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Badminton winner to take record prize money – and more for the grassroots champions too

Lucy Elder Lucy Elder

    • The Mars Badminton Horse Trials (6-10 May) winner will take home £125,000 this year – the biggest first prize in eventing.

    The overall 2026 prize pot for the top 20 finishers at Badminton Horse Trials has risen to £451,500, an increase of £48,300. In 2025, the overall fund was £403,200, which included £117,600 to the winner.

    “We are delighted to have been able to raise the prize money levels for what promises to be another excellent and thrilling competition,” said Badminton director Jane Tuckwell.

    “Last year was of such a high standard so we are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back for what promises to be another great weekend of sport. Perhaps we will even see the future world champion in action!”

    Defending champion Ros Canter, who scooped the 2025 crown with Lordships Graffalo – with whom she also landed the 2023 title – said the increase is “fantastic news”.

    “Badminton is the horse trials that everyone in the world has heard of and is the one we all desperately want to win. I can’t wait to come back and try again,” she said.

    Prize money for the British Eventing (BE) LeMieux Grassroots Championships (6 May) is also increasing in 2026 – £750 to the BE100 winner and £700 to the BE90 victor, up from £600 for first place in both classes last year.

    Badminton Horse Trials tickets are also now on sale, with an early booking discount. As in previous years, there will be no tickets available on the gate.

    The event’s 2026 chosen charity has also been revealed as Ebony Horse Club.

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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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