Three British gold medallists, a Badminton winner and 14 other superstars starting their eventing season
Top horses have been out in force the past couple of weekends — check out these superstars getting an early season run…
Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh, winners of Badminton 2014, enjoy a run round the open intermediate at Tweseldown. The mare belongs to Dinah and Stephen Posford and Jules Carter.
.
Imogen Murray and her consistent top-level campaigner Ivar Gooden — owned by Aivar Ward and the MS Team — take third in an open intermediate at Oasby on their dressage score.
Georgie Spence and her top horse Wii Limbo, who belongs to Russell Spence, Suzanne Doggett, Lucy Fleming and Samantha Wilson, at Tweseldown. The pair were in the top 25 at Badminton and Burghley last year.
Bill Levett and Elisabeth Murdoch’s Lassban Diamond Lift, who represented Australia at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Tryon last year, take a spin round Oasby.
A run at Tweseldown for the syndicate-owned Oratorio II and William Fox-Pitt, who were second in the CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Blenheim last season.
An exciting return to competition for James and Jo Lambert’s Bulana, who has been away from the fray since Barbury last year. She and Nicola Wilson were team gold and individual bronze medallists for Britain at the 2017 European Championships.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Harry Meade pilots Charlotte Opperman’s Away Cruising round Tweseldown. This pair were sixth at Burghley last year and long-listed for the British WEG squad.
Richard Jones and Alfies Clover, also stars at Burghley last year with seventh place, start their season at Oasby. Alfies Clover is owned by his rider, Dinah Saunders and Sandra Martin.
Flora Harris with her mother Caroline and Susan Nicholls’s Amazing VIII at Tweseldown. This pair were second in the CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Blair 2014 before the mare suffered an injury at Badminton 2015. She returned last year with strong three-star placings.
Oliver Townend gives Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class, last year’s Kentucky winner, a quiet run round Oasby.
Becky Woolven and the popular Charlton Down Riverdance, owned by his rider and Julie Record, fly a fence at Tweseldown. This pair made an impressive debut at Burghley in 2016, finishing 17th.
Nothing like an old favourite — 19-year-old King Eider, who has completed seven four-stars (now five-stars), has fun at Oasby with Louisa Milne Home.
European team gold medallist Billy The Red, owned by Elisabeth Murdoch, stretches his legs round Tweseldown with Tina Cook.
Warren Lamperd and Silvia, who have completed Burghley three times together, at Tweseldown.
Tom Crisp and the syndicate-owned Coolys Luxury pop round Tweseldown. This pair have been in the top 25 at Burghley four times.
Pictures by Peter Nixon
Full reports from Tweseldown and Oasby in this week’s Horse & Hound (dated 14 March).
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
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.