Spillers Sustainability Bay at 20abcd and angled the rails there to make the stride come up for him. No time wasted at the INEOS Sunken Road 21ab for Harry and Hoppy and then they take the left hand option at the farm yard combination at 22ab. Harry’s flapping his arms, totally committed to the Vicarage Vee at 25ab, taking the straight route which incorporates both the a and b element in one. He’s on the way home now. Harry takes a very efficient curving line through the Rathbones Curve roofed corners at 28ab. Not far to go now and he’s had an absolute peach of a ride so far. He chooses the direct route at the Savills Keeper Rails at 30abc, picking the big fences but one less jumping effort than the long route. The crowd go wild as they come into the main arena. What a round. Clear all the way, 11 time penalties. He waves to the crowd. A fabulous start to the day.

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6:30am

FIRST COMBINATION OUT ON COURSE: 🇬🇧 Harry Meade – Et Hop Du Matz

Harry Meade’s here with a herd of three – he’s trailblazing with Et Hop du Matz. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage Score: 36.5
Place: =40th

🏸 Form: Making his Badminton debut (Et Hop du Matz, not Harry, who’s got multiple Badminton completions on his card) but he’s been 3rd at Kentucky.

“Hoppy” was very hoppy on the jog strip on Wednesday, right up on his toes and ready for it. Sadly World No. 1, Harry wasn’t sporting his trademark fancy pants, going for a scholarly gray look instead. The horse wasn’t as soft as we’ve seen him in the dressage phase and was a little wobbly at times, explained by Harry trying out a new set up in his bridle which didn’t quite work. Back to what he knows and loves today – fast clears across the country. Fun fact: Harry practically lives next door to Badminton.

2026 Badminton cross country is underway to the roar of the crowd!

“Hoppy” is well up for this, he stormed out of the start box looking very keen. They’ve very neat through the Quarry at 4, the first combination on course, and kick on very quickly away from there in a great rhythm. Harry’s such a great trailblazer for the rest of the riders, he sprinkles pressure on his breakfast cereal this guy.

They come under the new Huntsman’s arch and are very quick through the combinations there at 6AB, not a single second wasted. They gallop down the hill and come into the water for the first time to jump the owl hole in the water at 8. They get the big drop over the fish into the MARS Lake at 9a and then the b element comes up nicely for them. They make the tricky turn back to the water for 10a and then kick on over the brush in the water for b. Off he gallops, over the World Horse Waterfall fence at 11 and then the sharp turn towards the Vicarage field.

The Broken Bridge at 13 doesn’t slow them down and then the difficult line through the KBIS Slalom at 14ab is made to look really simple, and it’s not.

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6:25am

While we wait for starter’s orders, enjoy a look at my kitten watching the dressage phase:

This is your 5 minute warning – it’s almost go time!

MARS Badminton CCI5*: [Website] [Tickets] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [EN’s Coverage]

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