Latest from Horse & Hound in Caroline-powell

Two title contenders held and one leaves competition at Bramham final trot-up

Pippa Roome — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:13:15 +0000

Two title contenders were sent to the holding box and one has left the competition at the Defender Bramham Horse Trials final trot-up this morning (14 June).

New Zealand’s Caroline Powell was third overnight after a clear inside the time on Chris Mann’s 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, but she withdrew after being held.

The Ruckers’ Cooley Snapchat, second after cross-country, another who recorded a clear inside the time yesterday, was also sent to the holding box but rider Selina Milnes re-presented and Cooley Snapchat passed on re-inspection.

Thirty-two horses came before the ground jury of Swedish president Christina Klingspor, New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie and Britain’s Les Smith, with the sun making an appearance after a week of wet and grey weather at the Yorkshire event.

Bramham Horse Trials final trot-up: two withdrawn before inspection

Two competitors withdrew before the Bramham Horse Trials final horse trot-up. Ireland’s Jim Newsam pulled out Carole Hawthorne’s Tullybee Louis, who lay 25th after a jumping clear with 28.8 time-faults.

Britain’s Tom Rowland was the other competitor who did not present at the inspection, with Jo Handman’s LB Mettaphor. They had 40 jumping penalties across country yesterday – at the skinny box in the water at the Womble Bond Dickinson Pond (fence 7c) and the triple brush arrowhead in the water at fence 19c – and 24 time-faults to sit 33rd overnight.

The first pair of horses down the strip raised a laugh – Rupert Batting’s two rides are obviously devoted to each other and whinnied and fidgeted when they were separated, leading commentator John Kyle to joke that Rupert would now present Coombeland Talisman’s “fwiend” Coombeland Semilly.

The showjumping for this CCI4*-L class starts at 1pm today. Defending champion Bubby Upton will be last into the arena, with Its Cooley Time, and she is unlikely to start with a fence in hand as the five riders behind her are all within four penalties. This pair showjumped clear to win the same section here at Bramham last year.

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‘She carries herself beautifully’: promising mare second after dressage at Bramham for reigning world champion

Pippa Roome — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:50:47 +0000

Yasmin Ingham sits second after the Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage in the CCI4*-L class, having scored 24.8 today.

The British rider has returned to the Yorkshire venue with the promising 10-year-old Gypsie Du Loir, owned by Janette Chinn and the Sue Davies Fund, 12 months after winning the CCI4*-S class here.

“She’s such an exciting horse and it’s even more special because I’ve had her since she was five, so we’ve gone on the journey together and she’s just getting better and better each year,” said Yasmin.

“I’m still not entirely happy with that – the late flying change at the end was super frustrating and that’s been her weakness in her dressage. We’re just trying to get that nailed, so I think we’ll be doing some more homework, but the rest of the test felt really fluent and she just carries herself so beautifully.

“She’s got a real natural cadence about her and her presence in general is quite attractive, so she’s a pleasure to ride.”

A narrow margin at the top after Bramham Horse Trials dressage

Yasmin is second to last year’s CCI4*-L winners Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time, who are 0.6 of a mark ahead.

Last night’s leader Piggy March holds third with MCS Maverick on 26.4, with US rider Tiana Coudray and D’Artagnan fourth (27.4) and Selina Milnes on Cooley Snapchat, another pair who performed yesterday, in fifth (27.9).

Caroline Powell’s test today with 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris Mann, has allowed her to slot into sixth on 29.

“She got a bit nervous in the trot, but the canter was beautiful. She never scores great marks for the walk because she’s so long, but we know what she is and what she does, so we’re chuffed with her,” said the New Zealand rider.

Caroline said she hasn’t had a smooth build-up to a three-day with the mare in a long time, including this one.

She explained: “Every time you think you’ve got a straight run, there’s a great big, bendy turn in the way, and you’ve just got to rethink what you’re doing and change things. I’m this age and I’m still learning how to get horses to three days – it’s never, never easy, is it?

“The main aim for this week is to finish, because I think it’s very important for her mentally to actually come and get through and go home very happy.”

Riders are in agreement that Andrew Heffernan’s reworked cross-country track offers a serious test so tomorrow should be an exciting day of action.

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‘We bought Caroline Powell an ice cream as she walked off course after retiring at Badminton!’ But what flavour was it?

Pippa Roome — Sat, 09 May 2026 20:49:51 +0000

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When cross-country gives Caroline Powell a bad day, she makes (well, eats, ice cream). And so it was on Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country day today (9 May).

Having fallen with her first horse, High Time, Caroline retired her second, Greenacres Cavalier, on course after a stop at the LeMieux Village (fence 18ab). Shortly afterwards, she was spotted on the live stream licking an ice cream, still mounted…

Caroline Powell visits the ice cream van after retiring at Badminton 2026. (Image credit: Val Orme @forestviewartdelamere)

Caroline’s ice cream came courtesy of Lucy Ayton and her family. Lucy was at Badminton with her mother Sarah, aunt Kathryn and friends Kay and Virginia.

Badminton final scores

“Virginia and I were talking about getting an ice cream and after Caroline retired, we saw there was no queue so headed over,” Lucy told H&H.

“We’d just got ours and saw Caroline walk past with one of the hunt horses. She looped back towards the ice cream van and said, ‘Ooh ice cream’. We asked if she wanted one and she replied, ‘I’ve got no money on me’ so we offered to get one for her and she kindly accepted.”

Lucy reports that the chosen ice cream flavour of Caroline Powell was vanilla, with no flake.

Caroline Powell tucks into an ice cream on the way back after retiring at Badminton 2026. (Image credit: Val Orme @forestviewartdelamere)

“We didn’t manage to get a photo as we were all far too excited and Greenacres Special Cavalier was still in cross-country mode, but Caroline was absolutely lovely and seemed really grateful. It definitely made our day and will be something we talk about for years to come!” said Lucy.

Caroline reported that both her horses are safe and sound after cross-country day.

“The bonus of the day was the Beaufort Hunt’s Jason Wood escorting Cav and I off the cross-country via the ice cream van. Cav was in her element waiting in the queue! And I definitely appreciated a bit of kindness after a tough old day,” she said.

Lucy and her group are from Hertfordshire and they attend Badminton every year on Friday (for shopping and dressage) and Saturday (for cross-country) before heading home on Sunday to watch the highlights and showjumping on television. We wonder if they’ll spot themselves on the highlights tomorrow?

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Former Badminton winners cruise into top five as dressage wraps up with Ros Canter still out in front

Pippa Roome — Fri, 08 May 2026 16:33:12 +0000

No one could topple Ros Canter at the top of the the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage results, but Caroline Powell came closest in the final session today (8 May), moving into fifth.

The New Zealand rider and her 2024 Badminton winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris and Michelle Mann and her rider, scored 29 for their test, which was particularly well marked in the second half, with plenty of eights, plus one nine from Amanda Miller at B for their second flying change.

“I’m very pleased,” said Caroline. “It’s tough to get a good mark out there. She went out and put her game face on and I’m very happy with her.”

Caroline also has the less experienced High Time here, who sits 45th after dressage and will be the fourth horse out across country in the morning.

Badminton final scores

Comparing her two horses, Caroline said: “They both jump. High Time would be a bit bigger in stride and more fiery. Greenacres Special Cavalier would just trot through – she’s a funny horse, she won’t jump a ditch and she won’t go over a piece of string and you can’t do polework with her, but you put your legs on and she’s off, so that’s just her and that’s the way she is.”

Badminton Horse Trials dressage results: six nations in the top six

The dressage phase finishes with defending champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo holding a 4.4-penalty lead over second-placed Tiana Coudray with Cancaras Girl.

The top six has a truly international look with six nations represented – US rider Tiana is followed by Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier in third (Hooney D’Arville), Switzerland’s Felix Vogg in fourth (Cartania), New Zealand’s Caroline Powell in fifth (Greenacres Special Cavalier) and Brazil’s Marcio Carvalho Jorge in sixth (Royal Encounter).

The cross-country phase gets under way at 11.30am on Saturday (9 May) with Harry Meade first out of the start box on Et Hop Du Matz. View more Badminton cross-country times.

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‘We all miss him so much’: five-star horse turned schoolmaster remembered for his love of the job

Becky Murray — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:32:57 +0000

A young eventer has paid tribute to her former ride Up Up And Away and said “it was like he was with us” when she completed her first advanced with her mare two weeks ago.

Cameron and Mary Crawford’s 19-year-old gelding, the former five-star ride of Caroline Powell and schoolmaster for 20-year-old Grace Botterell, died at home this spring, and continues to be remembered fondly.

Up Up And Away was produced by Caroline from a young horse through to five-star, and completed Pau Horse Trials in 2017 and Badminton in 2018, having jumped clear across country at both. Russell, as he was known at home, stepped down from the top level in 2022 and Grace, then 17, took over the reins.

Caroline Powell pictured with Up Up And Away at Keysoe in in 2021. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

“My mum used to teach Cameron’s daughter and so that’s how it came about. My mum would tell me about Russell when I was younger, so it’s pretty special that I ended up getting to ride him,” Grace told H&H.

“The plan had just been to do some novices on him and have a play, but we had so much fun together and he was enjoying it so we ended up stepping him back up. I learned so much from him, he was so much fun, especially in the cross-country – he loved it. Caroline had done an amazing job, as she does with all of her horses, and he was an amazing horse for me to learn from.”

Grace completed her first advanced with Russell at Aston-Le-Walls last July.

“I was 19 and it was really exciting. It was something I’d always had in the back of my head but I never really knew whether we would do it. He’d been going really well and we thought I may as well give it a shot, and we finished sixth which was really special,” said Grace.

“In the training leading up to it we’d been practising the changes on the flat, and jumping bigger tracks, and it was like he knew what he was getting ready for. He lit up.”

Grace returned to Aston-le-Walls on 18 July with her mare Diamond Pippin.

“It was our first advanced together, a year on from when I did it there with Russell and she was sixth too. It was pretty special, it was like he was with us,” said Grace.

“Pip was his travel buddy and they went to most events together.”

Grace said “we all miss him so much”.

“Just seeing his head over the stable door every morning, and him being the cheeky little character that he was. He was always jumping out of the field, he was always a character,” she said.

“I’ll be forever grateful to Cameron and Mary for giving me the opportunity with him.”

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(Image credit: Iain Bevis @ianbimages)

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Defending champion withdrawn from Badminton in final hour before test

Martha Terry — Thu, 08 May 2025 07:41:54 +0000

There has been a high-profile withdrawal at Mars Badminton Horse Trials, as the defending champion, Greenacres Special Cavalier (Cav), has been taken off the startlist less than an hour before she was due to enter the dressage arena.

The mare’s rider Caroline Powell posted on Instagram: “We’re devastated to have to withdraw Cav ahead of dressage today. Following her final piece of work before the start of the competition, she’s not feeling quite right and having discussed this with her owners, we’ve taken the difficult decision to save her for another day.

“Naturally we were so excited to be defending our title, but Cav’s welfare is our first priority and we are enormously grateful to everyone who has helped and supported us on our journey to Badminton.”

Hopes were high for Caroline and Chris and Michelle Mann’s 12-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier, who won on her final run three weeks ago, the CCI4*-S at Ballindenisk. The pair were due to start their defence of the title at 9.07am, the second rider into the arena.

Caroline still has her second ride, High Time, making his Badminton debut. They start at 4.03pm on Friday, 9 May.

Badminton final scores

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Find out who is first to go at Badminton Horse Trials as draw revealed

Becky Murray — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:17:38 +0000

Kirsty Chabert will be the first down the centre line at the 2025 Mars Badminton Horse Trials (7–11 May) as the draw for the Gloucestershire five-star is revealed.

Kirsty will start as number one with Classic VI, and will wear number 89 with Opposition Heraldik Girl. Last year’s Badminton champions Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier will go second, and Caroline is 98th with her second ride High Time.

Britain’s Paris Olympic team gold medallists Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are drawn 58th and Tom McEwen and JL Dublin are 44th. Their teammate Laura Collett, who is riding Bling, will wear number 87. Laura has withdrawn Hester. Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ are 45th.

Harry Meade still shows five horses on the entries list but Et Hop Du Matz and Grafennacht are in the US for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, so will not compete at Badminton. This means Superstition, Annaghore Valoner and Cavalier Crystal are still in the mix for Badminton and he will start on two of the three – Harry initially entered Badminton with a view to riding three horses if possible (riders can only compete a third horse if all the other horses have been accepted from the waiting list), but has now rejigged his entries to confirm he will only pilot two.

New Zealand’s Tim Price is drawn fourth with Viscount Viktor and will be last to go with Vitali; his wife Jonelle Price will go 13th with Grappa Nera. China’s Alex Hua Tian is 17th with Chicko, but has withdrawn his Paris Olympic ride Jilsonne Van Bareelhof.

Badminton final scores

Preparations for Badminton continue and event director Jane Tuckwell recently reported watering is well under way, following a dry few weeks.

“We’re on course for everything. My team and I are very much looking forward to welcoming all of you to what we think will be an epic Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2025,” said Jane.

View the full drawn order.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 15 May.

Brits on the up, an unusual route pays off and a five-star winner drops out of the running at Burghley

Pippa Roome — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:56:25 +0000

Two British riders, Alice Casburn and Tom McEwen, have bounced up the leaderboard as the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country continues, while a potential winner has been ruled out of contention.

Caroline Powell was eighth after dressage on her own and the Manns’ Badminton Horse Trials winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, but their bid to do the British five-star double came to an end when they picked up 20 penalties at the first of the Rolex Corners at fence 16ab. Caroline opted to walk home rather than continue (update on Sunday 8 September: Caroline said that the mare lost a shoe at the previous fence and “at her stage in life there’s no point in continuing with a flat tyre”; she is absolutely fine and will have a holiday in the field). This combination is proving influential, although most people are having problems at the second rather than initial element.

Meanwhile Alice Casburn has put in a super Burghley Horse Trials cross-country round with her mother Caroline’s home-bred Topspin, finishing with 1.6 time-faults to hold fourth at this stage. The 22-year-old is bidding for a third top-10 placing here in a row.

“I definitely can’t fault his enthusiasm today. He absolutely loved every second of it. Normally I have to kick him along. So saying whoa was quite new for me, but he made it happen for me. He absolutely tried his heart out, and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Alice.

This pair’s super five-star record had a glitch when Topspin refused at a big log into water at Badminton this spring and Alice pulled up.

“He came out so excited at Badminton, like he was today, and I wasn’t really used to it. We just went back to basics at home. I did a lot showjumping, anything to build confidence.

“I think it’s very difficult, because he’s 16 this year, so I thought, ‘Oh, is this his sign that actually it’s a little bit too much for him?’ And then I thought, ‘No, it’s not. He just got over excited’. So I think it’s a matter of looking at your record and looking at your horse and making sure that actually you’re making decisions not just based on how you feel, but on actual facts.”

British Olympic hero Tom McEwen on the up

Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser cruised round the track for 10.4 time-penalties, which puts them in seventh out of those who have finished. The British Olympic double gold medallist scooted up the steep left-hand slope to the top of the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit (fence 7abcde), rather than the right-hand one which riders usually take, to save a few seconds and give him some extra control.

“I was walking with Tom Jackson and asked him if it was okay and luckily, he went first there to test out if we were all going to get in trouble,” said Tom McEwen. “I think it was a bit quicker and she’s so brave I have absolutely no control – we’re in Liz’s world, and Liz just sees flags and off she goes. And if I say whoa it just means go even faster. So I went up the steep hill just to bring her back, so then I could actually trot off the step. And you can see how brave she is, just popping up the step and jumping huge.

“She has oodles of scope, oodles of heart. Every time she stepped up a level everyone said that’s her level. But she just kept going and now she is really a true Burghley horse. She got a bit tired on the way home and rather than pushing for the time, I just saved her all the way back. She’s come home really well. She is a delight.”

Impressively, Cosby Green scored her third five-star cross-country clear on her debut at this event, following fault-free Pau and Badminton rounds, when she put in a great performance for just 12.8 time-faults on the 18-year-old schoolmaster Copper Beach.

“He’s got a twinkle in his eye still. He’s such a good old man,” said US rider Cosby, 23, who based in Dorset with Tim and Jonelle Price and said she’s learned from them that less is more with older horses. “He knows what he’s doing, he could do it with his eyes closed, and it’s just being able to have enough confidence in myself to trust that he is trained. It’s all about maintaining and improving in slight little ways, such as with his body fitness and physio.”

The usually strong cross-country horse Grantstown Jackson, piloted by Ireland’s Sarah Ennis, had a run-out at the corner out of Defender Valley on the return trip (fence 8ab). She was then eliminated after further problems at the Trout Hatchery (fence 10 and 11abc); it looked like she had lost her steering.

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Caroline Powell starts bid to land 2024 British five-star double with personal best dressage score at Burghley

Pippa Roome — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:46:40 +0000

Badminton Horse Trials winners Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier have put in a personal best score in the Burghley Horse Trials dressage, starting strongly in their bid to be the fourth pair to do the British five-star double in the same year.

“She’s pretty cool at the moment, isn’t she? She’s an out and out professional, she goes in and does a job,” said Caroline. “She thinks the crowd are all here for her and she loves it.”

Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris and Michelle Mann and her rider, is a butty, chunky, attractive mare and not the most typical stamp of a modern event horse, but her work has really moved up a level since she scored 30 at Badminton in May. Today the 11-year-old by Cavalier Royale showed great activity and accuracy and established changes for third at this stage behind Ros Canter (Izilot DHI) and Emily King (Valmy Biats).

“She’s just training to a different level now,” said Caroline. “Once horses learn the movements, it becomes a lot easier for them. She’s stronger – she’s a big, long mare and it’s taken a long time to get the balance right and once you’ve got balance, you can get the neck and the finished picture becomes a lot nicer. It’s just been a work in progress.”

Caroline and Greenacres Special Cavalier were the New Zealand alternates at the Paris Olympics and although the rider said the mare wasn’t too impressed with being a spectator, they have benefited from the training on offer to the squad as well as from the mare’s increasing strength and maturity.

After her Burghley Horse Trials dressage, Caroline Powell sent special good wishes to one of her team, who was kicked in the face at home yesterday and will have an operation today.

“Speedy recovery, Alison – don’t be too long, it’s a bad way of getting time off,” she said.

Greenacres Special Cavalier bids to become the fourth horse to win Badminton and Burghley in the same year – the others being George (1977, Lucinda Green), Priceless (1985, Ginny Elliot) and Master Craftsman (1989, Ginny Elliot).

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Power couple and a special Olympic selection – plus Badminton star’s surprise reserve slot

Pippa Roome — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:26:45 +0000

Eventing power couple Tim Price and Jonelle Price, plus Clarke Johnstone – who has spoken about this being a special selection following the loss of his partner last year – have been named for the New Zealand Olympic eventing team for the Paris Games.

Badminton Horse Trials winners Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier will take the alternate spot. It will come as a surprise to many that the Badminton victors have not been selected for the team, but is perhaps symptomatic of the split between five-stars and championships in the modern sport of eventing. In fact, no horses from this year’s Badminton results have yet been named to an Olympic team, although several are listed as reserves, including Greenacres Special Cavalier and Grappa Nera, who was sixth at Badminton and is a reserve horse for Jonelle.

New Zealand Olympic eventing team

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old mare Hiarado

Owners: David and Karie Thomson

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Ekstein

Direct reserve horse: 13-year-old mare Grappa Nera

Owners: The Grape Syndicate and rider

Breeder: HJ Booy

Breeding: by Karandasj out of a mare by Babalouba

Tim Price with 15-year-old gelding Falco

Owners: Sue Benson and rider

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: by Cardenio 2 out of a mare by Weinberg

Direct reserve horse: 12-year-old gelding Coup De Coeur Dudevin

Owners: Jean-Louis Stauffer and rider

Breeder: Jean-Louis Stauffer

Breeding: by Top Gun Semilly out of a mare by Leprince Des Bois

Clarke Johnstone with 14-year-old gelding Menlo Park

Owners: rider and his parents Jean and Rob

Breeder: S Vitalini

Breeding: by Berlin out of a mare by Rock King

Alternate

Caroline Powell with 11-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier

Owners: Chris and Michelle Mann and rider

Breeder: Michael Callery

Breeding: by Cavalier Royale out of a mare by Touchdown

Four-time Olympian and London 2012 team bronze medallist Jonelle said of Hiarado: “She has been nothing but magic since we bought her and has gone from strength to strength. We are very well suited – she is gutsy, determined, feisty and strong-willed. We are a match made in heaven!”

Tim comes forward for his third Olympic Games and his ride Falco, the double world bronze medallist, has come back from having a tumour removed last year.

Tim said: “I am very happy and excited to be involved in the Kiwi team again. Both horses are in good form and healthy. Now it is about us binding together as a team and having that team result we are all so desperate for. We are all in a good place and a great bunch of people who are all bringing forward really exciting horses.”

Clarke, who will be riding at his second Olympics following Rio, said his selection is extra special after a challenging year.

“It has been an incredibly difficult year for me personally after the sudden death of my partner Codey at the end of 2023,” he said. “Having the goal of the Olympic Games which we were both so invested in has kept me going the past six months and I have poured my heart and soul into training and competing my lovely horses this year to make our goal a reality. I know he would be so proud.”

Alternate rider Caroline, another team bronze medallist from London who also rode at the 2008 Games, said: “What an honour to represent my country again. I can’t wait for the Games. It’s always a very special time.”

US-based Monica Spencer revealed on social media that she is the first reserve and she and Artist will fly to France to be part of the training camp.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance general manager Jock Paget, another team bronze medal winner in London, said the New Zealand Olympic eventing team selection had been particularly hard.

“We had lots of strong combinations to choose from. It was the biggest selection headache I have witnessed in my time but we now have a really strong team who I think will be suitable for what we expect to go into in Paris,” he said. “Our reserve combinations are strong and committed to being in the best shape possible if called on for the games, and we are looking forward to getting into our final camp to finish our prep.”

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‘I’m not your typical event horse owner, but I love the sport ’: Greenacres Special Cavalier’s owner on winning Badminton

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 17 May 2024 15:30:02 +0000

“You have to enjoy the good days,” says Greenacres Special Cavalier’s owner Chris Mann. He, alongside his wife Michelle, are now the proud owners of a five-star winning horse after the mare was ridden to victory at the 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials by Caroline Powell.

“I’m full of clichés but I’ll just keep enjoying it – my motto is #lovingthejourney,” continues Chris, who is from Norfolk.

Chris’ route into owning a five-star winner was one that rather happened by chance.

“I’m a huge football, cricket and golf fan,” he states. “Back in the day, when my youngest daughter Sophie was 10, she crazed my backside because she wanted to ride ponies. My experience with horses was that I assumed everyone who had one smelt, so I resisted and resisted until I gave in and Sophie started riding.”

Badminton final scores

Fast forward three years to 2013, just after Caroline scooped a team bronze at the London Olympics.

“Sophie was attending a two-day Pony Club clinic where Caroline was the instructor,” explains Chris. “Sophie came home a bit frustrated as Caroline had picked up on a few issues, so she contacted Caroline directly on Facebook to ask if she could further help her.”

Two or three days later, Sophie and Chris went over to Caroline’s yard with her pony on the lorry.

“Caroline was a great help and after a bit of time, Sophie ended up keeping two ponies at Caroline’s,” says Chris. “Sophie then became unwell and so we sold those ponies. Caroline said to me ‘you’ve got into eventing in a fairly big way – would you like to become an owner?’”

Chris and Michelle’s first horse was Sinatra Frank Baby, who went on to complete the cross-country at the five-star at Luhmühlen in 2017.

“I will never forget the adrenaline rush seeing ‘Frank’ come over the finish line at Luhmühlen,” says Chris. “Unfortunately he couldn’t go onto the showjumping, but by then, we were well and truly hooked.”

Chris spoke to Caroline, who last won a five-star in 2010, when she took the Burghley title aboard Lenamore, and said that if she could find another horse that was suitable, with a realistic price tag, he would buy into it. At this point, Caroline sourced ‘Cav’, gave her the “thumbs up” to Chris, and the rest is history.

“I’ll never forget the day Cav first stepped into water on the lunge with Greg [Caroline’s partner]. To go from that to seeing her go through The Lake at Badminton – that was amazing,” comments Chris, who says he “doesn’t consider himself as being ‘horsey’”.

“I love sport and the competitive side of it. I’m not your typical event horse owner – just a massive supporter of team Powell. It’s really been about my ambition to put Caroline back on the map.”

Greenacres Special Cavalier’s owner Chris Mann: his Badminton experience

Chris says that he and Michelle were “absolutely over the moon” with Cav’s performance at Badminton last year, where she completed by with 40 jumping penalties across country.

“It didn’t look great on paper, but it would have been very easy for Caroline to pull her up.

“While Cav was green, Caroline’s perseverance was fantastic and we were quietly confident that we knew could improve and the stars completely aligned this year.”

Cav and Caroline produced a 30 dressage, which left them in seventh, then followed this up with a great jumping clear across country, picking up 13.2 time-faults, which put them into sixth. They then jumped one of three clears inside the time in the showjumping and that was enough to clinch the win.

“It was a brilliant dressage test and even if she’d had a naive run-out across country, we would still have been happy.,” Chris explains. “But for me, for Cav to have been foot-perfect around the cross-country – that was almost as special as it could get.

“She’s an incredibly good showjumper with a very good record and we were quietly confident that she had a clear round in her, but not for one second did we think the following five would have fences down and we would win.

“Sophie was at Badminton until a couple of hours before Cav showjumped and she said ‘I’ve got a five-hour journey home, so I should leave – I’ll have Badminton on over the radio in the car’, so she wasn’t there for the win. She watched the cross-country from the New Zealand tent by The Lake and Michelle and I were at the start/finish. We walked over to the Kiwi tent after Cav’s round and as soon as I saw Sophie I completely broke down – that was my most emotional moment from the weekend. If it hadn’t been for Sophie, this would never have happened for us.”

Chris says that he wasn’t nervous this year.

“Last year I was a bag of nerves, but it got to Sunday this year and I thought that anything after that cross-country round would be a bonus. I didn’t shed a tear – I was so determined to enjoy the day.”

According to Chris, there hasn’t been a “proper” party yet.

“We went to Caroline’s yard on Monday night and had a few drinks and a BBQ. Caroline is competing at Aston-le-Walls this week, so we haven’t had a chance to do a proper party yet, but there will be something more official in the next couple of weeks – you can’t let these moments pass.

“We’ve had disappointing days, but that’s eventing,” states Chris, who also owns four young eventers with Michelle that are based with Caroline. “If our youngsters jump a double clear in the novice at Aston on Saturday, you’ve still got to celebrate that in a comparative way. This sport has a habit of kicking you in the teeth, so you have to enjoy the good days.

“We just want to support team Powell. We’ve got our formula and it won’t work so romantically every time, but hopefully we’ve got others that might replicate Cav.”

In terms of hopes and dreams for the future, Chris is modest.

“Everyone is saying the ‘O’ word to me,” he says, referring to the possibility of Cav’s Olympic selection. “We have to keep our feet on the ground and enjoy the moment and celebrate it. Basically, we’re looking forward to continue to support Caroline in the best way we can.”

How to re-live Badminton Horse Trials

If you are interested in re-living the event by watching the 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. 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 via the website 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. Find out more…

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

Catch up with all news and behind the scenes insight fromBadminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 16 May.

Photos of the Badminton special prize winners: from the top mare to the fastest rider and the winning groom

Pippa Roome — Wed, 15 May 2024 07:30:48 +0000

We’re not ready to say goodbye to last week’s epic five-star action yet, so let’s take a look at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials special prizes winners for 2024.

From the best under-25 to the groom of the winning horse and the Glentrool Trophy for the biggest climb after dressage, it’s always fun to find out who took home all the awards.

Badminton Horse Trials special prizes 2024

The Challenge Badminton Horse Trials Trophy, to the winning owners: Chris and Michelle Mann and Caroline Powell

Caroline Powell (NZL) riding Greenacres Special Cavalier during the cross country phase of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Badminton final scores

Winning horse Greenacres Special Cavalier is an 11-year-old by Cavalier Royale, out of a Touchdown mare.

“I’m so privileged to ride such a good horse,” she said. “She doesn’t really realise how good she is, but she’ll soon know, won’t she?”

Mars Equestrian Yeti Cool Box and Lemieux rug, to the winning rider: Caroline Powell

Caroline Powell and GREENACRES SPECIAL CAVALIER during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 11 May 2024 (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

“It never entered my mind that we would win it – you get to an age where you start slowing down a little bit and you think this is my last time,” said Caroline, 51, after her victory.

Embryo transfer or ovum pick up session, to the highest-placed British-bred or domiciled mare, courtesy of Tomlinson Equine: Greenacres Special Cavalier

Prize to breeder of the winner: Michael Callery

Caroline Powell (NZL) riding Greenacres Special Cavalier in the 1st Horse Inspection of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Mark Holliday Memorial Trophy and Mars Equestrian and Spillers prize of £1,000 to the groom of winner: Tristan Hudson

CAROLINE POWELL WITH Greenacres Special Cavalier getting ready for the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Our photographer snapped Tristan accompanying Caroline’s other ride at Badminton, CBI Aldo, on a bicycle.

Replica of the trophy, to the top three riders and the winning owner: Chris and Michelle Mann, Caroline Powell, Lucy Latta, Alex Bragg

Butler Challenge Bowl, with replica, to the highest-placed British rider: Alex Bragg

Cotswold Life Trophy, to the best British rider who is not entitled to wear the adult Union Jack Badge and whose permanent address is in the county of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire or Somerset: Alex Bragg

Alexander Bragg and QUINDIVA during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 11 May 2024 (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Alex Bragg and Quindiva finished third. Alex said: “It’s more than special, we’re going to be living off this for forever,” he said. “Her owners, the Roe family, have probably owned event horses for 30 years and they are really invested in our yard. There’s always trials and tribulations along the way, but we’ve really stuck together and they’ve earned it. We’re going to be celebrating a lot tonight.”

Frank Weldon Memorial Trophy, to the rider of the youngest British owned and ridden horse in top 12: Alex Bragg for Quindiva

Stud Voucher £500, to the owner of the highest-placed British-owned mare: Alex Bragg and The Roe Family for Quindiva

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Laurence Rook Trophy, to the best British rider who has not previously completed Badminton: Emily King

Emily King (GBR) riding Valmy Biats during the cross country phase of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Emily King, daughter of two-time winner Mary, had retired or been eliminated at Badminton four times before this week, so it was a big moment when she took fourth on Valmy Biats.

On cross-country day, she said: “I’m not going to lie, I was thinking about it coming up to that last rolltop – I was like, ‘You’re nearly there, don’t mess up.’ I let him gallop in between but I wanted to set him up at the fences. I’ve got to this point before and been a bit free and brave. Just giving him that extra lifeline helped his balance and he so wants to jump well and do a good job.”

Worshipful Company of Saddlers saddle, to the rider with the best score who is under 25 on 1 January 2025 and who has not previously won a Company saddle in the calendar year: Georgia Bartlett

Georgia Bartlett and SPANO DE NAZCA during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 11 May 2024 (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Georgia Bartlett, 23, and Spano De Nazca have come up the levels together, winning double team silver at junior level. Their first Badminton last year didn’t quite work out when the diminutive Spano De Nazca tired on the heavy ground and Georgia pulled up, but they came back and succeeded this time. They finished 28th with a jumping clear across country.

Glentrool Trophy, to the pair who have made greatest improvement on their dressage placing: Wills Oakden and Arklow Puissance

Wills Oakden and ARKLOW PUISSANCE during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 11 May 2024 (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Wills moved up from 61st after dressage to finish 12th, a rise of 49 places. He added 12.4 time-faults and one showjump down to his dressage score of 39.4.

Silver Jubilee Plate, to the rider of the highest-placed horse who is owned by the rider alone, or in conjunction with immediate family: Lauren Innes for Global Fision M

Lauren Innes (NZL) riding Global Fision M during the cross country phase of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Lauren, who is a full-time accountant, finished 23rd. Lauren spoke to H&H about how she’s made a breakthrough with Global Fision M’s dressage during the week at Badminton.

The William Miflin Memorial Trophy, to the rider of the horse with no cross-country jumping penalties and closest to optimum time: Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint

Lucy Latta (IRL) riding RCA Patron Saint during the cross country phase of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Badminton first-timer Lucy finished just one second over the optimum time.

“He doesn’t pull and is as brave as a lion and will keep galloping,” said Lucy. “He doesn’t have straight line speed but I don’t need to waste time setting him up.”

Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain prize to the owner of best horse sired by a SHB(GB) graded stallion or premium stallion, provided it is in the top 12: Leslie Crampton for RCA Patron Saint

The British Horse Foundation £1000, the breeder of the highest-placed British bred horse, provided it finished in the top 20: Richard Ames for RCA Patron Saint

RCA Patron Saint is by Grafenstolz, as is last year’s winner, Lordships Graffalo.

Treehouse Sporting Colours grooms’ award to Pippa Funnell’s grooms Emily Gibson and Lily Wilson, who looked after MCS Maverick

Pippa Funnell (GBR) riding MCS Maverick during the cross country phase of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, held in the park land around Badminton House in the village of Badminton near Malmesbury in Gloucestershire in the UK, between 8th - 12th May 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“These two girls having been with me for over six years are out and out stars,” said Pippa. “Their care, love, dedication to my horses is quite outstanding.

“They have become very special to me. How they cope with me I really don’t know. My way with how I deal with the horses must be so challenging for them. I’m often having to change my mind on things due to the way the horses are feeling, thinking and reacting to situations. This weekend was one of the most challenging examples of that.

“As riders we get so wrapped up in our own feeling of nerves and anxiety that we loose focus on what our poor grooms must go through, particularly on cross-country day, watching their beloved steeds tackle the demands of the course, just praying above all else that they come back safe and happy. They really are the unsung heroes and they deserve every bit of recognition they get and more.”

Farriers’ Prize, of a plaque to the owner and farrier of the best shod horse:

1st – Sammi Birch’s ride Finduss PFB, shod by Greig Elliott

2nd – Max Warburton’s ride Monbeg Exclusive, shod by Lyle Evans

3rd – Emily King’s ride Valmy Biats, shod by Nick O’Sullivan

David Beaufort Memorial Trophy, to the person who has contributed to the running of the horse trials over many years: Harry Verney

Armada Dishes to William Fox-Pitt and Ros Canter

William Fox-Pitt and GRAFENNACHT during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 11 May 2024 (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Armada Dishes are awarded to riders who complete Badminton five times and are always given the year after their fifth completion. William, who completed his 25th Badminton in 2023, also completed this year (pictured above on Grafennacht), so bows out on 26 finishes. This was Ros’s first Armada Dish as she completed her fifth Badminton when she won the event last year; in fact, she achieved her fifth and sixth completions in 2023 as she finished on two horses, so has started her tally towards her second Armada Dish.

Badminton Horse Trials special prizes gallery pictures by Peter Nixon and Nico Morgan

How to re-live Badminton Horse Trials

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

‘She won’t walk over a pole on the ground’: find out more about Badminton winner Greenacres Special Cavalier

Gemma Redrup — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:30:13 +0000

Greenacres Special Cavalier, an untypical stamp of an event horse, is making her mark at the top of the sport under British-based New Zealand rider Caroline Powell. We caught up with the horse’s connections in late 2023, prior to her 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials victory. Here is what you need to know about this talented mare with the heart of a lion.

Need to know

Year foaled: 2013

Breeding: by Cavalier Royale out of Greenacres Touch (by Touchdown)

Breeder: Michael Callery

Rider: Caroline Powell

Owner: Chris Mann

Greatest achievements: third Ballindenisk CCI4*-L, ninth Bramham CCI4*-S, third Blenheim CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-olds, fifth Pau CCI5* 2022; seventh Aachen CCIO4*-S, first Ballindenisk CCI4*-S, sixth Maryland CCI5* 2023, winner Badminton CCI5* 2024.

How rider Caroline Powell found Greenacres Special Cavalier

“My partner Greg Kinsella and his mother Gwen were looking at horses in Ireland – I got a call from Greg saying, ‘You’ve got to come and see this mare now’. A friend of mine and I jumped on a plane and went to try her. ‘Cav’ was a just-broken four-year-old, big and green, but felt like she had a good enough motor.

“She’s not your typical stamp of an event horse, but she’s got a heart of a lion and nice paces. Cav is a princess in character – she’s got the most beautiful head and she knows she’s talented and certainly holds court over everyone on the yard.

“She went to Le Lion d’Angers as a six- and seven-year-old – she’s always said yes to the next step. She loves her job and every day she wants to work.

Badminton final scores

“She is a bit headstrong and the pair of us are quite a good match – we’ve had discussions where we’ve come to a mutual agreement! She’s not a mare you can tell what to do – you have to say ‘Pretty please’ and play a bit of a game. She won’t walk over a pole on the ground, but she quite happily goes out and jumps around big tracks and is an out-and-out jumper. She’s been allowed to have her own character and we’ve worked with it – if her personality had been taken on, she probably wouldn’t be where she is now.

“Our 30th place at Badminton in 2023 didn’t look great on paper, but she came on so much for the experience and we knew what we had in her after that. Maryland, Pau and Blenheim were all the most amazing experiences. She has been the most brilliant horse for her owner – Chris Mann’s motto is #lovingthejourney and we certainly are.

“It would be very exciting to get to the Olympics, but we’ll take things one day at a time.”

Groom Tristan Hudson on taking care of this special mare

“I went to Caroline for some lessons and she asked me if I would like to groom on a freelance basis for her at the beginning of 2022, so I’ve been involved with Cav since then.

“She is pretty unique. She knows exactly what she wants and when she wants it – and it’s far easier to appease her! For her to perform as well as she did at Pau as a nine-year-old was incredible and our trip to Maryland was unbelievable – you only take special horses on those trips, which makes it all the more amazing.

“I always get nervous watching and want them to do well. All I hope for is for them to come back safe and sound – that’s all that matters.

“Cav always seems to rise to the occasion – she knows what the job is and wouldn’t let you down, that’s for sure.”

The judge’s view, by Judy Hancock

“I first judged Greenacres Special Cavalier at Houghton four-star in 2021. Like many mares, she is a little long in the back and croup high, and therefore at that stage she was struggling with self-carriage and the uphill balance required for the level. However, when I judged her at Maryland in the autumn of 2023, there was a massive improvement.

“Her paces are correct, but not the biggest, but she is rideable and Caroline is able to get the best out of her now. She is accurate, has correct rhythm, is in a good balance and is good in the contact. Consequently no marks are thrown away. She also produced four clean and straight flying changes at Maryland, which is still quite rare at five-star level.

“She is a powerful and scopey jumper and, with her rideability, she must be a joy across country. Her showjumping is consistent and she jumped a super clear round in Maryland. With these assets, maybe we will be seeing her in Paris in 2024? She and Caroline are certainly worthy of it.”

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

If you are interested in watching 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. 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 via the website 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. Find out more…

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 16 May.

‘This doesn’t happen to people like me’: 51-year-old rider shocked to win Badminton Horse Trials

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 12 May 2024 16:00:32 +0000

Caroline Powell produced an exhibition of eventing excellence on Greenacres Special Cavalier to top the leaderboard in the 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials results.

Sixth after the cross-country on this wonderful 11-year-old mare, owned by Chris Mann, Caroline posted one of only three showjumping clears inside the time, which saw this 51-year-old New Zealand rider claim her first Badminton title. They completed on 43.2, having been seventh after the first phase on a score of 30.

“I wasn’t ready for that one, to have finished third would be great – but to win?,” said an understandably delighted Caroline, who is based near Newmarket in Suffolk. “It’s absolutely amazing, I can’t believe it, it’s awesome.

“It means so much. I’m not in my youth anymore and to get a horse to this stage and win is a dream come true.”

Badminton final scores

Caroline triumphed by two penalties over five-star first-timer, Irish rider Lucy Latta and RCS Patron Saint, who rose from a remarkable 46th after the dressage. Lucy and Caroline were joined on the podium by Alex Bragg, who capitalised on a clear showjumping round inside the time to rise from 51st after the first phase into third in the Badminton Horse Trials results. Alex finished on the same score at Lucy Latta, but Lucy’s quicker cross-country round sealed her second place.

“God, she jumped a good round, didn’t she?” continued Caroline, whose last five-star win was with Lenamore at Burghley in 2010. “You always come here and hope to get your double clear and everyone go home safe and happy, but to win it is just ****ing unbelievable!”

When asked whether she watched any of those who showjumped after her, Caroline was very frank.

“I didn’t watch the last few – I was down the back with Greg [Caroline’s partner] and Tristan [Caroline’s groom] and Lucia and all we could hear was ‘ooh, ahh’. Susie came running over and said ‘you’ve won it’ and I said ‘no I haven’t, don’t be silly, this doesn’t happen to people like me.’

“It never entered my mind that we would win it – you get to an age where you start slowing down a little bit and you think this is my last time. I said to Tristan, ‘don’t ever let me do this again when the entries come out, I’m not entering’.

“I’m so privileged to ride such a good horse. She’s a true professional. She doesn’t really realise how good she is, but she’ll soon know, won’t she?”

Caroline has produced this mare up through the grades to finish fifth at this horse’s first five-star at Pau 2022, followed by sixth in the five-star at Maryland last year. Bred by Michael Callery of Greenacres Stud in Co Meath, Greenacres Special Cavalier is by the Cavalier Royale out of a mare by the jumping stallion Touchdown.

Caroline said that she brought the mare to Badminton with one main aim: “We came here with the hope of getting her exposed to crowds, because she can be a bit lairy and we were thinking if we do get the chance to go to Paris, she needs the exposure to the atmosphere and to become a bit more rideable. We were here to test the waters and so to win – I just can’t believe it.”

How to watch back Badminton Horse Trials

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 16 May.

‘He’s too naive to keep trucking on’: Pippa Funnell demonstrates her cross-country brilliance at Badminton

Martha Terry — Sat, 11 May 2024 16:32:31 +0000

Not a single rider finished inside the time over the 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course, which made for a dramatic conclusion as any horses jumping fast and clear could make huge climbs up the leaderboard.

The final rider of the day, Pippa Funnell, might not quite have been able to wrestle the lead from Tim Price and Vitali on 31.7, but she would be pressing on his heels with a fast clear round. She was lying in the top 12 after dressage on 31.9 with MCS Maverick. Pippa gave this Badminton debutant a masterful ride, and although they weren’t ultimately fast enough to trouble the top few, they slotted into ninth with 13.2 time-faults.

Pippa explained that although this 11-year-old has plenty of speed, he is still a “work in progress”.

“I know I’m going to get back to the lorry and think ‘why didn’t I use his speed more?’ but it’s his first time here and I had to be escorted by two hunt horses to the field of play,” she explained.

Badminton final scores

“I have to channel his talent so I can warm him up in the right way – my warm-up here was over the first five fences getting the rideability before Huntsman’s Close. I was actually down on the clock at two minutes because he was just running fresh. So I had to try and anchor him.

“He’s a big galloping scopey horse and he’s just not ready. He’s too naive yet just to let him keep trucking in there.”

It was pretty much a copybook round jumping-wise, with Maverick just having a couple of pecks on landing at the Worcester Avenue Brushes towards the end of the course.

“He was weary, but he kept galloping and he’s going to strengthen up. To come to his first badminton and give me that feel – it’s lovely to come down to the Vicarage Vee on a horse like him.”

Tom Jackson climbs leaderboard after Badminton Horse Trials cross-country

Tom Jackson under-achieved in the dressage with his European Championships partner Capels Hollow Drift, but this great jumper pulled out all the stops to finish with 10 time-faults and climb up from 21st to eighth.

Tom nursed this lovely grey home over the final four fences, but he kept jumping nicely and pulled up with his ears pricked.

“My horse is such a trier; he does it every single time, he delivers,” said Tom. “He finished quite tired and he made a massive effort today. It’s five-star and it’s Badminton and more often than not you have a 50% clear rate and that’s what we come here for, so that the great cross-country horses get to shine and move up the leaderboard.

“I went out with real determination to get close to the time after our dressage wasn’t our best performance, and he was there or thereabouts until he started to tire. It isn’t his perfect going as his action sends him down into the ground and he gets a bit stuck in it.”

Caroline Powell was the only rider left in the field in the final quarter who was able to depose Tim Price at the top of the leaderboard – but she’d need to clock one of the fastest times of the day with only 4sec in hand. The New Zealand rider was lying seventh after dressage with her mare Greenacres Special Cavalier on 30.

Unlike her compatriots Tim and Jonelle Price and Jesse Campbell, Caroline elected to go the long way at the angled log exiting the Mars Sustainability Bay, and this put paid to her advantage. It was a measured and confident round, but 33sec over the time gave her 13.2 time-faults.

“Wasn’t she brilliant?” said Caroline. “Last year she came and made a few mistakes. Young horses just need a bit of time and she’s a bit of a diva. Loves the crowd, loves the people, but now she’s looking for the strings and the flags. And she tanked me down to the stables afterwards so she’s feeling good.”

Badminton Horse Trials leaderboard after cross-country

Tim Price and Vitali top the leaderboard after cross-country on 31.7, just 1.3 penalties ahead of William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht (33). In third is five-star and Badminton first-timer Lucy Latter riding RCA Patron Saint on 37.2, while Emily King and Valmy BIats are just behind on 38. Rounding up the top five is Sarah Ennis on Grantstown Jackson.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 16 May.

Albert the escort helps Pippa Funnell nurse her second Badminton ride to success

Martha Terry — Fri, 10 May 2024 16:21:50 +0000

The final section of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase featured five riders who have two horses running at the event, but none could trouble the leading trio of Ros Canter, Bubby Upton and Tim Price.

After a torrid time on her first ride Majas Hope, when he became over excited by the occasion the previous day, the crowd was rooting for Pippa Funnell on her second ride MCS Maverick.

Having been escorted up to the main arena by a grey hunt horse, named Albert, Pippa trotted in beaming with the horse seeming beautifully relaxed. Her 2023 Bramham winner has a tendency to lose focus in the dressage phase, and he’s been on his toes all week, but he was on side from the outset in the arena, banging out sevens and eights from the very first halt. They scored 31.9 to lie 12th before cross-country.

Maverick threw marks away in the rein-back and canter transition that followed, but that was his only error and the pair regathered quickly to nail the flying changes and canter work, clocking an eight for the extended canter.

Badminton final scores

“I’m delighted with the horse, I really am,” said Pippa. “It’s no secret that he’s tricky in that phase – he’s just a horse that is pumped with adrenaline. I had a blip in the rein back and struck off wrong, but overall I’m delighted.

“People underestimate [the atmosphere] here. One thing at Badminton that is very different to anywhere else is that the stables, behind the arches, is backstage and really quiet and relaxed. Then when [the horses] come into the park and in the main estate, they can get quite anxious.

“In the trot-up, you come through the arch and, bang, there are all these people. You can’t prepare [the horses] for that. You never know what they are going to do and there’s a little bit of nervousness so you try to hold their hand to help them, and he was really on side in the arena.”

“She loves a crowd”: mare shines in Badminton Horse Trials dressage

Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier were best of this final group. They had a blip in the first halt, but quickly put that behind them and produced some excellent work, improving as the test went on to score 30 and slot into seventh.

The 11-year-old mare has a lovely uphill way of going, looking like she loves her job and wants to please. Her flying changes were a highlight, scoring sevens and eights, plus an 8.5 for her extended canter. So many tests in this Badminton field have been undone by the changes, but this is where this mare came into her own.

“I am really pleased with her – she gets better and better,” said the New Zealand rider. “It was very atmospheric in there but she didn’t miss a beat. Outside the atmosphere gets to her and she’s quite bright, but she goes into the arena and she knows she has to perform – she loves a crowd. It’s nice to have her at the stage when you can put her in this situation and push the buttons in the right way.”

Tom Jackson had a mixed test to score 34.4 on his European Championship partner Capels Hollow Drift. They started consistently until the horse spooked at a camera, which unsettled him. Their changes didn’t come off today, which undid the consistency in the trot work.

“It’s unlike him as he’s not normally spooky but he took one look and didn’t like it – horses will be horses,” said Tom. “If the judges aren’t chucking marks at you the beginning and something happens, it’s hard to get back up.

“He’s been feeling as good as he’s ever felt, so it’s a shame it didn’t quite come off today. But his forte is the jumping phases, and probably mine, so hopefully we can finish on that score and still be competitive.”

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Leaderboard shake-up at Maryland 5 Star as experienced rider and first-timer impress

Pippa Roome — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 19:11:45 +0000

William Fox-Pitt has slotted into second place at the break during the second day of Mars Maryland 5 Star dressage.

William showed off Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht even going around the white boards before his test, pushing her into a lovely trot extension. The inexperienced 11-year-old mare wanted to look around in the first halt but the rider quickly corrected her.

She resisted slightly in the rein-back and the flying changes were less expressive and precise than some, but her consistent work was well rewarded with a score of 26.1. This puts William and Grafennacht second at this stage behind the overnight leaders, fellow Brit Piggy March and Brookfield Cavalier Cruise.

“I am very pleased with ‘Lillie’ today – she did a very good test, and was very composed,” said William. “She was quite excited and quite forward going, so did well to contain herself. There were a couple of things obviously which could have been better, as always, but she is up there and she has got every chance.”

Grafennacht is by Grafenstolz and out of Nachtigall, who was a prolific winner at British Eventing national level for Susan Eggleton, who then bred Grafennacht from her.

Willliam is one of the most experienced riders here, with a record 14 five-star titles to his name. But a five-star debutant has impressed today too – the home side’s Jacob Fletcher, 29, was the first rider into the arena and scored 29.3 to hold fifth at this stage. Riding the attractive light bay Fabian, Jacob rode a confident consistent test, marred only by slightly sub-par first and third flying changes.

“My five-star debut has been a long time coming – I’ve had several horses get qualified and it just hasn’t worked out, so it’s really exciting to get here,” said Jacob.

“It’s the first show I’ve not cared how the dressage went after walking the cross-country. Maybe that was a good thing, I was less nervous. He was really good and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

The second in was New Zealand’s Caroline Powell, who piloted Chris Mann’s neat, compact mare Greenacres Special Cavalier to a mark of 29. They fumbled their transition up to canter and the mare did not show much of the required stretch on the canter circle, but overall this was a strong performance from a young horse and Caroline currently sits fourth.

“I’m really pleased with her – there’s a bit of atmosphere and she got a wee bit tight, but she kept her cool and did all the movements. She’s only 10 and she can only improve on that,” said Caroline.

Oliver Townend will be the third and final Brit to perform in the Maryland 5 Star dressage when he takes to the arena at 3.27pm local time (8.27pm British time) riding Cooley Rosalent.

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‘It was nearly a marriage andhe catapulted me to the stars’ – Caroline Powell remembers Burghley winner Lenamore

Pippa Roome — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 06:02:45 +0000

Caroline Powell describes her partnership with 2010 Burghley Horse Trials winner Lenamore as “nearly a marriage”.

“He’s still my idol. It was nearly a marriage – we sort of loved each other and sort of hated each other at times. He just was that special little horse and he catapulted me right up into the stars and kept us there for quite a long time,” says Caroline in an interview on this month’s Horse & Hound Podcast, supported by Baileys Horse Feeds.

Although he became one of the most consistent performers on the five-star circuit, Lexi Jackson and her mother Janey MacKinnon’s Lenamore – known as Ed – wasn’t the easiest horse to ride. He was produced up to the top level by Lexi before she gave Caroline the ride.

“Lexi and Janey did the most fantastic job and actually, right the way through his career, Janie always did the first part of his fitness work,” explains Caroline. “They were always so involved in what we did with him from day to day. He was very naughty and I remember seeing him bucking with Lexi – not dirty, just naughty, just full of it.

“He was the best evader of work, although he worked himself quite hard. Janie always used to ride him when she was getting him fit and lead something else, whereas I would ride something else and lead him just because he jogged the whole way. So in one way he was very within himself with the way that he went, in another way he was actually quite hard on himself because he kept themselves so fit.”

To begin with, Caroline says the fact Lenamore was so athletic allowed him to jink and run-out across country.

“We had our little difficulties on the way – the little run-outs here and there – and it did take us a wee while to grow that relationship and for him to trust me and for me to trust him on the lines,” remembers Caroline. “Even to this day, I still walk lines and think, ‘On Lenamore I’d be riding this a little bit differently’ because you had to be just that little bit of cuter with him, so he was tricky in that way – but he was pretty cool.”

At that 2010 Burghley Horse Trials, Caroline says Lenamore “absolutely performed beautifully”.

“The whole week was like a dream come true. It was like the Lenamore that we didn’t know – he cantered up the centre line having done the most beautiful test and I sorted patted him thinking, ‘Something’s got go wrong at some stage’. But thankfully it didn’t – we had an absolutely foot-perfect week and there wasn’t one bit of him I could even say needed tweaking that week. It was unbelievable.”

Hear more about Caroline’s Lenamore memories as we enjoy this week’s Defender Burghley Horse Trials by tuning in to episode 140 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the Burghley action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

The Horse & Hound Podcast 140: Caroline Powell on her 2010 Burghley win with Lenamore | Feeding a competition horse

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 05:45:25 +0000

Our 140th episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is currently supported by Baileys Horse Feeds, we delve into the history of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials and chat to Caroline Powell, the New Zealand rider who won the event in 2010 aboard the wonderful little grey, Lenamore. We will then hear from Bailey’s Horse Feeds nutritionist Emma Short, who will give us some advice on feeding a competition horse. We hope you will enjoy listening.

Episode 140 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, our popular audio service currently supported by Baileys Horse Feeds, is now live.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

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“He’s still my idol – our relationship was similar to a marriage in that we loved each other and hated each other sometimes. He was a special little horse and I think he catapulted me right into the stars and kept us there for quite a long time” – Caroline Powell on Lenamore

We will then hear from Bailey’s Horse Feeds nutritionist Emma Short, who will give us some advice on feeding a competition horse.

“When a horse’s workload is increasing, their nutrient requirements also increase, and choosing the right feed is really important to compliment the forage that you have available” – Emma Short

We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com