The dust settled on the 2025 eventing season in Britain a couple of months ago and we’ve now had time to reflect on the ups and downs, from medals to new events, from falls to favourites’ failure.
Read on for my top moments, events and horses to celebrate from this year in eventing, plus one shock I certainly didn’t anticipate…
Highlights from the 2025 eventing season
1. Ros Canter’s Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials double on Lordships Graffalo
This was a huge moment. He is the fourth horse to win both British five-stars in the same year – following in the footsteps of Lucinda Green’s George (1977) and Ginny Elliot’s Priceless (1985) and Master Craftsman (1989) – but the first to win both events twice.
That Ros was publicly and visibly pregnant at Burghley put an extra twist in the tale and I felt it was a hugely brave performance from a rider with total trust in a very talented horse and their rock solid partnership.
2. New international fixture added to the calendar
Scone Palace stepped into the gap left by the loss of Blair Castle Horse Trials – a special event I was lucky enough to ride at twice, as well as reporting several times – with aplomb, successfully hosting six international classes as well the Scottish grassroots finals, with 27,500 spectators attending. Scone Palace Horse Trials is confirmed until 2031, giving the team scope to build on this year’s success.
Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time win Bramham 2025.
3. Bubby Upton wins at Bramham
I witnessed Bubby Upton’s Bramham Horse Trials win with Its Cooley Time in person and for all that she has become a standing dish in the prize-giving of five-stars over the past few years, for her to achieve a CCI4*-L win felt like a milestone.
At 26, Bubby was the youngest winner of this class in 25 years, showing just how hard it is to break into the top ranks of Britain’s hugely competitive top-level eventing scene.
4. Under-21 teams have great success
Britain’s under-21 teams consistently give us a reason to shout about their success and this year was no different. Tina Cook’s daughter Izzy led the young riders to team bronze on Mexican Law, Ella Howard and Marchwood scooped the individual gold at junior level and Annabel Ridgway claimed pony individual bronze and spearheaded the team silver with Akim De L’Arquerie.
5. Laura Collett is European champion
Laura Collett’s individual gold at the Blenheim European Championships was the culmination of a lifetime’s work. A much-medalled under-21 rider, she’s been consistently successful since moving into senior ranks but this was her first senior title, after five previous championships on London 52 and coming so close in Paris last year, so it meant a huge amount to her and all her team.
Laura had a big year across the board, with 25 wins, more than any other rider on the British eventing circuit.
6. Halo!
We’ve loved watching this sparkly white (yes, yes, of course he’s grey officially, but that just sounds dirty compared to how dazzling he is in real life) stallion this year and with rider Piggy March, he’s won two CCI4*-Ss, at Burgham and Belsay, the latter an event which was also a highlight of this year as the venue took on a four-star for the first time. It didn’t quite work out for Piggy and Halo at the Europeans – they were having a peach of a round when Halo suddenly decided he had wings and took off a stride out from the corner in water – but we look forward to seeing more of them next year.
Monica Spencer shows her delight after her dressage at Maryland 5 Star. Credit: Amy Dragoo
7. Thoroughbreds in the limelight
Artist’s lead after both the first two phases at Maryland 5 Star under Monica Spencer and their subsequent second place finish, to Felix Vogg and Cartania, caught the attention of eventing fans and was a marker for the continuing importance of thoroughbreds in eventing.
The 20-year-old thoroughbred Willingapark Clifford, by Passing Shot, also won his fourth Adelaide CCI5* title in May under Hazel Shannon. The last thoroughbred winner of a five-star other than Adelaide was another New Zealand-bred – Clifton Promise, by Engagement, who was ridden to a Badminton win by New Zealand’s Jock Paget in 2013.
8. A breakout star
Katie Magee has been the breakout British star of this year, finishing 11th at her first Badminton, 20th at her first Burghley and winning the British open on Treworra. Katie celebrated her 43rd birthday in January this year, giving hope to everyone who wasn’t a big winner as a teenager that success can come later in life.
9. Harry Meade as world number one
Harry becoming world number one during the 2025 eventing season was another boon for Britain – he’s now in his seventh consecutive month in the top rank and the position is a rich and fitting reward for Harry’s incredible consistency as a five-star rider and his stand-out cross-country performances at that level.
10. Michael Jung takes fifth win at Kentucky
Michael’s second win at Kentucky Three-Day Event on FischerChipmunk was an apt addition to the 17-year-old horse’s CV and he won in commanding fashion, extending his 7.4-penalty dressage lead to 7.8 marks by the prize-giving.
The pair went on to take individual silver to Laura and London 52 at the Europeans, in a repeat showdown of Paris 2024, but one that went the British pair’s way this time.
11. JL Dublin joins elite club
Finally, a mention for JL Dublin, who joined the elite group of horses who have won individual medals for two riders when he added European bronze with Tom McEwen to the double gold he won under Nicola Wilson at the 2021 Europeans.
And the moment we didn’t see coming…
The big shock of the 2025 eventing season was the collapse of the British team at the European Championships. The Brits started as clear favourites but falls for the first two team members out across country, Yasmin Ingham on Rehy DJ and Piggy March on Halo, wiped out the team’s chances. To add insult to injury, Britain’s two individual riders, Bubby Upton on Its Cooley Time and Caroline Harris on D Day, both also fell.
What were your favourite moments in the 2025 eventing season? Write to hhletters@futurenet.com for a chance to be published in Horse & Hound – please include your full address (town and county will be published).
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You may also be interested in:
Meet new world number one Harry Meade’s top horses, from the surprise five-star performer to the sensitive worrier
‘This tops everything’: glorious gold for Laura Collett and London 52 at Blenheim European Championships
Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo win Burghley: ‘The overriding emotion is relief – every time I ride Walter the pressure builds’
‘I’ve seen legends win this – and I’m very proud of the horse he’s become’: Bubby Upton wins Bramham
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