If you’re lucky enough to be heading to Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, this week (4–8 May 2023), and perhaps haven’t visited before or you would just like reminding what’s on offer for you, here is our complete guide on what you really need to check out while you’re there.
Walk the cross-country course
Make sure that, no matter which day you’re visiting Badminton, you take a walk around the iconic five-star cross-country course – until you’ve seen those fences in person, you don’t really get a true taste for how enormous they are! Just make sure you stand behind the roped off areas of the course and don’t walk up to the fences as the Badminton work very hard to ensure the best ground for the five-star competitors. Alternatively, you can join a pre-organised cross-country course walk, where a range of experts can explain to you fence-by-fence how each obstacle should be ridden, and can provide fascinating insight.
Check out the Voltaire Design Grassroots Championship
The BE90 and BE100 championships will take place on the Wednesday and Thursday of Badminton and features some of the best grassroots horses and riders in the country. You can see their cross-country action around the Badminton parkland on the Thursday.
Visit at least one of the 500+ tradestands
Well, it would be rude not to, wouldn’t it? Badminton’s vast shopping village is one of the many highlights of the event each year, attracting a huge collection of many well-known brands. From equestrian fashion and lifestyle brands, there is plenty to choose from. The opening hours of the shopping village are as follows:
Thursday and Friday: 9am–6pm
Saturday: 8am–6pm
Sunday: 9am–6pm
Monday: 9am–5pm
Oh, and don’t forget to have a walk around the food stalls too
There will be a selection of food-based tradestands for you to wander around, from delicious smoked fish to a range of wines, there is something for everyone.
Watch potential stars of the future in the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse class
On the Thursday the event, the Dubarry Young Event Horse classes will take place on The Slaits, which can be found across the road from the Park Piece car park. This is a wonderful opportunity to see some potential eventing stars of the future in both the four- and five-year-old classes. This acts as a qualifier for the final, which will happen at Burghley in September
Watch an Olympic dressage rider in action
On Friday lunchtime at 12.30pm Hayley Watson-Greaves and her wonderful horse Rubins Nite will perform a dressage to music freestyle in the main arena. Hayley will also be talking through various dressage movements and sharing her knowledge with the help of demo rider Sarah Stewart.
Peruse a range of stallions standing in the UK at the moment
There will be a stallion display on Friday evening in the main arena following the conclusion of the dressage, where some of the best of British sport horse breeding will be on show. Twelve stallions will parade and will include Just Chillin, who is by William Fox-Pitt’s former Badminton winner Chilli Morning, Leprince Des Bois, who competed at eight five-star events, including Badminton, under Kai Ruder, plus Headleys Deluxe, Glencarrig Dolphin, Diamant De Heraldik, Catherston Oakley and more.
Have a go at some dog agility
Located by the main arena next to the collecting ring, bring your dog to Badminton and have a go at dog agility – just make sure that if you do bring your dog, you don’t leave it in your car at all and that when you are walking around the site, it is on a short lead at all times.
The Shetland Pony Grand National
This brilliant spectacle will take place on the Sunday of Badminton at 10.30am in the main arena, prior to the cross-country action getting underway. Make sure you give them all a good cheer!
Give the Duke of Beaufort Hunt’s hounds a holla
At 4.30pm on the Monday of Badminton, just after the winner has been decided, the Duke of Beaufort hounds, whose kennels are within the Badminton Estate, will parade in the main arena. They are sure to be a sight to behold and always worth raising the metaphorical roof for.
The Isuzu Off-road Challenge
Test drive horse power of a different kind and try the Isuzu off-road challenge. Head north-west of the collecting ring and test your driving skills in this unique and challenging off road course.
How to watch Badminton Horse Trials
If you are interested in watching Badminton Horse Trials live from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, then you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. To sign up, visit watch.badminton-horse.tv – click the “Sign Up” link in the top right corner of your screen, then follow the instructions. An annual subscription to Badminton TV costs £19.99 and gives you 365 days of access to all of the content in the Badminton TV library, the ability to watch the action live, and the option to replay all of this year’s action later.
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Subscribe to Horse & Hound this spring for great savings
Keep up to date with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in Horse & Hound magazine (on sale 11 May).
