Gemma Tattersall and Jesters Quest jump the Open Ditch during the cross-country phase of Badminton Horse Trials 2007
The Badminton Horse Trials is a five-day event, one of only seven annual Concours Complet International (CCI) Five Star events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI). It takes place in May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of the Duke of Beaufort in South Gloucestershire, England.
History[edit]
Badminton was first held in 1949 by the 10th Duke of Beaufort in order to let British riders train for international events, and was advertised as "the most important horse event in Britain". It was the second three-day event held in Britain, with the first being its inspiration – the 1948 Summer Olympics. The first Badminton had 22 horses from Britain and Ireland start, and was won by Golden Willow. Eight of the 22 starters failed to complete the cross-country course. Badminton was the home of the first European Championship in 1953, won by Major Laurence Rook on Starlight XV. In 1955, Badminton moved to Windsor Castle for a year, at the invitation of the Queen, in order to hold the second European Championships. Badminton was first televised in 1956.
In 1959, Badminton was held in two sections, called the Great and Little Badminton, due to the popularity of the event and the number of entries. The horses in the two sections jumped the same fences, but were separated into the two divisions based on their money winnings. This graded approach was abandoned after the 1965 event.[3]
In 1989, the current director and course-designer Hugh Thomas, who rode in the 1976 Montreal Olympics,[4] took over from Francis Weldon, a former winner,[5] who is credited with bringing the event to the pinnacle it is at today.
Badminton is held in the six-square-kilometre (1,500-acre) grounds of the Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire (UK)[6], where the car parks, tradestands, arena and cross-country courses are located.
Badminton has been cancelled on several occasions – in 1966, 1975, 1987, 2001, 2012, 2020 and 2021 the event was cancelled completely, and in 1963 it was downgraded to a one-day event due to bad weather. In 2001 it was cancelled due to foot and mouth disease,[7] in 2012 due to waterlogged ground,[8] and in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9][10]
In 2024, Badminton celebrated it 75th anniversary with many of the worlds best competitors competing for a record prize money of £117,600.[11] The event was won by New Zealand's Caroline Powell riding Greenacres Special Cavalier[12] which is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Chris Mann.[13]
Status[edit]
Together with the five-star rated Kentucky Three-Day Event and the Burghley Horse Trials, Badminton forms the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Only two people have ever won the Grand Slam; Pippa Funnell in 2003 and Michael Jung in 2015/16. Australian Andrew Hoy nearly took the title in 2007 but lost it when he had a pole down at Burghley.[14] The remaining CCI***** rated events are the Luhmühlen Horse Trials, the Australian International Three Day Event, the Stars of Pau and the Maryland Five Star at Fairhill.
The cross-country day at Badminton attracts crowds of up to a quarter of a million and is the second largest in the world for money made (after the Indianapolis 500).[15][16]
Winners[edit]
2011 winners Mark Todd and NZB Land Vision at the Quarry during the cross-country phasePaul Tapner and Inonothing, the winning combination at Badminton Horse Trials 2010, at The Lake during the cross-country phase
Year
Rider
Horse
Notes
1949
John Shedden (GBR)
Golden Willow
1950
Tony Collins (GBR)
Remus
1951
Hans Schwarzenbach (SUI)
Vae Victis
1952
Mark Darley (GBR)
Emily Little
1953
Laurence Rook (GBR)
Starlight
1954
Margaret Hough (GBR)
Bambi V
1955
Francis Weldon (GBR)
Kilbarry
Event held at Windsor
1956
Francis Weldon (GBR)
Kilbarry
1957
Sheila Wilcox (GBR)
High and Mighty
1958
Sheila Wilcox (GBR)
High and Mighty
1959
Sheila Wilcox-Waddington (GBR)
Airs and Graces
Little Badminton
1959
Shelagh Kesler (GBR)
Double Diamond
1960
Bill Roycroft (AUS)
Our Solo
1960
Martin Whiteley (GBR)
Peggoty
Little Badminton
1961
Laurie Morgan (AUS)
Salad Days
1961
Peter Welch (GBR)
Mr. Wilson
Little Badminton
1962
Anneli Drummond-Hay (GBR)
Merely-a-Monarch
1962
Penny Crofts (GBR)
Priam
Little Badminton
1963
No Major Event
Event downgraded due to weather
1964
James Templer (GBR)
M'Lord Connolly
1964
Sheila Waddington (GBR)
Glenamoy
Little Badminton
1965
Eddie Boylan (IRL)
Durlas Eile
1965
Martin Whiteley (GBR)
The Poacher
Little Badminton
1966
No Event
Cancelled due to weather
1967
Celia Ross-Taylor (GBR)
Jonathan
1968
Jane Bullen (GBR)
Our Nobby
1969
Richard Walker (GBR)
Pasha
1970
Richard Meade (GBR)
The Poacher
1971
Mark Phillips (GBR)
Great Ovation
1972
Mark Phillips (GBR)
Great Ovation
1973
Lucinda Prior-Palmer (GBR)
Be Fair
1974
Mark Phillips (GBR)
Great Ovation
1975
No Event
Cancelled due to weather
1976
Lucinda Prior-Palmer (GBR)
Wide Awake
1977
Lucinda Prior-Palmer
George
1978
Jane Holderness-Roddam (GBR)
Warrior
1979
Lucinda Prior-Palmer (GBR)
Killaire
1980
Mark Todd (NZL)
Southern Comfort III
1981
Mark Phillips (GBR)
Lincoln
1982
Richard Meade (GBR)
Speculator III
1983
Lucinda Green (GBR)
Regal Realm
1984
Lucinda Green (GBR)
Beagle Bay
1985
Ginny Holgate (GBR)
Priceless
1986
Ian Stark (GBR)
Sir Wattie
1987
No Event
Cancelled due to weather
1988
Ian Stark (GBR)
Sir Wattie
Also came second on Glenburnie
1989
Ginny Leng (GBR)
Master Craftsman
1990
Nicola McIrvine (GBR)
Middle Road
1991
Rodney Powell (GBR)
The Irishman II
1992
Mary Thomson (GBR)
King William
1993
Ginny Leng (GBR)
Welton Houdini
1994
Mark Todd (NZL)
Horton Point
1995
Bruce Davidson (USA)
Eagle Lion
1996
Mark Todd (NZL)
Bertie Blunt
1997
David O'Connor (USA)
Custom Made
1998
Chris Bartle (GBR)
Word Perfect II
1999
Ian Stark (GBR)
Jaybee
2000
Mary King (GBR)
Star Appeal
2001
No Event
Cancelled due to foot and mouth epidemic
2002
Pippa Funnell
Supreme Rock
2003
Pippa Funnell (GBR)
Supreme Rock
Won as the second leg of winning the Grand Slam of Eventing
2004
William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
Tamarillo
2005
Pippa Funnell (GBR)
Primmore's Pride
2006
Andrew Hoy (AUS)
Moonfleet
2007
Lucinda Fredericks (AUS)
Headley Britannia
2008
Nicolas Touzaint (FRA)
Hildago de L'Ile
2009
Oliver Townend (GBR)
Flint Curtis
2010
Paul Tapner (AUS)
Inonothing
2011
Mark Todd (NZL)
NZB Land Vision
2012
No Event
Cancelled due to weather
2013
Jonathan Paget (NZL)
Clifton Promise
2014
Sam Griffiths (AUS)
Paulank Brockagh
2015
William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
Chilli Morning
2016
Michael Jung (GER)
La Biosthetique-Sam
Won as the final leg of winning the Grand Slam of Eventing
2017
Andrew Nicholson (NZL)
Nereo
2018
Jonelle Price (NZL)
Classic Moet
2019
Piggy French (GBR)
Vanir Kamira
First year of CCI5* designation
2020
No Event
Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021
No Event
Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022
Laura Collett (GBR)
London 52
2023
Rosalind Canter (GBR)
Lordships Graffalo
2024
Caroline Powell (NZL)
Greenacres Special Cavalier
Casualties and incidents[edit]
1976
Wideawake ridden by Lucinda Green died of a heart attack on his victory lap.[17]
1992
Face The Music ridden by Mark Todd (NZL) broke his leg in a fall and was subsequently put down.[18]
Briarlands Pippin ridden by William Fox-Pitt (GB) broke his back after a fall and had to be euthanized.[19]
Mr. Maxwell ridden by Karen Lende (USA) was badly injured at obstacle 12 and had to be put down.[20] Mr. Maxwell had been crowned "Horse Of The Year" in 1991 by USEA (United States Eventing Association).[21]
1998
Last Of The Incas ridden by Erica Watson (GB) collapsed at the second-to-last obstacle and died of a suspected heart attack or massive internal bleeding. Last Of The Incas had won the "Best Mare"-prize at Badminton the year before.[22]
2003[edit]
Anna Hassö (SWE) broke her pelvis[23] and was airlifted to hospital after her mount Son of a Bitch fell on top of her into the water.[24]
2007
Skwal ridden by Andrew Downes died of a suspected heart attack in the finishing ring [25]
Icare d’Auzay ridden by Jean-Lou Bigot died after a fence flag marker pole pierced an artery.[25]
2008[edit]
Two horses fell during the cross-country portion of the event. Moonfleet, ridden by Andrew Hoy (AUS) and Muschamp Impala, ridden by Ruth Edge (GBR).[26]
Rider Dee Kennedy (GBR) was hospitalized for several days after falling from Big El during the cross-country portion of the event.[27]
2010
Desert Island ridden by Louisa Lockwood, euthanised after breaking a fetlock.[28]
2011[edit]
Only seven out of 76 starters crossed the finish line without penalties on cross country, 11 riders fell.[29] Louise Skelton (GBR) and her mount Partly Pickled fell at fence 16, the Sunken Road. Afterwards, Elizabeth Power (IRL) was hospitalized after she fell at the same fence from her mount Kilpatrick River and was knocked unconcious.[30] Power was airlifted to Bristol's Frenchay Hospital.[31]
Oliver Townend (GBR) and his mount Ashdale Cruise Master both fell at fence 27.[32]
Ingrid Klimke (GER) was hospitalized when she fell off of Butts Abraxxas at fence 24.[33]
Mandiba ridden by Karen O'Connor (USA) broke six ribs when he fell off the Outlander Bank during the cross country phase of the event.[34][35]
Jrina Giesswein (SUI) received a FEI Yellow Warning Card for Dangerous riding - Continuing after three clear refusals, a fall, or any form of elimination (Eventing Rules Art. 525) and Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch (CAN) received a Yellow Warning Card for Dangerous riding - Not following the instructions of the Officials (Eventing Rules Art. 525) during the CCI4* event.[36]
2013[edit]
Manuel Grave (POR) received a Yellow Warning Card for Dangerous riding - Pressing a tired Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 525) during the CCI4*.[37]
2016[edit]
Alice Dunsdon (GBR) received a Yellow Warning Card for Dangerous riding - Continuing after three clear refusals, a fall, or any form of elimination (Eventing Rules Art. 525) during the CCI4*.[37]
2017[edit]
Shanghai Joe ridden by Shane Rose (AUS_ was euthanized after fracturing his shoulder. The horse fell during the cross country portion of the event, got up and galloped back to the stabling area, where he slipped and fell once more.[38]
Rider Emily Gilruth (UK) suffered a traumatic brain injury during a fall from her horse Topwood Beau during cross country.[39]
Elisa Wallace (USA) received a Yellow Warning Card for Abuse of Horse - Riding an exhausted Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 526) during the CCI4*.[36]
2018
Redpath Ransom ridden by Alexander Bragg, euthanised after suffering a major injury to a suspensory ligament during cross country, unrelated to a jump.[40]
2022[edit]
Rider Nicola Wilson (UK) suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury when she fell from JL Dublin during the cross country phase of the event. Initially paralyzed from the neck down, she spent four and a half months in hospital before returning home.[41]
Several riders were cited by the FEI for poor behavior at the CCI5*.
Mollie Summerland (GBR) received a FEI Yellow Warning Card for Abuse of Horse - Excessive use of whip, bit and/or spurs (Eventing Rules Art. 526).[37]
Maxime Livio (FRA) received a FEI Yellow Warning Card for Incorrect Behaviour (GRs Art. 164.3) as well as an Eventing Reorded Warning for Dangerous riding - Pressing a tired Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 525).[37]
2023[edit]
WSF Carthago ridden by Fiona Kashel was euthanized after sustaining an injury incurred while falling on the cross country course.[42][43]
Oliver Townend (GBR) received a recorded warning for dangerous riding on Swallow Springs, after they clipped a fence and were asked to pull up by the ground jury and were eliminated.[44]
2024[edit]
Florian Ganneval (FRA) received a Eventing Recorded Warning for dangerous riding - Series of dangerous jumps against Eventing Rules Art. 525.[36]
Criticism[edit]
In 2007, after a long period without rain, the ground was considered to be too hard, resulting in 22 withdrawals.[45]