The track is designed by Eric Winter and featured 32 numbered fences, including iconic Badminton questions and fresh obstacles for this year’s competitors.
Take a peek at the course below…
Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course 2025
Fence 1: Spillers Starter
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Fence 2: Bloomfields Horseboxes Keeper’s Table
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Fence 3: Tortworth Court Brush
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Fence 4abc: Savills Staircase
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Competitors will pass through this archway, before popping down the staircase and over a fence at the bottom.
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An overview of this question from the landing side. The direct route is down the steps and over the hay cart at the bottom.
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The direct route (hay cart) and the alternative “c” element at the bottom of the steps
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Fence 5: Countryside Alliance Parallel
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Fence 6 & 7: Agria Corners
Two big corners, each with a greenery “roof”. These are on a related distance. The bottom image shows the carved horse’s head in more detail.
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Fence 8: World Horse Welfare Waterfall
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Fence 9 & 10abc: Mars Lake
The direct route here is over a big roll-top (fence 9), followed by one punchy stride to a second roll-top (fence 10a) with a drop into water on landing. From here, there are four strides to an arrowhead in the water (fence 10b), then another four strides up a bank to another arrowhead (fence 10c).
The Mars Lake at fence 9 & 10abc.
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The alternative route at the Mars Lake takes competitors over a roll-top on dry land (alternative fence 9), before sweeping around the edge of the lake to another roll-top (alternative 10a), then down a slope into the water and over an arrowhead brush (alternative 10b), followed by a left-handed curve out of the water and over another arrowhead on dry land (alternative 10c).
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Fence 11ab: Guide Dogs Cord Pile
One large log pile (pictured, right), or two slightly smaller log piles (pictured, left)
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A close-up of the larger log pile.
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Fence 12ab: Ineos Grenadier Sunken Road
The direct route is over the rails, followed by the dip and then out over the far set of rails
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The alternative 12a and 12b (pictured, below) avoid jumping into the hollow
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Fence 13: Strides Copse Rails
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Fence 14ab: Mars Equestrian Sustainability Bay
Competitors can choose whether to take the right or left side of this hedge. The element in the water (14b) can be jumped from either direction.
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Fence 15abcd: KBIS Chasm
The final element on the direct route is labeled 15cd (the tree stump covers the letter d in the image below)
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A side-on angle, to show the size of the ditch
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Another angle, to show the final element on the direct route
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There is an alternative, comprising separately numbered “c” and “d” elements (pictured, below)
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Fence 16: Lime Tree Tables
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Fence 17 & 18: Holland Cooper Corners
The ditch and the corner are numbered separately at this fence. The direct route over the ditch (fence 17) and this big corner (fence 18) in one jumping effort.
The ditch and corner are numbered separately, but the direct route is to jump them together in one jumping effort.
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There is an alternative, whereby competitors can jump the ditch (fence 17) slightly further to the left, and then jump an alternative corner (alternative corner pictured, below)
The alternative corner at this fence.
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Fence 19abc: Lemieux Eyelash Brushes
An angled brush (19a) to a ditch (19b), followed by another angled brush (19c)
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The ditch at 19b, pictured on the landing side
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There is an alternative at 19c, pictured below
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Fence 20: Pedigree Kennel
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Fence 21ab: Mayston Equestrian Sunken Road
Competitors have a choice of any of the four arrowhead brushes after jumping off the drop
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Fence 22: Wiltshire Brewers Brush
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Fence 23ab: Project Pony Brush Buckets
Competitors can choose to turn either inside or outside the pagoda to get to the second of these brush fences
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A closer image of the second bucket brush
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Fence 24: Chatham Eyelet
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Fence 25: Back British Farming Hay Rack
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Fence 26ab: Equidry Huntsman’s Close
The direct route is two corners on a related distance
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There is an alternative route (pictured, below), comprising a parallel followed by a different corner
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Fence 27ab: Antech Brush Mounds
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Fence 28abc: Horsequest Quarry
The direct route at the Horsequest Quarry
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Fence 29 & 30: Joules Double Gates
Two upright gates on a left-handed turn
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Fence 31: Pheasant Log
The wooden fence in front of this jump will be moved in time for Saturday’s cross-country
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Fence 32: Mars M
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How to watch Badminton Horse Trials
If you want to watch the live action from Badminton Horse Trials from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. This year, Badminton TV has teamed up with ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch Badminton – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £21.99. Go to clipmyhorse.tv/en_GB/badminton to subscribe or to activate your account as an existing Badminton TV subscriber. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. As part of Badminton TV, you can enjoy the documentary programme Legends and Legacy, a fly-on-the-wall insight into the 2024 event and preview of 2025.
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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.
