‘One of those things’: five-star winner ruled out of Kentucky and Badminton

Becky Murray's avatar
By
Published In News
Burghley Horse Trials cross-country Austin O’Connor
Austin O'Connor riding Colorado Blue during the cross-country at the 2025 Defender Burghley Horse Trials.
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue will not contest a spring five-star, following a “setback in training”.

The 2023 Maryland 5 Star winners were entered for both Mars Badminton Horse Trials (6-10 May) and Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (23-26 April) and were expected to compete at the latter. After withdrawing from Badminton yesterday (8 April), they have now also withdrawn from Kentucky.

Becky Murray
Becky Murray
Senior news writer

Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.