Is one of these riders the 2025 Badminton Horse Trials winner? 15 pairs to watch this week
The Mars Badminton Horse Trials riders and horses are heading towards the start line ready for this week’s five-star contest (7-11 May). Pending any final withdrawals, 85 pairs will come forward to trot up on Wednesday afternoon. But who are the favourites? Which riders should you watch out for?
Read on for our quick guide to the top 15 combinations to keep an eye on this week…
Badminton Horse Trials riders and horses: the top 15 contenders
List in number order, with information presented as follows:
Number. Rider name
Rider age, nationality
Badminton final scores
Horse name, horse age, horse colour, horse gender, horse sire x horse damsire, horse owner(s)
Form assessment
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52, NZL
Greenacres Special Cavalier, 12-year-old bay mare, Cavalier Royale x Touchdown, Chris & Michelle Mann & rider
Last year’s somewhat surprising winner, when the Suffolk-based rider rose from sixth after cross-country to take her first Badminton title. They’ve also been fifth at Pau Horse Trials 2022 and sixth at Maryland 5 Star 2023, plus a couple of less auspicious five-star results. Unlikely to win again, but it’d be foolish to discount them. Should certainly be top 10.
42, GBR
Ballaghmor Class, 18-year-old grey gelding, Courage II x unlisted, Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan
All-time great “Thomas” missed a spring five-star in 2024 due to an abscess, but dismissed any suggestions of retirement with his fourth five-star win, at Maryland. He’s also an Olympic team gold medallist (fifth individually) with six other five-star top-five placings, including two seconds here. Could he give Oliver a second Badminton win?
40, GBR
Chilli Knight, 15-year-old chestnut gelding, Chilli Morning x Rock King, Christopher and Lisa Stone
Leaderboard climbers who were 14th here last year – Chilli Knight’s five-star comeback after winning Bicton Horse Trials five-star in 2021 – and would have won but for a flag penalty. They were also ninth at Burghley Horse Trials in the autumn. West Sussex-based Gemma’s best result here is third on Arctic Soul in 2016; she could better that on either of her horses this time.
12. Harry Meade
41, GBR
Superstition, 16-year-old bay gelding, Satisfaction FRH x Cordalame, Mandy Gray & Harry Meade
Harry took over the ride on this horse from Lucy Jackson in 2019, after she won Millstreet Event Rider Masters on him, and their partnership has yielded a CCI4*-L win, fifth at Kentucky Three-Day Event, two sevenths at Maryland and 12th at Burghley last year. Top 10 contenders. Harry lives very near Badminton and his best result here is third in 2014 on Wild Lone.
13. Jonelle Price
44, NZL
Grappa Nera, 14-year-old black mare, Karandasj x Babalouba, The Grape Syndicate & rider
Jonelle may be best known for her partnerships with characterful, gritty mares, such as 2018 Badminton winner Classic Moet, and Grappa Nera fits the mould. Sixth here last year was her best result since her 2022 Pau win. Jonelle fell off her at the Leaf Pit at Burghley, but she can be top 10 again. Eventing power couple Jonelle and Tim live in Dorset.
20. Bubby Upton
26, GBR
Cola, 15-year-old bay gelding, Catoki x Contender, rider’s mother Rachel
This pair have five top-15 placings from six five-star starts, including eighth (2023) and 10th (2024) here. They would have won last year but for a broken frangible – a remarkable story as Bubby suffered a severe spinal injury in August 2023. The Suffolk rider has a genuine win chance again; she’d be the youngest victor since Oliver Townend in 2009.
24. David Doel
32, GBR
Galileo Nieuwmoed, 14-year-old dark brown gelding, Carambole x Harcos, rider, Mary Fox & Gillian Jonas
David withdrew Galileo after dressage here last year when he felt “flat”. They then added ninth at Luhmühlen Horse Trials and third at Maryland to sixth here in 2022, fourth at Pau that year, eighth at Kentucky and second at Burghley in 2023. Dressage is their weak link, but their consistency should bring another placing. Could win in the right conditions.
38. Gaspard Maksud
32, FRA
Zaragoza, 12-year-old bay mare, Cevin Z x Saracen Hill, Martin Thurlow & Jane Young
This pair of all-round performers were in the top eight individually at the 2023 Europeans (team bronze) and the 2022 worlds, and sixth at Burghley last year. The only blot on their recent record is a fall at Pau 2023 and they could be France’s second-ever Badminton winners. Gaspard started here last year on Kan-Do 2 but pulled up across country.
44. Tom McEwen
33, GBR
JL Dublin, 14-year-old dark brown gelding, Diarado x Canto 16, James & Jo Lambert & Deirdre Johnston
Tom, who turns 34 on cross-country day (10 May), starts as second favourite behind Ros Canter. Bar a blip at the 2023 Europeans, this pair have excellent form (third at Pau, twice second at Kentucky, fourth and Olympic team gold in Paris) since Tom took over “Dubs” after Nicola Wilson’s accident in 2022. She was European champion with him in 2021.
51. Emily King
29, GBR
Valmy Biats, 16-year-old bay gelding, Orlando x Hadj A, rider, rider’s father David, Paula & David Evans
Emily, who lives in Flintshire, and Valmy Biats finished fourth at Badminton last year. They also have strong four-star form, but have mixed results at five-star – five completions from their eight starts, their other good placing being eighth at Pau 2022 – but could win if it all comes together. Emily’s mother is two-time Badminton winner Mary.
53. Austin O’Connor
50, IRL
Colorado Blue, 16-year-old grey gelding, Jaguar Mail x Rock King, The Salty Syndicate & rider
The 2023 Maryland winners have been eighth and third here, as well as 17th at Paris and 14th at Burghley. Maryland was probably their day of days for a sole five-star win, but odds-on for the top 10. Leaderboard climbers (unless they can repeat their out-of-kilter 26.4 from Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-S last year) rather than dressage divas.
58. Ros Canter
39, GBR
Lordships Graffalo, 13-year-old bay gelding, Birkhof’s Grafenstolz x Rock King, Michele & Archie Saul
An exciting return to Badminton for the 2023 winners, who have since been European champions, Olympic team gold medallists and won Burghley. Ros and “Walter” start as favourites among this year’s Badminton Horse Trials riders and horses, with a great record – their cross-country scorebook blotted only by that controversial Paris flag penalty. Who’d bet against them making it two titles here?
90. Oliver Townend
42, GBR
Cooley Rosalent, 11-year-old, Valent x Roselier, Paul & Diana Ridgeon
At 11, “Rosie” has already had five five-star starts, comprising a win (Kentucky 2024), third (Maryland 2023), 16th (Pau 2024) and 27th (Luhmühlen 2023), plus she unseated Oliver at Burghley in 2024. Also a two-time CCI4*-S winner. The Shropshire-based rider won here in 2009 on Flint Curtis and could repeat that result on either of his greys.
91. Gemma Stevens
40, GBR
Jalapeno, 17-year-old chestnut mare, Chilli Morning x Shaab, Christopher & Lisa Stone
Produced by Karin Donckers before she joined Gemma in 2019, this mare’s record is a bit mixed. She’s had some injury interruptions and has a few jumping penalties on her cross-country record. Has won twice at CCI4*-S, was sixth here in 2023 and recently second in the Grantham Cup, so there are no limits to her possibilities if it all falls into place.
100. Tim Price
46, NZL
Vitali, 15-year-old bay gelding, Contender x Heraldik xx, Alexander & Joseph Giannamore & rider
Vitali has had six top-10 finishes at five-star, but all those performances until Burghley last year had been let down by showjumping. He finally repaid Tim’s patience with one down at Burghley for second – never has four faults been so celebrated. If they’ve cracked that phase, this beautiful horse is otherwise excellent so could win multiple five-stars.
For similar details on all the Badminton Horse Trials riders and horses buy this week’s magazine, out Thursday 8 May or pick up a free copy from the organisers’ office or the Badminton Cafe by the scoreboards at Badminton, while stocks last.
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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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.