Piggy French and Vanir Kamira win Badminton 2019. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Piggy French and Vanir Kamira win Badminton 2019. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
It’s a sure sign of spring to come when you can start planning your sojourns to the first two five-stars of the year – and for those of you on the eastern side of the pond, there’s plenty to be excited about. Badminton Horse Trials (May 6-10) opened its box office for general sale today after a week of priority sales, with a slew of early bird incentives for the keenest of beans among you.
So what can your hard-earned money get you? Plenty, as it turns out. Personal admission by day runs as follows:
- Wednesday 6 May – first horse inspection; Science Supplements Cup: £10
- Thursday 7 May – dressage: £18
- Friday 8 May – dressage: £18
- Saturday 9 May – cross-country: £32
- Sunday 10 May – final horse inspection, showjumping, and prize-giving: £16
These early bird prices are valid until the 31st of March, at which point they’ll each go up by £2, as will car parking, which runs at £10 a day under the early bird system.
Planning to go multiple days? A season pass could be your best bet: running at £66 for entry and £30 for parking, they allow you access to each day of the action – perfect if you want to fit in plenty of shopping, a few glasses of fizz, and a coursewalk, too.
Your dressage day tickets allow access to unreserved grandstand seating on a first-come, first-served basis, or you can reserve a spot on the west stand, facing the A end of the arena, for £7-£14. On Saturday, you can also access the grandstand seating at no extra charge, but for Sunday’s showjumping, you’ll need to prebook your seat, which will run from £10-£43.
Andrew Nicholson and Swallow Springs at Badminton. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Want to treat yourself? You can add in a membership badge, which gets you access to the Weatherbys Hamilton Badminton Members enclosure, from £5 a day or £46 for the week. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy the view from the garden enclosure, situated on the south side of the arena, as well as indoor facilities should the weather take a turn for the worse. Televisions will broadcast all the action as it happens, so you won’t miss a moment, plus you’ll be kept well-fed and watered with myriad catering options and refreshments (plus members-only loos, which is the dream for any seasoned Badminton-goer).
Once again, Badminton will offer full camping facilities, plus the return of the popular Badminton Retreat – a festival-style glamping experience, situated by Huntsman’s Close and offering VIP evenings with special guest speakers.
For a full breakdown of pricing options and to book your tickets, click here.
