Badminton Horse Trials
Annual equestrian event in England
| Badminton Horse Trials | |
|---|---|
| Begins | 8 May 2024 |
| Ends | 12 May 2024[1] |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Badminton Park |
| Years active | 75 |
| Inaugurated | 1949 |
| Attendance | 180,000[2] |
| Organised by | Jane Tuckwell |
| Website | http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/ |
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
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) Badminton Park, 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,[6] in 2012 due to waterlogged ground,[7] and in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9]
Status
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.[10] 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).[11][12]
Winners
| 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 |
Casualties
1976
- Wideawake ridden by Lucinda Green died of a heart attack on his victory lap.[13]
2010
2007
- Skwal ridden by Andrew Downes died of a suspected heart attack in the finishing ring [15]
- Icare d’Auzay ridden by Jean-Lou Bigot died after a fence flag marker pole pierced an artery.[15]
2018
- Redpath Ransom ridden by Alexander Bragg, euthanised after suffering a major injury to a suspensory ligament during cross country, unrelated to a jump.[16]
Criticism
In 2007, after a long period without rain, the ground was considered to be too hard, resulting in 22 withdrawals.[17]
References
- ^ "Badminton Horse Trials 8th – 12th May". Badminton Estate. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Visitor Information". Badminton Horse Trials. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ History Archived 6 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine History of Badminton
- ^ 1976 Olympics 1976 Olympics
- ^ Wheldon Winner Archived 24 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine Previous Winners
- ^ Dates of Cancellations Archived 24 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine Cancellation Dates
- ^ "Potters Bar held to a goalless draw at Leyton – News – Exmouth Journal". Archived from the original on 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Cancellation Statement". Badminton Horse Trials. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ "Badminton Horse Trials: Covid-19 restrictions force 2021 event to be cancelled". BBC Sport. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ FEI Eventing Page FEI Eventing Page.
- ^ Visitor Numbers Badminton Visitor Numbers
- ^ Daily Telegraph
- ^ "MovieTone : Search Results View".
- ^ Horsetalk – Horse killed on Badminton cross-country, 3 May 2010
- ^ a b Horsetalk – Fredericks retains Badminton lead after cross-country, 6 May 2009
- ^ "Redpath Ransom Euthanized at Badminton Horse Trials – Eventing Nation – Three-Day Eventing News, Results, Videos, and Commentary". Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ^ The Times – Phillips puts the welfare of her horse first and withdraws, 5 May 2007
External links
- Badminton Horse Trials website
