The Equidry Huntsman’s Close comes late on course at fence 26 this year — and it’s causing plenty of stir among the riders.
The fences are decorated and flagged, the ground is primed, and the consensus among this year’s MARS Badminton Horse Trials contenders is clear: this year’s Eric Winter-designed course is classic Badminton: big, bold, and built to test not just bravery, but brains and stamina, too.
With more than one rider commenting on the flow of Eric Winter’s 2025 track, there’s an appreciation for the course’s galloping rhythm — but no illusion that it’s soft. “There’s not even one fence where you think, ‘they can just go over that,’” observed Germany’s Jérôme Robine, echoing a common sentiment. From the imposing first water to the late-in-the-day demands of Huntsman’s Close, this year’s course asks plenty of both horses and riders. You can take a full gander at the track in our preview here as well as on CrossCountryApp here.
“I think it’s going to shake it up a big amount,” said Emily King, highlighting the course’s emphasis on fitness, rideability, and mutual trust between horse and rider. Others, like Kylie Roddy and Kirsty Chabert, praised the balance between bold questions and fairness, noting the thoughtful presentation and improved flow compared to previous years.
Still, no matter how experienced the combination, there’s an unmistakable air of respect heading into Saturday: “You either Pony Club kick and growl and get on with it,” shrugged Alice Casburn, “or you don’t.”
Here’s a look at what some of the riders in our field are saying about the course:
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Cealy Tetley.
Oliver Townend – Cooley Rosalent – 21.1
“I mean, 11 minutes 40 is probably going to be tightly wheeled. She does have the stamina—it’s just up to me to give her the right ride, save where I can, and be as quick as I can. When you’re at a place like this, sometimes it’s your day and sometimes it isn’t. I’ll just be doing my best to give her as smooth a ride as possible, be as quick as I can, and hope she gets the trip at that speed.”
Tom McEwen – JL Dublin – 22.4
“I had a real quick blast round and walk on foot, and it took long enough—so it’s obviously a good, long course. I think it’s all there, it’s all fair, it’s all in front of you. There’s plenty to do—of course, it’s Badminton. I actually thought Huntsman’s Close, towards the end—if that was earlier on, we’d all fly through. But the horses are different types at that stage. This way around usually brings out a bit more of an endurance factor with such a long pull all the way home. Have your wits about you and ride what’s underneath you.”
Ros Canter – Lordships Graffalo – 25.3
“Walter’s not a huge fan of jumping things with things over the top of them—and there’s quite a few of those. So that’ll be a bit more of a challenge for us. But I’ve got every faith in him.”
Emily King – Valmy Biats – 27.3
“I think it’s gonna be a proper—gonna shake it up a big amount. There’s no real tricks… it’s really going to test our relationship with them, our riding, and they’re just big, doming efforts. They’ve got to be fit. The lake’s pretty huge… if we land in balance and they’re honest and know where they’re going, it should be there in front of them. The Vicarage Vee… brave little things like the pinned fences. It’s a bold, attacking course, which suits him, but I need to be clever with my ride so I save enough gallop in the tank.”
Tom Woodward – Low Moor Lucky – 27.9
“You definitely know you’re at Badminton—it’s big, from one to 32! There’s plenty of questions out there… it’s obvious to the horses what the questions are.”
“This way around, the course brings more of an endurance factor. With such a long pull all the way home, you’ve got to have your wits about you and ride what’s underneath you.”
Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver de Haar. Photo by Cealy Tetley.
Fiona Kashel – Creevagh Silver de Haar – 28.4
“I hate going cross country. Honestly, if I never went cross country again, I think I’d be very happy! I do quite like it once I’ve finished—but that’s about it.
The course is just big for him. He’s not the biggest jumper, and it’s a big, bold, scopey track. He’s 17 years old now, and I’ve come here with the mindset of taking it one fence at a time. If he’s going well, I’ll keep going. If it’s too much for him, I’ll pull up. I’m just going to enjoy the experience.”
Yasmin Ingham – Rehy DJ – 29.1
“I walked [the course] this morning with Chris Bartle, and it’s massive. Classic Badminton—been coming here for many years, so now I’m able to tackle it myself, which is really exciting. We’re on form, and he’s had a really good spring. We’re just going to give it our best and enjoy it.”
Gemma Stevens – Chilli Knight – 29.5
“It is big, but it is actually all there in front of you. There are no tricks, which I think is really nice, and the distances are fantastic. Eric’s really nailed the distances, which makes me happy as half a show jumper. So yeah—just bring it on.”
Georgie Goss – Feloupe – 29.6
“The ground is quite firm, so I think that’ll make for a very fast day. The course looks bigger and bolder than previous years, but I’d say it’s less technical overall. The Huntsman’s Close will definitely catch a few out, and I think the first water is pretty bold.”
Felix Vogg and Cartania. Photo by Cealy Tetley.
Felix Vogg – Cartania – 29.7
“I hope it’s difficult enough. I think Huntsman’s Close could cause problems—it’s late on the course, and the line there is still a question. The first water is very bold too. I think that could separate some of the field.”
Kylie Roddy – SRS Kan Do – 30.1
“I think it looks really good. It looks like it might have more flow this year, and I think it’s Big, Bold Badminton—which I hope will suit the horse I’m riding. If you get through the lake and they’re on, you’ll probably have quite a nice spin. There’s nothing ugly. Maybe the corner over the ditch at the bottom is a bit blind, but it is there for them to jump. They’ve built a horse’s track, which is lovely to see and ride.”
Alex Hua Tian – Chicko – 31.6
“It’s [cross country] big. I think it’s very fair, though. Everything’s in front of you. It gives you a really fair chance to jump everything – you either jump it or you don’t. I think the Huntsman’s Close, that big corner, the first big corner, I think will be the telling point, especially for riders on horses that are starting to get a bit weary. That will be sort of the main teller, I would say. The rest of it I think is very fair.”
Harry Meade – Superstition (31.8) and Cavalier Crystal (33.8)
“I think it’s a good course. I’m well aware I might fall off at fence two or three, so take what I say with a pinch of salt! I don’t know if it’s as technically difficult as normal, but equally, there are lots of places where you could have a frustrating problem. I like the lake — I think that’s a really fun, old-fashioned ‘jump in and then see what you’ve got when you land’ kind of question. That will cause some problems, and it’ll be really entertaining to watch.
All in all, I think it’s a good track. It’ll be interesting to see how difficult the time is. I think it wheels quite tight — I haven’t managed to compare that with anyone else, but I found it quite tight, which is good, because the conditions are so fast.
There are plenty of places you could have a frustrating issue, but I’m not sure how many fences there are where you say, ‘Wow, that’s a full five-star question,’ the kind you walk five times and still aren’t quite sure what you’re doing.”
Joseph Murphy – Calmaro (32.6) and Belline Fighting Spirit (39.2)
“I suppose I have a plan for the first horse [Belline Fighting Spirit], and then I’ll make a plan for the second one [Calmaro] — I think that’s how I’m going to see it tomorrow. The first horse is a little inexperienced, but he’s a big, bold jumper. He covers the ground well, and I think the course plays into his hands. But you never know — it’s big jumping early on, and if they go a bit shy or backwards, you might not have the horse you thought you had underneath you. That said, he could also take it on and give me a great feeling, so it really depends on how it plays out. I’m open-minded, and to be honest, I’m ready to perform.”
Max Warburton – Deepairc Revelry – 32.7
“I think it nearly walks nicer than Burghley, but I felt Burghley walked tough and rode very well. Eric’s a clever man. I’d say that’s going to ride tough enough tomorrow, but I think it’s all there to jump. You’ve just got to make it clear and keep kicking.”
Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Cealy Tetley.
Tim Price -Vitali (30.6) and Viscount Viktor (33.2)
“I think it’s very well presented. Everything seems in front of you, very obvious and clear. Looking forward to jumping some big fences.”
Kirsty Chabert – Classic VI – 33.7
“I had a brief whizz around the course yesterday… and I thought it had such a nicer feel than previous years. It’s more flowing, hopefully less intense for these horses. We don’t need to be pushing them into their extremities of bravery and endurance. We’ve all learned that a flowing course can actually cause just as many troubles.”
Harald Ambros – Vitorio du Montet – 34.9
“It’s a tough course, for sure—but this is Badminton. I think it’s a very fair course. The riders know what to do, and everything is clearly presented.”
Jerome Robine – Black Ice – 35.2
“Everything is just big—there’s not even one fence where you think, ‘they can just go over that.’ It’s always game on. You always have to be focused, and the horses have to be brave at nearly every jump. We already said—it’s kind of a different sport here. Nothing to do with the stuff we normally do.”
Jonelle Price – Grappa Nera – 35.3
“It’s big. You expect it to be big—perhaps lacking a little bit of technicality, I thought, in places. I think the first third is pretty busy. After that, I thought it was fairly in front of you. But it was only the first walk, and sometimes you have to walk around and try and find the difficulty from that point on.”
Grace Taylor – Game Changer – 35.4
“I’ve walked the course… and I think I’ll reserve judgment until after I’ve ridden it! I’ve got some little thoughts brewing in my head, but I’m keeping those to myself for now. You know—it’s Badminton.”
Sarah Ennis – Grantstown Jackson – 35.6
“Yeah, it’s all there. My first impression when I walked it was, ‘this looks nice,’ but I think Eric’s been very clever. He’s kept really tight lines—off trees, off turns—and I just think there’ll be so many silly 20s where you didn’t quite get the right turn or just met it wrong. Or it’s just not your day. But it looks amazing, as it always does. They always do a fabulous job, and that’s where Eric and his team are just phenomenal to listen to.
I’ll have time to watch a few tomorrow, but it’s not ideal waiting all day to go cross country. I hate that. I’d rather be out in the first ten and get it over with. You can only watch so many before you’re done. So yeah… not sure what I’m going to do—probably a lot of box walking. Or something.”
Aaron Millar and Friendship VDL (pictured here at Bramham. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Aaron Millar – Friendship VDL – 35.9
“You know, it’s a true five-star, and it’s very flowing. I like the fact that you walk it and you feel like you can really get the horses up on in the canter and keep them travelling. But, yeah, I’d never underestimate anything, even the last fence or the first ones. Nothing’s a given. I think there’ll be a few inside [the time]. The ground is very good. I’m on a relatively fast horse, and as long as he doesn’t get too strong — he went to Burghley, and the one thing I actually noticed [there as] he was coming out of main arena, down to the coffin [is] he does run a little bit away from the crowd, so I think for me, it’s just getting him settled and then really letting him travel.”
Samantha Cesnik – Graftango – 36.2
“Coming into the lake, giving her a minute to take it in… She’s been amazing at everything we’ve thrown at her, but it’s a pretty special atmosphere out there.”
Selena Milnes – Gelmer – 37.6
“I think Huntsman’s [Close], at the end of the course off that turn, is a lot to ask. I just think it just depends how tired they are. If they come up there quite tired, I might wing around the tree, but the plan is at the moment to go straight. I just wonder how much petrol we’ll have left.”
Tom Rowland – Quintilius – 37.6
“It’s more flowing this year… From the second fence, from that ditch table, all the way around—it’s big, big, big, big, big. And it’s a long way around. You’ve got the pupils up, Huntsman’s Close, and the Quarry.”
Laura Collett – Bling – 37.9
“I think it’s a brilliant track. For me, I was quite pleased that there aren’t too many twists and turns becase she doesn’t really like listening too much! But everything out there feels like a very fair question that the horses can understand and read. I actually think the time is going to be very, very tight, even though we’ve got good ground. They’ve done a fantastic job on it today; compared to yesterday, you can tell they’ve put in a lot of work over the last 24 hours. It’s spongy and amazing out there. Huge thanks to the team that’s been working so hard to get it right for us.”
Alice Casburn – Topspin – 37.9
“There’s certainly enough to do. It’s bold… This is your route. You either Pony Club kick and growl and get on with it, or you don’t. So yeah, there’s a lot to jump.”
David Doel – Galileo Nieuwmoed – 38.8
“There’s definitely plenty out there to jump—lots of combinations where you’ve got to pay a lot of attention and make sure you don’t miss your line. There are a lot of questions out there… Eric’s always very clever with his tracks. You walk them thinking, ‘Oh, this isn’t going to cause too many problems,’ and suddenly it causes carnage. So you’ve really got to keep your wits about you and stay switched on.”
Helen Bates – Carpe Diam – 40.2
“It’s a bit longer than last year, but I do think the course as a whole flows maybe a bit better. I think Eric’s been quite fair in letting us use corners to set up for some more difficult combinations. But yeah, I mean, every fence is going to take some riding, so [you] just definitely have to do a lot more of your walking and thinking about the game plan for tomorrow.”
Sam Watson (IRL) and Ballyneety Rocketman. Photo by Cealy Tetley
Sam Watson – Ballyneety Rocket Man – 40.5
“Yeah, well, Eric’s really clever. He gives us a lot to do — you don’t just roll down to the fences and jump them without changing gear. There’s preparation required, there’s a lot of balance required, and then you’ve just got to let the horse do their job. My job is that presentation to each fence, and I hope, again, he lets me communicate with him. There are a lot of distractions out there around Badminton. But in terms of stamina — galloping an 11-minute, 40 [second] track -—that’s all to his strengths. He loves that. He’s got the scope, he’s got the fitness, and he’s got the gallop. So hopefully, he does well.”
Daragh Byrne – Kilcannon Ramiro – 41.8
“It’s bold. Everything’s in front of you, but you have to go and jump it still. You know, it’s a long way around. Hopefully it’s not too warm. My plan is to just head out to get home and have a nice easy go around, hopefully. That’s the plan anyway.”
Tom Bird – Cowling Hot Gossip – 45.2
“I think it looks strong. It’s a five-star, you know, it’s a true five-star, but it looks jumpable. So I’m actually excited to get out there and give it a crack and try and pull ourselves back up a bit.”
Lauren Innes – Global Fision M – 48.6
“I mean, everything is there in front of you, but you can never underestimate Badminton, and it’s a long track. You just have to be on top of your game on that day. And hopefully we’ll be but, you know, you’ve just got to go out there and give it your best shot.”
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