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Can history repeat itself? Ros Canter and Izilot DHI set to defend Luhmühlen CCI5* title

Becky Murray — Wed, 20 May 2026 16:01:09 +0000

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI are among the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries (18-21 June), as the pair look to defend their CCI5* title.

Ros could be on track for history to repeat itself; last year she won Badminton with Lordships Graffalo in May then Luhmühlen five-star with Izilot DHI in June. She showed she is in phenomenal form at this year’s Badminton when Lordships Graffalo won his history-making third title. She is also entered with Lady Milnes Coates and Deirdre Johnston’s MHS Seventeen, who finished 19th in the German five-star last year.

This year’s Luhmühlen Horse Trials takes place just eight weeks before the World Eventing Championships in Aachen (13-16 August) and only 30 are entered in the five-star class, of which 13 are British combinations. Fiona Kashel and Monbeg Cazador are on the list and would make 31 entries, but the pair are already shown as withdrawn.

Pau five-star 2024 winners Caroline Harris and D Day (owned by Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier and Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle) will make the trip to Luhmühlen; Laura Collett will bring forward Lucy Nelson’s Hester, who finished seventh here last year, and Harry Meade is entered with 11-year-old five-star first-timer Jet Fighter, owned by Abigail Bernard. Sam Ecroyd will ride Mister Big Ears (owned by Julie and Michael Hall and Penelope Ecroyd), who is also making his top-level debut.

There are two home-side riders in the CCI5*; Heike Jahncke and Mighty Spring FRH (owned by Carsten Küst and rider) and Katharina Meyer and Aspen T (owned by Monika Tietz and rider). Jonelle Price will ride her own and the Grape Syndicate’s Grappa Nera and Tim Price is entered with Susan Lamb, Therese Miller and his own Happy Boy. Last year’s Luhmühlen five-star runner-up Samantha Lissington will ride Delarado, a five-star first-timer owned by Rachel Bessell, Ella and Magnus McGrigor, Kate Maitland, Braydon Lissington and Samantha.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries for the CCI4*-S

The CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy, which incorporates the German national championship, has 63 entered, including Emily King and Valmy Biats, who finished 39th at Badminton following some miscommunications across country. The other Brits are Gordon Murphy with Kevin McNab’s Highmoon and John Tilley and his own Licence to Cooley.

Among the 18 German entries are last year’s champions Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel (owned by Bernd Heicke), Christoph Wahler and Stefan Haupt and Hendrik von Paepcke’s D’Accord FRH and Calvin Bockmann with his family-owned Altair de la Cense.

Course designer Mike Etherington-Smith has introduced “several tweaks” to this year’s tracks.

“It’s a privilege to design at events like this. Luhmühlen is a top-class event and that’s exactly why riders enjoy competing here. All the fences are now in place and we are working on the final details,” he said.

“It’s fantastic to work alongside Kai-Steffen Meier, who brings a great deal of experience and is an excellent sounding board for ideas.

“The course is just that little bit more demanding this year to ensure riders stay focused and continue making decisions all the way round depending on how their horses are feeling. We are also using more frangible fences throughout the course to further enhance safety.”

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Harry Meade secures third at Badminton with special mare: ‘She jumped out of her skin’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 10 May 2026 16:20:17 +0000

Harry Meade claimed his second third place at Mars Badminton Horse Trials today (10 May), after one fence down in the showjumping.

Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter’s 14-year-old Annaghmore Valoner just touched fence six, the tricky red and white upright over a water tray, which caught out plenty of other combinations. Combined with 0.8 of a time-fault, this dropped the pair from second overnight to third.

Harry has made no secret this week of how much he loves this sensitive mare. He has had to instil self-belief in her for her to perform at this level and have confidence in her own undoubted talent. She has repaid him handsomely with two fourths at Defender Burghley Horse Trials and now third at Badminton.

“I thought she jumped beautifully. She went in and handled the cheers, the atmosphere, the crowd really well,” said Harry. “I was delighted with her round. She went in a beautiful, soft way and jumped out of her skin. She had a rail, which was very, very minor, but I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Badminton final scores

Harry is the first eventing world number one who has not won a five-star and his quest for that honour continues.

But Harry would be the first to say today would have been a sad way for him to triumph at one, because it would have meant some kind of failure for Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who had the whole crowd behind them as they put in a super round to seal the deal on their third Badminton title.

“Ros always plays down her own talent, but what she’s done is staggering and doesn’t happen in our sport,” said Harry. “She’s also a recent mother and to do this with all the challenges that go with that is outstanding.”

A clear inside the time for Tim Price saw him move up from equal fifth overnight to take second at Badminton, slipping ahead of Harry due to his showjumping penalties.

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To watch Badminton Horse Trials live or via catch up, including the trot-ups, from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world, you need a 2026 Badminton TV Pass. Badminton TV is once again powered by ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £22.99. Go to badminton-horse.tv to sign up. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. Also check out the Badminton app, which provides free live results and much more this year. Sign up for Badminton Plus membership for £4.99 to access the live Radio Badminton broadcast and receive exclusive offers from on-site exhibitors. Search for Badminton Horse Trials in your app store.

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Rare fall for Harry Meade as Badminton cross-country concludes – but he holds podium position on another ride

Pippa Roome — Sat, 09 May 2026 16:10:52 +0000

The dramatic closing stages of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country today (9 May) included the unusual sight of a fall for Harry Meade and the retirement of 2024 Badminton winners Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier.

Harry’s third ride of the day, Cavalier Crystal, has been third at Burghley Horse Trials three times and was fourth here last year, so a strong performance was expected of Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s mare.

However, the pair came unstuck at Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard (fence 22ab), where the mare stood on herself and was unable to get her legs up at the angled rail after the open ditch. She dived through the rail, breaking the frangibles and firing Harry off.

Harry explained: “Cavalier Crystal was sensational – she was almost my banker. She was up on the clock, giving me at least a good a ride as Annaghmore Valoner.”

Badminton final scores

Harry continued: “Then she jumped into the farm yard combination and stood on herself – she’s got quite a deep cut on her pastern. She basically pulled herself over. She’s a lovely horse who was desperately trying to do her job.

“I’ve had 18 rides here – 17 amazing rides – and that was best of all of them until then, but the sport keeps us all grounded, quite literally.”

Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier seemed to slightly misjudge their stride to jump up onto the bank at the LeMieux Village (fence 18ab). One of the mare’s hindlegs didn’t land cleanly and she was then unable to take on the jump on the top, leaning on the house with her chest and activating the frangible device. Caroline popped her over the alternative and then pulled up and walked home.

Although Harry Meade is out of the running on Cavalier Crystal after his cross-country fall, he holds second in the overnight standings at Badminton on Annaghmore Valoner, who earlier went clear inside the time.

“Annaghmore Valoner is a lovely mare who has historically lacked self-belief and been quite an introvert, a worrier. I always run her in a very relaxed, lobbing way round one-days, which means I can bring her out on a day like today and she can cruise with that relaxation,” said Harry. “She made it feel pretty easy.”

Overnight results after Badminton cross-country

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo lead the way at the end of the day after their superb round today and they will start showjumping tomorrow with a fence in hand. If they can win, Lordships Graffalo will make history as the first horse to triumph here three times.

Ros’s position remains unchanged from the dressage, but behind her, the leaderboard has changed significantly.

Harry Meade moves up from equal 11th to second on Annaghmore Valoner and Sarah Bullimore from 19th to third with her incredibly promising home-bred Corimiro, who also went clear in the time today.

Katie Magee’s fault-free round has elevated her from 26th to fourth with Treworra.

Ireland’s Lucy Latta breaks the British run by holding fifth on RCA Patron Saint and New Zealand’s Tim Price sits sixth on Falco. Both were a few seconds over the time today.

Thirty-five of the 59 starters (59%) jumped clear over Eric Winter’s track today, with seven (12%) inside the time.

Aside from the top four, the clears in the time came from France’s Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza, equal 11th), New Zealand’s Tayla Mason (Centennial, 13th) and the home side’s Holly Richardson (Ballyneety Silver Service, 22nd).

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‘There won’t be much time in between’: Harry Meade’s day riding three horses cross-country at Badminton Horse Trials

Pippa Roome — Sat, 09 May 2026 07:32:00 +0000

Harry Meade will ride three horses around the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course today (9 May) so it will be a busy day for him – and all his team.

Harry’s first horse is the pathfinder Et Hop Du Matz, who starts at 11.30am, his second is Annaghmore Valoner at 1.53pm and his third is Cavalier Crystal, who is expected to leave the box at 3.43pm.

“Obviously, I can’t watch anyone else on course before my first horse because I’m first out,” said Harry Meade when asked after dressage about his cross-country day plan for riding three horses at Badminton.

“But I will ride all three horses early, before the crowd start arriving and just give them a limber up. I might even pop a couple of fences on my two later ones, just so that if my warm-up ends up being quite short, I’ve jumped a fence already.”

Badminton final scores

Harry continued: “Then it’s very much getting going on the first and just thinking about each horse in turn. I will try and find out if there’s any feedback from what other people have done when I get off my first horse, but then I’ll get on my second, concentrate on that, get on my third, concentrate on that. There won’t be much time in between.

“I will try and hear what has happened to others – or if I can, watch a tiny bit – at the end of each ride, but at the same time it’ll be a case of eat, go back and start warming up the next one.”

Asked if he likes going out first, Harry said: “No, I think generally it’s a disadvantage going first. I don’t want to volunteer for it because I seem to be first at every five-star I go to – it’s about my 10th five-star where I’ve been first to go.

“But like being the one going out of the trenches and over the top first, it’s probably part of your character that you’d be up for that challenge and relish it. I have my plan and sometimes it’s simpler to just stick to my plan, go for it and what will be will be.”

Harry Meade: how entering three horses at Badminton works

World number one Harry is the only rider with three horses at Badminton this year. He initially entered five horses, using double entries to secure three slots in the draw. Double entries are when two horses are entered for a single entry space, with the rider deciding later which horse will run.

Riders can enter three horses (or for three spaces, if using double entries) at Badminton, but the third horse will only be accepted to start if all the other horses have come off the wait-list.

This year, there was no wait-list for entries so Harry immediately had three entries accepted – although which horses would fill the spots only became obvious when two of the five horses he had entered at Badminton boarded the plane to run at Kentucky Three-Day Event two weeks before Badminton.

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‘Focus is a very different thing at the moment’: new mother Ros Canter blasts into Badminton dressage lead

Pippa Roome — Fri, 08 May 2026 10:44:07 +0000

Ros Canter has blasted into the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage lead with a super test this morning (8 May) on four-time five-star winner Lordships Graffalo.

The defending champions scored 23.7 and so sit 4.4 penalties ahead of the overnight leader, Wiltshire-based US rider Tiana Coudray with Cancaras Girl, at this stage.

Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo demonstrated a super frame during his test, with his nose just in front of the vertical. His trotwork was very secure and relaxed and he gained two nines from Angela Tucker at H and Amanda Miller at B for his mid-test halt.

If there was a moment of tension, it was towards the end of the walk, but the following canter work was excellent, including a nine for one of the changes from Amanda Miller – particularly pleasing as the changes have been where this pair have sometimes lost marks in the past.

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Badminton dressage after a baby for Ros Canter

Ros had her second daughter Seneh three and a half months ago and so has made an impressive comeback to ride at Badminton.

“It’s been a funny few weeks, having just had a baby, and focus is a very different thing at the moment, so I’ve had to work really hard the last few days to make sure I’m in the right frame of mind,” said Ros Canter after her Badminton dressage test.

“I was possibly a little bit stressed this morning, but I gave myself a word, had a bit of time by myself, and came out with a real plan. So I’m just delighted that it paid off.”

Ros has Seneh with her at Badminton.

“I said goodbye to her a good hour and a half before my test, because I didn’t want to be anywhere near her – pumped a load of milk out my boobs to flatten me off a bit – and then away I go,” she said, adding that her older daughter Ziggy and husband Chris McAleese are coming to Badminton later today.

Talking about coming back from having Seneh to ride at the top level so quickly, Ros said: “It’s just been a process. It’s one of those things where, when you are on a timeframe, like I’ve been, you perhaps get on a little bit sooner than you ought to, and then you start worrying that the tummy is never going to knock back into shape and things like that. And then all of a sudden, it gradually just does.

“I just haven’t had the time to let it do that and then get back on. I’ve been doing it as part of the process, so it always makes me a bit worried in my head.

“But physically, I feel good and mentally, I feel good when I’m on a horse. There’s just lots to do at the moment and my time is pushed so it’s just trying to factor in those moments to be a mum and to be an athlete.”

Ros added that her flying changes weren’t on point this morning and explained how she has to balance that movement with “Walter”.

She explained: “I’m absolutely delighted because I think I rode them just how he needs me to ride a change. He’s not a horse that really would ever just choose to do a flying change, so I have to change the canter slightly. Last year I had the canter a bit hot and then I missed the changes, so it’s a really fine balance with him to get them relaxed, but on the ball.”

“She would have gone into her shell like a tortoise”

Harry Meade was first into the arena this morning with his second ride, Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter’s Annaghmore Valoner. The pair put in a super test, with the mare demonstrating lovely uphill balance, and scored 30.3 to hold sixth at this stage.

“For me with her, it’s all about the softness of her brain and then allowing everything to come out and up and in front of her, said Harry.

“She’s a horse that would naturally have gone into a shell like a tortoise, shrinking back with a short neck, and gone quickly and breathed heavily. And so for me, it’s all been about filling her with confidence and enjoyment, never ever making her feel like she’s done something wrong.

“If there’s a mistake, I say, ‘Sorry, that’s my mistake’ and then I do it again. It’s really important for her confidence that she’s able to exhale and then really grow and travel with that freedom and liberty and flair.”

Wills Oakden’s Badminton dressage performance

Harry was followed by Wills Oakden, who had an early mistake when Elspeth and Geoff Adam’s 11-year-old Keep It Cooley misunderstood the aids to change from shoulder-in to half-pass and cantered. They then pulled off a good test to receive a mark of 29.4. They sit in fourth at the break.

“We love the horse and he’s still young and immature at this level, so this week’s about just trying to give him mileage and exposure in this kind of atmosphere and around that kind of track,” said Wills.

“We’re delighted with him around his test other than that one mistake and it’s so annoying, because it’s normally his best movement as well, but it is what it is. Everyone has a hard luck story somewhere in the week and if that’s the worst that’s going to happen this week then that’ll be fine and we’ll move on.”

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‘It’s mean to make us jump that ditch five times!’ Gemma Stevens, Harry Meade and Bubby Upton react to Badminton cross-country course

Pippa Roome — Thu, 07 May 2026 15:57:27 +0000

Fair distances but “mean” to make us jump that ditch five times – that was Gemma Stevens’ assessment of Eric Winter’s Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course for this year’s competition.

The course comprises 32 numbered fences, with an optimum time of 11min 30sec.

“I think it’s a really fair course. I think he’s set fantastic distances, which I really like – I like it when designers don’t try and trick you,” said Gemma.

“You’ve got to be on your A game from number one to very last fence. There’s not really a let up anywhere. He’s making us jump the Vicarage Ditch five times – I feel like that’s quite mean, it’s scary enough just once.”

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The Vicarage Oxer at fence 16 is another of the times horses and riders cross the Vicarage Ditch. (Image credit: Lucy Elder)

Gemma added: “It’s going to be that typical five-star cumulative effect of the whole round. I don’t think you can pick out one particular fence. As riders, we’ve got to be accurate, we’ve got to look after our horses, and we’ve got to balance them and make sure they’re confident.”

Georgie Goss was another to mention the area around the Vicarage Ditch, saying: “I’d say 80% of the course looks really nice and the other 20% looks really horrible.

“I think the Vicarage line is always a rider frightener, but my bogey fence at the moment is the ditch to the rail [Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard at 22ab]. I did that a couple years ago when it was a ditch to the log and it never rode that well. But hopefully the more I walk, the smaller it’ll get.”

Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard (fence 22ab) on the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course for 2026. Credit Lucy Elder (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Harry Meade said after his first dressage test that he’d only had an initial look round in the dark last night, but he felt the route was slightly different from the horse’s point of view.

He said: “It covers the same ground, but actually for the flow of the horses, the intensity and the breathing gaps are slightly different. I didn’t think there was anything that was overly problematic, but I’ll have a better look this afternoon.”

Bubby Upton said she prefers the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country course running this way round – anti-clockwise.

“Of course it’s massive and really difficult, but I think for my horse Cola, it will be a nicer way around for him,” she said, adding that the five-star stalwart doesn’t have a lot of thoroughbred blood (48%).

“I felt last year when we got through the Mayston Equestrian Hollow [fence 26abc this year] that he had done a huge effort and then I was like, ‘Oh my god, we’ve still got so much left to do.’ Whereas I hope this year we’ll jump that fence and feel like I can then ease him back a little bit more to get home.”

Kylie Roddy also said the track is more horse-friendly and has more flow than sometimes.

“It looks like the horses can see what they’re about to jump,” she said. “Sometimes it can be a bit blind and a bit bouncy off the trees, whereas I think they have found better flow for the ponies.”

The Spillers Sustainability Bay at fences 20abcd on the Badminton 2026 cross-country track. (Image credit: Lucy Elder)

Simon Grieve said he’d “be a bit disappointed” if the course wasn’t big, bold and quite scary.

He said: “I think the Mars Lake [fences 9ab and 10ab] is pretty serious and I just can’t ever get away from the Holland Cooper Vicarage Vee [fence 25ab]. And the water at the top [Spillers Sustainability Bay – fence 20abcd] as well is very technical. It’s one big fence after another, and that’s what makes it such a challenge.”

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Harry Meade on dramatic Kentucky moment: ‘I saw the fishes and tried my hardest not to join them’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 22:26:05 +0000

Harry Meade made a dramatic save on the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country today (25 April) with Superstition, moving up from 10th after dressage to eighth.

“I momentarily saw the fish looking up at me. I hate swimming, so I tried my hardest not to join them,” said Harry of his incredible save, which came after Superstition took off from well away from the corner at the Spring Water (fence 12abc) and pecked badly on landing, throwing the rider well forward.

Harry’s round on Superstition, who belongs to his rider and Mandy Gray, started with a different drama when the starter made an error with his countdown.

“But she said to my team, that was my mistake, talking about herself, so hopefully that won’t be a problem,” said Harry after his round.

“Superstition gave me a great first half. Then he jumped into the second water a little bit steeper than I hoped, which meant he was quite a long way off the corner and so just landed on the back of it, and had a little bit of a stumble.

“I was conscious from that point of just trying to get him taking me into the rein again. Through the quarry [Pete’s Hollow], he was good, but again, was a little bit empty in the rein.

“And so for that reason, when I jumped into the Defender Head of the Lake, although I planned to go straight through when I jumped the first of the two brushes, I could feel him again a little bit empty down the rein, so I just pulled right and did the long route. It wasn’t intended, but it was better than it might have been if I’d carried on and hadn’t reacted.

“He then gave me a good ride the rest of the way home. I just gave him time in front of a couple of the bigger, squarer fences and at the last combination – I just wasted a couple of seconds there, just to allow him to catch his breath, keep his focus, and jump that out of a very relaxed rhythm.”

Harry finished with six time-faults on Superstition to move up from 10th after dressage to eighth overnight.

Harry Meade and Grafennacht’s Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country round

Harry ended up taking a couple of long routes with his second ride, Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht, and slipped from eighth to equal 11th after cross-country with 11.6 time-faults.

“She was game, travelling really well, ears pricked and was taking me, looking for the fences. The first part of the course was great, though I saw a front shoe fly off after fence seven,” said Harry, adding the mare wears pads on her shoes.

Coming to the log drop at Pete’s Hollow (fence 14abc), Harry said he approached as slow as he dared.

He explained: “I had no power, no pace, as I wanted her to step over the log to try and get the four strides to the first triple brush arrowhead – and she just went on three. Going on three meant she jumped forward and flat, so the turn to the second arrowhead wasn’t going to happen.

“So I had to think quickly and turn right and jump the long route. You’re already working hard to stay on the pace and immediately that put us however many seconds behind.”

Harry said the mare’s other shoe came off as he jumped the second of the two brushes at the EEI Root Cellar (fence 15abc), but it didn’t affect her.

His second long route came at the Defender Head of the Lake, where he ended up circling between the two angled brushes (fences 18b and 19a).

He explained why he took the long route: “She’s a horse that is a slight diesel engine in her mind – when she can see what she’s doing, she’s got her ears pricked, she’s really game and will try her heart out. If she’s not that sure, she can be a little bit vacant. And I felt jumping that first one, I didn’t feel her mind was drawing down the corridor.”

Harry said the mare finished full of running and “not remotely fatigued”.

“Five-star comes up with different questions each time”

Summing up the day, Harry said: “Of all Derek di Grazia’s courses I’ve ridden around, this one was definitely the most stop-start and possibly trappy.

“The horses were having to jump and then they were almost dropping the bridle and unsure where they were going, and that took away some of the forward draw. There weren’t that many combinations where you had a really difficult line with things in front of you and that made it hard to stay on the pace.

“But that’s what five-star is and it comes up with slightly different questions each time. It’s got a great result today and it’s been really good that the time is hard to make.”

The other British riders had mixed fortunes today, with David Doel ending up the best-placed in fourth overnight.

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‘He couldn’t have given me more’: Brit on Kentucky five-star podium after dressage

Pippa Roome — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:27:45 +0000

Britain’s Tom McEwen holds third at the conclusion of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage in the five-star class after scoring 25.1 today (24 April).

Tom punched in a fluent, consistent test with Brookfield Quality, who is owned by John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn and who was fifth here last year.

Tom McEwen on Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage: “He felt fresh”

“‘Norris’ always does everything he can and he formed another pretty much foot-perfect clear round,” said Tom McEwen after his Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage test. “I’m so delighted, I thought we put everything out there. He couldn’t have given me more.

“He knows absolutely everything, so it’s just to get it right on the day. He’s feeling really good, probably the fittest he ever been so he was a little bit different this morning to how he can be on dressage morning – fresh, brighter, which was very nice.

“Once he gets in there, he’s an old boy who knows exactly what he’s up to. So it’s just for me to try and get the rhythm, the balance and to try and show as good a performance as possible.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s cross-country over Derek di Grazia’s track, Tom said: “I’ve been really lucky to come here for the past four years and Kentucky is never to be underestimated; Derek is never to be underestimated.

“There are going to be combinations that look impossibly tough and then the same combinations will look incredibly easy for different horses and riders. I really do believe it’s a true five-star test.”

Monica Spencer now holds the lead on the thoroughbred Artist, with Tim Price second on Vitali.

Two in top 10 for Harry Meade

Harry Meade was Britain’s other performer in the five-star today, with his second horse, Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht.

The pair put in a good test with plenty of eights on the scoreboard, marred only slightly by the mare putting her head up in the third flying change, for which they scored three 6.5s.

Their final mark of 28.9 left them eighth, with Harry’s other ride Superstition in 10th.

The other Brits who did their tests yesterday were David Doel with Galileo Nieuwmoed, who now sit 12th, and Tom Jackson with Plot Twist B, who now hold equal 23rd place.

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‘Intense mental effort’ pays off for Harry Meade and Superstition in Kentucky dressage

Pippa Roome — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:49:54 +0000

Harry Meade has claimed fourth place after the first day of Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage for the five-star class today (23 April).

“I was delighted with his way of going and his execution of every movement – he felt really polished, very accurate and had a nice, soft, uphill, open way of going,” said Harry after his test on his own and Mandy Gray’s Superstition, which scored 30.2.

Harry admitted he had hoped for better marks for his test, saying: “He’s an old-timer and I hoped he’d have scored better, but sometimes you’ve got to get good marks to get good marks. We’ve just got to make sure we leave no stone unturned for the rest of the competition now to make up for that.”

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage: Harry Meade on unusual preparation

Superstition hasn’t run since finishing sixth at Badminton last year, but world number one Harry explained this unconventional preparation works for the 17-year-old, who has now been in the top 12 at five five-stars.

“He’s very fractious in his mind,” said Harry. “He gets very stressed at competitions. He did Burghley 2024 off the back of basically nothing and went really well and then he did nothing to Badminton the following year and was brilliant there.

“It’s not what I would choose for every horse. But for me, it was the balance of what, actually, do the prep runs do for him and does the benefit outweigh the tension? And I felt that it probably made him a less secure person in his own mind.

“So a lot of it’s just about keeping him feeling very comfortable, confident, happy and enjoying it and not under the spotlight, and then we bring him out to a big one. He’s a very well proven five-star horse and he’s been very well prepared at home. He feels very ready in all three phases.”

Asked after his Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage whether Superstition had had an injury after Badminton last year, Harry Meade mentioned the horse has “a weakness on something”, but said the taxing mental effort of getting him prepared was the main element in him not doing an autumn three-day last year.

He explained: “After Badminton, I took a deep breath, and Mandy, his owner, had Et Hop Du Matz heading to Burghley and she said she was quite happy if he just did one three-day a year. He’s an older horse and I thought that actually suits him and it suits me.

“It’s hard to keep that level of intensity – it’s like someone doing a job like diffusing bombs or something – it takes quite a lot of mental, very quiet, considered control and it was quite nice to put him in the field and give him a bit of a break.

“And then I worked him through the autumn and kept him in work over the winter, and he’s come out feeling brilliant.”

Will Coleman holds the lead after today’s action, with first-star debutant Diabolo.

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World number one Harry Meade named Badminton pathfinder – but on which of his three rides?

Lucy Elder — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:02:29 +0000

Harry Meade will be the first rider out of the start box at Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2026 with one of his three rides at the five-star (6 to 10 May).

Harry will kick off the competition with Et Hop Du Matz. His second horse, Annaghmore Valoner, has been drawn in the middle of the pack (number 37), and his third ride, Cavalier Crystal, will wear number 71.

His other two entered rides, Grafennacht and Superstition, will not be at Badminton as they are competing at Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event instead this week (22 to 26 April).

The way the draw is done includes Harry’s absent horses, which means the second rider into the arena, US competitor Cosby Green, will wear the number four bib. She has two horses at Badminton this year and the first of these is Jos Ufo de Quidam. Cosby has also been drawn number 70 with her second horse, Highly Suspicious.

New Zealand’s Caroline Powell is drawn sixth with the first of her two rides, High Time, and towards the end of the pack in number 74 with her winning ride from 2024, Greenacres Special Cavalier.

Badminton final scores

Defending champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who won the title in 2023 and 2025, will wear number 46, so will start around the middle of the field. Depending on withdrawals and how the final timetable falls, this means they are likely to do their dressage test on Friday morning.

Oliver Townend and his 2024 Kentucky winner Cooley Rosalent, with whom he finished second to Ros at Badminton last year, are drawn 31st.

Other CCI5*-winning combinations include Gemma Stevens and her 2021 Bicton champion Chilli Knight, who as number eight will be among the early competitors on course. Gemma is drawn 75th with her other ride, Chilli Knight’s full brother Chilli King. Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier is drawn 61st with her 2024 Luhmühlen heroine Hooney D’Arville, and they will be followed two horses later by 2024 Maryland victors Felix Vogg and Cartania (number 63), then Pau 2021 winners Tim Price and Falco (number 64).

Ireland’s Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint, runners-up on their debut in 2024, are drawn 19th.

Former Badminton-winning riders returning this year include Jonelle Price, number 27 with Chilli’s Midnight Star; and Laura Collett, number 53 with Bling.

Tom Jackson and David Doel, both among the two-horse riders in the field, will round off the competition with their respective second rides. Tom will be the penultimate competitor on course with number 76 Hawk Eye, and David will conclude proceedings with number 77 Midnight Rollercoaster. Tom’s first horse, United 36, is number five, and David’s (Ferro Point) is number nine.

See the full drawn order for Badminton Horse Trials 2026

How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials

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Harry Meade confirms entries for Kentucky and Badminton five-stars

Pippa Roome — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:29:01 +0000

World number one Harry Meade has confirmed his entries for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event – and by default for Mars Badminton Horse Trials.

The British-based horses flew to the US yesterday (15 April) for Kentucky (22-26 April) and Superstition, owned by Harry and Mandy Gray, and Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht were the two who took the plane for the Meade stable.

That leaves Mandy Gray and Harry’s Et Hop Du Matz, the Oppermans’ Cavalier Crystal and Annaghore Valoner (owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter) as the entries for Harry Meade at Badminton Horse Trials (6-10 May).

Both Superstition and Grafennacht have previous good form at Kentucky. Superstition was fifth there in 2021 and Grafennacht landed fourth place last year.

Et Hop Du Matz and Annaghmore Valoner make their Badminton debut, though both have top-four placings at other five-stars to their names.

Cavalier Crystal is the most experienced of Harry’s Badminton trio – she was fourth at Badminton last year, finishing on her dressage score, and has been third at Defender Burghley Horse Trials three times.

Five British horses at Kentucky five-star

The other British entries for the five-star at Kentucky this year are Galileo Nieuwmoed, ridden by David Doel, Brookfield Quality, with Tom McEwen, and Plot Twist B with Kentucky first-timer Tom Jackson.

Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy, who is based in Devon, also travels to the event with Pomp N Circumstance, as does Dorset-based New Zealander Tim Price with Vitali and Global Quest.

The home side’s Buck Davidson is the latest withdrawal from Kentucky, with Cooley Candyman. Buck still starts on the experienced Sorocaima.

There are 31 pairs are set to go to post in the five-star at Kentucky next week. The first horse inspection takes place on Wednesday, the dressage on Thursday and Friday, the cross-country on Saturday and the final horse inspection and showjumping on Sunday. Find out how you can access the Kentucky Three-Day Event live stream.

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Who will be first to ride at Kentucky Three-Day Event and when will the Brits go?

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:49:22 +0000

Boyd Martin has been given number one in the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event draw (23-26 April), although whether he is actually first down the centreline will depend on final withdrawals as riders confirm entries across Kentucky and the Mars Badminton Horse Trials.

The four-time Olympian has been drawn first in the CCI5* with OHP Hammertime Partners’ Miks Master C – although the 14-year-old gelding remains in the Badminton entries and will not run at both. Boyd is 16th to go with Liz’s Nutcrackers Cooley Nutcracker and 33rd with Yankee Creek Ranch’s Commando 3.

World number one Harry Meade is second to go with Et Hop Du Matz and 17th with Superstition, both owned by Harry and Mandy Gray, and second-last with Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht. Although he can ride all three at Kentucky, it is expected that he will only take two to the US. Harry has five entered for Badminton; Cavalier Crystal (Charlotte and Peter Opperman), Et Hop Du Matz, Superstition, Grafennacht and Annaghmore Valoner (Stephen and Dinah Posford and Jules Carter) and can ride up to three here.

Brit David Doel is drawn eighth with the experienced Galileo Nieuwmoed – owned by David, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas – and Tom Jackson will start 14th with Plot Twist B, owned by Ruth McMullen and Mary Harris. Tom McEwen is 29th to go with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Quality.

New Zealand’s Tim Price starts fifth with Lance and Diana Morrish’s Global Quest and 32nd with Vitali, owned by Tim and Joseph and Alexander Giannamore.

There was a surprise withdrawal from Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, winners of Maryland 5 Star in 2003. The pair have also withdrawn from Badminton.

Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S draw

Three young Brits are entered in the Cosequin CCI4*-S, thanks to a support package from the new Rising Lions initiative – Elizabeth Barratt, Isabelle Cook, and Finn Healy. Finn is number 121 with his own Greannanstown Monbeg Joe, Isabelle and Cymoon F Z (Tina Cook and Jim Chromiak) will wear number 130 and Elizabeth and Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau (Barratt Eventing) are 136.

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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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The highest-placed British horse, top grooms, and cake: check out who won the Burghley special prizes

Becky Murray — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:30:59 +0000

The curtain has closed on the 2025 Defender Burghley Horse Trials – and what a competition it was. It’s time to find out who won this year’s Burghley special prizes and trophies.

It was a thrilling week of heart-filled performances at the British five-star, and one that will go down in the history books. We bring you our winners’ gallery below.

Burghley Horse Trials special prizes

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo left fans in awe when they became back-to-back winners of the prestigious Lincolnshire event, with an astounding nine-penalty margin. It was their second five-star win of the year, having won Mars Badminton Horse Trials in May, and Lordships Graffalo is the first horse to win both Burghley and Badminton twice.

Along with the Burghley crown, the pair and their connections bagged a host of prizes…

The Defender Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded to the winning owners (miniature replica to the owner and the rider of the winning horse): Archie and Michele Saul for Lordships Graffalo, ridden by Ros Canter

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

The Burghley Challenge Cup, awarded to the winning rider: Ros Canter

The Burghley Cakes, awarded by Jeremy Topham-Smith from The George Hotel, Stamford, to the winning rider and horse: Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

British Breeding prize for the highest-placed British-bred horse: Lordships Graffalo, bred by Lordships Stud, Writtle College and Pennie Wallace, by Grafenstolz, out of Cornish Queen (by Rock King)

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

The Avebury Trophy, presented by Mark and Rosemary Barlow in memory of their three-time Burghley winner, to the rider of the best cross-country round as judged by Yogi Breisner: Ros Canter for Lordships Graffalo

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The British Horse Foundation presented the Richard Matson Memorial Trophy and a £1,000 prize to the breeder of the highest-placed British-bred horse: co-breeder Lordships Stud, Writtle College for Lordships Graffalo

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue finished second. This is the pair’s fourth five-star podium finish, their most recent was at Badminton, where they were third.

They received a number of awards for their efforts:

The Henry Tate Challenge Cup, awarded to the owner of the second-placed horse: The Salty Syndicate

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

The Sugden Challenge Trophy, awarded to the rider of the second-placed horse: Austin O’Connor

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

A Crystal Champagne Cooler, awarded to the owner and rider of the second-placed horse: The Salty Syndicate

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

World number one Harry Meade continued to show he is a five-star machine, taking third, fourth, and ninth. This is the third year running Harry and Cavalier have been third at Burghley.

They once again collected:

The Stamford Challenge Cup, awarded to the owner of the third-placed horse: Charlotte Opperman

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

A silver photo frame, awarded by Dawson of Stamford Ltd to the rider of the third-placed horse: Harry Meade

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

A Crystal Tulip Bowl awarded to the owner and the rider of the third-placed horse: Charlotte Opperman and Harry Meade

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The Twemlows Burghley Scholarship for two embryo transfers, awarded by Twemlows Stud farm to the owner of the highest-placed British domiciled mare to finish in the top 20: Charlotte Opperman for Cavalier Crystal

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

One of the Burghley Horse Trials special prizes was given to a rider outside the top three…

A Miniature of the Defender Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded to the highest placed first-timer: Cassie Sanger riding Redfield Fyre

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Pol Roger Champagne presented a jeroboam of Pol Roger Champagne to the top three riders: Ros Canter, Austin O’Connor and Harry Meade

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Fairfax & Favour presented a prize to the best-dressed male and female riders at the first horse inspection: Matthew Heath and Samantha Lissington

Matthew Heath and ASKARI in the 1st Horse Inspections of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 3rd - 7th September 2025 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials / Peter Nixon)

Samantha Lissington riding BILLY ALBERTO in the 1st Horse Inspections of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 3rd - 7th September 2025 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials / Peter Nixon)

There were also prizes for unsung heroes behind the scenes…

Spillers Horse Care Prize, to the grooms of the best-cared-for horses, in recognition of their hard work and dedication – winner: Francesca Denning for her care of Austin O’Connor’s Colorado Blue

Austin O'Connor and COLORADO BLUE during the cross country phase, Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire, 6 September 2025© Nico Morgan Media. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Runner-up: Tilly Hughes for her care of Laura Collett’s Bling

Laura Collett riding BLING during the dressage phase of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 3rd - 7th September 2025 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

The Worshipful Company of Farriers best shod horse award: Stephen Hill (pictured left) for Alexander Tordoff’s Cool Jack

Winner of The Worshipful Company of Farriers award for the "best shod horse” during Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 3rd - 7th September 2025 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials / Peter Nixon)

Lady Victoria award: awarded to George Burnham, groundskeeper

Unsung hero award, in memory of Justin Llewelyn: Annette Grundy, catering steward for more than 30 years

Burghley Horse Trials special prizes – winners’ pictures by Peter Nixon and Nico Morgan

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(Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials / Peter Nixon)

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‘I still have three superstars’: Harry Meade finishes with three horses inside the top 10 at Burghley Horse Trials 2025

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 15:37:40 +0000

Harry Meade enjoyed yet another five-star to remember when finishing third, fourth and ninth aboard Cavalier Crystal, Annaghmore Valoner and Et Hop Du Matz respectively after their Defender Burghley Horse Trials showjumping performances.

This result mirrors that of 2024 for Harry with the horses he finished third and fourth on.

Cavalier Crystal, a 15-year-old mare, owned by Charlotte and Peter Opperman, was 16th after the first phase and rose from fifth after picking up 2.8 cross-country time-faults into third today after a polished clear inside the time in the Burghley showjumping.

“I’m really happy with all three of my horses, but this is the third year in a row that Cavalier Crystal has finished third at Burghley,” said Harry. “Annaghmore Valoner was amazing as well and Cavalier Crystal jumped as well as showjumping will ever get.”

Harry had the penultimate fence on the showjumping track, an upright at 11, down aboard Annaghmore Valoner, which ultimately cost this 13-year-old mare, owned by Juliet Carter and Dinah and Stephen Posford, third place.

Harry also dropped from sixth to ninth with Et Hop Du Matz, an 11-year-old Harry co-owns with Mandy Gray, after two fences down in the showjumping today.

“Horses aren’t machines and that’s why it’s so important to believe in them,” explained Harry. “I’m disappointed for the performance I had with Et Hop Du Matz today, but I still have three superstars and I want to thank my whole team for their support.”

Speaking of Cavalier Crystal’s performance this week at Burghley Horse Trials, Harry Meade said: “She’s amazing. She’s the most lovely jumper and the kind of horse everyone ignores until she gets to a five-star week, and she’s just in her absolute element.

“She’s as good a jumper I’ve seen in the sport, and she’s delivered again and again.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo secured the win at Burghley for the second year on the bounce, while Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue were second, building on their third place finish at Badminton this spring.

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 big gangly horse, a computer simulation and a sensitive overachiever: Harry Meade reflects on three Burghley clears

Pippa Roome — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 16:46:15 +0000

Harry Meade has three horses in the top six at the close of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country today (Saturday, 6 September).

The British world number one rode three clear cross-country rounds today with just a handful of time-faults between his horses. He now sits fourth on Dinah and Stephen Posford and Juliet Carter’s Annaghmore Valoner, fifth on Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s Cavalier Crystal and sixth on his own and Mandy Gray’s Et Hop Du Matz.

Harry’s day started on the 11-year-old Et Hop Du Matz, who was third at Kentucky Three-Day Event in April. He finished with 2.4 time-faults.

“I was thrilled with my first horse,” he said. “He’s a big, gangly, young horse. It’s his first Burghley and it’s not that easy going out as pathfinder. I’m pretty used to it – this is the third year in a row I’ve done it. I’ve done it before as well, but this year was slightly more difficult because the course was quite unusual to ride.

“It was so intense and it was a bit of a judgment call how much horse you used at what point in the course. ‘Hoppy’ was very, very good. I wasted a couple of seconds here and there on him, but I think he’ll be a very, very fast horse, because he can get better. He was great, but he’s in his infancy at this level.”

The smoothest round for Harry Meade over the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course came next, on Cavalier Crystal, who finished with 2.8 time-penalties. This mare has finished third here at Burghley in 2023 and 2024.

“She’s just great. She’s a cool little girl. She gave me basically a textbook ride. If you could do the computer simulation of how to do it, bang on, she was that from first to last – very, very good,” he said.

Harry’s third ride Annaghmore Valoner – fourth here last year – incurred 3.2 time-faults today.

He said: “She’s come into this really, really short of match practice. She’s had one run since this day last year. She missed the spring, then I ran her around one open intermediate at Upton, got off and said I’d like to run her four times between now and Burghley, just very gently, round a lower level, to allow her to breathe and relax.

“I then stupidly fell off a bike two days later, so I couldn’t do anything on her, so she’s come off the back of nothing. She’s quite a sensitive, worried lady – overachieving, slightly unsure of herself – I was very proud of how resilient she was out there. She gave me a great ride.”

Harry Meade: riding the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country with injuries

Still dealing with the injuries from falling off his bike, Harry saw a physio today between his second and third horses.

He said: “The thing I try and do before coming into Burghley is get three decent nights sleep, because I’m the last one to bed and first one up in the morning every day probably on the entire site, and it’s boom, boom, boom, real intensity. So mentally it is very busy.

“I was a bit unsure this year, because obviously I’ve come into it off the back off quite a substantial injury and particularly some puncturing in my lung. I haven’t been able to do that much. I’ve only been able to sleep in a bed for the past two weeks – I’ve been sleeping in a chair as I couldn’t lie down – and so I was sort of a little bit unsure how I would cope. But it was fine.”

Harry paid tribute to his team, who make it possible for him to compete three horses here, particularly lynchpins Jess Errington, who has been with him 18 years, Molly Parkin, who has been with him for 11, and his wife Rosie.

“They have such a slick set up,” he said.

Harry Meade excels again on second horse, as Piggy March’s Burghley challenge ends on cross-country

Pippa Roome — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 13:04:02 +0000

Harry Meade holds the top two spots at the halfway stage of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country today (Saturday 6 September), while other top contenders have fallen by the wayside.

Harry finished seven seconds over the time with a super round on Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s mare Cavalier Crystal – one second slower than on his first horse Et Hop Du Matz – and currently sits first of those who have completed on the mare and second on pathfinder “Hoppy”.

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country: Harry Meade on form

“She’s a lovely horse – I’ve ridden her since she was a five-year-old so we know each other really well,” said Harry Meade after his second 2025 Burghley Horse Trials cross-country round.

He added that he wasn’t sure Cavalier Crystal was a five-star horse until he brought her to Burghley two years ago, when she finished third, a result she repeated last year.

“She used to scamper, with a quick turnover of footfall and no length of stride, so it’s been a case of getting her to switch off and relax and lengthen her stride,” he said. “She’s a cool cross-country horse and has been great the past two Burghleys and was even better this time.”

British rider Holly Richardson piloted the 10-year-old Ballyneety Silver Service round with 9.2 time-faults to sit third behind Harry’s pair at this stage. He is Holly’s second Burghley ride; she completed here in 2023 on Bally Louis and withdrew that horse before the second horse inspection last year.

“I’m so pleased that he’s gone and shown what he is, I’m really chuffed,” said Holly.

“It’s definitely helpful, having been here before, because you know how the terrain rides but obviously it’s going the other way round so that’s made a difference this year. To be honest, when I walked it, I thought it would suit him better, because he is a real blood horse, and I knew he’d gallop up that hill.”

Although he’s such a good galloper, the grey is ridden in a snaffle.

Holly added: “He’s quite polite. You give him a little check and he’s quite happy to sit and wait for you. There were a couple of moments where I went, ‘Whoa, just wait.’ And he went, ‘Okay, I’ll wait.’ and I was like, ‘No, no, keep going’ and actually, he did keep going.”

March, Rawlin and Latta among the faulters

Derek di Grazia’s cross-country track is proving very influential.

Piggy March’s challenge ended when MCS Maverick (fifth after dressage) ran out at the final big corner at Joules at the Maltings (fence 18b) and the pair then had a further problem at Defender Valley (fence 24abcd). Piggy then missed the final element in taking the long route, so she was pulled up before the final few fences on course.

Piggy said the round showed that the pair have a short partnership and there were places where they weren’t quite on the same pages.

“He was staying very genuine until we got to the two hedges [Pedigree Brushes, fences 15 and 16] and we ended up doing four strides, which probably took a life away from him,” she said – and things then went wrong at the following combination. “The line felt great, the stride felt great, it was just that lack of trust with where we are at in the partnership.”

Piggy added that MCS Maverick is an “incredible athlete” and the pair will have learnt a lot for an exciting future this week.

Will Rawlin, 11th after dressage, had 20 penalties at the corner at the Defender Dairy Mound (fence 9abc) and his Burghley challenge ended when he fell off at the second of the brushes with ditches at the Pedigree complex (fences 15 and 16).

Ireland’s 2024 Badminton Horse Trials runners-up Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint were having a peach of a round until the Trout Hatchery (fences 21abcd and 22), where they ground to a halt at the arrowhead out of the water.

“He jumped into the water and stumbled on landing, I picked him back up and pointed him at the arrowhead, but he was on a half stride and just couldn’t jump it,” said Lucy. “He did nothing wrong, I’m gutted for him.”

US visitor Cassie Sanger, the youngest rider in the field at 20, had one of the rounds of the day so far with her long-term partner Redfield Fyre. The pair were not far off the clock for much of their round, with the 12-year-old horse just tiring in the later stages. Cassie did a good job to balance him through the final questions and the pair finished 33 seconds over the 11min 24sec optimum time for 9.2 time-faults.

“I was just very nervous this morning and then the second I got on my horse, he just gives me so much confidence, and he just tries so hard for me,” said Cassie, who is based with Ros Canter and received feedback on the first few rounds from her before she started.

“I said to someone right before I went out, ‘What if he doesn’t do this for me?’ And they were like, ‘Nope, he will. He’s 100% going to, if you get there a bit funny, if your plans don’t go just right, he’ll be there for you.”

Cassie has had Redfield Fyre since she was 15.

She said: “I always like to joke around and say he’s used to the young rider, the Cassie Sanger ride – sometimes it’s not always right, but he’s just so smart with his footwork and we’ve always called him a little freaky, because he can get himself out of the way, even though he’s huge, 17.3hh. But he’s just such a smart horse.”

British first-timer Tom Strawson also came home clear, piloting ex-racehorse Public Address round for 25.6 time-faults.

“He baled me out four or five times – he’s unbelievably genuine,” said Tom.

Fellow home side first-timer Daniel Alderson misjudged his turn through the Pedigree Brushes and Blarney Monbeg Pepper ran-out at the second (fence 16), with the Ireland-based rider pulling up after a further problem at Joules at the Maltings (fences 17ab and 18ab).

‘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.

Harry Meade explains pre-test vet check for blood at Burghley: ‘It’s right to check’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 16:38:34 +0000

Harry Meade explained what happened before his Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage today (5 September) on Annaghmore Valoner, when he was stopped for a vet check before starting his test.

It turned out a tiny speck of suspected blood was seen on the outside of the mare’s lip while Harry was riding round the arena. In line with FEI rules, the mare was checked and it was established that there was no fresh blood. The pair were then allowed to continue.

Harry said: “I went in and just thought they’d been very slow to ring the bell, and maybe they were deciding to slow the competition down to give people their money’s worth.

“Then Andrew Bennie [president of the ground jury] walked over and said he just wanted to have a look, because there was a tiny spot of pink, nowhere near the bit, but just on the outside edge of the lip near the muzzle.

“Whether she’d gone down to scratch herself – I gave her quite a few breaks before I went in and I’m quite casual about everything so if they want to have a bit of an itch, they do, and whether she just did something then… Anyway they have a procedure, which is they get a bit of cotton wool, they dab it, if it disappears – which it did – and doesn’t come back then they’re happy and they were happy.

“It was quite right [that they check] – they are very much conscious of the welfare of the horses so they check. Then they gave me a couple of minutes to go around again and then eventually get into the arena to start the test.”

Harry Meade scored 29.8 for his Burghley Horse Trials dressage test with Annaghmore Valoner, which puts him 15th. The score was dragged down by the pair missing the third flying change and scoring a one, two and a three for that movement.

“She did a really nice test and that one movement absolutely plummeted her,” said Harry. “She’d normally be good with her changes and it’s frustrating, because one movement doesn’t normally drop you that much – it’s like getting fives for six movements.

“She’s getting stronger the whole time. She’s quite an introverted, nervous horse, and I was really happy with how she coped with the crowds – she was confident and enjoying it. She has lovely movement and she’ll keep getting better and better.”

Harry also sits 16th on Cavalier Crystal and 25th on Et Hop Du Matz heading into tomorrow’s cross-country.

‘Burghley is always the monster in this sport’ – riders react to new-look cross-country course

Pippa Roome — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:44:13 +0000

Irish rider Sam Watson described Burghley as “the monster in this sport” today (4 September), as riders reacted to the new-look Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course, which will be tackled on Saturday.

Designer Derek di Grazia has reversed the route around the track this year. The last time the course was ridden this way was in 2017 and it means a particularly intense early climb from the Boodles water fences at six and seven up to the Irish Horse Board Cottesmore Leap at 11.

“It’s massive and a serious track from the beginning to the end,” said Sam’s compatriot Austin, who has two rides here this week and is among the favourites to win with 2023 Maryland 5 Star winner Colorado Blue.

“It’s a long pull up to the Cottesmore Leap and you’ve got to be sensible and conserve as much energy as you possibly can. Then you run to the Maltings area and there’s a lot of big jumping there, so you’ve got to keep petrol in the tank.”

Irish 2018 world team silver medallist Sam Watson, co-founder of equestrian data analytics company EquiRatings, predicted that less than half the field will jump clear and there will be one inside the time.

“It’s technical and difficult in places like you might get on a very tough championship course,” he said. “Burghley is always the monster in this sport because of the terrain and then there are road crossings at Capability’s Cutting, the Leaf Pit is slow, and he’s made us really slow at the Trout Hatchery this year.

“The best we’ve seen in the sport over the past decade are here and I think it’s probably going to be their biggest test, aside from a wet Badminton or something like that.”

“Like riding at a fresh venue”

“A lot of big jumping” – Joules at the Maltings, fences 17 and 18. (Image credit: Pippa Roome)

Tom Jackson, who will pilot Hawk Eye round, said: “I think it’s very different and interesting going the other way around. I think the time is going to be really influential. I just can’t see anywhere, really, where we can get up on it or to it.”

Austin and Harry Meade are among those who have ridden the track this way round, although Harry pointed out that the addition of the “flyover” – where the track in one direction goes across a bridge over the other lane – since the last running this way round means the layout is actually slightly different.

“There’s lots to do and it’s really interesting going this way around. It’s not just a fresh set of questions, it’s almost like riding at a fresh venue,” said Harry, who has three rides this week.

Alex Bragg, who sits second after the first day of dressage on Ardeo Premier, added: “It’s just so different from last year. You can’t believe it’s the same designer, but maybe that’s a sign of a good designer – the fact that you never know quite what you’re preparing for and so you have to prepare for everything.”

Experienced Irish rider Joseph Murphy commented: “Nobody really knows how this course is going to ride this weekend. The first four minutes is a lot of uphill, and then if horses catch their breath, you can then gallop home – but how far you’re going to be behind the clock is anybody’s guess at the moment, so it’s going to be a tactical ride.

“Burghley is a bigger course than you ever see anywhere else and that means you have to ride forward and be brave and use your horse’s scope and stride. The distance are built beautifully for that.

“I don’t think it’s easy, but I have a good feeling about how it’s designed and laid out. I like it, so fingers crossed.”

Sam said the corner at Defender Dairy Mound (fence 9b) is “the blindest corner I’ve ever seen in the sport”.

“I think that’s a really tricky fence and I think anyone can be vulnerable there,” said Sam.

Sam also picked out the Trout Hatchery (fence 21abcd and 22) as a tough complex, because of the turning back.

He said: “It feels like a long route and a lot of the reason we don’t take long routes is because while the fences are easier, the twisting and turning is really hard, particularly at that late stage of the course. That’s often why we will actually go the straight route – the long route looks easier to jump, but it’s harder to ride. So here at the Trout Hatchery, we’ve got the difficulty to ride of a long route [in terms of turn backs], with the difficult fences of a straight route.”

The Trout Hatchery involves tiring turnbacks on the direct route. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tom Jackson added that the accuracy questions have a “different style” to last year.

‘I don’t want another go!’ – Piggy March wows to go into the lead with new ride at Burghley Horse Trials

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:34:05 +0000

Piggy March and MCS Maverick have flown into the lead in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage this afternoon (4 September).

The British rider piloted the 12-year-old, owned by the Maidwell Mavericks, to a score of 25.7, putting them 3.1 penalties ahead of Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy, who were the combination in the arena prior to Piggy, making it an exciting afternoon at Burghley so far.

MCS Maverick, a son of Mill Law, was presented beautifully in the Burghley Horse Trials dressage by Piggy March, showing a lovely frame with no real mistakes. They were awarded one six from Andrew Bennie, the judge at C, for their extended canter, but were otherwise scoring mostly sevens and eights.

Piggy took over the ride on MCS Maverick from Pippa Funnell earlier this year and Pippa said earlier today that he is “possibly one of the most talented horses” she has ever ridden. She was keen that if anyone was going to continue his career, it should be Piggy.

Pippa and MCS Maverick finished ninth at Badminton Horse Trials in 2024. Since joining Piggy, the horse has finished eighth in the CCI4*-S at Bramham in June and followed that up with two solid CCI4*-S runs at Aston-le-Walls and Hartpury.

“I’m delighted. He’s such a beautiful horse and has been trained by the best in the world in the form of Mrs Funnell,” said Piggy. “He’s always had a good experience in the arena, but lets the atmosphere get to him.”

Explaining this horse’s routine in preparation for the first phase at a big event like Burghley, Piggy said that “Eric” – who showed his nerves in an atmosphere by getting loose at the first horse inspection yesterday when he reacted to the crowd – has had a busy day.

“We’ve been out a lot today working and lungeing and grazing and seeing people – he’s probably sick of the sight of me!

“I’m so proud of him – walk is his ‘thing’ and he stayed with me today, but there’s still more to come when he becomes stronger and finding it easier, so it’s really exciting. For the early stages of us being a partnership in an atmosphere like that, I’ll take it all day long. I don’t want another go to try and do it any better!”

Piggy said that when she initially walked the Derek di Grazia-designed cross-country course at Burghley yesterday, she “bricked it”.

She said: “We’re a new partnership, with just six runs together. A couple of those have been over some big, good courses, but nothing like Burghley. There’s some sneaky fences out there and you’ve got to really know your horse. But I want him to have a nice time and I’ll have a go. This week is about trying cement a partnership and take things away for the future.”

Harry Meade slots into fourth after Burghley Horse Trials dressage on second ride

Harry Meade went into fourth with the incredibly consistent five-star mare, Cavalier Crystal, who is the second of his three rides at this year’s Burghley. Harry and the 15-year-old, owned by Charlotte and Peter Opperman, scored 30.5 – a personal best at this level for this daughter of Jack Of Diamonds.

“I was thrilled with her – she’s a game horse and can sometimes be affected by the crowds, especially in her halts, but she was very sweet today,” said Harry, who finished fourth with Cavalier Crystal at Badminton this spring and was also third at Burghley last year. “It was very much a clear round test for her.

“Our aim was to be up there after the first phase as she has finished on her dressage score in her previous five-stars completions. In terms of improving her on the flat, there’s things she finds quite challenging and so it’s a case of accepting those and working with the horse.”

Irish rider takes early Burghley dressage lead –and explains withdrawal of his second ride

Pippa Roome — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:18:35 +0000

Joseph Murphy has taken the lead after the first session of Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage this morning (4 September).

The Irish rider piloted Belline Fighting Spirit – 10-year-old owned by Richard and Tanya Ames, Alan Bell and Annette O’Callaghan – to a score of 30.9

An attractive horse with a big white blaze, Belline Fighting Spirit was able to demonstrate his big movement and uphill frame today to pull in some good marks, while also occasionally showing his inexperience, for example in his final flying change.

“It wouldn’t be his strongest phase, but he’s a beautiful horse and now he’s more on side and I’m a bit more confident with him,” said Joseph, who explained Burghley has been the goal since the spring.

“I’ve put a nice bit of mileage into him at four-star shorts since Badminton because I need to get to know him a little better in the atmosphere. I spend a bit of time in Germany with Michael Jung and I’m learning from seeing his system, how he wants the horses to behave in the environment, and how he goes about that.

“I’ve made mistakes on the way here, because I was trying different things, but – while it wasn’t perfect – I had a solid system for him today and I think over time, going away with that sort of confidence it’s going to be very good.”

Despite his youth, the precocious Belline Fighting Spirit is already at his third five-star, having completed Pau Horse Trials last and Badminton Horse Trials in May. After his Burghley Horse Trials dressage, Joseph Murphy acknowledged this is a learning weekend for the pair, but he is here to be competitive too.

He said: “I’m just not here to make up the numbers – I want to do it in a nice way, but I’m looking forward to Saturday and seeing what it brings and how the horse handles the terrain and the massive jumps that are out there. Every time you turn up at Burghley it just feels bigger than the rest.”

Joseph had a second horse entered here in Calmaro but withdrew him as he is a reserve for the Irish squad for the European Championships in two weeks’ time.

Joseph said: “All year I was gearing towards the Europeans, and unfortunately, I just came up short, but I don’t think it’s any reflection on the horse – he has had a super spring season — and I’m just going to sit tight and God forbid anything happens or I’m needed for a team, I’m going to be ready to go.

“I have this strong belief within myself that he could be very competitive at a championship and could help win a medal.”

Harry Meade takes early second in Burghley Horse Trials dressage

Harry Meade has slotted into second at this early stage. He has three rides here at Burghley and kicked off the action today with Mandy Gray’s and his own Et Hop Du Matz, who was third at the Kentucky Three-Day Event in the spring. The pair scored 32.8.

The 11-year-old Et Hop Du Matz is not the most flamboyant dressage horse, but he was calm in the arena and earned consistent marks throughout his trot-up work, with his marks just pulled down by a slight fidget in the mid-test halt and one missed flying change.

“I was really pleased with him – he’s only 11 and this is first Burghley,” said Harry. “He’s a big spider, a gangly horse, who will take time to keep developing and strengthening up.

“When he gets in there, he doesn’t get tense or above himself, but he goes a little bit into himself and just fractionally loses some of his exuberance. So it’s just trying to encourage him to have the liberty in his movement when he’s in an atmosphere. He just very slightly dropped behind me today.”

Harry rates the French-bred by Nouma D’Auzay as the best cross-country horse he’s ridden.

“I think this will be a great question for him. He was super round Kentucky, where he was third, and looking forward to seeing how he gets on,” said Harry.

Another Irish rider, Austin O’Connor, holds third on a mark of 33 with Nicky Bennell’s Sixmilewater, an 11-year-old five-star first-timer.

“He can be a little bit sharp, but he kept his head and didn’t do a lot wrong. It was probably as good as we expected at this stage, if not better,” said Austin.

Bed and breakfast for the horses – the 1% details that drive a world number one to the pinnacle of their sport

Martha Terry — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:32:00 +0000

Harry Meade’s attention to detail doesn’t apply just to his riding skills. His horse management routine, right down to how he’s selected their bedding, is intricately planned and detailed. In this article exclusive to H&H subscribers, Harry describes his feeding philosophies and how he makes choices on other aspects of management.

When a rider reaches the status of world number one, while most of us only see the glory days, it’s always the result a monumental amount of work over years and years. Behind the glamorous scenes is a jigsaw puzzle of training, physio, farriery, feed and management, and a team of countless people playing an integral part. The new eventing world number one Harry Meade’s feeding routine is meticulously managed, according to factors such as the horse’s weight, history, workload, condition, time of year and targets.

Nor does he leaves any stone unturned when it comes to other management details, such as bedding and worming. Here are the 1% margins that help give Harry the edge.

Harry Meade’s feeding routine

Nutrition-wise, Harry Meade simplifies feeding into three requirements, “energy levels, condition, and ensuring all nutrients are delivered at the appropriate thresholds”.

To ensure the nutrient levels are correct and nothing is over-delivered or lacking, D&H, with whom Harry has a long-term relationship, profiles each horse’s complete diet – including forage, grazing, supplements as well as hard feeds – at different times of the year.

For energy levels, he can feel how much spark they have, and alter accordingly.

The horses’ condition is monitored closely, each horse is weighed regularly and their weekly average added to a graph on their lifelong spreadsheet, recorded alongside their total feed intake. By tracking this information, Harry can spot trends before they develop and make adjustments to ensure each horse is at its peak weight for performance.

CCI5* campaigner Et Hop Du Matz at his regular weigh-in at Harry Meade’s yard. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“I’ll assess each by eye and note down if any are starting to look slightly light or big,” he explains.

“Weighing only gives you a number, which means nothing by itself, but it does allow you to track how each horse fluctuates. If any horse begins to deviate away from their ideal trend, the weight gives a head start before it is evident to the eye.”

It also flags up repeat yearly patterns.

“I’ve had most of my horses since they were young, so I can analyse their historical data,” he adds.

“I’ll know that a certain horse is prone to run up light or put weight on at a particular time of year, so I can feed in advance of an anticipated drop or gain and have a smooth taper, rather than reacting retrospectively, which leads to homeostatic fluctuations.”

One of Harry’s CCI5* mares, Cavalier Crystal, tucks into her feed, which is bespoke according to several factors – including her own history and predicted fluctuations in condition. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Best bedding

Harry’s chosen bedding is thanks both to circumstance and scrupulous research.

“Fifteen years ago, the bedding company I was using had supply issues so I had to change,” he says. “I contacted racehorse trainers in Britain, Ireland, the US, France and Australia, to find out the pros and cons of various types of bedding used around the world.

“We ordered eight pallets of different bedding and put sections of the yard on different types for a few months each. We assessed each from the point of view of dust, mould spores and how easy it was to muck out.”

The winner was a chopped rape straw, Caviera, recommended by a French trainer.

Harry Meade uses chopped rape straw bedding, which he chose for its dust-free qualities and ease of use. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“I also had it analysed as a feed, to check it has no downsides in case they eat any,” he adds.

Catching the worm

Worming, too, isn’t left to chance.

“We send off the horses’ faecal egg counts to Intelligent Worming, who determine whether treatment is necessary and if so with what product, to target that specific type of worm burden,” Harry explains.

“This avoids unnecessary or ineffective treatment. Prevention is better for the horse, and more economical too.”

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How to manage horses for a long and successful career – the Harry Meade way

Martha Terry — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:32:17 +0000

You don’t get to be eventing world number one without a string of sound horses at top level. Horses that not only reach the heights of five-star but continue to compete year in, year out are both rare and meticulously managed. For the new world number one Harry Meade, who has five eventers competing at CCI5*, horse management is inextricably entwined with his stellar results.

Anyone who has ever competed knows how critical soundness is to longevity, and it’s no surprise that Harry leads no stone unturned to give his horses the best possible chance of staying sound. Here’s how he does it…

Soundness underpins Harry Meade’s horse management system

Harry is emphatic about balance and softness in horses’ training and competing, alongside a couple of everyday basics – shoeing and icing.

“I like all my horses to be shod on a four-week cycle,” he says. “You don’t have to be an engineer to understand that if the angle of the foot changes by a small degree it will change the angle of the pastern and the load on the soft tissue structures.

“You might save a set or two a year shoeing less often, but if that increases the chance of the horse having a leg injury and missing a year, it’s a false economy.”

For the horses in more demanding fitness work the legs are iced after every canter session.

Harry’s head groom Jess Errington icing a horse’s legs. The advanced and three-day horses have their legs iced after every canter session. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

All Harry’s horses have stints on a water treadmill, particularly pre-season before the fitness work takes over. Harry shattered both his elbows in 2013 and knows “from my own injuries that the resistance of working in water is the best kind of rehab, as well as good pre-season conditioning without concussion”.

While icing and cold water are age-old remedies to help combat inflammation, Harry is a fan of the more modern laser therapy to manage injury, using two types of Pioneer Multi-Radiance lasers on his yard.

“Lasering is a well-proven science and really effective, both in the acute stages of an injury and in the ongoing management of any kind of weakness,” he says.

“We have a class one laser, which is a handheld device like a shower head. It’s great for accessible, superficial injuries like a puncture wound or a rub where time is an issue and you want to accelerate healing.

A handheld laser is useful for superficial injuries to speed up the healing process. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“We also use a class four laser, which goes much deeper – for the treatment areas of past weaknesses in soft-tissue structures. It’s not a magic wand, but I’m in no doubt that it’s very beneficial.”

Beneath the surface: going concerns

A final asset as soundness goes is the surfaces on which he works his horses. Harry trains on grass as much as possible, estimating that from April to November, “95% of their work is done on grass”.

“Working on a variety of surfaces, including soft ground, is really important for conditioning legs and joints,” he says.

“When I resurfaced our arena I did a lot of research, trying to find something that mimics springy old turf with life in it, and on which they can twist, slide and move, but not jar.”

He ended up with a bespoke surface from Martin Collins.

“It has life in it,” Harry says. “You can feel the horses let go – especially when jumping big fences or in extended canter on a circle.”

Harry Meade aboard CCI5* campaigner Cavalier Crystal, working on his bespoke arena surface. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Harry adds: “The sport gets really interesting when the horses reach the top of the tree, so we want to keep them sound and fit into their later years, helping them in every way we can.”

Harry Meade’s attention to every detail of horse management to promote soundness reflects a deep-rooted philosophy built around longevity. With soundness as his cornerstone, it’s no wonder his horses are flourishing at the very top of the sport.

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How to get your horse fit like world number one event rider Harry Meade

Martha Terry — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:32:41 +0000

Harry Meade has risen to the top of the eventing tree in a large part thanks to his extraordinary ability to go clear inside the time at five-star level. This isn’t just down to innate speed of the horse he’s riding, given he has consistently achieved fault-free clears on a range of horses with varying pedigrees. In this article exclusive to H&H subscribers, Harry reveals the meticulous fitness system that underpins his performance

The new eventing world number one’s recent cross-country record at five-star is outstanding. In his last nine runs at the highest level, he has produced six clears inside the time, results that speak volumes for how Harry Meade gets horses fit.

Many horses and riders never go clear inside the time at CCI5*; Harry has repeatedly steered more than one horse on the same day to beat the clock. The majority of this achievement must be thanks to years of experience in honing a natural talent, but there’s clearly a skill in producing so many different horses to perform at their peak at the elite levels of eventing.

The son of the 1972 Olympic champion Richard Meade admits: “We have quite an orthodox approach; it’s a combination of old-fashioned horsemanship with reliable, proven science.”

It sounds so simple, but Harry is exceedingly meticulous. It all begins with bespoke treatment for every horse.

“We’ve always had the philosophy of trying to treat each horse as if it’s the only one on the yard,” says Harry.

How Harry Meade gets horses fit

The foundation of Harry’s successful horse management is fitness. He doesn’t run his horses fast at national one-day events, yet they are primed to perform when it really matters.

But while they might appear to be taking life in the slow lane in their formative years, Harry says his horses “start fitness work early in their career – we’re lucky we have some really good hills to work on”.

He walks and trots the young horses up a long grassy slope to “build core strength”. He estimates that from April to November, “95% of their work is done on grass”.

“They start going up here aged four or five and once they have that strength they never lose it, even with time off,” he explains. “I don’t think of it as fitness work, just learning to work in a balanced way, and as a by-product they get very strong and fit.

Fitness work up hills starts early on in Harry’s horses’ careers. (Image credit: William Carey)

“They develop a core base fitness, building resilience, and it increases gradually over time without having to have a deep push. This avoids putting too much pressure on them physically,” Harry adds.

“We work on the hills with relaxation, focusing on their breathing and softness, to provide the maximum cardiovascular benefit with minimum stress on their legs.”

Every rider has their variation on fitness work, according to their facilities and terrain. Where Harry’s strategy differs is his commitment to tracking data, which allows him to monitor the individual over its entire career.

He has kept a detailed hand-written record of every fitness session for every horse in the run-up to a CCI4*-L or CCI5* since 2003, including which hill or gallop they worked up, how many times they went up, the pace, going, weather, how they felt and how they recovered.

Harry makes notes after every horse’s gallop in a folder that details every fitness session leading up to a big event – with records going back to 2003. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

After their target event he makes a summary of how they coped and what, if anything, he’d change in their preparation next time.

“It means I’m able to bottle up what has worked really well with different horses, and know how to peak at the right time,” Harry explains. “I can compare horses that have been prepared through faster work to those who predominantly did longer slower bits. I can compare similar types of horses 15 years apart.

“It also allows me to have a precedent in a setback, knowing how horses who missed a period of work were affected. If a horse needs a change of plan leading up to an event, I can look back over the years and see if there is a precedent.

“I started doing this in the era of roads and tracks and the fitness programme I use now is broadly the same as I used back then.”

No stone left unturned in pursuit of peak fitness

Part of the routine recovery strategy is making sure the horses clear their airways after a gallop session, with their heads down grazing, so any discharge can drain out rather than back into their lungs.

Some horses need more help than others with clearing the airways. It was Harry’s grand old campaigner Away Cruising who induced the regular use of a nebuliser at Blenheim in 2016. Despite being super fit, Away Cruising uncharacteristically struggled with his breathing early on the course at Blenheim, and was subsequently diagnosed with equine asthma. For the rest of his career he had nebuliser treatment twice a day, and went on to line up at 10 CCI5*s.

“Any horse with compromised wind in my yard uses a BreathEazy nebuliser in the run-up to their target event, and it makes a big difference,” Harry adds.

Harry’s head groom Jess Errington with one of their horses demonstrating the use of a nebuliser to improve their breathing. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Steamed hay or haylage is another nod to keeping dust levels low.

Harry prefers to feed his mares hay rather than haylage, and they also have a slightly different work routine to the geldings to reduce their likelihood of tying up.

“For this reason, the mares will have two short bits of work a day rather than one long session,” says Harry.

All the horses have either steamed hay or haylage to minimise dust levels in their forage. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This approach is borne out by his huge success with mares – Cavalier Crystal finished fourth at Badminton in 2025, third at Burghley in both 2023 and 2024 (two of these rounds were inside the time), and Annaghmore Valoner won Bramham in 2024 before finishing fourth at Burghley on her five-star debut (both inside the time). Grafennacht, the former ride of William Fox-Pitt, has already won a CCI4*-L and finished fourth at Kentucky CCI5* (inside the time) since arriving in Harry’s yard.

His remarkable five-star record is a testament to the precision and depth of how Harry Meade gets horses fit. By combining old-school horsemanship with data-driven detail, he consistently produces horses that peak at exactly the right moment.

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Piggy March: ‘Harry Meade deserves to be world number one’

Piggy March — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:32:44 +0000

Piggy March, who won Badminton 2019 and Burghley 2022 and has collected six senior championship medals, shares her thoughts on Harry Meade’s achievements and Defender Bramham’s new designer

Well done to Harry Meade for making it to world number one. Harry has grafted, like everyone does in eventing, for many years and had his fair share of knocks that could have finished his career, but he has plugged on through.

I love the fact Harry is passionate about the sport and has strong belief in his system, including the science behind horse care, and is now reaping the rewards with a big string of four- and five-star horses. He’s also built a loyal team of people.

You rarely see Harry win at a one-day event – he uses those as training days and canters round the cross-country quite slowly. He is very talented then to be able to make the time so easily and smoothly at three-days – not many riders can do that without practice.

Surely a five-star win is looming for Harry? A squad call-up must also be in the mix, but sadly now championships tend to require a dressage in the 20s to be competitive. Let’s hope one of Harry’s double-clear machines can step up the first-phase marks.

Competition for British selection will be tough again this year despite there being six spots – a team of four and two individuals – for the Agria European Championships at Blenheim. There were strong performances at Mars Badminton and we have Longines Luhmühlen this week too.

Bubby Upton’s classy Defender Bramham performance will open the selectors’ eyes. She’s a winner who has been knocking on the door and deserves the chance of a senior squad call-up.

Yasmin Ingham is another younger rider who knows how to win, has a nice team of quality horses and good backing. Blenheim is a year too soon for her Bramham CCI4*-S winner Gypsie Du Loir, but she could be her next championship horse.

Caroline Harris also impressed on both her horses.

Whether or not he secures a Blenheim spot, Harry is the ultimate five-star rider and if you do that well consistently at Badminton and Defender Burghley, you have every right to be world number one. His father, 1972 Olympic champion Richard Meade, would be incredibly proud.

The Bramham feel

Congratulations to Andy Heffernan for his first year as Bramham cross-country course-designer.

We were all sad to lose Ian Stark, as we knew Scotty would keep Bramham as the cross-country competition it has always been and should be. It’s one of the few places where you can prepare for Burghley and these courses are much needed for the education of horse and rider.

Andy definitely kept the Scotty feel of a big, brave track on forward, attacking distances, which made for positive riding. The horses could read the questions and therefore the time was very gettable for the bold combinations. We’re lucky to have Andy involved in this side of the sport.

I rode in the CCI4*-S and that track was tougher than before, which is good, especially as it’s now the under-25 national championship.

Previously, I’ve felt that the CCI4*-L was a four-and-a-half-star, but the short test was more about the atmosphere and suitable for a first-timer at the level. This year’s courses were more evenly matched, with the short just over a reduced distance.

I had two good rides on very different horses. Cooley Goodwood was amazing – he definitely found it a step up and needed my experience to keep him believing. And I was excited by MCS Maverick as it was our first proper competition together. To ride a quality blood horse around Bramham is sometimes why we do this sport.

He is sensitive and needs work to keep a lid on him for dressage, but he has been produced for a few years by Pippa Funnell. She’s the best rider in the world for keeping a horse on side and he has only had good experiences in the arena, so hopefully we can keep progressing.

I had a scary moment at the finish when he suddenly pulled up very sore, but thankfully he had just suddenly spread a shoe and twisted a nail so he was quickly OK.

● Who impressed you at Bramham? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major events throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Meet new world number one Harry Meade’s top horses, from the surprise five-star performer to the sensitive worrier

Pippa Roome — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:40:30 +0000

Harry Meade was yesterday announced as the new eventing world number one, a testament to the strength in depth of his team of horses.

We celebrate Harry’s achievement by bringing you a rundown of his five-star horses, who have all finished in the top five at five-star…

World number one Harry Meade: his top horses

Cavalier Crystal

Age: 15

Owners: Charlotte and Peter Opperman

Breeding: by Jack Of Diamonds out of a mare by Cavalier Royale

Best five-star results: third at Burghley Horse Trials in 2023 and 2024; fourth at Badminton Horse Trials in 2025

Harry says: “I never thought she’d be a five-star horse. She’s a very good jumper, but at the lower levels, she wasn’t that scopey. She felt limited, but she’s definitely not limited now.

“The other thing was that when you wanted her to move up on a distance to a fence, she would take a quicker turnover of footfall and get there faster, but she wouldn’t lengthen her stride so she would still be off the fence. That’s something she’s learned through running in a relaxed, slow way.”

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal at Badminton 2025. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Superstition

Age: 16

Owners: Mandy Gray and Harry

Breeding: by Satisfaction FRH out of a mare by Cordalame

Best five-star results: fifth at Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2021; seventh at Maryland 5 Star in 2021 and 2022; 12th at Burghley 2024; sixth at Badminton 2025

Harry says: “Lucy Jackson produced him and did a really lovely job. I have ridden him since 2019.

“He’s a horse that gets a little bit stressed at competitions, it’s not a really fun, positive experience for him. He finds the atmosphere slightly intimidating and threatening, and so I have to very much be there to support him and to hold his hand and give him confidence.

“So I took a view after Burghley 2024 that I felt confident in our ability to prepare him and in his long-term experience, so I decided I wasn’t going to enter him at an event prior to Badminton. I didn’t take him to any events of any kind, but did all the work at home, and that kept him in a very secure mindset. He was very confident and comfortable in his surroundings.

“I was interested to see whether that would affect him in any of the phases at Badminton, but for dressage, where he can sometimes freeze in the atmosphere, he was by far the most confident he’s been, and cross-country, he wasn’t remotely rusty. It was an interesting approach and I had no guarantee it would work, but I felt that it was worth doing, and with hindsight, I’m very glad I did.”

Harry Meade and Superstition at Badminton 2025. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Et Hop Du Matz

Age: 11

Owners: Mandy Gray and Harry

Breeding: by Nouma D’Auzay out of a mare by Easy Star

Best five-star result: third at Kentucky in 2025

Harry says: “I said a couple years ago, I think he’s the best horse no one’s ever heard of, but I hoped he would come into his element at the top level. Across country, he leaves the start box with a resting heart rate, a completely resting brain and he is relaxed the whole way around. He can read everything, he’s got time and it’s all slow motion.”

Harry Meade pilots Et Hop Du Matz to a podium finish at Kentucky 2025. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

Grafennacht

Age: 13

Owner: Amanda Gould

Breeding: by Birkhof’s Grafenstolz out of a mare by Narew

Best five-star results: 14th at Badminton 2023; second at Maryland 2023; 13th at Badminton 2024 (all with William Fox-Pitt); fourth at Kentucky 2025 (with Harry)

Harry says: “She’s a super-game horse with a massive heart. She wouldn’t be the most athletic, scopey sort that could fiddle if she was slightly wrong on a fence and she doesn’t like adding a stride, but she’s uncomplicated in her mind.”

Harry Meade and Grafennacht at Kentucky 2025. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

Annagmore Valoner

Age: 13

Owners: Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter

Breeding: by Coroner out of a mare by Black Walter

Best five-star result: fourth Burghley 2024

Harry says: “‘Annie’ was sent to me by her former rider Sam Griffiths and her owners collectively, when Sam gave up eventing. My first impressions were that I loved her as a stamp and an athlete. Sam said she was very over-sensitive and that made her quite difficult, but I’d rather be sitting on something that oozes athleticism, but needs managing, than something that is rather limited.

“It’s a case of trying to understand each horse and the motivation behind them being difficult – some horses are difficult because they find something conformationally difficult or they’re lazy. That’s not the case with her – she’s a very kind person and a desperate overachiever, who gets herself worried and is over-sensitive and hot.

“There isn’t an ounce of malice in her, so it was about understanding that and really holding her hand to get the best out of her, rather than misinterpreting her behaviour as trying to be difficult. Hopefully by supporting her, we’ve given her confidence so she’s mentally in a happy place now.”

Harry Meade and Annaghmore Valoner at Burghley 2024. Credit Peter Nixon (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Hear Harry Meade talk about his horses on episode 165 of The Horse & Hound Podcast.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘The sport I Iove’: new leader tops British one-two-three in world rankings

Pippa Roome — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:47:50 +0000

Harry Meade has been named as the new eventing world number one, the first time he has held pole position in the rankings.

Harry heads a one-two-three for British riders; Tom McEwen retains his world number two spot and Ros Canter climbs to number three.

His achievement comes after a stellar spring five-star season, during which he finishing third (Et Hop Du Matz) and fourth (Grafennacht) at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event and fourth (Cavalier Crystal) and sixth (Superstition) at Mars Badminton Horse Trials.

“It’s a great honour to be world number one, and a real milestone,” said Harry. “It’s particularly rewarding for the wider team behind me – they are so invested, and their hard work and support has led to this. I’m proud of all of them. I think my 11-year-old son is most excited about it though – he’s been following the rankings over the past year and was the first to call it!”

He added: “I’ve followed eventing since before I could walk – it’s the sport I love. There are still mountains in front of me that I want to climb, but for a brief moment in a life where you rarely stand still, we’ll take a moment to pause, look back, and feel some pride in what everyone has achieved.”

Asked about the key to his recent success, Harry said: “It’s about producing horses in a ‘softly-softly’ way and making sure they enjoy their job. My focus is always on each horse’s development, both mentally and physically, with their longevity in mind. I’m always learning, and the key to ongoing success is being able to do it with all kinds of horses.

“Our owners and sponsors have fully bought into our way of doing things. They have faith that it works and are in it for the long term. My aim is to do them justice.”

Harry Meade takes over the world number one position from US rider Boyd Martin, who held the top spot for one month. Before him, British three-time Olympic medallist Tom McEwen was world number one from August 2024 until April 2025.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Harry Meade on why he doesn’t sleep at home during Badminton, despite living just minutes away

Pippa Roome — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 15:30:43 +0000

Harry Meade lives just minutes from the Mars Badminton Horse Trials, where he finished fourth and sixth this year – but revealed to H&H that he doesn’t sleep in his own bed during the event.

This top rider was speaking on episode 165 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, supported by The Insurance Emporium.

“I used to sleep at home during Badminton and the reason why I don’t now is because it’s quite healthy to be in the event bubble and in the zone,” said Harry.

“As soon as you step out of that – even if it’s opening a letter, or someone in the yard wants to chat about something, or you talk to a neighbour – it takes you out of that and you start getting quite a lot of distractions. It becomes almost like a normal week, on top of the extra pressures of competing in a five-star.”

Badminton final scores

Two weeks before Badminton, Harry Meade competed at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, where he finished third and fourth. It was his second trip to Kentucky and he’s also competed at the other US five-star, Mars Maryland 5 Star, three times.

He said: “I really enjoy the American trips because you’re very much in a bubble. You’re away from your home turf, you haven’t got the same level of commitments and responsibilities, and you’re not being pulled in so many different directions. You can actually really focus on the horses and on their performances and it feels like you’ve got a lot more time.

“So I try and do the same with Badminton, but it’s hard when you know pretty much every volunteer and probably 30% of the people in the crowd. I’ve lived here all my life, and everybody tends to be either something to do with eventing or the local area or contractors who are collecting the bins and things – you end up knowing half of them. So it is a very different feel.”

Nonetheless, the fact Harry is local to Badminton and his family’s close ties to the event – his father Richard won there twice – mean he has a deep appreciation of the event’s importance and its place in the sport.

“I think that sort of history and tradition is something which once you lose, you can’t get back, and for the events that don’t have it, it’s very difficult for them to try and instil it,” he said.

“It’s very special and there are little things which are really meaningful, like the Armada Dishes given for five completions – it means a lot, those kind of things. The event has been going a long time, and it’s something that resonates with everyone in the eventing world, but also locally.

“I’ve been to Badminton every year I’ve been alive and it’s always been a special place in my heart.”

Hear more about Harry’s success at Badminton and Kentucky this year and his insight into his team of five-star horses by tuning in to episode 165 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

The Horse & Hound Podcast 165: top eventer Harry Meade | Making an equine insurance claim with The Insurance Emporium

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 29 May 2025 07:30:53 +0000

On our 165th episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is supported by The Insurance Emporium this month, we speak to top event rider Harry Meade, who told us all about his impressive team of five-star horses and shared some of his secrets to being a speed king across country. We also hear from Sally Wright, who will talk about her experiences of making an insurance claim related to her horses. We hope you enjoy listening.

Episode 165 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast 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.

View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

On this episode we speak to top event rider Harry Meade, who is the man of the moment following his incredible cross-country performances at both Kentucky and Badminton this spring.

He told us all about his impressive team of five-star horses and shared some of his secrets to being a speed king across country.

“With my style of riding, I don’t need to practise riding fast. What I need to do is slow the horse’s brain down and get that complete relaxation. Once I’ve got that, I can add in the speed on demand” – Harry Meade on his art of riding fast across country

We also hear from Sally Wright, who will talk about her horses and experiences of making an insurance claim related to them, in an advertisement feature with The Insurance Emporium.

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

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 165

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Check out photos of Badminton’s special prize winners, from the closest to the optimum time to the best mare and debutante

Pippa Roome — Thu, 15 May 2025 15:30:35 +0000

There are plenty of Mars Badminton Horse Trials special prizes awarded each year, from those for the breeders of the top horses to the rider with the best judge of time, debutants and more.

Read on to find out who picked up special prizes at the 2025 event last week…

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo were the winners of Badminton and they and their connections picked up a raft of Badminton Horse Trials special prizes, as well as £117,600 in prize money.

“‘Walter’ enjoys his life. He knows what he wants, he tells us what he wants, and in between, he’s pretty chilled and happy,” said Ros after their win. “He’s like a puppy in the stable and he licks you to death. He knows he’s the best and he’s full of self-importance, but at the same time, he’s just completely lovable. I love him to bits.”

Badminton final scores

The Challenge Badminton Horse Trials Trophy: to the winning owners: Michele and Archie Saul, pictured below with Ros Canter and the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort

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: Miichele and Archie Saul for Lordships Grafalo

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Butler Challenge Bowl, with replica for the highest-placed British rider: Ros Canter

Rosalind Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Mars Equestrian Yeti Cool Box to the winning rider: Ros Canter

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

LeMieux rug to the winner: Ros Canter

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The British Horse Foundation £1000 to the breeder of the highest-placed British-bred horse, provided it finished in the top 20: Lordships Stud and Pennie Wallace

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Replica of the trophy to the top three riders and the winning owner: Michele and Archie Saul, Ros Canter, Oliver Townend, Austin O’Connor (pictured below finishing third on Colorado Blue)

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Runners-up Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent also picked up several special prizes.

“She’s just a natural athlete. Her pedigree is second to none, with her mother being a racehorse that won the Scottish Borders National, her father a 1.50m horse. Somehow, the magic happened for once in breeding,” said Oliver.

“She can go around any course in the world, be competitive in any class in the world. She’s blood enough for Burghley, she moves and jumps well enough for a championship horse. Ability-wise, she’s got everything.”

Frank Weldon Memorial Trophy to the rider of the youngest British-owned and ridden horse in top 12: Oliver Townend, for 11-year-old Cooley Rosalent

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Stud Voucher £500 to the owner of the highest-placed British-owned mare: Paul and Diana Ridgeon for Cooley Rosalent

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Embryo Transfer or OPU (ovum pick-up) session to the highest-placed British-bred or domiciled mare, courtesy of Tomlinson Equine: Cooley Rosalent

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Worshipful Company of Saddlers saddle to the rider with the best score who is under 25 on 1 January 2026 and who has not previously won a Company saddle in the calendar year: 23-year-old Alice Casburn, who rode home-bred Topspin to 17th place

Alice Casburn and TOPSPIN during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Silver Jubilee Plate to the most successful rider, the horse to be owned by the rider alone, or in conjunction with immediate family: Will Rawlin, 23rd on Ballycoog Breaker Boy

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Laurence Rook Trophy to the best British rider who has not previously completed Badminton: Katie Magee, riding Treworra, who finished 11th

(Image credit: Nixonphoto / Badminton Horse Tri)

Glentrool Trophy to the horse and rider who have made greatest improvement on their dressage placing: Tayla Mason and Centennial, who moved up 52 places to finish 19th

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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: Tom Rowland, 12th on Dreamliner

Tom Rowland and DREAMLINER during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

The William Miflin Memorial Trophy to the rider of the horse with no cross-country jumping penalties and closest to optimum time: Harry Meade, who finished sixth on Superstition and was bang on the 11min 40sec optimum time

Harry Meade and SUPERSTITION during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Farriers Prize – plaque to the owner and farrier of the best shod horse: Robert Shave for High Time, owned by Jo West, Serena Greenwell, Ruth Armstrong, Tom and Annabel Jenks-Craig and rider Caroline Powell

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

David Beaufort Memorial Trophy to the person who has contributed to the running of the horse trials over many years: Pamela Twissell, Badminton administrator

Stable manager’s grooms award, sponsored by Treehouse Sporting Colours: Debbie Carpenter, groom to New Zealand rider Lauren Innes and Global Fision M

Armada Dishes for five Badminton completions, presented a year after the fifth completion: Sammi Birch (pictured at this year’s event on Finduss PFB), Pippa Funnell (should have been presented in 2024), Tom Jackon, Tim Price, Zara Tindall, Sam Watson

Sammi Birch and FINDUSS PFB during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Badminton Horse Trials special prizes – winners’ photos by Peter Nixon and Nico Morgan Media

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Unorthodox’ Badminton preparation pays dividends for top British combination

Lucy Elder — Sat, 10 May 2025 12:33:43 +0000

World number three Harry Meade and Superstition have powered up the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country leaderboard in the early stages of Saturday’s competition.

The pair, who were 23rd after dressage, were the second combination to come home with a clean sheet of time and jumping penalties, following Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight’s blazing round earlier.

Harry and the 16-year-old gelding flew across Badminton’s turf with such confidence. They took the inside line through the Ineos Grenadier Sunken Road (12ab) and were well up on the clock by the time they left the Vicarage ditch area over the LeMieux Eyelash Brushes.

Superstition, owned by his rider and Mandy Gray, showed clever footwork through the Mayston Equestrian Sunken Road (21ab), popping off the step and displaying exceptional adjustability to stitch in a neat, short stride before the arrowhead.

“It was his first run since crossing the finish line at Burghley in the autumn,” said Harry, adding Superstition had an “unorthodox” build-up to Badminton.

Badminton final scores

“I reckoned I could do all the prep he needed at home and on the gallops. I think a lot of people thought that I’d entered him and wasn’t ever planning on running him because he hadn’t been entered anywhere else, but he felt great.”

He added: “It was the right thing. He didn’t feel remotely rusty, he was absolutely on it, and finished bang on the time.”

Harry said he “loved” the question at the Mars Lake (fences 9 and 10abc) this year, adding it felt like a throw-back to fences at the lake in the 80s and 90s, and said the course surprised him by how big it rode.

“I was slightly underwhelmed when I walked it, but there were a lot of big efforts, and it kept them reaching [for] the back rail,” said Harry. “Then when you came to a technical question, the shape of [the horse’s] jump had been distorted into that very forward shape that then made the technical balance questions harder for them to concertina to and to keep adjusting like that. It was a great course.”

Bubby Upton and Cola had a dream ride, with her mother Rachel’s 15-year-old gelding still showing bounding scope right to the end of Eric Winter’s five-star course.

“He was just sensational, what a horse. I couldn’t be more lucky to be sat on a horse like that. I’ve known him for nine years and he’s a fighter through and through. It’s just the best feeling ever to come back to that roaring crowd,” said Bubby.

“I know him inside out and positivity is definitely best with him. I’ve been learning with him at five-star and I’ve made a few mistakes along the way and let him down, so I’m pleased to do him justice today – he deserved that. He’s a class horse through and through and I’m glad I was able to show the world what a horse he is today.”

Former winner Jonelle Price has also pinged up the Badminton Horse Trials standings with her 2022 Pau champion Grappa Nera.

Jonelle and the 14-year-old took the left-handed hedge at the first element of Mars Equestrian Sustainability Bay (fence 14ab) and had a sticky moment of the hedge in the water (14b), but put it behind them to come home clear with 11.6 jumping penalties.

“It didn’t quite work as smoothly as I had envisaged, but that’s where the mare shows her true grit,” said Jonelle, reflecting on her ride through that fence.

Elsewhere in this chunk of riders, Alex Hua Tian made an extraordinary save being pitched out of the saddle at the Stride Copse Rails (fence 13), then opting to walk home from the Vicarage Ditch area.

Tom Rowland also opted to save Quintilius for another day after picking up 20 penalties at the Agria Corners. The pair jumped the first nicely, then added an extra stride to the second and found themselves on an unachievable distance. Tom stayed on, and then put his hand up to retire.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

If you want to watch the live action from Badminton Horse Trials from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. This year, Badminton TV has teamed up with ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch Badminton – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £21.99. Go to clipmyhorse.tv/en_GB/badminton to subscribe or to activate your account as an existing Badminton TV subscriber. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. As part of Badminton TV, you can enjoy the documentary programme Legends and Legacy, a fly-on-the-wall insight into the 2024 event and preview of 2025.

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 15 May.

A bitless bridle and brilliant jumping – British riders claim three top-five places at Kentucky

Pippa Roome — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 20:44:46 +0000

Harry Meade finished third and fourth after two good rounds to hold his overnight places in the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event showjumping on Et Hop Du Matz and Grafnnacht – and Tom McEwen also retained his provisional ranking, claiming fifth on Brookfield Quality in a good week for Britain.

“They were brilliant. I’ve been fifth, fourth and third here now,” smiled Harry, who was fifth on Superstition in 2021, leaving it for the journalists to fill in that perhaps we can expect second and first in the future.

Harry jumped out of order on Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht, who was fourth overnight. Memories of this mare’s last five-star showjumping round, when she had a cricket score at Badminton Horse Trials last year with William Fox-Pitt, costing the pair the title, were in many minds, although she did also jump plenty of good rounds with William, including when second at Maryland 5 Star in 2023.

She rattled a few fences today, but Harry was able to coax her round with just the oxer in the middle of the treble at fence 11abc down, which did not alter her final placing.

“I thought she was super,” said Harry. “I’ve got a little bit of a hypothesis about her, which hopefully is proving to be effective, about jumping her off a curve the whole time, as well as jumping nothing big outside. And I was able to do that the whole way through the course. The only fence I couldn’t come off a curve to was the middle part of the treble and she had that down.”

Harry jumped Grafennacht in a bitless bridle here, as he did when the pair won the CCI4*-L at Montelibretti in March.

“If I think something isn’t brilliant, I try and just un-complicate it as much as possible, like everything off, and she quite likes it,” he explained.

Harry’s second ride, Mandy Gray’s and his own Et Hop Du Matz, jumped a secure clear.

“He’s a really proper, proper horse, and he went in and nailed everything,” said Harry. “It was fun just to school him round and and he really exceeded expectations. I felt it could have gone two holes higher.”

Kentucky Three-Day Event showjumping: McEwen holds fifth

Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry – just toppled the brown Appalachian mountains spread fence at number two.

“It was an uncharacteristic rail, but he jumped brilliantly and the rest of the round he was great,” said Tom “It’s his first time in this sort of atmosphere – he’s been down to Pau, which obviously is a cracking atmosphere in a full ring, but this is definitely the next step up so I’m really, really pleased with how his week’s gone.

“He’s feeling well fit and fresh and we’ve got a really cool five-star horse on our hands so it’s very, very exciting.”

Tom finished on the same score as Boyd Martin and Fedarman B. The pair could not be split by cross-country score as both had 10.4 time-faults, so the next differentiator in FEI competitions is dressage score, which gave Tom the edge, leaving him fifth and Boyd sixth.

Boyd also finished seventh on Luke 140 and second on Commando 3, behind winners Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH.

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British rider puts in only clears in time on Kentucky cross-country: ‘I tried to save a quarter of a second here and there’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 21:23:07 +0000

Harry Meade put in the only two clear rounds inside the time over the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country course today. The British rider’s brilliant performances mean he has moved up from 17th after dressage to third on Mandy Gray and his own Et Hop Du Matz and from 18th to fourth with Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht.

After his second ride, Harry shared one of the tactics he used to put in such fast rounds: “I thought there was a repeat pattern at some of the fences where there was a sharp turn afterwards. For example, at the table before the Cosequin Cove water, I swung out onto fresh ground and then jumped that fence at 45 degrees back towards the direction of travel. I thought if I could save quarter of a second here and half second there, it would just eat back up to be inside the time.”

Harry’s first ride was the 11-year-old Et Hop Du Matz, who stormed round, taking all the direct routes.

“I’m thrilled with him,” said Harry. “I slightly boldly said he was probably the best cross-country horse I’ve ever sat on just before Maryland, where I fell off him and I felt a bit stupid, because he’s a sublime cross-country horse.

“He leaves the start box with a resting heart rate, a completely resting brain, and he is relaxed the whole way around, and he can read everything. He’s got time and he’s game and it’s all slow motion. He’s just cool, he’s rangey, he’s athletic.

“I said a couple years ago, I think he’s the best horse no one’s ever heard of, but I hoped he would come into his element. He’s still gangly and green and weak and I hope he’ll get better and better. And that took nothing out of him – he could have had two minutes longer on the course, or he could have had another six inches of rain in the last month, and it would have suited me even more.”

Harry said his only slight surprise was at the final water, the Cosequin Cove at fence 22abc, where he was planning to take six strides between the corgi in and the first triple brush arrowhead.

“I just saw a five and squeezed,” said Harry, who was then quite far off both triple brushes, but Et Hop Du Matz showed his scope and cleared them without any drama. “The only surprise for me was the scallop caught my foot in the air. That’s the nice thing about a good horse, they can take take off from a long way or a close spot, and both look fine.”

Harry Meade on Grafennacht: ‘She’s game and trusting’

Harry Meade set out at the end of the Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country day on the former William Fox-Pitt ride Grafennacht, who he doesn’t know terribly well yet – they had a “good spin” around a CCI4*-L in Italy in March, where they won, but didn’t cross-country school before or after that as the ground was first too wet, then too firm.

“So I was actually coming in quite blind and still getting to know her a bit on the way round, and trying to adjust my riding to her,” he said.

Asked what he’s learnt about the mare today, he replied: “She’s a super game horse. She’s got a massive heart. She wouldn’t be the most sort of athletic, scopey horse that could fiddle if she was slightly wrong on a fence, but she’s very uncomplicated in her mind.

“The big thing for me was that she doesn’t like adding a stride. If she does, she hollows her back, drops her back, and slightly bundles through it. So it was just trying to keep galloping and standing her off everything. And I was really pleased with the ride she gave me through the Cosequin Cove water, because I took out a stride coming to the first brush, which then made the second one nice.

“That said, I did the opposite at the second water [the Rolex Crossing, 12abc] – she plopped into it. I spoke to William earlier today, and he said, ‘Just remember, she sort of plops into her water. She doesn’t jump generously out.’ And she did plop into that. So I just sat up and added a stride. But the great thing about cross-country riding is you can analyse these things, but a lot of it’s just reacting into the instincts in the moment. She’s a cool horse.”

Harry added that Grafennacht didn’t read the final angled brush element of the Care Credit Question at fence 6abc and he “sort of just held her to it, and she was very game and trusting”.

The mare also got a little close to the corner in the Defender Head of the Lake and twisted over it so he took a split second decision to take the long route out.

“I was trying not to chivvy her or harry her on the way round, but just to settle back into that good gallop, and just try, in a very un-interrupting way, to save quarter of a second at each fence,” he said.

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British rider claims podium position in Kentucky dressage – plus his unusual preparation: ‘He never lets anyone down’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 20:38:10 +0000

Britain’s Tom McEwen has claimed third place for Britain at the close of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage today.

Piloting Brookfield Quality, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry, Tom scored 26.2, which was just bested by the final pair of the day, the home side’s Boyd Martin with Commando 3, who landed a mark of 26. Germany’s overnight leader Michael Jung still holds top spot on a commanding 18.6 with FischerChipmunk FRH.

The 16-year-old Brookfield Quality, who was third at Pau last year, is known as Nervous Norris at home.

“He’s never let anyone down – he’s Nervous Norris, but he’s an absolute legend of a horse and he was fantastic. I was so pleased with him. It really felt like we got the most out of the test,” said Tom.

“He dealt with it in there like a trooper because he can be a bit spooky. I still can’t get him past the tent outside, so I was just absolutely delighted with him.”

Tom McEwen produced the son of OBOS Quality 004 in a pleasing uphill frame in the Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage and said there were “a couple of little mistakes, but that’s there or thereabouts at this level”.

Tom landed plenty of eights with the marks just dropping down in one area for three fives, but the marks were inconsistent around these movements – he pulled in a five, an eight and a seven for his half-piroutte right and two fives and a 7.5 for the transition to collected trot that followed.

Tom’s preparation for Kentucky with Norris has been unusual in that he has run in two open novices and an open intermediate, rather than any higher-level classes.

The rider explained: “He always produces it when he gets there and confidence is key with him and actually just allowing him to be running around nice and smoothly. For him, the more relaxed he is, the more chance you’re going to have of producing a test like today.

“It’s very different to a lot of other people’s pathways to get to five-star. But he’s an absolute little legend and we have built a really good partnership over the last couple of years. We seem to understand each other. We are obviously quirky enough together and he’s just pretty mint, really.”

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage: Harry Meade and Lucienne Bellissimo

Harry Meade and Grafennacht had some of the worst of the weather today, performing in heavy rain towards the end of the action.

Amanda Gould’s mare, who joined Harry last summer after William Fox-Pitt retired, seemed a little bright and distracted and the pair scored 35.2 for 18th overnight.

“Much of her test was lovely and I was pleased with her overall way of going, but there were a few costly mistakes. It’s early days in our partnership but there’s lots more to come,” said Harry.

Harry also sits in 17th on his ride from yesterday, Et Hop Du Matz.

The third British pair today, US-based Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri, scored 33.7 for 15th overnight.

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First Brit off to a good start at Kentucky: ‘He’s a gangly young horse – but he’s as good a cross-country horse as I’ve ever sat on’

Pippa Roome — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:13:48 +0000

Britain’s Harry Meade was pleased with his Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage test this afternoon on Et Hop Du Matz, who put in a pleasingly mistake-free performance.

The 11-year-old, owned by Mandy Gray and Harry, scored 34.2 for 10th overnight in the five-star.

“He’s a lovely, young, gangly, very long horse, who’s a little bit like a spider, and I was really thrilled of him,” said Harry.

“He tried really hard, he worked really hard. He didn’t make a single mistake in any of the movements. He was in a much more uphill balance, which from a strength point of view has taken him really quite a long time to be able to start to work towards, not that it’s in any way a finished product yet.

“I’d say the weaknesses were just into and out of movements. You still get that slight discombobulation and he’s not rock solid yet. That’s where he would have lost marks and as a result sat on six and a halves and sevens.

“Looking at the bigger picture, he’s a really game, kind young horse who I think tried really hard, didn’t really put a foot wrong and would have very much had a positive experience in there. He came out like he was just working at home and that’s a big part of his journey.

“Obviously we want to try and get the best performance out of him this week, but also it’s seeing this week in the context of his longer career.”

Et Hop Du Matz was produced in France by amateur rider Mathieu Chombart, joining Harry in 2022.

“He’d done a lovely job, in no way giving him any bad experiences, riding him in quite a free, nice, open way. You’d quite like to inherit a horse from someone like that, rather than someone who’s over dominated them,” said Harry Meade after his Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage.

The pair won Millstreet CCI3*-L and have been 18th and ninth at Blenheim Horse Trials and Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-Ls. Harry then fell off on Et Hop Du Matz’s five-star debut at Maryland 5 Star last autumn.

“But I’d say he’s as good a cross-country horse as I’ve ever sat on,” said Harry. “He’s very athletic. He’s really rangy, but within that he’s very nimble. He can add short strides and he can stand off a mile, so you’ve got a huge amount of range and choice.

“But the biggest thing about him is when he’s going cross country, he lobs in his mind, so even though he’s going fast, his brain is almost quite slow in a good way – he’s the opposite of a horse who’s addled in his brain and a bit hectic and so it’s almost like everything’s in slow motion.

“So I hope he’ll be a really good horse and I hope I can just try and give him the best chance.”

Harry also starts on the former William Fox-Pitt ride Grafennacht here at Kentucky and they do their dressage at 3.26pm local time (8.26pm British time) tomorrow.

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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

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 15 May.

What are the British riders’ cross-country times at Kentucky? Plan your Saturday viewing

Pippa Roome — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 23:16:38 +0000

The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country times for this week’s US five-star fixture (24-27 April) have been released, so you can plan your Saturday viewing.

The first horse out of the start box on Derek di Grazia’s five-star track will go at 1.30pm local time (6.30pm British time). Combinations are then scheduled to start at four-minute intervals until the final pair set off at 3.50pm local time (8.50pm British time).

Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country times: British riders

Harry Meade and Et Hop Du Matz: 2.38pm local time (7.38pm British time)
Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality: 3.06pm local time (8.06pm British time)
Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri: 3.38pm local time (8.38pm British time)
Harry Meade and Grafennacht: 3.46pm local time (8.46pm British time)

Other ones to watch

Tim Price (NZL) and Jarillo: 1.30pm local time (6.30pm British time)
Boyd Martin (USA) and Fedarman B: 1.34pm local time (6.34pm British time)
Michael Jung (GER) and FischerChipmunk FRH: 1.54pm local time (6.54pm British time)
Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Menlo Park: 1.58pm local time (6.58pm British time)
Tim Price (NZL) and Happy Boy: 2.34pm local time (7.34pm British time)
Monica Spencer (NZL) and Artist: 2.54pm local time (7.54pm British time)
Tim Price (NZL) and Falco: 3.42pm local time (8.42pm British time)

Kentucky Three-Day Event cross-country times: full list

All five-star times (cross-country times are on the right of the page, dressage times on the left)

The riders in the accompanying Cosequin CCI4*-S class go cross-country on Saturday morning at Kentucky, starting at 9am local time (2pm British time) and following on at three-minute intervals, with the final pair due on course at 11.48am local time (4.48pm British time).

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When do the Brits and other favourites do their dressage at Kentucky? Full times released Friday times updated following weather delay

Pippa Roome — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 22:35:26 +0000

The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times for this week’s event (24-27 April) have been released.

Dressage in the five-star starts at 1.30pm local time (6.30pm British time) on Thursday, with the final horse on that day entering the arena at 4.04pm (9.04pm local time). The class resumes at 1pm local time (6pm British time) on Friday and the last pair will start their test at 3.34pm local time (8.34pm British time). Update on Friday at 9.15am local time: due to a weather delay, competition today has been put back to 1.15pm (6.15pm British time) – all times below have been updated to the new times.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times: British riders

Harry Meade and Et Hop Du Matz: 4.04pm local time (9.04pm British time) on Thursday
Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality: 1.48pm local time (6.48pm British time) on Friday
Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri: 3.09pm local time (8.09pm British time) on Friday
Harry Meade and Grafennacht: 3.25pm local time (8.25pm British time) on Friday

Other ones to watch

Tim Price (NZL) and Jarillo: 1.30pm local time (6.30pm British time) on Thursday
Boyd Martin (USA) and Fedarman B: 1.38pm local time (6.38pm British time) on Thursday
Michael Jung (GER) and FischerChipmunk FRH: 2.18pm local time (7.18pm British time) on Thursday
Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Menlo Park: 2.26pm local time (7.26pm British time) on Thursday
Tim Price (NZL) and Happy Boy: 3.56pm local time (8.56pm British time) on Thursday
Monica Spencer (NZL) and Artist: 1.39pm local time (6.39pm British time) on Friday
Tim Price (NZL) and Falco: 3.17pm local time (8.17pm British time) on Friday

Tim Price and Boyd Martin both have three horses in the competition, while Harry Meade is the other multi-horse rider with two on the list.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times: full list

All times (dressage times are on left of the page, cross-country times on right)
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10 pairs to watch at Kentucky five-star, including a huge win chance and a comeback star

Pippa Roome — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 07:30:03 +0000

Want to know which Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event riders to watch at this week’s US spring five-star?

We’ve picked out some of the favourites for you so read on for a quick bluffers’ guide on who to keep an eye on – and tell your mates about – whether you’re on site at the event or watching from home.

Kentucky Three-Day Event riders: 10 pairs to watch

Number 1: Tim Price (NZL) and Jarillo

11-year-old chestnut gelding, by Dantos out of an Alicante mare, owned by Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good

Jarillo is relatively inexperienced but extremely flashy – and it’s never wise to discount anything Tim rides. He was ninth at Pau Horse Trials last year on his five-star debut.

Number 3: Boyd Martin (USA) and Fedarman B

15-year-old bay gelding, by Eurocommerce Washington and out of a Fedor mare, owned by Annie Goodwin Syndicate

This pair’s five-star results comprise eighth and fifth at Pau and eighth at Luhmühlen Horse Trials and they were also 10th individually (best of the US team) at last year’s Paris Olympics. Data analytics experts EquiRatings rate them best of the home side, with a 5% win chance.

Number 8: Michael Jung (GER) and FischerChipmunk FRH

17-year-old bay gelding, by Contendro I out of a Heraldik mare, 0wned by Michael’s father Joachim, the German Olympic committee for equestrian sport and Klaus and Sabine Fischer

The reigning Olympic champions start with a huge 30% win chance according to EquiRatings. Their only five-star start together was here in 2022, when they won, finishing on their 20.1 dressage score and setting a new record finishing score at the top level.

Number 9: Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Menlo Park

15-year-old bay gelding, by Berlin out of a Faerie Queen mare, owned by rider and his parents Jean and Rob

Clarke pulled up on their only five-star start together at a very wet Pau last year, but they were 18th at the Paris Olympics and have good four-star results. World team bronze medallists in 2022, though as the discard score because they had 31 jumping faults across country. This is Clarke’s first return to Kentucky since he was a team bronze medallist here in 2010 on Orient Express.

Number 20: Tim Price (NZL) and Happy Boy

13-year-old black gelding, by Indoctro, out of an Odermus mare, owned by Susan Lamb, Therese Miller and rider

Last year’s Blenheim Horse Trials winner – and victor at another popular CCI4*-L at Boekelo 2022 – who has his first proper crack at five-star, though it’s not actually his debut as he did dressage at Pau in 2023 before being withdrawn. A former seven-year-old world champion, too.

Number 25: Monica Spencer (NZL) and Artist

14-year-old bay gelding, by Guillotine out of a Volksraard, owned by Spencer Eventing

A pair who are becoming known for consistent five-star performances, with seventh at Maryland 2023, seventh here last year and 11th at Burghley in the autumn. Ex-racehorse Artist can do a great dressage test so it could all come together. Based in the US.

Number 29: Tom McEwen (GBR) and Brookfield Quality

16-year-old bay gelding, by OBOS Quality 004 out of a Cavalier Royale mare, owned by Alison Swinburn and Chloe and John Perry

World number one Tom has been second here twice on JL Dublin. He took over this ride from Piggy March in 2023, finishing third at Pau 2024. “Nervous Norris” is a character, but also has the quality his show name suggests.

Number 37: Lucienne Bellissimo (GBR) and Dyri

13-year-old dark bay gelding, by Diarado out of a mare by King Milford xx, owned by Horse Scout Eventing, LLC

This US-based pair are unlikely to win on their five-star debut, but they have good four-star form and their capacity to do a dressage test in the 20s means they may start out in a prominent position and are ones to watch as their experience grows.

Number 38: Tim Price (NZL) and Falco

16-year-old bay gelding, by Cardenio 2 out of a Weinberg mare, owned by Sue Benson and rider

Tim and Falco start as second favourite at 18% win chance on EquiRatings prediction centre, among the the Kentucky Three-Day Event riders and horses. He’s been second at Maryland, taken double world team bronze and finished sixth at the Paris Olympics – and is also notable for coming back from surgery to remove a tumour in 2023.

Number 39: Harry Meade (GBR) and Grafennacht

13-year-old bay mare, by Birkhof’s Grafenstolz out of a mare by Narew, owned by Amanda Gould

Harry took over Grafennacht after William Fox-Pitt’s retirement – she has recorded three top-15 five-stars with William – and won Montelibretti CCI4*-L under Harry this spring. An exciting new partnership – let’s see what they can do on this stage.

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Latest Badminton withdrawals revealed as top British-based riders confirm which horses head to the US: ‘I’m looking forward to having three in Kentucky’

Pippa Roome — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:17:39 +0000

The latest Mars Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals are in for the event running 7-11 May, as riders confirm which horses have boarded the plane to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (24-27 April) and which head to Gloucestershire for their spring five-star.

Harry Meade chose “two matching bays” for the US trip, with Mandy Gray’s and his own Et Hop Du Matz and Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht receiving that call up.

He now has Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition, the Oppermans’ Cavalier Crystal and Annaghore Valoner, owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and Juliet Carter, in the mix for Badminton.

Under the multiple entry rules, he can definitely start Badminton on two of these, but can only ride a third horse if every other entry has already been accepted from the waiting list, which looks relatively unlikely at this stage, with 11 horses to be accepted before Harry’s third entry.

Badminton final scores

Sue Benson and Tim Price’s world double bronze medallist Falco is among the latest Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals.

New Zealander Tim has confirmed to Horse & Hound that Falco has just landed in quarantine in the US en route to Kentucky, alongside two other rides for Tim in Susan Lamb, Therese Miller’s and his own Happy Boy and Lucy Allison, Frances Stead and James and Rachel Good’s Jarillo.

“I’m looking forward to having those three out in Kentucky – hopefully it’ll be a first five-star completion for Happy Boy, Jarillo is learning more about his job as a five-star horse and Falco will hopefully have a good outing there too,” he said.

Tim will ride the Giannamores’ Vitali and Viscount Viktor, owned by Glynn Northcutt, Ginny Rusher and his rider, at Badminton.

“I’m looking forward to Badminton too,” said Tim. “Vitali is in great form and Viscount Viktor is learning every day.”

So far, the other Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals are Hester (ridden by Laura Collett), Royal Harvest (Gubby Leech), KEC Deacon (Aaron Millar), Fever Pitch (Storm Straker) and The Buzz Factor (Emma Thomas).

Laura, Aaron and Emma all still have another ride in the competition, with Laura bringing forward Bling, Aaron riding Friendship VDL and Emma entered on Icarus.

Five pairs have been accepted from the waiting list – the home side’s Nicky Hill and MGH Bingo Boy, Lauren Innes and Global Fision M for New Zealand, Britain’s Helen Bates and Carpe Diem, Patrick Whelan and Ikoon Lan for Ireland, and Austria’s Harald Ambros with Vitorio Du Montet.

No one comes off the waiting list to replace Falco, because he was double entered with Vitali and Viscount Viktor, meaning Tim entered three horses, but was only taking up two slots on the list in terms of numbers of possible starters.

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 15 May.

Who will be first out at next week’s Kentucky five-star and what numbers will the Brits wear?

Pippa Roome — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:50:53 +0000

Tim Price will be the first rider down the centre line, it has been confirmed, following the release of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event draw.

The New Zealander is number one on Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good’s flashy chestnut Jarillo, as well number 20 on Happy Boy (owned by his rider, Susan Lamb and Therese Miller) and number 38 on Sue Benson’s and his own world double bronze medallist Falco. Falco also still holds an entry for Badminton Horse Trials, for which he is double-entered with Tim’s other rides Vitali and Viscount Viktor, so only two of the three will compete.

Britain’s Harry Meade also has three horses in the Kentucky Three-Day Event draw at this stage; his own and Mandy Gray’s Superstition at number two, the same owners’ Et Hop Du Matz at number 21 and Amanda Gould’s Grafennacht at number 39. Harry has five horses entered at Badminton including these three – he will only be able to ride a third horse at Badminton if all the other horses on the waiting list are accepted.

The home side’s Boyd Martin is the other rider with three horses potentially starting the five-star at Kentucky – he will wear number three on the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B, number 22 on the Luke 140 Syndicate’s Luke 140 and number 40 (last to go) on Yankee Creek Ranch, LLC’s Commando 3.

View the full draw

Tom McEwen also flies from Britain for the event and will pilot Alison Swinburn, John and Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Quality as number 29.

US-based British rider Lucienne Bellissimo makes her five-star debut on Dyri (number 37), who runs under the ownership of her business Horse Scout Eventing, LLC.

Germany’s Olympic champions and 2022 Kentucky winners Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH (0wned by Michael’s father Joachim, the German Olympic committee for equestrian sport and Klaus and Sabine Fischer) will start as favourites at number eight.

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Harry Meade scores international win on former William Fox-Pitt ride Grafennacht: ‘A really useful week’

Ellie Hughes — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 12:23:51 +0000

Harry Meade went on a “fact-finding” mission with Amanda Gould’s top mare, Grafennacht, last week and yielded a runaway win in the CCI4*-L at Montelibretti, Italy, with the pair finishing more than 23 penalties ahead of the rest of the field.

“It was a long way to go to get a qualification – three days’ driving there and back – but it was a really useful week in terms of building our partnership and for me to learn a bit more about her,” explained Harry, who took over the ride on the 13-year-old from William Fox-Pitt last year following the latter’s retirement from top-level competition.

Harry Meade and Grafennacht had contested a couple of open intermediates and an advanced in the second half of last season, and they arrived at Montelibretti on the back of just one prep run this year – a slow canter around the open intermediate at Poplar Park.

“I had a hypothesis beforehand about how I wanted to approach each phase and it all went to plan. I was delighted with her,” said Harry. “She did a lovely dressage test, then I set out across country just thinking about getting a qualifying result, but I ended up letting her stride on as she was making it feel so easy. Then in the showjumping, which has been her weak link, she managed to extend her lead even further [with one fence down].”

Harry has not yet made any firm plans for the coming months.

“I hadn’t thought further than Montelibretti, but now that we have our five-star qualification it has given us options,” he said.

Grafennacht has competed at five-star with William, finishing 14th and 13th at Badminton Horse Trials and second at Maryland 5 Star.

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Improve your horse’s rideability and straightness with Harry Meade’s three-fence jumping exercise

Martha Terry — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 16:28:35 +0000

For this jumping training exercise, Harry Meade has set up three fences on a two-stride distance of 12 yards (see diagram below). The first and third fences will only be jumped in the second part of the exercise so these start at a taller height, whereas the top rail of the middle fence starts at 70cm. The middle fence has ground poles on either side, which are adjusted during the exercise. The height of the fences can be decided according to what you and your horse are comfortable jumping. In this case, Harry demonstrates jumping up to 1.30m.

Harry starts with the top rail of the middle fence on 70cm with a mid rail below, and then adjusts the height through the session to suit the horse he is riding (Image credit: creditUnknown)

The exercise targets engagement and straightness, as well as relaxation after the fence because it shows up any problems with rideability.

Starting Harry Meade’s jumping training exercise

Once warmed up in walk, trot and canter, Harry starts by jumping the middle fence at about 70cm on the diagonal. On landing, he rides one-and-a-half small circles of approximately 10m diameter around the first fence and comes back over the middle fence on the other diagonal, repeating the circle around the third fence on the other rein. He repeats this routine over the fence at the same height several more times on each rein, before giving the horse a break.

Start jumping the middle fence on the diagonal small, before incrementally raising the height and widening the ground poles. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“The aim is to pop the fence like a small cavaletti – don’t get drawn into lengthening towards the fence or getting forward in your position,” he says. “Treat it as a pole on the ground and stay tall in your position, as this maintains the power created by the hindleg on the small circle, right the way to the fence, without it diminishing on the straight approach.

“It also requires a horse to land after a fence and soften so that within a few strides, the horse has concertinaed into a balanced canter on a small circle, as opposed to lengthening away from a fence, making it difficult to obtain the required size of canter and execute the desired line so soon on landing.”

Harry Meade has advice for those riding over-exuberant horses in jumping training.

“I’d ride with a bridged rein to stop the horse accelerating away from the fence and falling out through the shoulder in the circle, thereby making the circle too big,” he says. “I also have one finger in the neck-strap to discourage the horse from coming above the bridle on landing and run through the rein,” explains Harry, who uses bespoke thin neck straps that he can use “like an extra rein on the horse’s chest. This allows me to have control without riding on his mouth and shortening his neck.”

Bridging the rein and keeping a finger in the neck strap is a useful tip for exuberant horses. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

He keeps jumping the middle fence, until the horse settles and starts to operate in an increasingly relaxed canter.

The exercise

After a short break in walk, the warm-up routine is repeated with Harry again jumping continuously, but every second time the fence is jumped, the top rail is put up, then every other time it is jumped, the ground lines are widened. These changes are done efficiently so the horse is able to continue performing the exercise uninterrupted, while the fence gets progressively bigger with more generous ground lines.

“This exercise is good for working the canter on a small circle around the fence, then controlling the shoulder out of the circle so you have true straightness over the fence and into the next circle. Even when the fence is at its biggest, I want him popping over the fence as if it’s a cavaletti, landing in balance and self-carriage with relaxation.”

The next level

Harry then switches to jumping the straight line of all three fences a handful of times in both directions.

Jumping straight through the three-fence grid. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“The repetition of the figure of eights contains the canter, but the grid on the straight line rides comparatively open and long, so without adding in speed, the horse has to open up his jump, stretching through his body and ribcage without quickening,” he explains. “The two parts of the exercise test both ends of the spectrum, jumping from both a short and an open ground cover.”

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‘Small fences help produce expressive, accurate flying changes’: how Harry Meade mixes dressage with cavaletti

Martha Terry — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:28:20 +0000

For this training exercise, Harry Meade is riding Cooley Anything You Like (Neville), a rising 10-year-old by Camillo VDL. Last season the horse was competing at three- and four-star level, where flying changes start to be incorporated in the dressage test.

Harry has already given the horse a leg stretch through the lanes in the village and had a trot and canter in the school on each rein. He has set up four small fences (or cavaletti) along the centre line of the arena (see diagram – the circles are for the canter adjustability exercise later on).

The cavaletti can be jumped: a) at random on either rein; b) used to change the rein; c) on a circle at one end, then open up the canter along the long side and back to a circle at the other end (Image credit: creditUnknown)

He pops a few cavaletti individually from canter on one rein, before changing the rein and doing the same on the other.

“When teaching horses flying changes, a common mistake for some horses is to change late behind rather than the front and hindlegs changing in unison, particularly horses that have a weaker canter or are slow off the aids,” Harry explains.

“When horses do flying changes over a pole on the ground, they are often late behind – the front legs change over the pole while the hindlegs are planting down on the take-off spot, then they also change lead over the pole, but this is technically a late change. Instead, the hindlegs must change lead before the pole, while the front legs are over the pole.

“Giving a more demonstrative aid can cause a horse to accelerate in the change, so I like to use cavaletti to help as the horses don’t overreact to the clearer leg aid by accelerating, but by jumping a more expressive change. The cavaletti means that they get used to the aids, without running or tightening because there is a small fence to negotiate, so it is easier to stay in a rhythm.”

Harry Meade training: “Call out clean changes”

Harry has someone on the ground watching and forewarns them each time that he is about to change the rein over a cavaletti. They watch the hindlegs to see if the horse plants them on the take-off spot in the new position they call “clean”, or if they plant the hindlegs still in the original lead they call “late”.

Harry explains that when changing canter leads in a jumping round, Neville can “drop out” behind.

“He goes disunited, then takes a fumbled trot step before correcting to the new lead.”

Harry wants to teach Neville to make demonstrative, accurate changes, through giving very clear aids for a change just before the cavaletti, so that Neville changes behind on take-off and lands on the correct lead.

“My aim is to be able to switch the hind end to the new position, by positioning my legs in the new position on take off – I’m looking to point the tail to what will be the new inside, by riding renvers on the last stride before take-off. I’m looking for Neville to be more reactive through his body position when I put my leg on for the change, but without him bursting out of the contact.”

Harry Meade demonstrates renvers on foot to put the horse in the new position for the changed canter lead before take-off. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

Harry jumps four cavaletti at random on the left rein in a fluid rhythm before using one to change the rein. A stride or two before take-off, Harry positions Neville in renvers (or right travers) and on cue Neville clearly plants his hindlegs in the new canter lead position, so the change is clean. Having jumped several more cavaletti on the right rein, Harry uses another to change back to the left lead, with Neville again planting his hindlegs in left canter lead at the point of take-off.

After several changes, Neville shows some exuberance, kicking out over the jump; Harry pats him on landing.

“If he overreacts with his hind end over the fence, or kicks out, then I don’t mind and he must still be rewarded, as that is better than under-reacting and being late to the change,” he says. “Once he understands the aids, it’s easy to achieve a clean change with a softer aid.

“Using renvers at the point of take-off, it’s easy for the horse to change, as the new inside hindleg – which up to now has been the trailing one – has less far to jump through to become the leading leg because of the positioning of the quarters in the renvers.”

Practise changing gears for canter adjustability

Harry also uses this line of cavaletti to practise adjustability in the canter, jumping three fences in a circle at one end, then opening up to canter along the long side before collecting the canter and making a circle over three fences at the other end, and lengthening on again to repeat it. You can add a small spread to open the horse up.

Practising adjustability: Harry says this exercise “acts as good, pre-season jumping fitness for horses after a lay-off”. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“Most showjump training exercises are performed in one monotonous gear, which is great for training but not always sufficient preparation for competition,” says Harry. “This exercise replicates the change of gears required in a showjumping course and refines the adjustability.

“It also acts as good early pre-season gym training for the horses after a period without much jumping. It works their jumping muscles with lots of low-intensity work, without big strenuous efforts.”

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‘Aim to do this straightforward exercise to score 10 out of 10’: how Harry Meade uses polework to improve suppleness

Martha Terry — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:30:35 +0000

During winter, Harry Meade’s training involves plenty of polework, as well as the water treadmill. Before knuckling down to whatever daily exercise is planned, all his horses head out for a 15-minute hack around the village, so they have warmed up and loosened off before starting more serious work.

The horses have plenty of variety, from hacking around the undulating Cotswold countryside to polework, schooling, jumping and the early throes of fitness work. Harry believes in working on a range of different surfaces, never drilling a horse or doing the same type of work two days running.

Polework training with Harry Meade

This simple polework exercise doesn’t require a large arena, or can be done on grass if conditions permit.

“For horses coming back into work, I like to do simple exercises that are prescriptive and clear,” Harry says. “I try to focus on doing the small things really well, then the big things look after themselves.

“This exercise is a yardstick as to where the horse is physically and mentally. It exposes any mental fractiousness or physical asymmetry. It’s nice and easy, but we’re aiming to do something straightforward that’s worth a 10 out of 10.”

Working on: creating true suppleness and give through a horse’s back, while calibrating a horse’s stride length.

The set-up is four poles around a 20m circle, with four canter strides between each (see diagram). This set-up works in a 25m wide school. If your school is 20m wide, rotate the circle by 45º so you can ride on the outside of the poles as needed.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Harry warms up with some walk and trot work, then builds up the intensity in canter and finally add in variations within the canter pace. He begins the polework by walking purposefully over the circle of poles, straight, and then in shoulder-in, renvers and travers on each rein.

“I’m looking for the horse to maintain the contact as he lifts his shoulder over the pole. The neck should lengthen, the withers come up, with a free shoulder, and this gives you access to the horse’s back.

“A stiff or untrained horse will step over like a puppet and lift his whole head and neck as his shoulder comes up. They should develop the independence of motion to pick up each limb while maintaining their position, but in an elastic not a fixed way.”

Harry trots a circle, travelling over the centre stripe of each pole. He wants the horse working over the back, riding from inside leg to outside hand.

Harry warms up in trot over the poles, patting the horse with the inside hand to check they are in self-carriage. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“I pat the horse over every other pole with the inside hand to check he can maintain all aspects of his positioning – his outline, bend and direction of travel around the circle – without relying on the inside hand. It’s important to focus on riding each quadrant [the quarter section of a circle], rather than each pole. I count the trot strides and open the trot up, asking the horse to be generous with his ground cover.”

The exercise: in canter

In canter, Harry rides one quadrant (two poles) on four strides, then misses a pole, another quadrant on four strides, then misses a pole, and so on. He gives the horse a short break before repeating on the other rein. He warns that a common mistake is to count the landing as a stride.

Next, he does the same with two consecutive quadrants (three poles), then misses a pole, another two quadrants, misses another pole, and so on. Harry is aiming to control the line on which he’s travelling around the inside leg, without losing the shoulder.

“If you drift out on landing after a pole, then you compromise the imminent related distance,” he says. “Always look ahead, so your eyes move from the next pole to the quadrant beyond it, well before you have cleared the pole.

Cantering around the circle of poles: “Always look ahead to the next pole, well before you have cleared the pole”. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“You’re aiming for a metronome beat – when it’s going well, the tune to Happy Birthday always comes into my head during this exercise! Not by coincidence,” Harry explains, “but because the beat for the canter in this exercise is about 105bpm, which is the same rhythm as most of us would hum Happy Birthday.”

Having repeated on the other rein, Harry does the same with three consecutive quadrants (four poles), then misses a pole, another three quadrants, then misses a pole.

“The horse has to really let go through his back, allowing you to access deeper muscles. The exercise is a tool to assess the quality or ‘form’ of his work, the same as having ‘good form’ in the execution of Pilates work. Like everything in training horses, it’s not so much about what exercise you do, but the manner in which you do it that is important. Any glitches in form will be exposed by the exercise.

“It also calibrates the horse’s stride. A young horse with a weak canter will typically have a long rangy stride and needs to shorten to avoid cantering onto a pole. Horses that canter in a tight way, like a pogo stick, need to soften into a more relaxed canter without tension but with a greater ground cover.

“As a rider, it gives you an awareness of how each horse naturally copes with the distances and therefore what you need to concentrate on when training the canter.”

The next level: changing stride length

“Adjustability is the next layer of intensity,” Harry says. “You can up the ante by changing the size of the canter on a continuous circle – ride two consecutive quadrants each on four strides, then shorten the canter to five strides for the next two quadrants and then back to four for two, and so on. The horse has to lengthen and shorten but without tension or tightness.

“If a horse is not working well, the pole will act as a disruption when attempting to adjust the canter, whereas a horse that is travelling fluently between the changing canter gears will not be affected by the pole.

Once you’ve nailed the exercise, practise lengthening and shortening the stride between the poles to improve your horse’s adjustability. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“It is surprisingly hard work for horses as they let go through their bodies and fully give their back to you, so always give your horse breaks when changing the rein. It’s a good exercise for working horses in pairs, as the two horses can work in a tag team with short stints of work and short breaks.”

This exercise is also good for the rider’s “eye” and to practise using the correct aids to lengthen and shorten the horse’s stride.

Variation: seat position

Harry suggests alternating between sitting in the saddle and standing in a light out-of-the-saddle showjumping seat.

You should be able to do the exercise both sitting in the saddle and in a light seat. (Image credit: Jess Photography)

“A rider should be able to do both well, so if you find one much harder than the other, stick to the more difficult position for a few sessions until you’re fluent, then switch back to test the other position.”

As with all his rides, Harry walks his horse down the lane for 10 minutes after training to warm down.

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Brit makes a strong start in Maryland 5 Star dressage: ‘I didn’t want to make the mistake of trying too hard’

Pippa Roome — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:28:42 +0000

Harry Meade has made a strong start in the Mars Maryland 5 Star dressage, scoring 31.2 with Away Cruising to sit in fourth overnight.

The 17-year-old grey, who belongs to Jane Dear and Charlotte and Peter Opperman, put in a fluent, consistent test which was only marred by the occasional loss of rhythm.

The British rider said he was aware of losing rhythm in the trot as a potential flaw with this horse: “I thought he put in a solid test – sometimes that loss of rhythm can come from asking too much, so I thought I’d just go in there and try to nail some solid marks and not make the mistake of trying too hard.

“In the canterwork after the first medium canter, he just switched legs behind as he came back, but he got all his changes. I was pleased with him, it was a good, solid test – not his best ever, but one to be pleased with and hopefully sets him up for a good week here.”

Harry added that he knows how to ride the movements correctly for this veteran five-star campaigner so he doesn’t overcomplicate his build-up.

“It’s more about the preparation and overall picture, so rather than where each brush stroke goes, you have to remember what the subject you’re trying to paint is,” said Harry. “Part of that is softness over his back, so I didn’t do any movements outside. We went on the side of the hill doing trot and canter to limber him up, to get him really soft over his back, and then trusted that all the years with the movements would work.”

He also said Away Cruising is a lazier horse rather than a fresh one, so he did minimal work with him yesterday, just bringing him into the arena familiarisation.

“Character-wise, he is a real trier, loves his job, loves the crowds,” he said. “He’s very secure in own skin, very happy, and has never really had a bad experience in his life. He’s living his best life, he’s a real optimist.”

Harry joked that he has come to Maryland because he couldn’t run five horses at Burghley, but added that he loves this US event, having ridden in the first two editions in 2021 and 2022 with Superstition. He mentioned the welcome given to visitors and his enjoyment of riding Ian Stark’s tracks, saying, “We have a shared philosophy of what eventing and cross-country should be.

“The track is one I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into. This is what makes me do the sport, what makes me want to keep going and going. For me, it’s all about the five-stars and I’ve always been very focused on the end goal and what we’re trying to achieve. For me it’s nothing on the way, it’s producing happy, fit, sound, confident horses that can cope when the conditions are the toughest.”

Harry Meade starts on his second ride, Et Hop Du Matz, in the Maryland 5 Star dressage tomorrow at 3.27pm local time (8.27pm British time).

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed at Maryland 5 Star 2024. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

Fellow Brit David Doel completed his test at Maryland today too, with his own, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas’s 13-year-old Galileo Nieuwmoed, who was second at Burghley Horse Trials last year and has a strong five-star record. The pair scored 34.5 for eighth overnight.

The pair started out well with 7.5s across the board for their first centreline and showed some good work, but their marks dropped down a touch due to a slight lack of connection. In the canter, they had issues in the two flying changes going from the left to right lead, with fours from every judge for the final change particularly expensive.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Harry Meade pilots three horses into the top 12 at Burghley: ‘I hate watching at the end’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 14:20:55 +0000

Harry Meade jumped three brilliant rounds in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials showjumping today to pilot his horses to third (Cavalier Crystal), fourth (Annaghmore Valoner) and 12th (Superstition). He was fault-free on Cavalier Crystal and Superstition and just had the upright at fence 10 down on Annaghmore Valoner.

“That would have just been a bit greedy and embarrassing for everyone else if he’d done three double clears,” joked Laura Collett, who was commentating for Burghley TV.

Burghley Horse Trials showjumping: Harry Meade’s performances

Harry took part in the Burghley Horse Trials showjumping on Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition (15th overnight) this morning as he couldn’t jump all three horses in the afternoon session (for the top 20), so had already set the standard when the final showdown began at 2.15pm.

He then jumped Charlotte Opperman’s Cavalier Cyrstal, fifth after cross-country, out of order as the first to go this afternoon and put in a great clear.

Annaghmore Valoner, owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Julier Carter, was in third overnight, but the mare, who was making her five-star debut this week, conceded that spot to her team-mate Cavalier Crystal – who was repeating her result from last year – with her four faults.

“I was thrilled with all in the first phase, they were magic yesterday and then we had clears with two of them today and the third horse was beautiful and just breathed on a pole – we had 2.9 clears and it wasn’t quite enough [to win] but third, fourth and 12th was a wonderful weekend,” said Harry afterwards.

“It wasn’t my day and I wouldn’t have won if I’d jumped clear. I hate watching at the end – I walked away and put my fingers in my ears as I can’t watch friends jumping and will them to have fences down.”

Harry added: “I guess for me it’s been a bit of a whirlwind week, trying to give every horse the best opportunity in every phase and do them justice and I hopefully did that. With all three horses it was a great outcome, they’ll all go home better horses, really happy.

“Cavalier Crystal hopefully cemented that her place last year wasn’t an anomaly. Annaghmore Valoner was my wildcard coming here and for her to pull out that kind of perf was really exciting and hopefully she’s got bigger things in her.”

Harry is well known for prioritising and loving the five-stars and said: “I grew up as a little boy wanting to do this sport, wanting to ride at the big events. That includes Burghley. For me, it’s been a long project to produce horses that are happy and confident and resilient and able to not just flourish, but flourish when conditions are at their worst.

“Event director Martyn Johnson said we had perfect weather – I was hoping for heavy rain to make it tougher! To produce horses who can come to the fore round tough courses like Burghley is what I spend my life doing and I’ve got a wonderful team behind me. It’s what we do every day of the year and I just really want to be sitting where Ros is sitting.”

It wasn’t to be today, on the 60th anniversary of his father Richard’s victory here at Burghley on Barberry, but Harry’s time will surely come.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo won the event, with Tim Price second on Vitali.

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Graffalo lords it and Harry Meade is triply brilliant over an influential track: catch up on Saturday’s action at Burghley

Martha Terry — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 17:03:49 +0000

It’s been a day of spellbinding action in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country phase, with a huge shake-up of the leaderboard. But it’s still Ros Canter at the head of the field – albeit on a different horse to her dressage leader.

The pathfinder Harry Meade piloted three horses to clear rounds, and has wound up with two in the top five. Only four were inside the time, and Harry was at the reins of two of them. Derek di Grazia’s track proved every bit as testing as expected, though possibly not at the fences that riders were predicting.

Here’s a round-up of day three at Burghley:

Ros Canter has retained control at the top of the leaderboard, with a copybook round.

Why was Ros concerned about the final fence?

The day started with Harry Meade’s pathfinding brilliance, but the dressage leader’s bid unravelled.

What did Ros say about Izilot’s early departure?

Tom Jackson crept closer to the podium with a fast clear on Capels Hollow Drift.

What does Tom nickname the grey – and who celebrated their 30th birthday with a clear round?

Alex Bragg rocketed up the leaderboard with the first clear inside the time.

Find out about the “demon mare who grows horns”

Emily King was among the favourites for the title, but things didn’t go her way.

Where did Emily’s bid come to an end, and which other high-profile rider had a Burghley to forget?

Alice Casburn caught the eye as she moved up from 48th after dressage to 11th overnight.

How did Alice get Topspin’s form back on track after a rare glitch at Badminton?

One of the big surprises of the day was the number of top riders coming a cropper.

Find out about a dramatic spell in which several title contenders hit the deck

Gemma Stevens had a super round on the speedy Chilli Knight to move up to sixth.

Find out how Gemma’s round went, about an ex-racehorse’s clear round – and how a debutant Frenchman fared

The cross-country phase went to the wire, as the last three riders were all in contention.

How close are Tim Price and Harry Meade to Ros ahead of the showjumping phase?

We also caught up with some contenders with interesting stories away from the heat of the action.

Most top-class horses are worth five or six figures – but one Burghley ride was bought for a single dollar.

Read about Phelps’ amazing journey from the racetrack to five-star

Australian rider Sophia Hill is making the most a five-month “holiday” in Britain to tackle her first Burghley.

Find out about this new mum and her wonderful ex-stock horse

US rider Hannah Sue Hollberg is riding a horse who is still improving at 17 years old.

How has a crucial diagnosis turned Capitol H I M’s life around?

Harry Meade achieved an astonishing feat in jumping clear on all three of his rides

Read how he treats each horse differently according to their needs

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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