The unveiling of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course each year is one of the highlights of the eventing calendar. Will there be plenty of big ditches for 2026? Or a focus on corners, skinnies and angles?
We sent double Badminton Horse Trials winner and 14-time five-star winner William Fox-Pitt to Badminton to preview this year’s track, for the event running 6-10 May 2026, and you can read all his thoughts in the current issue of Horse & Hound magazine (dated 30 April). Meanwhile, we’re bringing you some pictures of William at Badminton and some of the key fences here…
Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course in pictures
Fence 4ab, the HorseQuest Quarry, is the first combination on course. Riders jump an upright wall, followed by a left-handed turn and out over another wall.
The double of gates at the Ebony Horse Club complex (fence 5ab) will be taken on one stride.
William Fox-Pitt walks the line between the two bucket brushes at fence 6ab, the Equidry Huntsman’s Close.
Fence eight, the Beaufort Owl Hole, is the first time horses get their feet wet on this year’s Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course.
William exits the Mars Lake after walking the route through fence 9ab.
The British Eventing Broken Bridge (fence 13) is always a favourite with photographers.
Course-designer Eric Winter watches as William susses out the line through the KBIS Slalom at fences 14ab and 15.
The Vicarage Oxer (fence 16) is the first time horses cross the Vicarage Ditch – but certainly not the last!
Even William Fox-Pitt looks quite small behind the imposing Joules T Bar Log (fence 17)!
William points out the route over the corner in the Spillers Sustainability Bay water (fence 20abcd).
The terrain is part of the question at the Ineos Sunken Road (fence 21ab).
Competitors jump a ditch before a single stride up a bank to this slightly angled rail at Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard at fence 22ab.
William on the landing side of the Holland Cooper Vicarage Vee (fence 25ab), which is always a rider frightener.
The Rathbones Curve (fence 28ab), two brush corners, is one of the final questions on course.
William chats to course-designer Eric Winter.
Read William’s full thoughts on every fence on the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course in the Badminton preview issue of Horse & Hound (dated 30 April).
How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials
To watch every phase of Badminton Horse Trials live or via catch up, including the trot-ups, from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world, you need a 2026 Badminton TV Pass. Badminton TV is once again powered by ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £22.99. Go to badminton-horse.tv to sign up. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. Also check out the Badminton app, which provides free live results and much more this year. Sign up for Badminton Plus membership for £4.99 to access the live Radio Badminton broadcast and receive exclusive offers from on-site exhibitors. Search for Badminton Horse Trials in your app store.
Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound
To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 28-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 14 May.
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