Latest from Horse & Hound in David-doel

Horse sadly suffers ‘fatal cardiovascular catastrophe’ during Bramham cross-country

Pippa Roome — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:02:04 +0000

A horse has sadly died during the cross-country at Defender Bramham Horse Trials today (13 June).

Charlie Foxtrot, owned by Michael and Sophie Payne and ridden by David Doel, was contesting the CCI4*-L class. A statement from the event said he “unfortunately suffered a fatal cardiovascular catastrophe on the cross-country course around fence 22”.

The statement about Charlie Foxtrot continued: “Veterinary personnel were on the scene immediately but unfortunately nothing could be done to save the horse. The rider was uninjured.

“Our sincere condolences are with David and his connections.”

Charlie Foxtrot, an 11-year-old by Voss out of a mare called Cha Cha Cha Z (by Corrado II), started his career with Katie Magee, joining Hector Payne in the middle of 2022 when he was at novice level.

Hector, the son of the horse’s owners Michael and Sophie Payne, took the horse up to four-star but felt he might suit another rider better, so he joined David Doel during the 2024 season.

David and Charlie Foxtrot had had a number of good placings, including second in an intermediate at Poplar Park in March 2025, two ninths in open intermediates and 11th in the advanced at Cirencester this spring. They contested the British intermediate championships at Hartpury last summer, finishing 16th.

On their previous run, they completed the CCI4*-S at Belsay with a 37.1 dressage, four jumping and two time-faults in the showjumping and a steady clear across country with 18.4 time-penalties.

Charlie Foxtrot was tackling his second CCI4*-L at Bramham, having completed at the level on his debut at Boekelo last year, with a jumping clear across country.

David and Charlie Foxtrot had kicked off their Bramham Horse Trials campaign with a dressage score of 39.4.

A fence was taken out of the CCI4*-L course near the end of the class, but this was unrelated to Charlie Foxtrot’s death – the second element of fence 18 was removed because the ground had deteriorated on take-off.

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‘He was absolutely mega’: podium finish for British rider at Kentucky

Pippa Roome — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:21:40 +0000

David Doel achieved another five-star podium finish with Galileo Nieuwmoed when he finished third at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event today (26 April).

The British pair jumped clear to finish on their dressage score, moving up from fourth after cross-country, and David described the 15-year-old’s performance as “absolutely mega, fantastic”.

“He jumped super in here three years ago when he came and I thought he actually jumped better again today,” said David.

“It was a little bit too forwards at times, but we knew the time was tight and I was absolutely dead chuffed with that.”

David commented that Galileo, who belongs to his rider, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas, loves coming to the USA, prompting a question about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“He might be a bit old for that, but we’ll try and keep troubling the selectors,” said David.

“We’ve had an amazing time here once again, everyone has looked after us so well and we’ve been made to feel so welcome.”

This is David Doel and Galileo’s ninth top-15 five-star finish and their third podium – they were second at Burghley Horse Trials in 2023 and third at Maryland 5 Star in 2024 – as well as their second strong Kentucky Three-Day Event result after eighth in 2023.

Britain had another top-five finisher in Tom McEwen, whose ride Brookfield Quality – owned by John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn – jumped spectacularly for a clear today to move up from sixth to fifth.

It hasn’t quite been Harry Meade’s weekend here in Kentucky and Superstition, who belongs to his rider and Mandy Gray, had the oxer in the middle of the treble at 9b and the final upright down. The pair dropped from eighth to 12th.

Tom Jackson’s clear with Ruth McMullen and Mary Harris’s Plot Twist B elevated him from 16th to 15th.

Will Coleman scored his first five-star win today, jumping clear on Diabolo to land the title.

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British riders play leaderboard snakes and ladders as Kentucky cross-country proves influential

Pippa Roome — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 22:05:39 +0000

David Doel scaled the leaderboard to finish up best Brit after the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country today (25 April).

The time on Derek di Grazia’s course proved achievable, with four riders making it – but only one of them, David with Galileo Nieuwmoed, was British and the other leading British combinations all had some penalties. David has moved up from 12th after dressage to fourth overnight.

David Doel was held at the Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country start because US rider Mary Bess Davis had a fall at fence 16, after which she was taken to hospital to be checked. Her ride Imperio Magic walked away.

“He made me work today. That wasn’t quite as easy and free flowing as he has been sometimes – I think the 20-minute hold beforehand meant it just took a little while to get going,” said David, who was eighth at Kentucky on Galileo in 2023.

“And there are so many undulations and ups and downs, I think it just really took it out of his brain a little bit. Our last ride here was smoother.

“But he is a real galloping machine – he’s a bit of a freak when it comes to the galloping side of it – and he’s still towed me down the hill home. He lost his left front shoe too, which was a little bit annoying, but he’s such a cool horse.”

David went round the trees to the direct corner out of the Defender Head of the Lake (fence 19b) because he said the horse “just emptied on me a little bit, and I didn’t quite have the oomph to get the four strides up to the corner”.

David co-owns the seasoned Galileo with Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas, who is 93 years old and has made the trip to Kentucky to watch her horse.

Tom McEwen drops out of podium places

David’s compatriot Tom McEwen was third after dressage, but slid to sixth today with eight time-faults on John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Quality.

“Fence three here for the past two years, with the big ditch underneath, hasn’t been ideal for ‘Norris’. For any other five-star horse, it’s a perfect fence just to run and jump at, but with Norris it sends him up and it starts a catalyst of more ditches coming, and we just get higher and higher and slower and slower,” said Tom.

“But I was absolutely delighted with him – he was honest as the day is long. I don’t think I could have got many more inches or seconds out of him.”

Tom had a bit of a dicey journey through the rail, ditch, box shoulder hedge question at fence 7abcd, the Care Credit Question, saying his ride at the fence last year had been playing on his mind although he has jumped numerous ditches schooling last year.

“To be honest, for him to have such big spook at the ditch and to actually get out over the final part – I couldn’t be happier with him. He’s fantastic. He tried his heart out,” he said.

Harry Meade moved up from 10th to eighth with six time-faults on his own and Mandy Gray’s Superstition and slid from eighth to equal 11th with 11.6 time-penalties on Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht.

Tom Jackson finished the day in 16th, a rise from equal 23rd after dressage, having added nine penalties for taking out a flag and 12.4 time-faults with Ruth McMullen and Mary Harris’s Plot Twist B.

His fault came Pete’s Hollow, where the direct route was two triple brush arrowheads on a turn around a rise, after a drop from the initial log.

“It’s frustrating from a results point of view, but he didn’t really know that he’d done anything wrong,” said Tom.

“Just as he took off, he went left a bit and kicked out the flag with one of his front feet and I didn’t know whether I was quite on the line or not, so I had to go around and do the alternative. But he was up on his minute markers to that point and everywhere else he was straight as a die.”

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‘He’s a learner with real presence’: smart five-star first-timer takes Kentucky dressage lead

Pippa Roome — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:32:54 +0000

Will Coleman has taken top spot after the first day of Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage, riding Diabolo.

The home side rider scored 27.3 with the syndicate-owned 14-year-old, who won the CCI4*-S here in 2024 and is tackling his first five-star. Will had a two-point deduction on his score for halting in the wrong place at the end of his test.

“Diabolo is a learner – he really likes to be taught things and has a real conscience about everything that he does,” said Will, who acquired the horse in 2023 from the Tinney family in Australia.

“He really wants to be a good boy, but there’s a little bit of anxiety because of that. So it’s really teaching him to have confidence in himself and have confidence in what we’re asking him to do. I think now he’s starting to get that and he has a real presence about him, an energy that I think is pretty cool.”

Will Coleman admitted after his Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage test that the horse became a little excited and he didn’t feel he was totally with him in his final warm-up, but said he focused in the arena.

He said: “He did his job as best he could. There’s little things I’d love to clean up, but I can’t be anything but proud of him. I just really, really adore this horse.”

Phillip Dutton sits second on 28.1 with the syndicate-owned Possante, whose test was marred only by a spook early on. The 13-year-old was previously called Imposant and produced by Emily King.

“We struggled a little bit when I first got him,” Phillip admitted. “I’ve had him for quite a few years now and it’s starting to come together.

“He’s a kind horse, he wants to do the right thing and he’s not trying to get out of things. It’s just that he’s a bit bigger and it’s taken a while to get him quicker footed and secure in what he does.”

US Olympian Phillip added that Possante is very horse shy, saying: “I’ve now figured out it’s just a case of trying to keep him on his own and not letting him get wound up with the other horses coming at him.

“They’ve all got their quirks and, especially once you get to this level, you’ve got to try to work around those to get the best out of them.”

New Zealand’s Tim Price holds third, having punched in the first sub-30 dressage test today on Lance and Diana Morrish’s Global Quest, a horse he said he rides in honour of his former rider, the late Georgie Campbell.

“He’s not God’s gift to dressage – he’s quite a big horse and he finds it all quite difficult, but he was relaxed and giving as much of himself as he could,” said Tim.

“The naturally big, flamboyant horses can be on mud, they can be on grass, but ones that are really working at their maximum in terms of the movements and pushing through their bodies in the right way [really benefit from the fact] we’ve got such consistent surfaces all the way through to the main ring here.”

Tim added that the break the horses have with the journey and quarantine – they left the UK last Wednesday, arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday evening and do gentle work to ease back in on Sunday and Monday – also freshens the horses’ bodies up, “especially for a horse like him because physically he has to work really hard”.

Two Brits in top six

Harry Meade sits fourth with Superstition, while fellow Brit David Doel is in sixth on 30.8 with Galileo Nieuwmoed, owned by his rider, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas.

“I’m absolutely stoked,” said David. “We just had one small blip going up the centreline towards the end when he put in some lovely tempi changes, which was costly, but the rest was one of his nicest tests.

“We’ve not probably worked him quite as hard as sometimes – we’ve done a little bit more jumping, a bit more canter work, especially this week.

“We came here three years ago and I think I tightened up when I went in there for the dressage and and he tightened up as well. We really made sure that we stayed nice and loose and relaxed.

“I’ve got Nick Turner out here, my trainer, and had a little bit of help from British performance manager Dickie Waygood as well and that worked really well today.”

The third British horse to perform today, Ruth McMullen and Mary Harris’s Plot Twist B, shares the bottom of the leaderboard with New Zealand’s Sophia Hill and Humble Glory on a score of 37.1, but rider Tom Jackson said he was pleased with how this tense horse coped.

“He’s an incredibly spooky, nervy horse, so for him in there is utterly terrifying. So for him to stay as with me as he did, even with a couple of spooks, was generally quite pleasing,” said Tom.

“We’ve just tried to acclimatise him to this whole area as much as possible in a really chilled out way over the past few days and I think on the whole, it’s worked.

“There’s still room for lots of improvements. He’s only 11 and hopefully we can keep building on that and get him more confident in those environments, because he’s more than capable.”

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Four British riders among ‘one of the highest-rated’ Kentucky five-star fields ‘on record’

Lucy Elder — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:23:15 +0000

World number one Harry Meade heads the British entries for the 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (23 to 26 April).

Four British riders are among the 37 entries for the sole US CCI5* this spring.

Harry has four horses entered, including Et Hop Du Matz and Grafennacht, with whom he finished third and fourth respectively at Kentucky last year. He also has Superstition and Cavalier Crystal on the list for Kentucky at this stage.

All four of Harry’s possible rides are also entered at Badminton, and will not run at both, but holding entries at both spring five-stars keeps his options open at this stage.

Joining Harry in the British camp are Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality, who were fifth at Kentucky last year, 2025 Pau runners-up Tom Jackson and Plot Twist B, and David Doel with his great five-star campaigner Galileo Nieumoed. David and Galileo Nieumoed are also entered at Badminton.

New Zealand’s Tim Price is among the other key contenders set to cross the pond next month. He is entered with Global Quest and five-star stalwart Vitali. Ireland has three entered: five-star winners Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, Padraig McCarthy and Pomp N Circumstance, and Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit. Both Austin and Joseph are also entered for Badminton with their potential Kentucky campaigners.

World number two Boyd Martin leads the charge for the home side. Boyd’s Kentucky entries are his 2025 Kentucky runner-up Commando 3, as well as Miks Master C, who finished third in 2023 with Liz Halliday, and Cooley Nutcracker, whom Liz rode at Paris 2024 and who has twice finished in the top 10 at five-star.

“With so many world-class combinations entered in this year’s event, Kentucky will celebrate one of its highest-rated fields on record,” said a Defender Kentucky spokesperson.

“There are four CCI5*-winning riders in the line-up: Boyd Martin, Tom McEwen, Austin O’Connor and Tim Price, who will be looking for his seventh victory at this level. Price also has the highest-rated horse, Vitali, on the entry list, with both Vitali and Colorado Blue ranked among the world’s top 10 eventing horses.”

For the full 2026 Defender Kentucky entries list, visit: https://www.kentuckythreedayevent.com/5-entries-and-ride-times

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6 facts you might not know about the globe-trotting Galileo Nieuwmoed – and his eventing record that went under the radar

Martha Terry — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:47:05 +0000

Galileo Nieuwmoed, the grand campaigner of David Doel, added yet another top-10 five-star completion to their illustrious CV at Pau Horse Trials last weekend (23–26 October). The horse’s outstanding record and number of podium finishes surely makes him one of the best not to have won at the highest level – yet. They have seven top-10 results at five-star.

In autumn 2024, the pair quietly banked an eventing record of completing all six of the northern-hemisphere five-stars – finishing third at Maryland in the US. They were the first horse-and-rider combination to achieve this feat, and have since been joined by Emily Hamel and Corvett and Oliver Townend with Cooley Rosalent.

David and Galileo – owned by himself, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas – have been tantalisingly close to victory at the highest level, finishing runner-up at Burghley in 2023 by 0.7 of a penalty. They also showjumped in the lead for the title at Pau 2022, only to roll the final pole which dropped them to fourth.

At this year’s Pau, David and his 14-year-old star were on a recovery mission after uncharacteristic blips at corners at both Badminton and Burghley. But in France, they looked back to their brilliant best, clocking one of only six clears inside the time to blast up the leaderboard from 26th after dressage to sixth overnight.

“He was absolutely magic,” said David after their round. “We had him a little bit ruder, a little bit perkier again. He was just a bit too quiet and settled at Burghley, and so we put some anger back in the tank.

“Although it was not such a good dressage mark, he jumped round really neat and tidy.”

“Absolutely magic”: Galileo Nieuwmoed takes a flier at the open ditch at Pau 2025. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Yet again, the final showjump – the 13th – on a long and exacting course fell. While David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed bagged another top-10 prize, they would have been second to Tim Price and Jarillo without the pole.

He has now finished fourth, ninth and 15th at Pau five-star, as well as 10th in the three-star there when he was a seven-year-old.

“He’s a Pau professional,” David said. “He knows his way around and felt lovely. He sort of took me round and it all felt very easy and happy.”

At 14 years old, the Carambole gelding is still at the peak of his powers. Here’s to 2026 being the year he breaks his five-star duck – or maybe he’ll be setting new records at Adelaide.

6 facts about Galileo Nieuwmoed

He loves to roll in mud and will dig a hole and roll in it three or four times every time you take him out an event, according to his groom.
David had to be persuaded to take Galileo on to sell – he used to be stuffy! “It wasn’t until he jumped round his first four-star that I thought, ‘this one is going to be all right!’” says David.
They have won three four-stars: Little Downham CCI4*-S (2025), Kronenberg CCI4*-S (2003) and Maarsbergen CCI4*-S (2002).
They’re fast. At every five-star they have completed (eight), they have finished inside the optimum time inside the time bar one – Badminton 2022, when they were just 3sec over.
The pair have never had a cross-country run-out, refusal or flag in over 50 runs together.
Galileo is a Dutch warmblood and the words “nieuw moed” translate from Dutch as “new courage” – though it’s also a Dutch surname.
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‘It’s a very clever track’: seven of the first 11 complete Burghley cross-country with the leaderboard undergoing an early shake-up

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 12:06:49 +0000

After the first few horses have started out on the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country today (Saturday 6 September), seven of the 11 have completed.

The best of those is Harry Meade and the first of his three rides, Et Hop Du Matz. This 11-year-old gelding, owned by Harry and Mandy Gray, made the course look mostly very straightforward, and they finished with a clear jumping round with just 2.4 time-faults – finishing six seconds over the 11min 24sec optimum time.

Harry had to hunt through the Trout Hatchery but he explained why saying: “Someone ran out in front of me, which took mine and my horse’s eye off.”

Harry had one other hairy moment, which came at Lambert’s Sofa, just two fences from the end of the track.

“I saw a very long stride and didn’t quite get it right,” explained Harry. “This horse has lovely long stride, and I saw a forward one, but then sat up in case he put in one more, which he did – it was rider error.”

Speaking of the Derek di Grazia-designed track, which runs in the reverse direction this year for the first time since 2017, Harry said that the course “rode as it walked”.

“It’s a very clever track and is very intense, but very fun,” he added.

Samantha Lissington on Burghley Horse Trials cross-country

New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and the first of her two rides, Billy Alberto, sit in second at this early stage. Sam jumped clear, picking up 5.6 time-faults aboard this relatively inexperienced 13-year-old, who is owned by Alison and Ian Spence.

“He was really phenomenal. I mean, you never know really that you’ve got a Burghley horse until you’re halfway through the course or going through those finishing flags, and I had an inkling that he could be, but he certainly proved it today,” said Sam, who rides her second horse, Lord Seekönig, fourth after the dressage, later.

“We don’t know each other well, and I was going just off a gut feel and hoping that the tools and everything were in place, and they certainly were. We helped each other out. It was a great round.”

Talking about the course, Sam said: “It rode mostly to plan – I added a stride here and there, but my plan came off.”

Billy Alberto has had a rapid rise to five-star level.

“Eighteen months ago, he was rocking around under-18 novices, and so to think that in the space of the six or seven months he’s been with me, that he could be at Burghley is pretty phenomenal,” said Sam. “I’m thrilled for his owners – it’s really cool.”

Disappointment for David Doel

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed, who were 14th after dressage and a big hope for many to go well this week, were flying around until this experienced horse left a knee on the corner at the final part of the Fairfax & Favor at Keepers at 10b, leaving them both briefly on the deck. After being checked over, David and Galileo Nieuwmoed walked back to the stables seemingly none the worse for wear.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

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‘I’m absolutely stoked’: British rider storms into Burghley Horse Trials dressage lead

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 11:37:08 +0000

Britain’s David Doel has stormed into the lead after the second session of Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage this morning (4 September).

Riding his brilliant five-star campaigner Galileo Nieuwmoed, David scored 29.6 – a personal best for this horse at five-star level.

Their test was a “clear round”, with the 14-year-old Galileo Nieuwmoed, owned by David, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas, producing a pleasing picture, with movements mostly marked between 6.5 and 7.5.

“We’ve worked really hard on his dressage and it’s finally paid off and he’s been able to show everyone what he’s capable of,” explained an understandably delighted David. “We nailed it today – we lunged and rode him for the right time this morning and he’s feeling the best he’s ever felt in his body. I’ve got to write this all down and remember it for next time.”

David said that it was “definitely the best he’s ever gone in the ring”.

“He was really settled, really rideable, and just nailed everything. That’s probably about the best he’s going to really ever be able to do.”

When asked about how he’s achieved this improvement in Galileo Nieuwmoed’s Burghley Horse Trials dressage, David Doel said that he hasn’t made any major changes to this horse’s training regime.

“He’s 14 years old now – he knows how to go sideways, he knows how to do his flying-changes – it’s just really been a case of getting him settled in the ring.

“We’ve just changed his warm-up a little bit. He went for quite a long loose lunge this morning to let him get all the bucks and excitement out of him without working his body too hard. He’s not built for dressage and so I think in the past, we’ve probably made him a little bit tired in his body, and he’s got a bit cranky about that.”

David and Galileo Nieuwmoed are famed for their fast clears across country, with eight clear cross-country jumping rounds at five-star level under their belt, and David is relishing the prospect of Saturday’s cross-country test.

“This horse loves his galloping and jumping and is an absolute weapon across country and I love riding him, so I’m really looking forward to it,” said David.

Grace Taylor moves into top three after Burghley Horse Trials dressage performance

British-based US rider Grace Taylor has slotted into third place. She scored 32.4 aboard her mother Ann Taylor’s 13-year-old gelding, Game Changer, and sits 1.5 penalties behind current leader Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit.

Game Changer and Grace produced a polished test with consistently good marks for most movements, but their score dropped owing to a break in the extended trot and he also kicked out in two of his flying-changes.

“I’m pleased, but there is definitely room for improvement, but he was a good boy,” said Grace, who is 29 and has completed Badminton twice with this horse. “His half-passes have come on, even in the past three days, and he is more supple through those now.

“He is also more ‘up’ and in front of the leg, and actually that’s probably where some of our mistakes crept in as he was much more in front of the leg than I expected him to be.”

Grace explained that she has been trying to improve a few areas of Game Changer’s flatwork.

“My trainer Lisa White and I have been working on having him much more strong, supple and in front of the leg and he’s enjoying his dressage more. He was always more of a jumping horse, but I always knew he could do really good dressage test, so I was frustrated with myself that I wasn’t getting the marks, but it’s getting there.”

Heading into the lunch break on the first day of Burghley Horse Trials dressage, Ireland’s Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit are in second on 30.9, while Harry Meade and the first of his three rides, Et Hop Du Matz are fourth on 32.7.

The Burghley Horse Trials dressage recommences at 2pm.

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

‘A few bruises but absolutely fine’: update on some of the fallers and non-finishers from Badminton Horse Trials cross-country day

Martha Terry — Sun, 11 May 2025 10:59:58 +0000

There was a relatively high cross-country clear-round rate of 56% at the 2025 Mars Badminton Horse Trials, but there were eight eliminations for falls (three horse falls), and 11 retirements on course. Of the Badminton Horse Trials fallers, several riders have posted updates on the wellbeing of their horses.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed are one of the standout cross-country combinations of this era, and looked to be coasting round when a mistake at Huntsman’s Close led to an uncharacteristic fall.

The horse stood off, then slid over the first corner, activating the frangible device. Galileo slithered on to the ground, dislodging David who looked winded afterwards. The horse was straight up on his feet.

But David gave H&H an upbeat report on Sunday morning, saying Galileo is “happy back at home out in his paddock. [We’ve] both got a few bruises but absolutely fine.” See video below after the advert

Badminton final scores

Felix Vogg was flying towards the end of the course with Cartania (12th after dressage) when the mare rubbed the top of the first of the Joules Double of Gates two fences from home. She stumbled on landing and fell, rolling over Felix, but both were straight up on their feet.

Felix posted an update on Saturday night: “Cartania was jumping so well and still quick until a mistake from me and awkward jump over the gate towards the end. Not how we wanted to finish, but we are both ok and looking forward to the next five-star.

“She’s a cross-country machine and loves it almost too much.

“Thank you to the @bhorsetrials vet team for looking after her straight after. She’s now happy in her stable.”

The third horse fall was Luthien NRW with Arne Bergendahl, who jumped boldly into the Mars Lake and unfortunately tripped on landing. Both horse and rider were immediately up in the water, for a soggy walk home.

Kylie Roddy fell off after SRS Kan Do (George) squeezed in an extra stride before the massive haywain in the Savills Staircase combination at fence 4abc, bringing her campaign to an early end.

She posted: “Not the outcome that we had in our dreams, George is safe and sound and ready for another day. As a rider, I’m feeling philosophical.”

Another rider fall was Lauren Innes, whose run of five CCI5* cross-country clears with Global Fision M came to an end in Huntsman’s Close when the horse misread the first corner. Lauren confirmed to H&H on Sunday that both she and the horse are fine.

“It was such a shame for him,” said Lauren. “I think the light played a part and he just didn’t read it, but thankfully and most importantly he is completely fine and back out in his field enjoying a roll and lots of grass this afternoon.”

Retirements and withdrawals

Gemma Stevens was quick to put up her hand and retire after Jalapeno ran out at the second Agria corner, having been third after dressage.

“She is an old lady now and if it’s not her day, it’s not her day,” said Gemma afterwards. “She actually started brilliantly, and I was spot on at the first corner, but she just said, ‘no, not my day’. I brought her round again to make her jump it, gave her a pat and walked away. There’s always another day.”

Samantha Lissington pulled up Lord Seekonig (Charlie) at the second sunken road (fence 21), having already activated a frangible at fence at the first sunken road (fence 12).

“Sadly not our day today @bhorsetrials,” she posted on Instagram. “Charlie thinks he read the course map and didn’t really need any input from his rider!

“Left the start box feeling great but it soon became apparent that I didn’t have a lot of say in where we were going or what we were doing! Time to regroup and make new plans with a horse I feel has all the ability in the world.”

Lizzie Baugh’s horse B Exclusive was withdrawn before the final inspection after jumping clear.

Lizzie posted on Sunday morning: “Safely on our way home after the most incredible clear round at our first Badminton yesterday… Buzz is looking forward to some well deserved spring grass… and being treated like the king he is.”

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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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‘She’s proved she’s world class’: home-bred mare dispels her rider’s doubts with cracking Badminton debut while top-10 contenders fall

Martha Terry — Sat, 10 May 2025 12:57:02 +0000

Several top contenders have dropped out of the reckoning over the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course, with run-outs and falls featuring alongside a few excellent rounds. While two popular Brits, David Doel and Kylie Roddy, took tumbles, two European riders caught the eye to move into the top 10.

The reigning Lumühlen champions Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and her home-bred Hooney D’Arville consolidated a decent dressage mark of 31.7 with a cracking effort to add 13.6 time-faults, to move up from 22nd.

Lara, from Belgium, gave plenty of vocal encouragement to Hooney, and it seemed to work. Lara was worried beforehand that the accumulation of massive fences may overface this careful mare, who responded brilliantly to her positive and confident ride.

“When you breed a horse and ride it from the first day, you don’t dream of going to Badminton or winning a five-star,” said Lara “You keep questioning if you are too ambitious, but today she proved she’s world class.

“My dad bought the dam against the advice of everyone as she failed the vet three times, but sometimes your life is a connection of meeting the right person on the right day, and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t that horse.”

Badminton final scores

Also making the trip across the Channel, Jérôme Robiné rode a beautifully tactful round on his European Championship ride Black Ice. After a disappointing dressage test on this great mover for 35.2, the German admitted he thought the course was “nothing like I’m used to!”.

But Jerome made it look so easy, skimming round in superb balance on this striking black horse, for 14.4 time-faults, which puts him in the top 10 at this stage.

Young Brits’s mixed fortunes on Badminton Horse Trials cross-country

Tom Woodward had been the surprise star of the dressage phase, slotting into sixth on 27.9 on his debut. Aged just 23, and riding the joint-oldest horse, 18-year-old Low Moor Lucky, Tom set out looking like he meant business, but after a run-out early on at the Agria Corners (fence 7), he walked off the course.

He did pop over the corner neatly on the second attempt but put his hand up to retire. The horse may well be rerouted for another five-star target after this early finish.

Another young Brit, Alice Casburn, also 23, had a better time.

She and Topspin knocked the flag at the second element of the Agria Corners (fence 7), where two horses later Manuel Grave ran straight past it. His horse Carat De Bremoy had 20 penalties at the Mars Lake, and was eliminated at the Ineos Grenadier Sunken Road.

Alice issued a big growl to encourage Topsin over the ditch in the Holland Cooper Corner. Her daily ditch practice duly paid off, as she negotiated all the big ditches without a hitch. She finished clear, 35sec outside the time, with Alice allowing Topspin to canter home over the last few fences in his own time.

“I had a couple of questionable shots everywhere and he helped me out,” said Alice of the 17-year-old home-bred. “I had a plan A, but went down to plan X at the end. It’s tough out there, it’s always hard work here, but he dug deep.”

Dan Jocelyn, the oldest rider in the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase, enjoyed a comfortable clear on Blackthorn Cruise, who was 21st here in 2023.

“I feel we have this great partnerhship, and had a fantastic time out there,” he said. “Yes we’re a minute over the time, but he was picking up at the end – I couldn’t be happier.”

Dan explained that he took a couple of long routes.

“I felt we didn’t get in the sync from the practice arena to the first jump, I just lost the feel, so I was a tiny bit cautious because of that,” he said, “but we got into it and one you’re through the Lake you can take a deep breath.”

Two falls on Badminton Horse Trials cross-country

David Doel seemed to be coasting round on the big-striding Galileo Nieuwmoed, until they had a bit of a wobble at the LeMieux Eyelash Brushes (fence 19abc). The horse dived at the final angled brush element, but David was ready in the defensive position and barely lost any momentum.

Unfortunately this lovely bold round came to an abrupt end at Huntsman’s Close (fence 26a), when the horse took off a trifle early and slid over the massive first corner. Galileo slithered on to the ground as the frangible was activated, and David hit the turf. Galileo was quickly up on his feet, while David looked winded before he too walked away.

Kylie Roddy’s Badminton bad luck continued when she took an early fall on SRS Kan Do.

The pair had produced a stellar dressage test of 30.1 to lie in 14th but couldn’t capitalise. SRS Kan Do stuttered down the Savills Staircase at fence 4abc, so needed to stretch to get over the enormous haywain. He banked it, and with Kylie off balance, tipped her out of the plate.

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‘I completely fell in love with it – I was hooked’: how a riding school sparked a life-long love of horses in top eventing groom

Lucy Elder — Fri, 09 May 2025 18:48:18 +0000

It was at a Welsh riding school where Jade Roberts’ love of horses first blossomed. David Doel’s groom is caring for Galileo Nieuwmoed at Mars Badminton Horse Trials this week – a horse she has seen grow from a youngster into a powerful globe-trotting five-star stalwart.

“There was a riding school probably a 10 minute walk from where I come from in north Wales,” says Jade, who comes from a non-horsey background.

“I persuaded my parents to let me have a half-hour lesson on a Saturday, which then turned into me working there all day for a lesson – then it became a weekend thing, and I just completely fell in love with it. I was hooked straight away.

“I went to college and did a national diploma in horse management and started grooming from there.”

On finishing college, Jade went straight to France to work for a big stud, before moving into eventing, which has always had a special place in her heart.

Badminton final scores

“I’m going into my sixth year of working for David,” she says. “I originally did four years as travelling head girl, then went away and spent a couple of years for the Prices, did some travelling, and then came back. I started freelancing and David said, ‘Would you like your job back?’ So I’ve been back full-time since December 2023.”

She adds: “I was there when Galileo Nieuwmoed first came to us. He’s quite boisterous, but he does actually have quite a soft side. Sometimes I’ll find, if I’ve mucked him out, he’ll follow me around the stable and want to cuddle – but he won’t let anyone else see it; it’s on his terms.

“If he wants attention and you’re walking past the stable, he’ll almost try to nip you from behind, not get hold of you, just a little tease. He can be a handful to deal with, but he’s so cool.”

Jade Roberts: “I love watching the partnership grow”

David has previously spoken to H&H about how his now strong partnership with Galileo Nieuwmoed did not start with love at first sight.

Jade recalls how the horse just kept on stepping up to the task at hand, rising through the levels until she found herself watching him here at Badminton in 2022.

“I watched him showjump and I had tears streaming from my eyes, it was amazing to watch the partnership grow,” she says. “It’s really good to be back working with him and to know him and just keep growing the bond.

“We went to Maryland last year – that’s probably the most surreal place we’ve been to, Luhmühlen, and I actually took him down to Pau for a CCI3*-S, that was great – it was his first proper, big [overseas] event.”

Jade Roberts on Badminton Horse Trials

She adds that it is “always amazing” to be here at Badminton.

“We try and keep his routine as much the same as possible,” she says. “He can be quite a handful. If I try and bring him in from grazing and he’s not finished, he does get quite boisterous and tries to bite my knees! But otherwise, once he’s settled down, he’s quite easy to do.

“My favourite part of being a groom is growing the bond with the horses and figuring out their personalities – what they like, what they don’t like, and then watching them being produced up the levels.

“Watching them go from a four-year-old to being part of the ‘A-team’ is amazing. [Being a groom] is unbelievable, it’s a surreal experience – horses have taken me to some extremely cool places that I wouldn’t have been to otherwise.”

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Rethinking fitness for horse and rider pays off as Kylie Roddy strives to reverse her Badminton fortunes

Martha Terry — Thu, 08 May 2025 13:04:15 +0000

On a morning at Mars Badminton Horse Trials when few horses were posting close to their best dressage marks, SRS Kan Do (George) scored one of his top five-star scores of 30.1 for Kylie Roddy. This put them third at lunchbreak on day one, less than one penalty behind Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class) and Gemma Stevens (Chilli Knight).

They performed a remarkably consistent test, earning sevens almost throughout, with their highlight coming in the halt before rein-back, which scored two eights.

“I’m beyond thrilled,” said Kylie. “The first phase is the one we riders get the most stressed about. George is such a level horse to ride, but he was quite frisky in the stable this morning, trying to nibble us, buck a bit. Most horses it sends them over the edge, but with George it gives him that added extra.”

Kylie will be hoping it’s third time lucky at Badminton for SRS Kan Do, who has been successful at other five-stars, but notched up two non-completions here. This year Kylie has overhauled his winter training to try to target spring success.

“He’s always been an autumn campaigner so this time I didn’t give him long off in the winter,” she said. “I kept him in work to see if it’s a body conditioning thing, rather than seasonal, and did my work a bit differently.”

Badminton final scores

She worked a lot on building up strength in the 15-year-old’s back, working over raised sleepers to engage his core, “getting the mobility in the joints without putting miles on the legs”.

“He does 100 of them a day, so he’s worked smarter not harder,” she said. “And I didn’t run him too close to Badminton; in spring you’re always trying to get the runs in, but he runs better fresher. So I tried to do what I normally do in autumn.”

Kylie’s also made big changes to her own fitness regime, and it seems to be reaping dividends.

“This winter I decided to be very miserable and eat 800 calories [a day] from November, and then in March at Poplar Park I could up my calorie intake,” she explained.

“So I’ve been miserable but smiley inside because it’s all for the greater good as George finds the whole job easier. I’ve been going to the gym too after I lost a lot of weight. It’s for the welfare of the horse, to make his job easier.”

Mistakes prove costly in Badminton Horse Trials dressage

Jérôme Robiné, one of a four-strong German contingent, had some exceptional moments in his test with his Blenheim third Black Ice. But a major blip in the counter canter to flying change earned them a string of ones, which marred an otherwise beautiful performance. Their score of 34.6 was nonetheless good enough for a place in the top 10 by the end of the first morning.

Meanwhile, David Doel also paid a heavy price for an error with his five-star specialist Galileo Nieuwmoed. They posted 38.1 after the 15-year-old wrecked his chances, also in the counter canter to flying change – scoring ones.

“I’m really disappointed, but you’ve got to put that behind you,” said David. “He just got a bit too fresh and perky in there. He was being fantastic, worked well last night and this morning; I thought he was on it and sorted. He didn’t give me any signs he was going to be so perky, but as they get older they get craftier!”

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Small field go forward to final showjumping after Maryland 5 Star final trot-up

Pippa Roome — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:43:33 +0000

The Mars Maryland 5 Star final trot-up was uneventful, with all eight pairs still in the five-star competition passed as fit to continue in the showjumping phase later today. All the horses passed on first inspection, without any being sent to the holding box or asked to trot again.

Only these eight pairs of the 21 starters completed yesterday’s five-star cross-country and so came forward to today’s Maryland 5 Star final trot-up in front of the ground jury, Sweden’s president Christina Klingspor, the USA’s Valerie Pride and France’s Xavier Le Sauce.

Maryland 5 Star final trot-up over: on to showjumping

The final showjumping phase starts at 3.07pm local time (8.07pm British time) and as usual, the remaining competitors will jump in reverse order of current standings.

As the leaderboard stands after yesterday’s cross-country, leaders Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class do not have a showjump in hand over compatriots David Doel (Galileo Nieuwmoed) in second or New Zealand’s Tim Price and Falco in third.

According to data analytics experts EquiRatings, Oliver has a 51% win chance, David a 28% win chance and Tim a 21% win chance.

Oliver is bidding for his ninth five-star win and Ballaghmor Class his fourth. If they can take the top spot, Ballaghmor Class will join Ginny Elliot’s Priceless and Michael Jung’s La Biosthetique-Sam FBW as the only horses in eventing who have won more than three five-stars (including Olympics and World Championships as five-stars). Priceless won four and Sam six.

Ballaghmor Class is also lining up his 11th top-five finish at the level, his first being his first Burghley win on his five-star debut in 2017.

The other pairs remaining in the competition and currently placed fourth to eighth are: Buck Davidson (Sorocaima), Bubby Upton (Cola), Jennie Brannigan (Twilightslastgleam), Emily Hamel (Corvett) and Lillian Heard Wood (LCC Barnaby).

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Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class head British top two after Maryland cross-country: ‘We know what he’s done, he’s special’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 20:02:40 +0000

Oliver Townend has taken the lead after the Mars Maryland 5 Star cross-country day, with the extraordinary veteran five-star campaigner Ballaghmor Class.

“It’s a proper five-star – for me Maryland is right up there with Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, the others are a level less. This is the top, top of the sport and it’s not easy,” said Oliver after piloting the three-time five-star winner round with 4.8 time-penalties.

“I tried to look after him all the way and ended up a bit slow because of it,” said Oliver, explaining he took a calculated gamble in opting for the long route at the second of the Sawmill Slices – brush corners over a ditch – at 18ab. “And then I looked after him all the way home… we know what he’s done, he’s special.”

Reflecting further on his round and Ballaghmor Class’s return to five-star level after a deep-rooted hoof abscess in the spring, Oliver told H&H: “I’m very, very pleased and relieved with ‘Thomas’ and very happy for his owners Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Angela Hislop, who’ve been on an amazing journey with him.

“To have him back at what’s turned out to be a very tough five-star is very emotional for all of us as we always want to do the right thing for him and he’s turned up again and put in another amazing performance. He felt keener than ever and it wasn’t the smoothest round I’ve possibly ever had on him as he was really excited and keen early on, but every time I needed him he locked onto the lines and did his job amazingly, as he always does.

“He seems all ok at the moment and finished probably better than he’s ever finished a five-star in terms of freshness. I minded him most of way and saved him as much as I could. It was always the plan to jump the long route at fence 18 because I was told in the warm-up none of the good horses were sighting the second part at all. I was already ahead of time there and I tried to mind him as much as I could down the hills, but he’s finished fresh and very well.

“Tomorrow’s another day, but I couldn’t be happier with the way he is at the minute so fingers crossed we stay that way. I’m very proud of him and the team behind him who’ve got him back to the level.”

Tim Price and Falco at Maryland 5 Star 2024. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

The time-faults Oliver Townend incurred over the Maryland 5 Star cross-country left the door open for world double bronze medallists Tim Price and Falco to slip ahead of him. But the New Zealander’s 7.2 time-penalties on his own and Sue Benson’s horse dropped him into third, behind both Oliver and David Doel, who has moved up to second from 16th after dressage with Galileo Nieuwmoed, having posted the only round inside the time today.

Tim said: “It’s a tough track, a beast of thing. My horse has done quite a lot but only one five-star and no offence but Pau is not a patch on what you’ve got here and the terrain.

“I had to think about my horse – the old adage of riding the horse before the course – and I know the more you hold in reserve at the start, the more you can spend on the way home. He felt fantastic coming home and it’s not just about today, it’s about tomorrow too. Hopefully that’s left us in good stead for a good three phases.”

The last on course, Colleen Loach, could have claimed overnight second for Canada had she gone clear in the time, but FE Golden Eye ran-out at the arrowhead off a bounce distance out of the YANMAR Sunken Road at fence 7abcd and was eliminated after two more problems further round the track.

Bubby Upton has only slipped two places to fifth with Cola, despite incurring 11 penalties for a broken frangible and 12.8 time-faults today, while home side rider Buck Davidson (Sorocaima) sits fourth having had 5.2 time-faults.

Harry Meade was the only Brit to have an unsuccessful day – he pulled up his first ride Away Cruising and then took a fall from five-star debutant Et Hop Du Matz at the triple brush arrowhead out of the Irish Horse Board Coffin Question at fence 12abcd.

Eight pairs of the 21 starters finished today over Ian Stark’s cross-country course – the last one the Scot will design as he is retiring from the role.

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One Brit goes inside time and another pulls up as Maryland 5 Star cross-country gets underway

Pippa Roome — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 18:34:48 +0000

David Doel has put in the first round inside the time on Mars Maryland 5 Star cross-country day.

The British rider piloted his own, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas’ Galileo Nieuwmoed round the track in 10min 51sec, finishing 24sec inside the time. There is a question mark over his finishing score currently, as he may have incurred 15 penalties for a missed flag at either or both of the big brush corners over water ditches, the Sawmill Slices, at fence 17 and 18ab. These will be reviewed by the ground jury. Update at 7.45pm British time: David’s flag penalties have been removed from the scoreboard, so he stays on his dressage score.

“It definitely wasn’t the most straightforward of rides or the prettiest at times – I really had to work for that one, but he’s a phenomenal horse,” said David.

“The undulations really changed what stride I thought I was coming on. At a few fences I got there a bit quicker than I thought I was going to, at others we were standing off a bit, but he’s a super athletic horse and made it happen.”

Asked about coming in so comfortably under the time, David said: “Galileo is a phenomenal galloper and jumper. He was 10sec up at the 7min mark and felt like he kept on cruising. I just let him gallop underneath me and he’s so smooth to ride, I don’t need to do too much on top. He really felt he was phenomenal in his assessing of the flags today and really tried to jump between them.

“It’s almost a bit embarrassing going that quick. He just was within his stride, I never really felt like I was pushing him or going to his limits. It felt like he had a few more gears in there.

“I was using the undulations, letting him cruise down the downs, then I’d put my leg on and keep travelling up the ups. He just makes it feel so easy. He’s an absolute privilege to ride, a bit of a freak and a one-off horse.”

The Maryland 5 Star cross-country course, a final flourish from retiring designer Ian Stark, is causing plenty of problems in the early part of this competition.

Another Brit, Harry Meade became the pathfinder when Jessica Phoenix withdrew Fluorescent Adolescent. He was going well round the first part of the course with the experienced Away Cruising, but he took the long route to avoid the second brush corner at 18ab, the second of the Sawmill Slices, and then the alternative at fence 20abc, the first part of the Mars Sustainability Bay. Obviously feeling the grey wasn’t quite right, Harry then pulled up.

Update on Sunday: Harry reported that Away Cruising “was clear and fast but just before we reached the final water I didn’t feel he was travelling as well as usual so pulled him up. He’d lost a shoe in front and was sore after, but he’s comfortable this morning. Thank you to the super veterinary team at the event.”

Cosby Green, the young US rider who is based in Dorset with Tim and Jonelle Price, was sixth after dressage, but dropped out of contention when Highly Suspicious refused twice at the chunky hanging log on a mound at fence 12c, the Irish Horse Board Coffin Question. She was eliminated when she then had a further refusal at fence 17, the first Sawmill Slice.

US rider Lillian Heard Wood bids for an 11th five-star completion this weekend with 18-year-old LCC Barnaby and she came through the finish today, but there are some question marks over flag penalties for them too. Another home side rider, Buck Davidson with Sorocaima, is in a similar situation.

Their compatriot Emily Hamel completed the track with 20 jumping penalties because Corvett ran out at fence 25d, the triple brush arrowhead which forms the final element of the Fair Hill International Roller Coaster and Drop.

Northamptonshire-based US rider Grace Taylor had a fall at the Foxcatcher Flyer, a chevron hedge behind a big ditch, and there was a short hold on course, but action is now underway again.

End of day update: David Doel finished the day in second place.

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British rider aims to finish ‘frustrating season’ on a high at Maryland 5 Star

Pippa Roome — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 12:28:06 +0000

David Doel finished last year on a high with second at Burghley Horse Trials on his top horse, Galileo Nieuwmoed, who starts at Mars Maryland 5 Star this week. After such a result, which followed a consistent record of placings at five-star, a rider could reasonably expect more success the next season.

But horses rarely follow a script, and David has had a “really frustrating season” with the 13-year-old horse, who belongs to his rider, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas.

“He started the year well at Kronenberg,” said David, who was fourth at the Dutch CCI4*-S. “Then he went to Badminton Horse Trials and really wasn’t feeling himself – he was very lethargic and not interested in life, which isn’t like him – so he did the dressage and we took the tough decision not to run him across country.”

David re-routed to Luhmühlen Horse Trials, where he finished ninth, having had an uncharacteristic two showjumps down and two time-faults on Sunday.

“He ran super there and I think he was almost over fresh on the last day – he was really perky and a little tight in his jumping,” said David.

“He came back and went out in the field for a couple of quiet days and managed to cut his hock, which got really badly infected. He ended up having about six weeks off, which is why he didn’t make it to Burghley this year, because he lost so much work.

“We managed to squeeze in one run in the advanced at Wellington, where he felt fab and back on form.”

As Galileo has contested Pau three times, David Doel and his connections then decided to target Maryland 5 Star.

“Everyone said Maryland was a little bit Burghley-esque with the terrain and what Ian Stark designs for the cross-country, so obviously I was very lucky his owner Gillian Jonas funded the trip over here. It’s definitely very like Burghley in terms of having a lot of terrain and a lot of big fences to jump. Hopefully that will suit us and we’ll see what happens.”

David started his Maryland campaign with 34.5 in the dressage yesterday (17 October).

“I was happy enough with our test,” he said. “It was a little bit frustrating as it was one of the most rideable tests he’s done, but he just got a few too many sixes and six and a halves. But we are not far off the top and it’s definitely going to be a cross-country competition. It’s a big old track out there, similar to last year or probably even tougher.”

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Brits, five-star winners, and an eye-catching skewbald among Maryland 5 Star entries

Becky Murray — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 16:42:37 +0000

Four Brits, former five-star winners and an eye-catching skewbald mare are among the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries.

There are 23 combinations entered for the US event, which takes place at Fair Hill on 17-20 October.

Harry Meade, who jumped three clear cross-country rounds at Burghley last month, will fly across the pond with two rides; Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s experienced 17-year-old Away Cruising and 10-year-old Et Hop Du Matz, whom Harry co-owns with Mandy Gray. Away Cruising has seven five-star completions under his belt, his most recent at Badminton this year, when he and Harry were 20th. Et Hop Du Matz is making his five-star debut.

Oliver Townend returns to Maryland 5 Star, this time with Tokyo Olympic team gold medallist and three-time five-star winner Ballaghmor Class, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. The 17-year-old gelding missed the spring season owing to a hoof abscess followed by a “minor issue”, but made his comeback at Cornbury last month, when he and Oliver were second in the open intermediate. On Saturday (28 September) they topped the Little Downham CCI4*-S.

Bubby Upton will be making her Maryland debut with her mother Rachel’s 14-year-old Cola III. Bubby came back from serious injury at the beginning of the year to finish 10th at Badminton with Cola, and the pair won the Hartpury CCI4*-S in August.

David Doel is making the trip with Gillian Jonas and Mary Fox’s 13-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed. The consistent pair have five top-level completions under their belt, of which four were top-10 placings, including second at Burghley last year.

Other Maryland 5 Star entries

New Zealand’s Tim Price brings forward 2021 Pau five-star winner and world team bronze medallist Falco, owned by Sue Benson.

For the home side, all eyes will be on Tamie Smith and Ellen Ahearn’s 18-year-old Mai Baum. Maryland 5 Star will be the 2023 Kentucky Three-Day CCI5 winners’ last top-level competition together; Tamie told Eventing Nation Mai Baum will retire from top-level eventing.

Former Maryland 5 Star winners Boyd Martin and On Cue will hope to reclaim their 2021 crown, while Boyd is also entered with his Tokyo Olympic ride and world silver medallist Tsetserleg, and five-star debutant Commando 3. Bruce Davidson Jnr is entered with Sorocaima, with whom he was ninth last year.

Canada’s Jessica Phoenix has two rides; Jim Phillips’ 14-year-old gelding Wabbit, and Jessica’s own 16-year-old skewbald mare Fluorescent Adolescent, who is making her five-star debut.

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Badminton top-10 contender tells Horse & Hound why he’s withdrawn after dressage

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 10 May 2024 16:37:53 +0000

David Doel’s ride Galileo Nieuwmoed has been added to the 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals. Nineteenth after the dressage on 33.9, David told H&H: “He just doesn’t feel 100% within himself – he feels really flat and uninterested. Normally at competitions he’s buzzing and a bit of a wild child and he just feels a bit flat and lethargic.”

David added: “We’ll get him home and give him a few days out in the paddock to try and perk him back up again. Otherwise he is sound and happy.”

Prior to this competition starting, David was one of the favourites to net a top-10 placing with the 13-year-old gelding, owned by Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas. They were sixth on their Badminton debut in 2022 and fourth in the five-star at Pau the same year. They followed this up by finishing eighth in the five-star at Kentucky last spring before finishing second at Burghley in September.

Other Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals include two of Harry Meade’s three rides this year – Cavalier Crystal, with whom he was =44th after the dressage and Red Kite, who was withdrawn before the dressage. His seasoned five-star campaigner Away Cruising remains in the competition in 25th place.

Badminton final scores

Pippa Funnell has withdrawn her first ride Majas Hope, who was in 63rd after a disappointing dressage test. Kirsty Chabert and Opposition Heraldik Girl, who were in 14th after the first phase, will also not go forward to the cross-country.

French rider Arthur Duffort withdrew Toronto D’Aurois prior to the dressage.

H&H will bring you the latest on these and any further withdrawals as and when information becomes available.

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.

A super mare, the best first-timer and a British-bred star: who won the special prizes at Burghley?

Pippa Roome — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:32:05 +0000

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials special prizes list makes fun reading – from cakes to a trophy named in honour of a three-time winner of the event.

Let’s check out who took the prizes this year…

The Defender Perpetual Challenge Trophy goes to the owners of the winning horse, so was awarded to Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan following Ballaghmor Class’s victory. A miniature replica is also given to the rider of the winning horse, Oliver Townend.

Oliver also collected the Burghley Challenge Cup, as winning rider.

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class win Burghley 2023. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Oliver and Ballaghmor Class – known as Thomas – also won the Burghley Cakes, awarded by Jeremy Topham-Smith from The George Hotel, Stamford, to the winning rider and horse.

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class jump the Parasol Table en route to victory at Burghley 2023. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

“I’m so proud of Thomas and of the team behind him,” said Oliver after his win. “The main gang have all been with me between seven and 14 years. Horses don’t lie and if you’re doing something wrong from a management point of view, they don’t turn up at five-star after five-star, with smiles on their faces, sound, fit and producing the results they have over the past 10 years.”

Gillian Jonas won the Henry Tate Challenge Cup, as owner of the runner-up, Galileo Nieuwmoed.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed jump the corner at Defender Valley at Burghley 2023. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Galileo Nieuwmoed’s rider, David Doel, picked up the Sugden Challenge Trophy.

“We came for a top-10 placing – I knew I had a class horse under me,” said David. “We were a bit disappointed with the dressage, but I had a lot of belief in his jumping and I’d rather finish stronger.”

David also won the Avebury Trophy, presented by Mark and Rosemary Barlow in memory of their three-times Burghley winner, to the rider of the best cross-country round as judged by Mandy Stibbe and Nicola Wilson.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed jump through the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit on the way to second at Burghley 2023. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

Gillian and David also took home a crystal champagne cooler, as owner and rider of the second-placed horse.

There was a raft of Burghley Horse Trials special prizes for the owner and rider of the third-placed horse, Cavalier Crystal.

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal leap the Boodles Raindance fence as they head towards the end of the Burghley 2023 cross-country course. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

Owner Charlotte Opperman won the Stamford Challenge Cup, while rider Harry Meade collected a silver photo frame, awarded by Dawson of Stamford Ltd.

Harry and Charlotte also won a crystal tulip bowl.

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal, the top mare at Burghley 2023. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

Charlotte Opperman, as the owner of the highest-placed British domiciled mare in the top 20, Cavalier Crystal, also won the Twemlows Burghley Scholarship for two embryo transfers, awarded by Twemlows Stud farm.

Harry revealed they had previously tried unsuccessfully to breed from Cavalier Crystal using semen from Tenareze, who was cut when he was already well into his eventing career and who Harry also rode at Burghley, but sadly finished the cross-country lame, though he was reported “happy, settled and comfortable” that evening.

“Cavalier Crystal is so good, it would be wonderful to have that legacy for her to continue beyond the confines of her own career,” said Harry.

As a further bonus for the top three, Pol Roger Champagne presented a jeroboam of Pol Roger champagne to the winning rider, Oliver, and a magnum to the riders placed second and third, David and Harry.

US rider Jennie Saville was the recipient of a miniature of the Defender Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded to the highest placed first-timer. She finished 12th on Nina and Tim Gardner’s FE Lifestyle.

Jennie Saville steers FE Lifestyle through Defender at the Dairy Mound at Burghley 2023. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

“It’s his fifth five-star and it’s definitely the toughest five-star in the world, I’ve never felt him tire like that. He’s a gem and I’m lucky to ride him,” said Jennie.

FE Lifestyle was also judged by Steve Britten to be the winner of the Worshipful Company of Farriers best shod horse award, with the prize going to Jennie’s farrier Russell Deering.

As the owner of the highest placed British-bred horse – Topspin, who finished seventh – Caroline Casburn won a couple of prizes. Topspin was ridden by Caroline’s daughter Alice and also bred by the family.

The British Horse Foundation presented Caroline with the Richard Matson Memorial Trophy and a £1,000 prize, plus British Breeding also gave Caroline a prize.

Alice Casburn and Topspin clear the last to complete the final day at Burghley 2023 without adding anything to their overnight score. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

“I don’t think I’ll ever have another horse who makes five-star feel that easy,” said 21-year-old Alice after her cross-country round.

The Peden Bloodstock horse care prizes go to the grooms of the best-cared-for horses, in recognition of their hard work and dedication. The winner this year was Amy Akehurst for her care of Tom Crisp’s Liberty And Glory, who finished 14th.

Amy Akehurst’s charge Liberty And Glory jumps the last at Burghley 2023, ridden by Tom Crisp. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Kerryn Edmands took the runner-up prize for her care of Tim Price’s Vitali, who collected fourth place after leading following dressage and cross-country.

Kerryn Edmands’ charge Vitali completes the cross-country at Burghley 2023, ridden by Tim Price. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Mint Julep Cups are awarded to all owners whose horses complete the competition, and to any athlete completing who is not the owner of the horse.

In addition, two Burghley Horse Trials special prizes were given to people who work behind the scenes at Burghley.

The Lady Victoria award went to Philip Herbert, clerk of the course for over 40 years

The unsung hero award, in memory of Justin Llewelyn, was won by William Hurrell, event controller for more than 20 years.

Pictures of the Burghley Horse Trials special prizes winners by Peter Nixon and Nico Morgan Media.

Horse & Hound had 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.

Remarkable horses and impressive debuts: 8 stories you won’t want to miss from Burghley

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 18:04:10 +0000

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials showjumping phase came to a nail-biting conclusion today (3 September), with victory for Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class.

Here is a round-up of the key stories you won’t want to miss from the final day.

Watch a summary of the action and hear from the winner and other top riders in the video below

Burghley Horse Trials showjumping news

Ballaghmor Class regained his Burghley title after only lowering the last fence for Oliver Townend to win.

Read what Oliver had to say

David Doel produced the best result of his career as runner-up – and was the only rider to finish on his dressage score.

What did David say about his deserved result?

Harry Meade and his exciting five-star first-timer Cavalier Crystal, who was the highest placed mare this weekend, finished third.

Find out what Harry had to say about this “cool” mare

Some riders opted to withdraw before the the final horse inspection…

Find out what happened at the trot-up and who withdrew beforehand

… and there were updates from some riders on the horses that did not complete Burghley this year

Find out the latest news on these horses

The youngest competitor in the field is celebrating completing his first Burghley.

Discover how this young rider got on on his debut

It’s not all about the rosettes: one rider is happy with to have completed with a failed showjumper.

Find out more about this horse’s career

And another Burghley debutant managed to clock a good result, despite only having the ride for just over a year.

Find out why this rider has had such a strong upward trajectory with this horse

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Burghley champion claims his third title – with a second win for an outstanding horse

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘Hopefully I’ll be able to afford a holiday now’: career highlight for Burghley runner-up

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Harry Meade celebrates best Burghley placing yet with five-star first-timer

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley 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 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

‘Hopefully I’ll be able to afford a holiday now’: career highlight for Burghley runner-up

Alex Robinson — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 15:47:06 +0000

David Doel achieved the biggest accolade of his career so far as he finished narrowly in second place with Gillian Jonas’ Galileo Nieuwmoed at the 2023 Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

David Doel was in third place heading into the final phase after jumping one of only two cross-country rounds inside the time on Saturday. A clear showjumping round put pressure on the two riders above him, who each had a fence in hand, and the combination finished on 33.7, just 0.7 behind eventual winners, Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class.

When David cantered into the arena to jump, the crowd fell “eerily quiet”, waiting to see if the partnership could produce one of the few clears on the final day.

David said: “As I rode up to the first fence the crowd went silent. Galileo tapped a couple of poles early on and I was really lucky up to about the third fence, when I had to have a little chat with him. The rest of the way he jumped super for me. He’s a magic horse and he really deserved this.”

As one of the earliest riders out on the cross-country phase, David and Galileo made light work of Derek Di Grazia’s track to come home clear with nine seconds to spare. David was the only rider to finish on his dressage score.

This result was redemption for David, for whom this was a first five-star podium finish, and Dutch-bred 12-year-old Galileo, who lost their lead at Pau five-star last year when rolling the final fence of the showjumping to finish fourth. The duo’s five-star CV also includes a sixth at Badminton in 2022.

“Our luck was here this week, unlike at Pau last year,” David said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to pay for a holiday this year now,” he added, taking home the £60,000 prize pot for second place.

You might also be interested in

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Burghley champion claims his third title – with a second win for an outstanding horse

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Harry Meade celebrates best Burghley placing yet with five-star first-timer

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘The one to take me all the way’: meet the youngest horse competing at Burghley this year

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

Five horses withdrawn before Burghley Horse Trials final trot-up, including top-10 contender

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 09:19:17 +0000

Five horses were not presented at the 2023 Defender Burghley Horse Trials final trot-up this morning (3 September).

The highest placed of the withdrawals before the Burghley Horse Trials final trot-up was Tenareze, who pulled up lame at the end of cross-country day under Harry Meade. They had been in ninth overnight. Harry said the horse had received prompt veterinary attention at the finish, is “comfortable in his stable” and “will be fine”.

British-based American rider Grace Taylor also withdrew Game Changer prior to the final horse inspection. Grace and Game Changer jumped an impressive clear cross-country round yesterday, on what was their five-star debut, and were in 16th after this phase.

Tom McEwen did not present the 10-year-old mare Luna Mist, who jumped a lovely clear round across country, which put them into 19th with time-faults.

There were two further withdrawals before the Burghley Horse Trials final trot-up including David Doel’s second ride, Ferro Point, who picked up 20 penalties yesterday and was in 25th. The other withdrawal was Burghley first-timer Greta Mason and Cooley For Sure, who were in 35th.

All remaining 32 horses were passed by the ground jury of Nick Burton, Christian Steiner and Anne-Mette Binder at the final trot-up.

The showjumping is due to start at 10.30am with the first 12 combinations jumping before the lunch break. The final session of the top 25 combinations will jump in reverse order and this gets underway at 2.15pm.

Three riders seek to make championship debuts as British longlist for eventing Europeans revealed

Pippa Roome — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:06:17 +0000

Eighteen horse and rider combinations have been named as the British entries for the eventing European Championships at Haras du Pin, France (9-13 August). The selected squad of six combinations – a team of four and two individuals – will be announced in July.

The list consists of 12 riders, four of whom (Ros Canter, Yasmin Ingham, Piggy March and Oliver Townend) have two potential rides listed and one of whom, Tom McEwen, has three. David Doel, Tom Jackson and Bubby Upton are all seeking to make their senior squad championship debuts, while the other riders all have previous championship experience.

The nominated British entries for the eventing European Championships are:

Ros Canter with 11-year-old gelding Lordships GraffaloOwner: Michele SaulBreeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College (GBR)Breeding: by Grafenstolz, out of a mare by Rock King

Ros Canter with 14-year-old mare Pencos Crown JewelOwners: Kate James and Annie MakinBreeder: Pennie Wallce (GBR)Breeding: by Jumbo, out of a mare by Rock King

Laura Collett with 14-year-old gelding London 52

Owners: Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett and Laura

Breeder: Ocke Riewerts (GER)

Breeding: by Landos, out of mare by Quinar

David Doel with 12-year-old gelding Galileo NieuwmoedOwner: Gillian JonasBreeder: J. W. and A. P. Jurrius (NED)Breeding: by Carambole, out of a mare by Harcos

Pippa Funnell with 10-year-old gelding MCS Maverick

Owner: Sarah Ross

Breeder: Mrs M Watson (GBR)

Breeding: by Mill Law

Yasmin Ingham with 12-year-old gelding Banzai Du LoirOwners: The Sue Davies Fund and Janette ChinnBreeder: Pierre Gouye (FRA)Breeding: by Nouma D’Auzay, out of a mare by Livarot

Yasmin Ingham with 13-year-old gelding Rehy DJOwners: The Sue Davies Fund and Janette ChinnBreeder: Noel Russell (IRL)Breeding: by Tinarana’s Inspector, out of a mare by Big Shot Hope

Tom Jackson with 12-year-old gelding Capels Hollow DriftOwners: Patricia Davenport, Millie Simmie and Sarah WebbBreeder: Jeanette Glynn (GBR)Breeding: by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan, out of a mare by Lucky Gift

Kitty King with 14-year-old gelding Vendredi Biats

Owners: Diana Bown, the late Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker

Breeder: Phillipe Briviois (FRA)

Breeding: by Winningmood, out of a mare by Camelia De Ruelles

Piggy March with 10-year-old gelding Brookfield Cavalier CruiseOwners: John and Chloe Perry and Alison SwinburnBreeder: Martin Ryan (IRL)Breeding: by Cavalier Carnival, out of mare by Atlantic Cruise

Piggy March with 11-year-old gelding Coolparks SarcoOwners: James and Jo LambertBreeder: Michael Burke (IRL)Breeding: by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan out of a mare by Clarion Hotel Coolcorran Cool Diamond

Tom McEwen with 12-year-old gelding JL DublinOwners: James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre JohnstonBreeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze (GER)Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Cantano

Tom McEwen with 10-year-old mare Luna MistOwner: Martin BelshamBreeding: by Alvescot Paper Moon, out of a mare by Wickstead Didger I Doo

Tom McEwen with 16-year-old gelding Toledo De KerserOwners: Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Coppell and Tom’s mother Alison McEwenBreeder: Kerstin Drevet (FRA)Breeding: by Diamant De Semilly, out of a mare by Papillon Rouge

Gemma Stevens with 11-year-old gelding Flash Cooley

Owner: Pru Dawes

Breeder: Jim O’Neill (IRL)

Breeding: by CSF Mr Kroon, out of a mare by OBOS Quality

Oliver Townend with 16-year-old gelding Ballaghmor ClassOwners: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val RyanBreeder: Noel Hicky (IRL)Breeding: by Courage II