Badminton House
Every Eventer dreams of one day making it to Badminton. Sadly most of us will never get close to competing on the hallowed turf of the Badminton estate. All we can do is hope to go there on a holiday. But a DIY Badminton holiday is not for everyone, you need to find accommodation, hire a car, cope with the traffic, which can be HUGE! Plus ensuring you don’t drink too much Pimms during the day so you can drive back to your hotel after a long day of watching horses or frying the plastic in the trade stands.
Badminton, alongside Burghley and Rolex, are the World Class of Eventing. There is NOTHING quite like sitting in the members tent alongside the main arena. Or walking the huge XC. The Vicorage V needs to be seen to be believed. Feeling the tension in the air as a combination tackles the daunting Huntsman’s Close. The ONLY way to experience Badminton is to be there.
Celebrity spotting at Badminton is easy, here is Eventing extraordinaire Lucinda Green
If only someone could take the hassle out of the trip. The other day I was at the feedstore, a community resource for finding people who can mend your horse rugs, notices for litters of Jack Russell’s (why are these the Eventer’s choice of dog??) and other random stuff that interest people on the land or just plain horse nuts.
I saw this flyer on the counter for a trip to Badminton, fully escorted from the Hunter Valley, where I live. I was intrigued so I picked up the flyer and gave them a call. This small boutique travel agency specializes in small group tours around the world. I rang Jane, who owns and runs Travel and Tour Hunters and suggested we have coffee.
Last year’s winner Mark Todd
Jane and I talked about her passion for traveling and for ensuring her clients get to experience a proper holiday, without the stress and worry, no need to think of the what’s, where’s and how’s of the trip, just enjoying it. The Badminton trip came out of her daughter’s love of horses. Let’s face it, isn’t that how many adults get dragged into the Eventing scene and horses in general.
This Badminton tour is for a maximum of 16 people and is specifically tailored so kids can enjoy it too, so both the big and little horse nuts can enjoy the trip. And for those parents going because their little person wants to go to Badminton, you will be amongst like-minded parents too.
BYO Credit Card and excess baggage
The two week trip leaves from the Hunter Valley, but can be joined in Sydney or even better for those not in Australia, meet the tour in London where the experience begins. Starting the first full day in London with a tour of the Royal Mews (the private stables of the Royal Household in London). The rest of the day is escorted sightseeing in London including the Tower of London.
On the next day you have the option of riding in Hyde Park or heading off on your own for some sightseeing or shopping. Or even taking a wander around the Olympic venues including Greenwich Park the home of the Equestrian sports during the Games. Then the Badminton adventure begins as the tour leaves London via Windsor Castle (one of my favorite places in the UK) to Tetbury, your base for the four days of Badminton.
Each day you will have transport to and from Badminton covered, you don’t even need to worry about how much Pimms you drink as the bus has a driver. For those who cant face two days of dressage or are daunted by the hundreds of trade stands at the Horse Trials, you can explore at your leisure the Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon or Bath which are in easy reach of the hotel.
Finally, after the magic of Badminton, seeing another Aussie win, my money is on Chris ‘Burto’ Burton, you will leave Tetbury and head for the New Forest, perhaps via the yard of a top Eventer and have a couple of days relaxing and exploring the countryside. This includes another opportunity to go riding, you can do it on a bike if you don’t want to ride a horse.
We come for the horses, we stay for the shopping
Then you head home or carry on with your holiday elsewhere if you like at the end of the tour. To me this sounds awesome and almost perfect, all of the details have been taken care of, you will have access to great local tour guides on the ground as well as having Jane and possibly even me??? Yes ESJ may come along for the ride too.
Don’t forget being an Olympic year there will be plenty of last minute jostling for a spot on the teams, a top 10 Badminton placing would guarantee almost and fit combination a spot on a team.
There are only 16 spots on this tour and some have sold already. Badminton is just over 3 months away, so don’t delay if you are interested.
Personally, the only thing I would like to add to this trip is to start at Rolex Kentucky, maybe we can convince Jane to do that next year, fingers crossed. So if you want to join the trip or find out more, check it out here, you can meet the group in London, there is a special price excluding airfares for that. You never know I may see you there.
A special thanks to Samantha Clark for letting me use all of her beautiful Badminton 2011 pics in this story.
Yours in Eventing
ESJ
Location:Badminton or BUST
