Emily King started her Badminton dressage test with a bang with two eights and a nine for entry and Valmy demonstrated great activity and impulsion throughout his trot.
He very nearly jogged at the end of the walk and the marks also dropped down in the first flying change, which did not sit perfectly in the canter rhythm.
Badminton final scores
“He always goes a little bit anxious with the crowds in there, so it’s a balance of keeping him relaxed but still showing him off enough,” said Emily.
“In the past I’ve gone in really showing him off, then had some bigger mistakes and gone a bit underpowered, and then had on average, a lower score.
“So I was trying to get that balance with him. But today he did feel really good. He always finds his walk hard. He just wants to just get in gallop and I say, ‘You can in a minute, but you’ve just got to walk little bit longer’, but generally, I’m really pleased.”
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“Sammy always comes to the big ones and helps me with everything, but especially the cross-country, so he’s got his work cut out, because he has to train me and then do his own thing – I’m like, ‘Sam, I take priority, don’t listen to anyone else!’” joked Emily.
She added that their horses are very different, which has to be taken into account when planning the cross-country: “His horse is huge, but has got a quite a small, very quick stride. Mine is small, but has got a massive but slower stride. So ‘Valmy’ rides much bigger than ‘Patrick’, but he’ll get the feel for the lines as he is out early and then we’ll just have to adjust the specifics of the ride for my horse.”
“It hasn’t been the the smoothest start to the year – I’ve had a few little hiccups along the way, but I’m feeling good, feeling strong and I’m healed up. It shouldn’t hold me back tomorrow,” she said.
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.
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
