Gemma Stevens reports that Chilli Knight is “home and very happy” after she pulled him up on the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country yesterday (9 May).
“He absolutely wrenched his shoe off, which made him sore – we are pretty sure it’s just that which is a huge, huge relief,” Gemma told H&H.
Gemma Stevens: “Ride of my life” on Badminton cross-country
Gemma Stevens was having a great round on the Badminton cross-country until shortly before she pulled up “Alfie” at the Holland Cooper Vicarage Vee (fence 25ab)
Gemma said: “He was giving me the ride of my life – it’s like he grows wings at five-star. We are all absolutely gutted and would like to have a bit of luck sprinkled over us for next time! He deserves a good result at Badminton. Maybe things do come in threes… We’ve had our three so maybe next time.”
Gemma and the Stones’ Chilli Knight, who won the one-off Bicton Horse Trials five-star in 2021, would have won Badminton in 2024 but for a flag penalty which left them 14th and looked poised for a podium finish last year when they had 20 penalties in the showjumping, finishing 15th.
British first-timers report on their horses
Tom Strawson retired after the KBIS Slalom (fences 14ab and 15) with his own Public Address. He told H&H the horse tied up and lost both front shoes and is receiving fluids to help his recovery.
Fellow British first-timer Sam Ecroyd pulled up the Irlams’ Boleybawn Lecrae at fence 27, the Spillers Stables table.
Sam said: “I felt him not quite right – I just could feel in his gallop he wasn’t quite galloping as normal, so I backed off him from about halfway round. I was thinking I’ll just feel him out, see how he goes along and he was jumping a bit stickier and stickier, which is unlike him, so I pulled him up. He’s OK, he’s happy and he’s healthy but he has an injury.”
More from non-finishers
US first-timer Cassie Sanger and her own Redfield Fyre took a fall in the Spillers Sustainability Bay (fence 20abcd).
“Sadly it wasn’t meant to be today for ‘Yogi’ and me. We both took a tumble, but most importantly we both walked away and made it safely back to the barn,” said Cassie last night.
“He’s currently happy, healthy, and eating dinner. Not an easy one, but we will pick ourselves up and live to fight another day. I will always be proud of him.
“Thank you to our team and [groom] Meigs Rutherford for looking after us.”
Lithuanian rider Aistis Vitkauskas said his strategy was to go straight and fast to gain some positions after a poor dressage.
“But after having a mistake at number 15, I decided not to go further and spare Commander VG for better runs,” he said.
US rider Grace Taylor pulled up her mother Ann’s Game Changer after a run-out at the rail out of Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard (fence 22ab).
“It wasn’t quite our day today. ‘Sydney’ was running exceptionally well and I felt we were so close to that clear and inside the time we have been working so hard towards. We will keep dreaming of that top-10 finish and will regroup and make a plan with our fantastic team,” she said, thanking everyone for their support.
New Zealand’s Caroline Powell reported that both her horses were “on the way home safe and sound” last night.
She fell with High Time (owned by Ruth Armstrong, Serena Greenwell, Jo West, Tom Craig, Annabel Jenks and his rider) at the Rathbones Curve and retired the Manns’ and her own Greenacres Special Cavalier after a stop at the LeMieux Village (fence 18ab) – and, in a light-hearted moment, got an ice cream on her way home.
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To watch 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.
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You may also be interested in:
Top-10 contender among two horses withdrawn ahead of Sunday’s final trot-up at Badminton
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How to watch Badminton Horse Trials live from anywhere in the world
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