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Fancy a peek at this year’s Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course? Of course you do!

Lucy Elder Lucy Elder

    • The Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course is dressed and ready for Saturday (9 May).

    This year’s track, designed by Eric Winter, features 32 numbered fences, including iconic Badminton questions such as Equidry Hunstmans Close and the Holland Cooper Vicarage Vee.

    Fancy taking a look?

    Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course 2026

    Fence 1: Pedigree Starter

    Fence 2: Wiltshire Brewers Drays

    Fence 3: Manor House Mound

    Fence 4ab: Horsequest Quarry

    The direct route is over this wall (4a) and into the hollow, followed by the wall on the left in the background

    An overview of the quarry from the landing side (below). The direct route is in over the wall on the left-hand side of the picture, and out over the wall on the right-hand side. The wall in the middle is an alternative 4b.

    Fence 5ab: Ebony Horse Club Gates

    Fence 6ab: Equidry Huntsman’s Close

    The alternative at 6a (bel0w)

    Fence 7ab: Clipmyhorse Cord Piles

    A choice between one big log pile, or two slightly smaller fences

    Fence 8: Beaufort Owl Hole

    Fence 9ab & 10ab: Mars Lake

    The direct route is over the fish (9a) to an arrowhead in the water (9b) and out onto dry land. Competitors then turn back on themselves to an arrowhead (10a), followed by a final element in the water.

    Alternative fence at 9b (below)

    Alternative fence at 10a (below)

    Fence 11: World Horse Welfare Waterfall

    Fence 12: Project Pony Puzzle

    Fence 13: British Eventing Broken Bridge

    Fence 14ab & 15: KBIS Slalom

    Fence 16: Vicarage Oxer

    Fence 17: Joules T Bar Log

    Fence 18ab: Lemieux Village

    The direct route is up the step and a bounce to a choice deformable houses

    Alternative fences at 18a and 18b

    Fence 19ab: Antech Trakehner

    Fence 20abcd: Spillers Sustainability Bay

    Direct route, pictured below

    Alternate route

    Fence 21ab: Ineos Sunken Road

    Fence 22ab: Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard

    Alternative option at 22b

    Fence 23 & 24: Luckington Lane Corners

    The direct route is to jump the ditch and corner in one

    The alternative (pictured, below) is to jump the ditch, followed by a separate corner

    Fence 25ab: Holland Cooper Vicarage Vee

    The direct route is to jump the ditch and rails in one

    The alternative is to jump the ditch, followed by a house

    Fence 26abc: Mayston Equestrian Hollow

    Alternatives at 26b & 26c

    Fence 27: Spillers Stables

    Fence 28ab: Rathbones Curve

    The corners feature decorative carved horses

    Fence 29: Countryside Parallel

    Fence 30abc: Savills Keepers Rails

    Competitors jump a big parallel, followed by a choice of either a second big parallel or two uprights

    Fence 31: Worcester Roll Top

    Fence 32: Mars M

    How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials

    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.

    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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    Lucy Elder
    Lucy Elder

    H&H senior news writer
    Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
    Lucy Elder

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