Future Sport Horses has welcomed top event mares Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo to its breeding programme – with hopes they will “sprinkle a little bit of their stardust on the next generation”.

The stud’s Julia Hodkin told H&H she was “absolutely thrilled” to have bought the superstar pair from Trisha Rickards a few months ago.

Both mares were campaigned by New Zealand’s Jonelle Price and enjoyed distinguished careers. Classic Moet (Molly) completed all 10 of her five-star starts, including seven top-10 finishes and victory at Badminton in 2018. Faerie Dianimo (Maggie) had five top-10 places at five-star, including winning Luhmühlen in 2018. The pair also represented New Zealand at championships; Molly at the 2014 and 2018 World Equestrian Games, and Faerie Dianimo at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Molly, 22, and Maggie, 20, retired from the sport “at the top of their game” in November 2022 with the view of breeding. Molly already has successful offspring, including Faerie Usain and Faerie Good Golly, born in 2018 via embryo transfer.

Julia said it was a “dream come true to have two five-star winners in your breeding herd”.

“You have to pinch yourself when you go and say hello to them. I’m very, very lucky,” she said.

“I’m over the moon Trisha let me buy them to keep her breeding legacy going, she’s bred so many top horses. It feels a real responsibility as well when you have this sort of quality of horses to make good choices for them.”

Maggie is carrying a foal by event stallion Future Guilty Pleasure, who is competed by Alex Bragg. The stallion’s offspring include Lucy Nelson’s FLS Winchester, who was the 2024 champion foal at the Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain’s annual grading, born by embryo transfer out of Laura Collett’s five-star ride Hester. Julia is still considering stallion choices for Molly, who will undergo ICSI this winter.

“A lot of thinking will be going into it and I’ll be visiting a lot of stallions,” she said.

“With Guilty Pleasure, I’ve known him all his life – I bred him, his mother and grandmother, and I owned his great-grandmother so I know the family inside out and I’m very confident in what he breeds. The biggest thing for both is not to detract from their star ability.”

Julia said both mares have settled in well and are “being spoiled in the way they deserve”.

“Maggie and Molly are very much a pair, they’ve known each other all their lives and love each other’s company. They’ve got their own field together and are stabled next door to each other,” she said.

“They’re very unassuming mares, they’re very easy – although Maggie is a little more opinionated. They’re just lovely horses and fitted straight in.

“It really is an honour and I don’t think 10-year-old Julia would have believed that one day this would happen. The key thing Trisha wanted was that they were looked after to the standard that they deserved, and that they had the opportunity to continue to leave a legacy on the sport through a breeding programme – and hopefully that’s what we’re going to deliver. We’ll give them the best life possible, and sprinkle a little bit of their stardust on the next generation, with a bit of luck.”

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Bubby Upton had her game face on as she entered the arena on her mother Rachel’s Cola for the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase. The pair already have three top-10 finishes at five-star and are among those who will be vying for the title.

Their halts to start and end the test were spot-on to score eights, and the white-socked bay has a sweet and consistent way of going. Bar a peek at the notorious ground camera near A, and fluffing a flying change, this test would have taken the lead. As it was, they moved into third behind Oliver Townend and Gemma Stevens on 30.2.

This solid test is a good benchmark as to the judges’ mood – they certainly aren’t giving marks away.

“I’m not one to focus on the score, so long as the judges don’t suddenly throwing marks out, then none of us mind if it stays consistent,” said Bubby.

Badminton final scores

“I was thrilled with Cola. Every time I go in [the arena] he’s the same horse and he loves it. He’s become really consistent – ever since Badminton last year, we’ve properly got him in the right frame.”

Bubby works with Amy Woodhead on the flat, and has been focusing on the quality of canter.

“He’s a long strung-out horse, and for a long time I was focusing on young rider medals and that wasn’t a priority,” she said. “I’d love to go back in time because now at 15 he’s getting better and better.”

Bubby’s performance is the more remarkable considering she had major surgery directly after finishing fifth, with Cola, at Maryland CCI5* last October, a planned operation after breaking her back in 2023.

“It was tougher than I anticipated, mentally going back to square one, with zero strength and muscles,” she said. “It was quite demoralising to have to rebuild again. It wasn’t really until February that I was strong again and on top of the pain.

“Now I’m back to riding nine horses a day, and with less pain than riding even three or four last year. I feel so lucky to be still doing what I love.”

Badminton Horse Trials dressage on Thursday morning

Alex Hua Tian looked content as he rounded off a composed test on Chicko with eights for his final halt and a score of 31.6. This is Alex’s first Badminton in nine years, and the horse’s first ever, as he has been campaigned with championships in mind.

Unlike many horses who have spooked at the ground camera, Chicko was unperturbed throughout.

“He’s no fuss – very, very easy,” said Alex. “After the salute, I could get off, pull the saddle off and he’d happily graze in the middle of the arena.”

Alex lies in fourth spot at this early stage.

Jonelle Price did not have the test she was hoping for on her 2022 Pau CCI5* winner Grappa Nera, describing a half-pass that scored fives as “more of a diagonal line”.

“One of the things I’ve learnt in this dressage business is you’re better off letting the judges guess what you can’t do rather than showing them what you can’t do!” she laughed.

“Even though I can do that half pass for an either or nine a lot of days, if she’s in a bit of a mood, it’s the one place I have to negotiate. The idea was if I could stay on the right leg I’d have a chance of getting the flying change; you have to pick your moments.

“She could be a dressage diva if the brain would be more cooperative, but I haven’t given up yet – she’s 14 so we have another couple of years,” Jonelle added.

“She’s courageous cross-country; she’s very honest and looks for the flags. All the things that make her a nightmare on the first day, are what make her so good come Saturday.”

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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

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This month’s Pau Horse Trials is the 17th running of the French event at five-star (formerly four-star) level. Many of the former Pau Horse Trials winners have been – or have gone on to become – legends in the sport of eventing.

Let’s take a look back at them…

Pau Horse Trials winners, 2007-2023

2007: Nicolas Touzaint (France) and Hildago De L’Ile

The first winners of Pau as a top-level event, a popular victory for the home side. Nicolas went on to become the first French winner of Badminton, piloting Hildago De L’Ile to take the British spring classic in 2008. Hildago De L’Ile was a team silver medallist at the 2005 Blenheim Europeans – although with a fall across country they were the discard score – and he closed out his career by being Nicolas’ ride at the 2012 London Olympics.

2008: Bettina Hoy (Germany) and Ringwood Cockatoo

This was Bettina and Ringwood Cockatoo’s second top-level win, after victory at Luhmühlen in 2005. They were also prolific winners at three-star (now four-star level) and successful championship performers, taking team gold at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, team bronze at the 2005 European Championships and individual bronze at the 2007 Europeans – as well, of course, as being stripped of their double gold medals at the 2004 Olympics after it was discovered Bettina had crossed the start line twice. After Pau, the pair were second at the US flagship event at Kentucky in 2009 before the horse retired from eventing, going on to compete in dressage with Claire Llewellyn until he was 25.

2009: Dirk Schrade (Germany) and King Artus

Not the highest profile Pau Horse Trials winner, but King Artus was consistently placed at three-star (now four-star) level before and after his Pau win. He was fourth as an individual at the 2011 European Championships and a team gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics. King Artus’s story had a sad end when he collapsed and died after finishing second at Wiesbaden in 2013.

2010: Andreas Dibowski (Germany) and FRH Fantasia

Again, one of Pau’s less well known winners. FRH Fantasia was a team gold medallist at the 2011 Europeans a year after Pau, although she was eliminated so not a counting score. She finished her career doing a season with Korean rider Sangwuk Song and the pair were team and individual gold medallists at the Asian Games.

2011: William Fox-Pitt (Great Britain) and Oslo

A six-year-old winner and seven-year-old runner-up at Le Lion, Oslo was also the winner of Tattersalls CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) and the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim in the same year he won Pau. His career peaked here, though, as injury meant he did not compete consistently afterwards, although he did complete Badminton 2013. Oslo started his competition career as a stallion and semen was taken from him and frozen before he was cut; he was the sire of William’s five-star ride Oratorio.

2012: Andrew Nicholson (New Zealand) and Nereo

Pau’s first Antipodean winner and a hugely successful combination. By the time of his Pau win, Nereo had already given Andrew his first individual championship medal – a bronze to match a team gong of the same colour at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. He was a team bronze medallist and fourth individually at London 2012 in the summer before Pau and later provided Andrew with a long-awaited Badminton win in 2017. He was also second at Burghley three times and finished in the top 12 at Badminton on four other occasions.

2013: William Fox-Pitt (Great Britain) and Seacookie TSF

A successful top-level campaigner who was also second and eighth at Burghley and second, sixth and ninth at Kentucky, as well as winning Blenheim. He retired from eventing soon after his Pau win, following the 2014 season. William is the only rider who has won Pau more than once.

2014: Ingrid Klimke (Germany) and SAP Hale Bob OLD

It is extraordinary that Pau was Ingrid’s first five-star victory, despite her many top placings through a long and illustrious career; she made it two when she won Luhmühlen the following season on SAP Escada FRH. SAP Hale Bob OLD has a superb record alongside his Pau win – he was European champion in 2017 and 2019 and is the winner of five other championship medals, including world individual bronze and Olympic team silver. He has won 18 times at international level in all.

2015: Astier Nicolas (France) and Piaf De B’Neville

The first home side Pau Horse Trials winner since Nicolas Touzaint won the inaugural running, but he started a run of French wins at the event. Piaf De B’Neville had already won the under-25s at Bramham and been ninth at Badminton by the time of his Pau win and he capped it with individual silver and team gold at the Rio Olympics less than a year later.

2016: Maxime Livio (France) and Qalao Des Mers

A victory at Pau firmly put to rest the fact Maxime and Qalao Des Mers were until this point most famous for being disqualified from the 2014 World Equestrian Games. They also achieved two seconds on their two four-star (now five-star) runs either side of Pau, Luhmühlen 2016 and Kentucky 2017.

2017: Gwendolen Fer (France) and Romantic Love

Gwendolen’s victory made her the first French female rider to win at the top level. The pair were also 16th at Badminton in 2016 and have won four times at CIC3*/CCI4*-L level.

2018: Thibault Fournier (France) and Siniani De Lathus

Somewhat surprising winners, who had been second in the under-25s at Bramham earlier that season, but were making their debut at the top level. After two years away from the international eventing fray, Siniani De Lathus returned in 2021 and had two top-10 placings at two- and three-star.

2019: Tom McEwen (Great Britain) and Toledo De Kerser

This was the win everyone knew Tom and Toledo had in them and followed three top-11 placings at Badminton, plus world team gold and individual 12th at the World Equestrian Games in 2018. They went on to be members of the British gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where they also took individual silver.

2020: Laura Collett (Great Britain) and London 52

This was a first five-star win for Laura, while London 52 was making his debut at the level. He had been a successful horse through the grades, but also made some high-profile mistakes, so the rider was thrilled that her faith in him paid off. The pair were selected as members of the British Olympic team the following year and took home team gold from the Tokyo Games. They also competed at the 2022 World Championships and collected team gold at the 2023 Europeans. The following year, 2024, they led the Brits to team gold at the Paris Olympics and collected individual bronze, too.

2021: Tim Price and Falco

Falco delivered victory for Tim on his first time at five-star, while it was the rider’s fourth win at the level. Falco – who is owned by British former championship rider Sue Benson – went on to take individual bronze at the 2022 World Championships and lead the Kiwis to team bronze. Falco was also Tim’s ride at the Paris Olympics, where he was sixth, and finished second at Maryland 5 Star in 2024.

2022: Jonelle Price (New Zealand) and Grappa Nera

Tim Price passed the crown to his wife when Jonelle moved up in the final phase to land the win in 2022, her third at five-star. Grappa Nera did not have a great deal of form coming into the event, but the rider said she had always known the 11-year-old mare was a good horse and it was a case of when she would show that, not if. The mare went on to take sixth at Badminton in 2024.

2023: Ros Canter (Great Britain) and Izilot DHI

Ros scored her first five-star win at Badminton Horse Trials in the spring of 2023 and her second at Pau in the autumn of the same year. Izilot DHI is a very talented but also spooky horse and his Pau win was followed by leading the dressage at both British five-stars in 2024, but Ros retired him during the cross-country phase at both events. He returns to Pau in 2024, so perhaps he will keep up his unblemished Pau record and prove France is his favourite five-star destination.

Pictures by Phil Mingo, trevor-meeks-photography.co.uk, Peter Nixon, Nico Morgan and Libby Law Photography

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Maryland 5 Star, Pau Horse Trials, London International.Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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The leaderboard has had a big shake-up through the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country phase, with a handful of falls from top names in a dramatic spell.

Oliver Townend lay in fifth on 24.4 overnight on his Kentucky CCI5* winner Cooley Rosalent, but this young mare didn’t looked to be going with her customary zest. Oliver was quick-thinking to switch to the long route at the Leaf Pit after not jumping the first arrowhead sweetly. He then had to push to get the two strides through the Trout Hatchery corner and hedge. Four fences later at Joules at the Maltings, the grey had to make a huge stretch over the final brush, knocking a flag, on a tight serpentine line. 

The Valent mare just seemed to go a bit green after the accumulation of efforts and made a huge effort over the first of the Rolex corners, and stretched for the four strides to the second corner. She bravely tried to tackle it, but didn’t get high enough, breaking the frangible device and pitching Oliver out of the saddle.

Another of the seven former five-star winners in the field, Jonelle Price’s Grappa Nera, also came a cropper. The Leaf Pit was the most talked-about fence before the competition, but had not produced any penalties until Jonelle. She came off the drop well, but stood off at the first arrowhead, which makes it a huge obstacle as it’s on top of a hillock. The mare had to stretch, straddled it and Jonelle rolled off the top. She, too, was quickly up on her feet, smiling ruefully, as the mare trotted off as if looking for the next fence.

US rider Hannah Sue Hollberg’s hopes for a first Burghley completion came to an end at the Dairy Mound, eight fences from home. The horse was looking a little weary, and when he twisted over the corner, Hannah Sue came out the side door.

Gireg le Coz was desperately unlucky not to be able to capitalise on his seventh-placed dressage of 25.3 for France. He was copybook through the Leaf Pit and both ways through the Defender Valley. But he stumbled on landing after a bold jump over the roll-top in the Trout Hatchery at fence 11a, and both horse and rider had a dunking, but were quickly back on their feet.

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country: “I want to go round again!”

One combination who did make the course look straightforward was Sophia Hill and Humble Glory. Unfortunately he was over-bold at the start, and paid the price for his early enthusiasm. He came blasting down the slope into the Defender Valley at fence 5a, activating the frangible device at the rail when he dropped his legs on seeing the ditch. But with those 11pen on their record, this former racehorse settled down to show how extraordinarily catlike he really is, skipping round these enormous fences to gallop home for only 8.4 time-faults, easing down as one of the fastest of the day.

“My horse just ran through me,” said Sophia, 27, about the penalties at Defender Valley. “He was really fresh and full of running. I wanted to slow down but he didn’t come back. He was way too fast there, and so luckily we had the frangible. I eased up a little bit after that but we completed.”

Sophia heads back to her native Australia next week after five months based in Yorkshire with Nicola Wilson, but isn’t ruling out a return.

“I want to go round again straightaway,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to come back, but it’s a huge trip from Australia.”

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Competitors have been sharing their reactions after walking the 2024 Paris Olympics cross-country course, which is designed by French course-designer Pierre Le Goupil. So here is the lowdown on the fences on the Paris Olympics eventing cross-country course that the riders think are likely to determine who wins the Olympic eventing medals.

British pathfinder Tom McEwen echoes many rider’s sentiments in saying it is a “well-designed” and “beautiful” track.

“I think it’s a fantastic course. If I compare it to Tokyo, it’s slightly different with the ideas and questions, but I think it very cleverly opens you out,” he explains. “There’s galloping areas – it’s not just twisty – but I think at the end is when you’re going to slightly get caught out as there’s lots of twists and turns, not just fences.

“I see the optimum time being quite tight, and I think it will be intense to ride – I’d compare it to a nine-minute version of Luhmühlen.”

One fence that sticks out in Tom’s mind is the second water complex at fence 10 – The Vauban Citadel (pictured top).

“For me, I think it’s a big question. It’s a big jump in over the direct route and it’s at the highest point of the course,” he explains. “Then I think there’s a few different questions elsewhere and I think it will be an accumulation of effort for horses and riders. You could build the easiest course in the world, but it is the Olympics, and people will make some mistakes.”

Tom’s teammate and dressage leader Laura Collett says that there has been “a lot of head scratching” due to the number of combinations and options available.

“There’s a lot of options at fence 10 and we haven’t seen a shape of fence like the jump into the water before, plus it’s at the top of a long uphill pull,” she continues. “To be honest, I think it’s like any other cross-country course in that you’ve got to be on your A game from start to finish and you’re not home until you’ve gone through the finish flags.”

Ros Canter, who is anchor rider for the British team agrees with Laura in that “there’s plenty to jump”.

“The time is going to be a big factor and that’s where mistakes creep in. I’ve got a plan – I’m open to that plan changing, but I’m going to try and stay in my bubble,” she states.

Germany’s Michael Jung thinks the continued rain that the area has experienced over the past 24 hours will be “good for the ground”.

“When I first looked at the course a couple of days ago, I thought that the ground was maybe a bit hard in places,” he continues. “We have not much experience here, but my feeling is that cross-country will be amazing.”

Paris Olympics cross-country course: “It’s very clever”

Michael’s compatriot and reigning individual Olympic champion Julia Krajewski says that the course “shouldn’t be underestimated”.

“It’s very clever. I think if you ride forward and bravely and have an honest horse, you probably will do well,” she concludes.

Switzerland’s Felix Vogg was another to comment on the beautifully presented track, but with an interesting word of caution.

“It’s the prettiest course I have ever seen – I think it’s maybe a little bit too pretty and everyone feels comfortable. If a rider is on their line, maybe they’ll be lulled into forgetting how to ride a little bit,” he explains. “If you are not really focused and riding like it’s a cross-country, I think it will be tough.”

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor said to keep an eye out on ground conditions, owing to the heavy rain.

“The ground is getting soft and it’s certainly going to change the complexion of the competition – hopefully the blood horses will come to the fore,” he says. “Pierre Le Goupil is a very, very clever course designer – fair, but clever.

“It’s quite intense and it’s going to be quick, but you will need to have enough petrol. I think from seven minutes onwards it will be interesting with the riders that are having a real go. ”

Austin pinpoints fences 5abc and 7ab – The Ménagerie Pond and The Ulysees’ Companions – as jumps to look out for.

“The water at five will sort people out early on the course and fence seven, which is a step up to a rail, will either fill horses with confidence or suddenly have them thinking early on. I think from the word go, it’s all got to be respected,” he states.

Switzerland’s Robin Godel suggests that the time will be “difficult” to achieve and that people should keep an eye on the final water, The Etoile Royale Waters, at fence 23abcd.

“The angle is not so easy to ride at this fence and it comes after the eighth minute. We have to pay attention to the end and be on a good line and also, when the horse is a bit tired and long, we have to react and be ready.”

Jonelle Price, who is riding in her fourth Olympics for New Zealand, says that Pierre’s job as course designer for this Olympics is “not an easy brief”.

“Where you’ve got the world’s best combinations, but also some of the lesser nations as well – that can be tricky, but I think he’s done a really good job. There are some things we haven’t really seen before and Pierre has been creative. The dimensions are fair and you can make up some time in the third minute, but that’s about the only place you can on this course – during the second minute, I think there’s seven jumping efforts and it will be about minimising the damage to your time in those busy patches.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Royal International Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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

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

New Zealand Olympic eventing team

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old mare Hiarado

Owners: David and Karie Thomson

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Ekstein

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

Owners: The Grape Syndicate and rider

Breeder: HJ Booy

Breeding: by Karandasj out of a mare by Babalouba

Tim Price with 15-year-old gelding Falco

Owners: Sue Benson and rider

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: by Cardenio 2 out of a mare by Weinberg

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

Owners: Jean-Louis Stauffer and rider

Breeder: Jean-Louis Stauffer

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

Clarke Johnstone with 14-year-old gelding Menlo Park

Owners: rider and his parents Jean and Rob

Breeder: S Vitalini

Breeding: by Berlin out of a mare by Rock King

Alternate

Caroline Powell with 11-year-old Greenacres Special Cavalier

Owners: Chris and Michelle Mann and rider

Breeder: Michael Callery

Breeding: by Cavalier Royale out of a mare by Touchdown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You may also be interested in:

14 gold medals, stable names and the youngest rider – what you need to know about the British eventers heading to Paris

British Olympic eventing team for Paris 2024 revealed: who’s off to Versailles?

Paris Olympic eventing teams: find out who will ride at the Games

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It was a test we’d been waiting for, and Ros Canter duly delivered with the exciting Izilot DHI to topple long-time leaders Bubby Upton and Cola (27.3) early on the second day of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase. Ros was chasing Izilot’s own personal best of 24.3, which they scored to win Pau in the autumn, and although they fell a smidgen short of that, they secured a clear lead in this field on 25.3.

Ros started with a beautifully square halt, and the three sevens awarded indicated the judges were not simply going to throw marks at this pairing. But the Zavall ZDL gelding quickly began to earn their approval, with the whole test sheet littered with eights, as well as nines for canter and extended canter. He goes with such lightness and cadence, and while Ros has made no secret of the fact he is a spooky horse, he held it together well and showed very little tension.

There was just one corner of the arena, near A, to which he took exception, looking like wanted to jog before the halt and rein back, but he listened to Ros and went on to halt for a string of eights.

“I’m delighted with him – he’s been doing some good work this week and we all know he’s a quality horse,” said Ros. “He did have a little spook in there, at the camera at A, which he didn’t like on the right rein. But that is him – and the fact that we know that he can have a spook and come back to the quality of work, that’s great.

Badminton final scores

“He’s 11 now, so he’s getting better. I’ve done less schooling over the winter and hacked him more. I’m learning how to ride him, and react less. If I think he’s going to spook I almost drop the reins rather than trying to help him through it.”

Ros – the winner last year on Lordships Graffalo – added that she was feeling “open-minded” about the cross-country.

“We’re here to be competitive and we’ll go out of the start box meaning business,” said Ros. “I know I’m favourite on statistics, but I also know my horse and how unproven he is over a course of this length with the stamina and endurance, so that pressure doesn’t impact me.”

At the end of the dressage phase, Ros has a two penalty lead over Bubby Upton and Cola on 27.3 with Tim Price and Vitali third on 27.7.

Badminton Horse Trials dressage top 1o leaderboard

• View the results in full

Two mares on form in Badminton Horse Trials dressage

Kirsty Chabert caught the eye on the diminutive Opposition Heraldik Girl, with her bold and lively test. This impeccably bred mare, by Fleetwater Opposition x Heraldik, has a lovely outlook, and while she was possibly a little bit too keen to do the job at times, she racked up plenty of sevens. She showed a great extended canter, and neat flying changes. They scored 32.4, a super mark for this 12-year-old mare at her second five-star, finishing the day in 14th place.

“I’m speechless to be honest,” said Kirsty. “She’s small but not quite a pony – maybe 15.1hh on stilts. She’s unbelievable, the length of stride and power, the heart and brain. She’s one of those freaks that we’re blessed with.”

It was a mixed bag for Jonelle Price and her 2022 Pau CCI5* winner Grappa Nera in the Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase, who would have been looking at a top-10 slot had the flying changes not let them down. This elegant mare, with a long glittery bonnet, produced a pleasing picture overall, consistently scoring sevens. Their highlights were the medium walk and halt, for eights, as well as the extended canter. However, the changes were either too exuberant or mistimed, and a score of two for the second one caused the marks to plummet. They scored 34.4.

“I can see it from both sides,” said Jonelle. “A lot of it I’m delighted with, but some stuff I’m rueing. She’s a hot mare every day of the week, but she stayed with me the whole way through. The changes aren’t established and were her downfall and so costly on the scoreboard.”

Grappa Nera has put up some disappointing dressage scores at one-days so far this season, so this was a definite improvement. Jonelle explained that she doesn’t put any pressure on the mare at one-days.

“I just let her do whatever she’s going to do because it needs a lot of work to get her to this point and you can’t go through that process every other week!” she said. “But what’s important to me is that when it counts she hasn’t let me down. I didn’t put a dressage saddle on her until last night because she’s so quick to have an argument so I just don’t put her in that position, and wait until she’s ready.”

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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‘The thought of riding again was out of the question’: an emotional Bubby Upton takes Badminton dressage lead after serious injury

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An emotional leader, a Badminton stalwart on his future, and why funky nails are all the rage: catch up with day one at Badminton

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Tim and Jonelle Price are some of the very best in the business when it comes to cross-country riding.

On a webinar organised by the Lucinda Green XC Academy, they shared some of their secrets…

1. Balance is key and having the horse channelled on the aids

­“The ability to ride a horse in good balance, between two legs and two reins at any given moment, is imperative,” says Jonelle. “Then you can get more complicated with the ability to access more gears within the paces.

­“To make your cross-country riding smoother, you have to make a smaller change over more strides to maintain that rhythm, to be efficient.”

2. Don’t overtrain

Jonelle went on to say that much of that comes down to “day to day flatwork” and that the Prices don’t believe in overtraining cross-country.

­“You see a lot of arena eventing in Britain, it’s definitely got merits but it’s not a huge part of our system,” she says.

­“While we don’t look for a particular breed, a horse has to be an athlete when we go to look at it. It has to have a leg at each corner, natural balance. Perhaps that helps our slightly minimalistic approach to cross-country training.”

3. Make it fun, use terrain and control the direction

The Prices use a field that has various “bits and pieces” of cross-country obstacles in it and a large part of going there is about a horse starting to realise it’s fun.

“They’re an animal that loves to run and jump – we go down there and try to make it fun for them,” says Tim Price. “It’s about finding different questions that are terrain-related – up and down banks, ditches. They think they’re the biggest, scariest thing in the world, then after a few minutes they realise they can skip over.

“It’s also important they feel comfortable on changeable surfaces so we do a lot of that playing around in different places.”

Tim emphasises that in those sessions, the horse has to go where he asks.

“They can’t scoot up the hill there towards home or because a horse has called that way, so it’s just playing around with that control element,” he says.

4. Early problems at events don’t matter

“We’re not out to win a BE100 or a novice, we’re taking young horses out to learn on the job and if they have a wobble, we can live with that,” says Jonelle.

Tim adds: “It’s only at novice you get things that are a bit skinnier, or a fence on a related distance off a bank to something requiring accuracy. I’ll often have a problem at a combination, then go and do my homework – I’ll explain to the owners it’s no problem, that I’ll go home and educate them. Sometimes a horse will even go up to advanced before they have a significant issue.

“There are various ways to deal with that – repetition with wings on fences until they understand or sometimes you need to create the problem at home and show them the way so they understand. It goes back to what Jonelle said about having the horse between both reins and both legs. If a horse is going to deviate from that, you need to understand the whys and hows.”

5. You don’t have to use speed in training

“I quite enjoy just walking and trotting over a few banks and ditches,” says Jonelle. “The horses know they must stay in front of my leg and go, not just because I’m using speed to get to the other side. With young horses, I think nothing of walking up some banks and letting them stumble up and down or into a wee ditch, so they get aware of where their legs are. If you use speed, they’re not quite aware of what they’ve done.”

6. Horses must dig deep in fitness work

“For 80% of our training we’re on a straight line grass gallop,” says Tim. “We have a good warm-up to get there, perhaps 25 minutes trotting, and when we get to the gallop we let them run – it’s not a nice round hand canter. We know where they start to flag and then they have to dig deep to go up the last bit. We believe that preparation has been fundamental in our horses’ health.”

7. You don’t have to start out fast in cross-country riding

At every level, Tim employs a strategy of increasing speed through the course.

“I start in a fairly quiet rhythm, then build up through the middle, then push them home a bit quicker,” he says. “As you go up the grades you can repeat the same thing, but obviously a bit quicker.

Jonelle adds: “The key thing is rhythm – going fast is not about who can gallop the fastest, it’s about the person who can start and finish the course in the most efficient way, with the least disruptive effect on the horse. When Tim refers to picking up speed, he’s always within a rhythm.

“I’d encourage grassroots people to practise picking up a fence out of a rhythm, even if only at 350mpm to start with, then when you can consistently pick that rhythm up you can up the speed to 375 or 400mpm, but the emphasis should be on rhythm not speed itself.

“You see far too many young or inexperienced riders land and tear away from fences and then 100m out from the next fence, they’ve got a wrestle going on, trying to get horse back under control to put it in the right balance to jump the jump.”

8. Don’t obsess about seeing a stride

“I’ve naturally got a good eye, but earlier in my career there was many a time I’d miss at a competition or in training, and I became frustrated about it, spent too much time going into it,” admits Tim. “Then as things progress, all the other important facets of going cross-country come into play and the emphasis on the perfect distance came away, which in turn gave better distances.

“For me now, a distance is more of an observation than a real consideration. It’s something that’s coming up – that was a bit close, that one a bit further way – but the horse picks up. If it’s a real technical fence, yes, you have to set up and make sure of a few more things, but overall round the course, it’s an observation of a fence, you’ve got the balance, the rhythm.”

Jonelle says she doesn’t put herself under huge pressure to see a big galloping distance in the first few minutes.

“I find it easier to ride to time over 10 to 12 minutes over long format courses than six minutes over short format classes,” she says. “If I’m five seconds down at the first minute, I don’t panic. In the middle I’m trying to be efficient, trying not to lose time, then in the last stages I try to bring it home. I accept I might have one or two waiting distances in the early part, so I’m aware of it but not freaking out about it.”

“The stride comes up much easier if you’re in the correct rhythm. People come for a lesson and are so desperate to see a stride it becomes a negative and distracts. If we can shift focus to the rhythm, that becomes their friend.”

9. Tick the boxes

Jonelle and Tim said they are both quite natural riders who don’t suffer hugely from nerves. However, Jonelle did share one tool she’s found useful for cross-country riding.

“I turn cross-country into a box-ticking exercise – as I go round I’m ticking off boxes, so I might think, ‘That box was a bit challenging’, then I go to the next one. It simplifies my purpose and takes some complication out of it.”

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There’s a feisty new five-star mare in town – who New Zealand’s Jonelle Price thinks might just have what it takes for Paris 2024.

Hiarado is an 11-year-old KWPN mare by Diamant De Semilly son Diarado, who was formerly ridden by British rider Grace Taylor to four-star level.

Jonelle took on the ride towards the end of the season last year, and after spending the spring showjumping in Vejer de la Frontera, they started their eventing season at Cirencester Park in April, where they finished second in the open intermediate.

In July they were second in the Mallow CCI4*-L in Ireland, and last week Jonelle piloted Hiarado round the mare’s first five-star at Pau, to finish seventh. It’s been a super first season for the pair, who have yet to have any jumping penalties across-country or in the showjumping phase.

“She’s your sort of iconic, a bit angry, determined, feisty mare. I’ve had a few of those before and they seem to be my go to,” said Jonelle with a smile.

Of course Jonelle is referring to her five-star hero and 2018 Badminton winner Classic Moet, and her Luhmühlen specialist Faerie Dianimo, both of whom retired from the sport last year.

David and Karrie Thomson, who own Jonelle’s 2022 World Championships ride McClaren, came on board to buy Hiarado.

“McClaren is getting a bit older, he’s 16, and we hope that maybe Hiarado might be something that could sort of follow on,” she said. “I think that she’s going to be every inch as good as him, so that’s exciting.”

Jonelle was thrilled to bring another horse successfully to five-star level, and end the season on a high after “coming off the back of a bit of a bad run”.

“I’ve not been on my best form this year,” she said. “2023 was always going to be a bit of a rebuilding year for me; I retired my top two horses at the end of last year, I had a couple of injuries with other horses, so it takes a bit to come back from.

“I knew I was going to have to sit and suffer a little bit this year, but when you ride something like Hiarado, it’s pretty motivating and I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do next year.”

When asked what the future might hold for Hiarado, Jonelle is quietly positive for the mare’s future and hopes of Paris 2024 are firmly alive.

“She was pretty green to go to Pau, but I do fancy her for next year,” she said.

“I felt we needed to prove her worth if we were going to be serious about it, so I thought I’d throw her in at the deep end and then we’d know whether we’ve got a genuine chance for Paris or not – and certainly the way she went last week, I think she has.”

You might also be interested in:

‘They’re irreplaceable’: five-star event mares retire ‘at the top of their game’

Nine secrets of successful cross-country from Tim and Jonelle Price

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Riders have been giving their first impressions of the Pau Horse Trials cross-country course ahead of the five-star action tomorrow (28 October). 

Pierre Michelet’s track features 31 fences over a distance of 6,322m, and as in previous years it is as twisty as ever. The optimum time is 11 minutes six seconds, and riders will have to navigate four water complexes, skinnies, corners, and some tough combinations.

One of the key talking points ahead of the cross-country is the influential distances. 

“It’s very Pau-like,” said Jonelle Price, who won the 2022 Pau on Grappa Nera, and this year rides McClaren and Hiarado. 

“There’s quite a few three-and-a-half strides, which I’m not such a massive fan of, but that’s our responsibility as riders to figure out how to make them work. 

“Nearly every other fence is either a corner, or a skinny, or an angled rail – so there’s plenty of opportunities to have a mistake if you don’t quite execute those distances right.”

Tom Rowland, who rides KND Steel Pulse and Farndon, agreed and said that riders will need to be “really aware” of the distances. 

“A lot of them are half strides,” he said. “I think it’s a really decent test, and that seems to be the consensus. It’s a proper five-star in terms of the number of turning combinations, accuracy fences, and the lines Pierre is asking you to commit on. 

“To be totally honest it’s different to Badminton or Burghley in that it’s not as big, and after you walk those courses to me you feel quite tired like, ‘God that was exhausting’, but here it’s not like that. 

“I don’t think there was a single skinny fence at Badminton this year like a triple brush, but there must be almost 20 here. It’s a very different track, but in its own right I genuinely think it’s every inch a five-star course.”

‘You need to know your horse’

Ros Canter will pilot Pencos Crown Jewel and five-star first-timer Izilot DHI round the Pau Horse Trials cross-country and said there are “plenty of places to make a mistake”. 

“I think it’s really important that you have to know your horse and have a plan,” she said. 

“I’ve got two different horses so I will probably have two different plans. For me it will be about getting the right frame of mind for each office and hoping I can deliver the performance for each one.”

Another talking point is the early questions on course, and US rider Boyd Martin, who brings forward Ferdarman B, believes the “first third of the track is the hardest”.

“We’ve got to set off and you get two warm-up jumps, and then it’s like arena eventing for the next two minutes! I think I’m going to warm my horse up a bit longer than usual, and really get him jumping, and turning, and going, and whoa-ing, and try to get him ready,” he said.

“Fence four is this drop with three strides to a wicked angle corner [pictured below], and at the last couple events I’ve screwed up early in the course so I’ve got to really be disciplined in my riding and make sure my horse is ready for the intensity of the first part.”

Boyd’s compatriot Alexandra Knowles, who rides Morswood, agreed. 

“I think from fence three to fence nine you’re going to know what you’re dealing with,” she said. 

“It feels like a very taxing few couple first minutes from fence three; you’ll know how they feel up on a blind drop and we repeat that a few times, so how my horse jumps that will tell me how he’s going to jump the next – is he going to land short, or is he going to travel down the hill, because then after that we have the same kind of blind drop but with the skinny at the bottom?”

New Zealander James Avery will be taking on the Pau Horse Trials cross-country with 10-year-old five-star first-timer MBF Connection and believes it will be an educational track for a young horse. 

“At first glance it looks like a great course. There’s lots of questions, and a lot of stuff that we practise and do a lot of, but it’s the accumulation of question after question after question that is tough for a young horse like mine. It’s testing but kind and obvious to horses,” he said. 

“There are a lot of riding up mounds and coming down the other side, and I’m prepared that halfway round, my horse might start going ‘Really again, another one?’ I think that’s one thing I need to watch. 

“The angle brush coming out of the water after the step [fence 9abc] is a pretty good early question. It encourages forward riding, and that’s the first place where I think that forward riding might catch you out. So you want to be on the ball there.”

Pau Horse Trials cross-country: wet weather

Another factor to add to the mix will be what effect Wednesday’s (26 October) downpours will have had on the ground. 

Piggy March is on five-star first-timer Coolparks Sarco and said Pau’s ground can generally “take it” when it comes to water, but she believes that there will be some “soft patches”, while Tom McEwen, who is riding JL Dublin, said there had been an “unbelievable amount of rain”.

“I’ve been here in the wet but not quite like that, so that will be something to pay attention to,” he said.

The Pau Horse Trials cross-country gets under way tomorrow (28 October) at 11.30am local time (10.30am British time). Check out the full course. 

You might also be interested in:

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Watch Pau Horse Trials 2025 live from wherever you are

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Jonelle Price has revealed she took a water tray to the eventing World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, last year to prepare her ride McClaren for the cross-country phase.

The horse has previously had problems at such fences, including having 20 penalties at an open ditch in a combination at the Kentucky Three-Day Event last April.

Speaking on a webinar organised by the Lucinda Green XC Academy, world number two Jonelle explained: “It’s no secret that McClaren is not a massive fan of a ditch, so we took a water tray with us. Pretty much every day we’d jump it, trying to replicate a ditch. Once we’d walked the course, we built a 1.25m vertical one stride out from the tray/ditch so that question was very current in his mind.”

Jonelle admitted that it led to “a bit of conversation with the FEI stewards”, but her husband and team-mate Tim Price chipped in that as long as such a piece of equipment is available to all competitors, it’s “totally legal”.

“It had to stay on the side of the road so any competitor could use it if they wanted,” added Jonelle. “Every single day we jumped that ditch and people had seen how we were preparing – when he jumped the rail-ditch-arrowhead question on course, there was a big cheer in the riders’ tent.”

Jonelle also revealed she and Tim had some fences specially made as part of their preparation for the event, in an effort to leave no stone unturned.

“We were taking two horses with a bit of a chequered history – they had run off more than once in their careers to date,” she admitted.

“We did a lot of homework. There was lot of talk over Pratoni and what we might see there. We suspected the ski jump fence [the Slide, with the skinnies at the bottom of the steep slope demonstrated above by Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo] would be included and sure enough it was.

“We had a couple of cross-country fences built to replicate the idea. It wasn’t as steep, but we found a patch of land that was quite steep and took these fences over and put wings on them, just poles either side. At this point in time, in final preparation for the championships, we didn’t want the horses to have a run off, we just wanted to show them the way and make sure they were looking for the flags.

“We jumped them first a few times with wings on, then we took one wing off, we weren’t quite brave enough to jump it without any wings.”

The Prices’ preparation came to fruition in Italy – both of them had clear jumping rounds across country and they were members of the bronze medal-winning New Zealand team, with Tim and Falco also collecting individual bronze. Jonelle Price and McClaren finished their World Championships in 10th place individually.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Classic Moet is one of the most prolific eventing mares in history with a huge number of accolades to her name, not least her 2018 Badminton victory. And as her rider Jonelle Price has announced the 19-year-old’s retirement from competition, we thought it was only right to celebrate her career in pictures.

Classic Moet has collected no less than 2,020 British Eventing points and has 10 five-star completions, one Olympic Games and one World Equestrian Games under her belt.

The mare, owned by Jonelle and Sophie and Trisha Rickards, had an exemplary cross-country record and will be best-remembered for her ability to achieve the optimum time across country when others struggled. She only faulted twice across country with Jonelle during the nine years they spent competing together over 58 events.

Happy retirement, Classic Moet!

Jonelle Price and Classic Moet, or ‘Molly’ as she is known at home, flying across country at the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2014 in France where they finished fourth individually.

Jonelle and Molly at Burghley in 2015 where they finished fifth.

Molly en-route to winning an advanced class at Belton Horse Trials in 2016.

Jonelle and Molly during the cross-country phase of the CCI4*-S Event Rider Masters competition at Blenheim in 2017 .

Jonelle and Molly en-route to winning at Badminton in 2018.

Molly en-route to winning Badminton in 2018.

Jonelle and Molly motor around Gatcombe to win the 2019 British Open Championship.

Molly jumping into the water in the British Open at Gatcombe in 2019.

Molly clocking the fastest time of the day in her final event at Burghley in September 2022, where she and Jonelle ultimately finished fourth.

Jonelle and Molly jumping on the final day, in the mare’s final round of her career, at Burghley in 2022.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

World number two eventer Jonelle Price has announced the retirement of the two “phenomenal” five-star mares Classic Moet and Faerie Dianimo.

Trisha Rickard’s 19-year-old Classic Moet (Molly) and 17-year-old Faerie Dianimo (Maggie) have become household names in eventing, both making team appearances with Jonelle for New Zealand on the world stage – and racking up five-star victories and top placings.

Jonelle and Classic Moet won Badminton in 2018, and this year completed the event for the fourth time, finishing 11th. They were fourth at Burghley in August, the mare’s third Burghley completion.

Faerie Dianimo, who Jonelle rode at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was third at Luhmühlen in June, which was her final event.

Badminton final scores

Jonelle said with the season drawing to a close the time had come to officially call time on the “incredible” mares – and “break the news to Molly that she won’t be going to Badminton”.

“You never want to go one too many. It was a difficult decision to make, both have come through this year remarkably well. They’re both obviously still at the top of their game, but it’s better to stop one less, than [go] one more,” Jonelle told H&H.

“They’ve both just been such stalwarts and kept going. For Molly to do both Badminton and Burghley in her 19th year is pretty phenomenal. If you’d told me we were going to do that 12 or 24 months ago I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

“Of course it’s very sad, but you’ve got to look at all the positives we’re taking away and just remember how lucky we are.”

Classic Moet, who features in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine spotlight (on sale Thursday 10 November), made her mark on the world stage in 2014 at the World Equestrian Games in Caen, when Jonelle was called up as a reserve individual rider. The pair finished fourth.

“Winning Badminton has to be the main highlight – it’s something you dream of, but one of the most memorable moments was my cross-country round at Caen in 2014. She was very much a wildcard and unknown at that point, but I think that’s where she really broke onto the world scene and people took note of who she was,” said Jonelle.

“Her cross-country record speaks for itself, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Faerie Dianimo made her five-star debut at Pau (then CCI4*) in 2014, finishing fourth. She was second at Luhmuhlen the following year, and provided Jonelle with her second five-star victory of 2018 when she won Luhmühlen, the month after Jonelle’s Badminton win on Classic Moet.

“Luhmühlen was Maggie’s happy hunting ground; she’s been there three times and had a one-two-three, which is pretty good going. She wasn’t the easiest, she’s taken a lot of work her whole career because she’s quite hot. She developed melanomas in the later years, which restricted her a little bit, but she’s just such a fighter,” said Jonelle.

“There was nothing quite like going into the ring on her on a Sunday, you could be in the warm-up feeling like you’re up against it, but you would go into that ring and jump the first fence and you’d think ‘Bloody hell, we’re on!’. She could rise to any challenge, so that was a pretty remarkable feeling for sure.”

Jonelle said both mares have returned to Trisha and will be used for breeding duties in the future. Maggie, who was bred by Trisha, is by Dimaggio and out of Faerie Dazzler VII, who is also a mother to Tim Price’s five-star ride Xavier Faer.

“It will be interesting what they can produce. If they’re half as good as their mothers then everyone will be happy,” said Jonelle.

“Maggie comes from a pretty impressive line of horses from her mother. We just took Faerie Magnifico through to four-star, so it’s been a very good family and hopefully Maggie will carry on that line.”

Jonelle said it will be different not having those two mares on the circuit next year.

“They’re irreplaceable. I’m not being derogatory to my present horses or what will come along, but over the past nine years they’ve just been five-star stalwarts for me. They’ve never missed a beat really and that will be very hard to replace for sure,” she said.

“I will miss them hugely and forever be indebted to them for all that they did for me.”

You might also be interested in:

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‘I treasure every moment’: Classic Moet’s groom on tending the no-fuss veteran star

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Eventing’s world number one and two are on the move in early 2023, as Tim and Jonelle Price announce they are relocating to a new yard to Dorset.

The New Zealanders are taking up an opportunity to move from their current base at Mere Farm, Wiltshire, into a new yard on the Chedington Estate, owned by Dr Geoffrey Guy, where they will be based alongside Australian eventer-turned-showjumper Chris Burton.

“It’s exciting, but daunting at the same time,” Tim Price told H&H. “Mere Farm has been amazing and we’ve been there 17 years – it’s a horse-friendly and beautiful place.

“We know Marlborough so well and it’s such a lovely town. Our life has been here, so it’s quite a big upheaval – our kids’ cousins are there, things like that, so it’s going to be scary to move but life’s all about things like that.

“We’ve been looking for a farm to buy for a year or two – we sold our little cottage and got ourselves ready to buy – but then this opportunity presented itself with Geoffrey.

“It’s an amazing facility and while we’ll have to do a bit more driving, everything about it is just world-class.”

The move to Chedington will allow the Prices to do far more of their training on site than currently, with cross-country schooling, good fitness facilities and “amazing” dressage and jumping arenas on hand, as well as “little things like having a box per horse, which we’ve never had”.

“It opens up a lot of doors,” said Tim. “We don’t have to maintain the place, so we can just step in and train. We’ve probably got another 10 years or so in this job at this level and we’re trying to find a way we can really ramp it up a bit more and squeeze a few extra marks out.

“We’re going to be the eventing component at Chedington. Geoffrey wants to make it a world-class facility for elite riders to base themselves there and hopefully to encourage other riders to come and train with us. There are satellite yards where people could come over and base themselves with five or six horses, train and use the facilities.”

An announcement about the new yard from Tim and Jonelle Price on their social media concluded: “We are hugely appreciative to Dr and Mrs Geoffrey Guy for the opportunity and look forward to working alongside our great friends, Chris and Rebekah Burton. Our operation will remain the same, just from a different post code!”

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

New Zealand’s Jonelle Price proved unbeatable when she topped the Pau Horse Trials results this afternoon (30 October). Riding the 11-year-old mare Grappa Nera, Jonelle jumped a faultless round to remain on her 31.3 overnight score.

“I certainly didn’t expect this result. She is a good jumper, but sometimes the moment can get to her as she’s quite excitable,” said a delighted Jonelle. “I knew Karim was jumping clear, so I tried to stay down the chute and just keep her a bit quiet and away from the atmosphere. But look, she jumped her socks off today.

“I always thought she was a good horse and it was just a question of when we saw some of that and she came through for us, not if.”

The black mare, who is not dissimilar in looks to Jonelle’s fabulous Classic Moet, was one of just three combinations to jump clear inside the 80-second time allowed from 35 starters in the final phase.

But Jonelle explained Grappa Nera’s appearance is where the similarities with her five-star stalwart end: “She’s very different to Classic Moet and if anything, I’d compare her more with my other five-star mare Faerie Dianimo as they rival each other in terms of hotness. They are also both fiercely determined and athletic.”

The pair were in 13th after the dressage, but strong jumping performances paid dividends over the course of the five-star competition at Pau this weekend.

“I want to give a big mention to The Grape Syndicate, who co-own her with me,” said Jonelle. “Because for years I’ve been saying ‘don’t you worry, we’ll get there’ as she’s been cavorting around dressage arenas and whatnot at one-day events, so they’ve had to be very patient.”

Another rider to benefit from impressive jumping performances was France’s Karim Florent Laghouag, who finished second with the 15-year-old gelding Triton Fontaine. They claimed their place on the podium in the Pau Horse Trials results, thanks to a clear showjumping round, clocking just 0.4 of a time-fault in the final phase.

Karim was in third going into the showjumping, but overnight leaders David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed had a fence down, which dropped them to eventual fourth.

Britain’s Hector Payne enjoyed a great week with the 12-year-old gelding Dynasty. They finished in third after a clear jumping round in the final phase, despite being another rider to incur 0.4 of a time fault.

Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto dropped from fourth to 10th with Brookpark Vicenti after having three fences down. New Zealand’s Caroline Powell rose from seventh to fifth with the youngest horse in the field, the nine-year-old mare Greenacres Special Cavalier, with a clear round inside the time on the final day.

British riders Bubby Upton (Cannavaro) and Emily King (Valmy Biats) also enjoyed a great at Pau, finishing sixth and eighth respectively.

You might also be interested in:

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‘I’m very lucky to ride such a special horse’: British rider leads Pau Horse Trials after cross-country

‘She didn’t let me down’: Pau five-star leaderboard undergoes huge shake up after cross-country

‘We would jump 1,000 ditches a month from walk’: meet Harry Meade’s Pau five-star mount, who’s had a long road to top level

‘I’ve never really thought of him as a five-star horse’: meet Piggy March’s sister, who is taking on her first five-star since 2004

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Pau Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full magazine report on Pau Horse Trials in the magazine dated 3 November. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Strong performances on Pau Horse Trials cross-country day today (29 October) paid dividends for those riders who posted quick clear rounds.

New Zealand’s Jonelle Price was one of the riders who came to the fore. She moved up from 13th after dressage on a score of 30.1 and added just 1.2 time-faults, finishing three seconds over the 11-minute optimum time with Grappa Nera, to now sit in second.

“Of course, I would have loved to have finished three seconds faster, but she’s come back from a little injury break,” explained Jonelle of her round with this 11-year-old mare, who she co-owns alongside the Grape Syndicate. “She’s a really classy, athletic mare and I thought she’d cope well with the windy, twisty nature of the course here. She didn’t let me down.”

Jonelle said that it wasn’t necessarily the fences on the Pau Horse Trials cross-country course that made her scratch her head.

“I think the question for me all the way through wasn’t the fences but the distances as they were on forward strides, so riders had to make the right decisions.”

Speaking of Grappa Nera’s career to-date, Jonelle said: “She went to Kentucky to do her first five-star last spring and she was great, then she had a little injury before Bicton five-star last autumn so we took our time. I had her on the radar for the World Championships last month and if I didn’t take her there, Pau was always the plan and it’s worked out well.”

Jonelle is just 0.7 of a penalty adrift of cross-country leaders David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed.

France’s Karim Florent Laghouag posted one of four clear rounds inside the optimum time to rise from 19th after dressage to third with Triton Fontaine. They remain on their 31.4 dressage score.

“He is an amazing horse and he gave me a great ride – he could go around six-star if they existed,” said Karim of the horse who finished 12th individually at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year.

Japan’s Kazuma Tomato, who is based with William Fox-Pitt, has risen two places into fourth with Brookpark Vicente, despite collecting 6.4 time faults.

British rider Hector Payne had a great round with the 14-year-old Dynasty, picking up 1.2 time faults to rise from 16th after dressage to sit in fifth going into the final phase.

Izzy Taylor, second after dressage with Monkeying Around, retired after two refusals at fence 9B, while Tom McEwen’s round with third-placed Bob Chaplin came to an end when he retired after two run outs at fence 4B. Mollie Summerland, fourth after the first phase, dropped to 15th after Charly Van Ter Heiden activated a frangible device at fence 21B.

Just 7.8 penalties separate the top 10 ahead of the showjumping.

The final horse inspection gets underway tomorrow at 12.30pm.

You might also be interested in:

‘I’m very lucky to ride such a special horse’: British rider leads Pau Horse Trials after cross-country

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‘I’ve never really thought of him as a five-star horse’: meet Piggy March’s sister, who is taking on her first five-star since 2004

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Pau Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full magazine report on Pau Horse Trials in the magazine dated 3 November. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

New Zealand husband and wife team Tim and Jonelle Price have become the first couple to hold the top two spots of the FEI eventing world rankings.

Tim has taken the number one position from Oliver Townend, who has been in the top spot for the past three years. Jonelle has moved into second and sits 41 points behind her husband.

“The last time Tim was at the top of the world rankings was in August 2019. Since then, Tim has been able to perform at the highest level, which has allowed him to maintain a position in the top 10 of the eventing world rankings,” said an FEI spokesman.

The Prices have enjoyed a very successful 2022. Tim took individual bronze at the eventing World Championships in Pratoni on Falco. He was third at Burghley with Vitali, and has enjoyed a number of top 10 places at CCI4*. He won the CCI4*-L at Boekelo (6-9 October), and helped New Zealand take silver – behind the Brits – in the Nations Cup competition.

Jonelle, who was also part of the Kiwi squad at Boekelo riding Killbunny Andy, was 11th at Badminton and fourth at Burghley on the much-loved 19-year-old mare Classic Moet. Jonelle was 10th individually at the World Championships with McClaren.

Tim and Jonelle made the permanent move to the UK in 2005, and the couple married in 2013. They became the first husband and wife to ride together on the same Olympic team, at Rio in 2016. They have since welcomed two children, Otis and Abel.

Commenting on the new world rankings, the Prices said: “Once upon a time, two small town kids dreamt that together they could take on the world. And they did. The end.”

Oliver Townend is now ranked third in the world, Ros Canter fourth, and US rider Will Coleman is fifth. New individual world champion Yasmin Ingham has moved up from 20th to eighth. Tom McEwen has also moved into the top 10, and sits ninth.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022 came to a conclusion today, with victory for Piggy March and Vanir Kamira. Here is a round-up of the key stories you won't want to miss from Sunday, 4 September

Vanir Kamira became the third mare to win Burghley Horse Trials after lowering one of the two fences she had in hand, with Piggy March on board.

• What sets Piggy March’s ride apart from any other horse she has had?

British first-timer Tom Jackson produced the best result of his career as runner-up.

• What did Pippa Funnell say to him before he went into the ring?

Tim and Jonelle Price rounded off the top four.

• What other prize did Jonelle’s wonder-mare win?

The youngest rider in the competition finished an eye-catching fifth, but says she’s not as cool a customer as she looks.

• How has Alice Casburn learned to cope with her nerves?

There were nerve-wracking moments, too, for top-10 contender Bubby Upton at the final horse inspection.

• Find out who else was held at the trot-up and which riders withdrew

It was a fairytale completion for one horse, whose dam came from a trekking centre.

• Discover how Andrew James’ ride has progressed from bucking four-year-old to five-star contender

It’s not all about the rosettes: Hollie Swain’s hothead first-timer just about controlled his anxiety to show promise for future five-stars

• Why Hollie found the 17.2hh more tiring to trot up than steer round the Burghley cross-country track

And another Burghley debutant fulfilled a lifetime’s dream.

• Why did Phil Brown’s Burghley bracelet mean so much to him?

You might also be interested in:

Seven feeds a day and bawling like a baby: Piggy March’s groom Amy Phillips on looking after Vanir Kamira at Burghley

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Piggy March and Vanir Kamira win Burghley: ‘This horse deserves to have her name on a plaque on Winners’ Avenue’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Piggy March and Vanir Kamira topped the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022 results this afternoon (4 September).

Trevor Dickens’ mare becomes the 14th horse to win both Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley and this was a fairytale result for the 17-year-old “Tilly”, who started as the favourite.

“It’s a dream come true as a young rider growing up – I think Burghley is the toughest event in the world and probably the hardest to win,” said Piggy.

“To have a horse that’s come second twice and fifth once and only has just over four time-faults in four cross-country rounds, she’s a true Burghley horse and deserves to have her name on a plaque on Winners’ Avenue. I can’t think anyone here doesn’t think she deserves it.

“This horse isn’t naturally the best mover or the best jumper. It’s her personality, her heart, her will to do the job for you and that’s what stands her apart from any other horse I’ve had and makes me so proud.”

Vanir Kamira tapped her way round Paul Connor’s track but only had down fence 4a, the first part of the blue and black double. The pair won with a fence in hand because an expensive round for the overnight runners-up, Tim Price and Vitali, gave her some breathing space.

“I think we hit every fence, we always have, sometimes they stay up, sometimes they don’t,” said Piggy. “I knew I could have two down, but would have loved the feeling that I could have three. I said to Tom, [Jackson, eventual runner-up] ‘You could have knocked one down and made me a bit more comfortable!’ Some good horses were having three down.”

British first-timer Tom Jackson scored an extraordinary result when he skilfully piloted Patricia Davenport, Milly Simmie and Sarah Webb’s grey Capels Hollow Drift to a clear, which moved him up from fourth overnight to second.

New Zealand rider Tim had to settle for third when the Giannamores’ Vitali – whose showjumping has often been his weak phase – had fences two plus two elements of the treble at fence eight down.

Tim’s wife Jonelle Price also dropped down one place, to fourth, when she and 19-year-old mare Classic Moet took out fences 8a and 10.

Alice Casburn, 20, rode a beautiful round on the home-bred Topspin to come home penalty-free and move up from eighth overnight to fifth at her first Burghley.

Vendredi Biats touched the front rail of fence five and it came down, but he and Kitty King retained their overnight sixth.

Ros Canter dropped down the order from fifth overnight when she and Pencos Crown Jewel had fences six, 8b and 10 down. The finished 11th.

Debutante Bubby Upton also had an expensive round, with four faults down plus a 0.4 of a time-fault, which dropped her and Cola III from seventh overnight to 14th.

You might also be interested in:

Piggy March puts in brilliant Burghley round on 17-year-old Vanir Kamira: ‘She was really up for it’

Burghley completion for rider who rode his horse’s dam – who came from a trekking centre

Burghley Horse Trials first-timer realises ‘childhood dream’ – wearing a bracelet in honour of another very special horse

Top-10 contender among two horses held at Burghley final trot-up, plus three withdrawn

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

It wasn’t the perfect ending for Tim and Jonelle Price at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, after scattering a few poles between them to drop a place each in the final phase.

Tim Price had been vying for the lead in overnight second with Vitali on 26.5, but his Tokyo Olympic ride has an inconsistent showjumping record, and lowered three fences. However, such was the cross-country influence from the previous day that he remained on the podium in third, behind winner Piggy March (Vanir Kamira) and runner-up Tom Jackson (Capels Hollow Drift).

“You have to keep it all in perspective,” said Tim. “It’s easy to get distracted by the fact we were in a good position, but you must jump clear today to win.”

Vitali showjumped clear on his latest outing to win Gatcombe’s British open, but a touch of fatigue caught up with him today as he hit fence two, and then lowered two elements in the treble.

“Showjumping is his weak phase, but he did a very good performance in the dressage, and excelled yesterday,” said Tim. “That was bound to take its toll, especially on a horse that hasn’t been in this position before.

“I’ll take it away as a positive experience and look forward to next time. He’s class and what he showed me yesterday has got me excited for the future.”

Burghley Horse Trials showjumping: ‘You dream of that elusive clear’

Meanwhile, Jonelle Price’s fabulous cross-country round on the 19-year-old superstar mare Classic Moet had moved her up from 25th after dressage to third ahead of showjumping. But two fences down, eight and 10, dropped her a place to fourth.

“If you’d given me a top-five finish at the start of the week, I would have been happy,” said Jonelle, whose mare has now completed a record 12 out of 12 CCI5* cross-country clears. “But when you are up there in the mix, you dream of that elusive clear and think what could be.

“However, she showed me that she still deserves to be here and she felt as good as ever today.”

Classic Moet won the new Avebury Trophy for the best cross-country performance, selected by Mark Phillips.

“Jonelle Price’s round on Classic Moet was the only one of the day to be inside the time – but that wasn’t the deciding factor in awarding it to her,” said Mark. “She did it more easily than the others, and still had time to add a stride at the final two fences.

“I thought the other two outstanding rounds came from Bubby Upton [Cola III] and Tom Jackson [Capels Hollow Drift], because they also made it look easy, and the best cross-country performances are those that do that.”

You might also be interested in:

‘I treasure every moment’: Classic Moet’s groom on tending the no-fuss veteran star

Piggy March and Vanir Kamira win Burghley: ‘This horse deserves to have her name on a plaque on Winners’ Avenue’

‘He makes my job so easy’: British first-timer dazzles to finish runner-up at Burghley

‘She’s got so much tiger’: H&H talks to Burghley leaders on influential cross-country day

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Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse & Hound’s Lucy Elder rounds up the action on cross-country day at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, speaking to leader Piggy March, Tim and Jonelle Price, top British Burghley first-timers Tom Jackson, Bubby Upton and Alice Casburn, plus world champion Ros Canter *Please be patient to allow the video below to load*

Burghley Horse Trials queen Vanir Kamira franked her place as one of the event’s greatest cross-country horses of all time with an eminent performance over Derek di Grazia’s five-star course with Piggy March.

Today was a celebration of two Badminton-winning five-star mares of the finest vintage. Vanir Kamira, evergreen at 17, and Jonelle Price’s ride Classic Moet, two years her senior, bookend the podium.

“She’s got so much tiger,” said Piggy, who heads the results at this stage on a score of 23. “I’m so glad it’s over and that she’s all in one piece, I just wanted her to come back and enjoy it like she always has done.

“I find there’s more pressure on me now, because she owes us nothing. So I don’t want to push her past any point, I would love her to finish at the top of the sport and enjoying it. I don’t want to do anything wrong by her, so I’m probably at the stage where I pressurise myself. It’s important to me that she is well and happy. The day that she’s not, I’ll put my hand up and come home.”

That same sense of pressure is felt, too, by Jonelle. The New Zealand rider and Classic Moet rose from 25th overnight with their trademark clear to hold third ahead of the final phase on a score of 32.2.

“She’s so well known for her cross-country prowess, for her speed, that if I do anything other than go fast and clear, it’s all on my shoulders,” said Jonelle, the only rider to make the time of 11 minutes 20 seconds – coming home with three seconds to spare, even with a broken stopwatch.

“We come here making sure we tick all the boxes in terms of preparation. But you never quite know when that battery is going to run out! It could have happened in France last week, but no, it waited for Burghley – just one of the challenges to add to this track, but how lucky am I to sit on a mare like this.”

Former winner Tim Price is sandwiched between the pair with Vitali on 26.5, retaining their second place after dressage amid the leaderboard shifts around them.

“It was a lovely, pleasant surprise with how well he coped with everything,” said Tim.

“We were much more down on the clock at some points – we finished 13 seconds over, but we would have been maybe 25 or so earlier on – so he really pulled a lot back. Credit to him and I’m really excited about him.”

While Vitali counts the Olympics on his CV, he is relatively inexperienced at this top level – Burghley was just his second five-star following his debut at Luhmühlen. Showjumping is his Achilles heel, but with impressive cross-country clears at both his five-star starts over very different courses, this is an exciting rising star for Tim’s string.

The younger faces making their mark alongside the pair of five-star equine matriarchs, were in many ways, the two threads that weave the story of the top 10.

Tom Jackson and the elegant grey Capels Hollow Drift followed up their sparkling Badminton with a classy Burghley performance to sit fourth overnight (32.5).

“It was hard work out there, but he got his second wind at the top of the course and then flew home,” said Tom, who was held on course owing to Sammi Birch and Findus PFB’s fall.

“[Being held on course] is six of one and half a dozen of the other really. We were in a nice rhythm which was broken, but it gave me an opportunity to get some air back in his lungs, so it’s hard to say. I just know that I’m super proud!”

Pencos Crown Jewel, fourth at Bicton’s one-off CCI5* last year, proved herself a true five-star horse in a slick round with Ros Canter to take provisional fifth on 36.2. Meanwhile, Burghley first-timers Bubby Upton (Cola III) and Alice Casburn (Topspin) powered into the top 10 to sit seventh and eighth respectively.

It was an influential day on Derek di Grazia’s first Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course. Overnight leaders Kitty King and Vendredi Biats broke a frangible device at the Fairfax & Favour Boot Racks. While it added a costly 11 penalties, the pin saved a fall and the pair remain in touch with the leaders in sixth.

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet, who led day one and were in third after dressage, walked home from the Leaf Pit after a run-out. And it was not Oliver Townend’s day, with two falls.

A total of 31 of the 51 cross-country starters made it through the finish, with 24 clears and just one – Jonelle and Classic Moet – remaining on their dressage score.

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The cross-country day is now complete at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022 and it was another day of drama, spell-binding rounds and high-profile upsets. Here is a round-up of the key stories you won't want to miss from Saturday, 3 September

It was an action-packed Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials cross-country day today (3 September), over Derek di Grazia’s track.

Piggy March holds the lead after finishing one second over the time with Vanir Kamira.

• What Piggy said about how long the 17-year-old mare will stay in the sport

We also caught up with Vanir Kamira’s groom Amy Phillips.

• Find out how Amy helps Piggy produce this sometimes tricky mare at her best

Dressage leader Kitty King dropped down the leaderboard.

• What happened to Kitty and Vendredi Biats?

There was plenty of drama at the start of the day.

• Read what pathfinder Tim Price said after his round and about the first falls

And in the final throes, too…

• Find out why Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend lost their chance to challenge for the podium

Pippa Funnell had a good round on Billy Walk On, the second horse out.

• What Pippa said and how the early first-timers fared

Jonelle Price put in the only round of the day inside the time and sits third overnight.

• Check out what the New Zealander said about her ride on the 19-year-old Classic Moet

Ros Canter is just behind her on Pencos Crown Jewel in fifth.

• What did Ros say about her little mare?

There was drama in the middle of the day.

• Why Oliver Townend didn’t finish on Tregilder and what happened to Zara Tindall

Two British first-timers, Tom Jackson (fourth overnight) and Bubby Upton (seventh overnight), had great rounds in the middle of the day.

• What Tom and Bubby said

Another Brit, Kate Shapland also completed her first Burghley cross-country – and her mare was wearing very special shoes.

• What’s so special about her shoes?

It wasn’t fellow British debutant Harry Mutch’s day, but he’s a rider with an interesting story.

• How a broken down car changed the course of Harry’s life

Kristina Hall-Jackson is another British first-timer and she did complete today.

• What does Kristina have in common with her idol Pippa Funnell?

Australian debutante Sarah Clark, who jumped round clear today round the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course, came here on a single-minded mission.

• And she’s not sure what happens next…

You might also be interested in:

Piggy March puts in brilliant Burghley round on 17-year-old Vanir Kamira: ‘She was really up for it’

Seven feeds a day and bawling like a baby: Piggy March’s groom Amy Phillips on looking after Vanir Kamira at Burghley

Superstar mare delivers fastest cross-country round at Burghley as top-three horse retires

Dressage leader Kitty King drops down ranks after Burghley cross-country: ‘I’m gutted for the horse’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Classic Moet put in her habitual stunning round for Jonelle Price jumping clear inside the time in the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials cross-country phase.

This was the outstanding cross-country mare’s 12th clear round at five-star level, and she made the tough track look straightforward. She was so nimble through the wiggly combinations, enabling Jonelle to be up on her minute markers the whole way.

Jonelle just had to give her a little bit of encouragement after the Lion Bridge two fences from home, when she rapped the penultimate Parasol Table, but she came home three seconds inside the time.

Extraordinarily, Jonelle was riding just by feel, as her stopwatch wasn’t working.

“My watch stopped when I left the startbox, so I was on my own,” said Jonelle. “I just tried to ride an economical round, and she is a quick horse. I shouldn’t be complacent because there aren’t many like her around.”

The Rickards’ mare is now 19, which makes her cross-country speed particularly outstanding.

“We brought her here because she was fit and well but we take it one step at a time,” said Jonelle, who now lies second behind Piggy March and Vanir Kamira.

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country: third-placed Corouet ducks out

Sarah Bullimore’s bid with her European Championship individual bronze medallist Corouet came to an early end, when she ran out at the Holland Cooper Leaf Pit and pulled up.

Sarah was studded in the knee the previous weekend and it was touch and go whether she would be fit to compete.

Corouet jumped down the drop at fence seven well and jumped the following brush oxer, but was too far off the final corner element, and ducked out.

Meanwhile the youngest rider at Burghley, Alice Casburn, 20, was very quick across country on Topspin. She added just 6.8 time-faults with the bold-jumping home-bred to move up the order from 30th to third at this stage.

“I’m so lucky to ride a horse like him who doesn’t mind what stride you’re on,” said Alice. “I had to tell him to simmer down in the first part of the course.

“It’s so special as mum bred the dam and grand-dam. He has grown up in the stable he was born in. He’s like a family member, the favourite child.”

Tom Crisp and the diminutive Liberty And Glory were another pair to put in a lovely clear round, despite the rider nursing three broken ribs.

“She found it easy enough but I’ve not ridden with any meaning for the last three weeks, since I fell off and hurt my ribs,” Tom said. “It was harder than I thought. To do a clear round a course like this is very special.”

You might also be interested in:

‘I treasure every moment’: Classic Moet’s groom on tending the no-fuss veteran star

Piggy March puts in brilliant Burghley round on 17-year-old Vanir Kamira: ‘She was really up for it’

Seven feeds a day and bawling like a baby: Piggy March’s groom Amy Phillips on looking after Vanir Kamira at Burghley

Mixed fortunes for early riders on Burghley cross-country course, plus one horse withdrawn

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Jonelle Price’s groom Kerryn Edmans is “treasuring every moment” as she prepares her charge, Classic Moet, for their third attempt at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. The mare, known at home as Molly, is 19 years old, and Kerryn admits that “you always wonder if this is her last big event”.

“It’s phenomenal that she’s 19 and going into her second five-star horse trials of the year,” says Kerryn of the 2018 Badminton winner. “It’s so special to see, and you just want her to come home safe and sound. But I trust the two of them – Jonelle and Molly – combined. They are just a force of nature.”

The black mare by Classic x Bohemond has an impeccable cross-country record at five-star level, with 11 clears from 11 starts. In her two previous visits, she has finished third and fifth.

“She is very happy to be back, like all of us,” says Kerryn, who is at the Lincolnshire event for the sixth time. “She is feeling fabulous. She knows exactly why she is here and is thrilled about it. She came off the lorry with her neck upside down with excitement. And when I took her to trot-up, she was jig-jogging sideways – and then she saw some cross-country fences, and I had to say to her, ‘it’s not time for that yet’.

“She hates the trot-up. She chews at the bit, foams at the mouth, does whatever it takes not to look glamorous. Trot-up isn’t her thing, her thing is Saturday [cross-country]. From what I hear of the track, it’s big, and that is very good news for Molly. And the ground is amazing.”

‘I love to watch her across country’

Kiwi Kerryn Edmans first started working for the Prices in 2013, her mother Michelle having previously worked for Tim back in New Zealand. She describes Molly as a “funny character”.

“She’s pretty cool. She is minimalistic, she doesn’t want any fuss or doting. She likes a friend, but not too close – she’ll snarl if they get too close. She might snarl at me too, so I always carry Polos – she loves any treats, carrots, apples, Polos…”

Kerryn is right on hand to attend to her star’s every need, being bagged a “prime spot” right next to the stables. She is sharing a trailer with two other grooms.

“Tim and Jonelle bought a trailer with living so we can stay there next to the truck, but I can get up and have my coffee and feed the horses without having to wake the bosses,” she says! “But they’re amazing to work for.”

Jonelle will enter the arena at 2.10pm on Thursday (1 September), having ridden Molly “once or twice” in the morning, and Kerryn will hand-graze the mare, too.

“Jonelle will do whatever Molly needs to bring out her best,” she says. “Dressage isn’t her strongest phase – she’s not so gifted – so bring on Saturday.”

And while Jonelle and Molly do the business, Kerryn will “try to enjoy” watching from the ground.

“I love to watch her go cross-country, but I hide in the showjumping, that makes me more nervous,” she says.

Molly is one of the best cross-country horses in the world, and it’s a privilege for everyone to witness her still so competitive in the twilight of her career.

“You have to treasure every moment,” Kerryn says. “I cried all through Badminton – and I’ll definitely cry here too.”

Tomorrow: meet Adam Short, groom for Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September). 

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Want to sound knowledgeable when your friends ask you who out of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials riders will be the winner? Check out our list of potential victors for this week’s five-star (1-4 September)…

Burghley Horse Trials riders and horses: the top 10 contenders

(List in number order)

2. Oliver Townend, 39, GBR

Ballaghmor Class, 15-year-old grey gelding, Courage II x unlisted, owners: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop & Val Ryan

Ballaghmor Class’s five-star record is unsurpassed among horses currently competing – eight top-five finishes at the level from the same number of starts, including two wins and an Olympic team gold. Should be off to the worlds rather than here, but if he did run, it would be surprising if he wasn’t in the top five.

4. Pippa Funnell, 53, GBR

Billy Walk On, 13-year-old bay gelding, Billy Mexico x Golden Bash, owners: Barbara & Nicholas Walkinshaw

Recently second at Barbury CCI4*-S and third in the British open, Billy Walk On looks to be building back from retiring at Badminton. He was second in the five-star at Bicton last year and could be the dressage leader here and even go on to win if he’s on the best of his slightly inconsistent form. Pippa has won here twice.

22. Piggy March, 42, GBR

Vanir Kamira, 17-year-old bay mare, Camiro De Haar Z x Dixi, owner: Trevor Dickens

Piggy and “Tilly”, the 2019 Badminton winners, have six top-five finishes at five-star. Their three starts at Burghley have yielded two seconds and a fifth, and the mare’s fourth at Badminton in May proves age is not holding her back. She recently won at Hartpury CCI4*-S and loves a big occasion, so don’t rule her out.

27. Jonelle Price, 41, NZL

Classic Moet, 19-year-old black mare, Classic x Bohemond, owners: Trisha & Sophie Rickards & rider

The 2018 Badminton winner was 11th there this spring, sticking two fingers up at her age – she’s the joint-oldest horse here. That was her ninth five-star top-20 placing – plus she has two at World Championships. She probably won’t top her best result here (third), but her fans would love to see her in the placings again.

30. Sarah Bullimore, 49, GBR

Corouet, 11-year-old chestnut gelding, Balou Du Rouet x Lovis Corinth, rider, owners: her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate

Sarah and this talented home-bred won individual bronze at last year’s Europeans. Corouet was second after dressage on his five-star debut at Kentucky, but lacked rideability cross-country and had a run-out. He’s been placed at four-star since and could impress. Sarah was fourth here (2018, 2019) on Reve Du Rouet.

37. Tim Price, 43, NZL

Vitali, 12-year-old bay gelding, Contender x Heraldik, owners: rider, Alexander & Joseph Giannamore

This horse only joined Tim – the 2018 Burghley winner – in 2021, but he won a CCI4*-L in Poland in April that year and was Tim’s Tokyo Olympic ride, finishing 24th. This year he’s been 10th at Luhmühlen five-star and won the British Open. Showjumping is his Achilles’ heel, but he could be very competitive if he can fix that.

48. William Fox-Pitt, 53, GBR

Oratorio, 13-year-old brown gelding, Oslo Biats x Topanoora, owners: Oratorio Syndicate

William holds the record for most Burghley wins (six), and this horse is a true Burghley type who could give him a seventh. Oratorio makes his debut here, having been 13th at Badminton 2019 and 14th there this spring after an unlucky 2021 which included a fall at Kentucky and a nosebleed at Bicton five-star.

60. Kitty King, 40, GBR

Vendredi Biats, 13-year-old grey gelding, Winningmood x Camelia De Ruelles, owners: Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Sally Eyre & Samantha Wilson

Kitty and “Froggy” have been in the top 10 at two European Championships, collecting team gold last year, and were seventh at this year’s Badminton. They’ve proved their form with two top-10s at CCI4*-S since and could be in line for a big result. Kitty has started here twice but, surprisingly, seeks a first completion.

62. Ros Canter, 36, GBR

Pencos Crown Jewel, 13-year-old bay mare, Jumbo x Rock King, owners: Kate James & Annie Makin

This mare is “Little Miss Consistent” and was fourth on her five-star debut at Bicton last year and second at Bramham CCI4*-L in June. She’s not as flashy as her half-brother, Badminton runner-up Lordships Graffalo, but expect to see her in the top 10 – or better. Ros has been round Burghley twice on Allstar B.

67. Oliver Townend, 39, GBR

Swallow Springs, 14-year-old grey gelding, Chillout x Cult Hero, owners: Paul & Diana Ridgeon

Oliver landed the ride when Andrew Nicholson retired and the pair were third at Badminton in May. They’ve since achieved the horse’s fourth CCI4*-S win. Swallow Springs has been third at Burghley with Andrew and stands a decent chance of giving Oliver a third win here if he starts. He is Oliver’s reserve for the worlds.

Check out our full form guide for analysis of all the Burghley Horse Trials riders and horses in this week’s magazine (issue dated 8 September). 

You might also be interested in:

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Burghley draw revealed: who’s the pathfinder and when is Zara Tindall starting?

Watch Laura Collett walk the Burghley Horse Trials course: ‘it will require proper cross-country riding’

Clare Balding, Olympic equestrian voices and five-star riders revealed as Burghley commentators and presenters

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Two new faces will join three team regulars in Pratoni del Vivaro (15-18 September), as the New Zealand World Eventing Championships team is named.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) has confirmed its five horse and rider combinations who will travel to Italy next month.

The selected combinations, in alphabetical order, are:

Clarke Johnstone with 12-year-old Menlo ParkOwner: Clarke and his parents’ Jean and RobBreeding: by Eurocommerce Berlin, out of a mare by Rock King

Amanda Pottinger with 16-year-old gelding Just KiddingOwner: The Pottinger familyBreeder: Chelsaus & OrphendaleBreeding: By Fusaichi Pegasus, out of a Sadler’s Wells mare

Jonelle Price with 15-year-old gelding McClaren

Owner: David and Katherine Thomson

Breeder: Dirk Hotze

Breeding: By Clarimo, out of a Landjunge mare

Tim Price with 13-year-old gelding Falco

Owner: Tim and Sue Benson

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: By Cardenio 2, out of a Weinberg mare

Monica Spencer with 11-year-old gelding ArtistOwner: Monica and her husband AndrewBreeder: Windsor Park Stud Ltd

The reserve combinations are:

Jesse Campbell with 12-year-old gelding DiachelloOwner: Jesse and Kent GardnerBreeder: Thomas VisserBreeding: By Diarado, out of a Chello I mare

Mathew Grayling with 16-year-old gelding TrudeauOwner: Winky FoleyBreeder: Winky FoleyBreeding: By Magistad, out of a Valiant mare

Dan Jocelyn with 14-year-old gelding Cooley One To Many

Owner: Lucy and Sophie Allison, Franki Clapham, and Carole King

Breeder: Ronnie Kelly

Breeding: By Jack of Diamonds, out of a Delamain mare

Samantha Lissington with 11-year-old gelding Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZOwner: Samantha and Pip McCarrolBreeder: Goldengrove StudBreeding: By Caretino, out of a Tristaking mare

World number two Tim and his wife Jonelle are no strangers to the big stage and the 2022 World Eventing Championships marks the fourth championship at which they have ridden on the New Zealand team together.

Tim brings forward his 2021 Pau five-star winner Falco, and world number five Jonelle rides McClaren – whom she joined Tim on the podium with at Pau when she was third. The experienced gelding was formerly piloted by Sir Mark Todd at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon.

Clarke was the best-placed Kiwi at the Rio Olympics finishing sixth individually with Balmoral Sensation. In Pratoni he will ride the British-bred Menlo Park, who joined his stable last year.

Monica and Amanda will make their championship debut at the World Eventing Championships. Monica and Artist, who are on their way to Europe from New Zealand for early preparation, have previously won the Puhinui CCI4*-L. Amanda – the daughter of bronze medal-winning Olympic rider Tinks Pottinger – completed her first Badminton this year, where she was 35th with Just Kidding.

Jock Paget, ESNZ high performance general manager, said it is an “exciting team to name as the nation looks towards Paris 2024”.

“It’s encouraging to have the combination of championship debutants and experienced campaigners such as Tim, Jonelle and Clarke in the team. This is our qualifying opportunity for Paris and we are hopeful of contesting the medals,” he said.

“We’ve had a good build-up in terms of training and have invested into more team competition this year – hopefully, this pays dividends on the day.”

You might also be interested in:

British team named for World Eventing Championships: squad debutante joins familiar faces

Australia heads to Pratoni with Olympic medallists aiming for more glory

‘It’s mind-blowing’: meet Badminton first-timer Amanda Pottinger and her ‘gutsy’ little thoroughbred

Double Price podium as Pau Horse Trials serves showjumping thriller: ‘You try not to think about all the things that could go wrong’

Badminton winner steps back from competing to coach New Zealand eventing team

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Defending champions Jonelle Price and Classic Moet head up the Gatcombe entries for the British open at the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing next month (5-7 August).

This is the first time the Festival of British Eventing has run since 2019, as Covid-19 caused its cancellation in 2020 and 2021. New Zealand pair Jonelle and Classic Moet, who is now 19 years old, won the showcase class three years ago, when Ben Hobday and Shadow Man II took the national title.

The ballot date has passed for the event, but entries are not yet closed so more runners may come forward, but as things stand there are 21 entries for the Magic Millions British open.

Oliver Townend has three horse in the mix – Olympic team gold medallist Ballaghmor Class, plus Lukas and Dreamliner. Oliver’s Tokyo team-mate Tom McEwen is entered for the class on CHF Cooliser and Braveheart B.

Others to watch in this class include Jonelle’s husband Tim Price with his Olympic ride Vitali and Pippa Funnell’s two rides Majas Hope and Billy Walk On.

It is fairly common for riders to ride a top horse in the British open and compete in the first two phases only, so not all these horses will necessarily run across country. Ballaghmor Class, for example, has twice done dressage and showjumping in the advanced class at the festival – which is not running this year – but not run across country.

Oliver also holds a strong hand in the Evelyn Partners British intermediate championships, for which he is entered on Crazy Du Loir and Caunton First Class, who did a one-two in the CCI3*-L at Houghton in May.

Oliver has four Gatcombe entries in the Dodson & Horrell British novice championship, while in this class fans will also have an opportunity to see Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall) making one of her first high-profile outings riding under her married name. She will pilot Chilli King, a full brother to last year’s Bicton Horse Trials five-star winner Chilli Knight.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Former Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials winner Faerie Dianimo was on sparkling form and was reported by rider Jonelle Price to be feeling “as good as ever” on cross-country at the German five-star.

The evergreen 17-year-old “Maggie May” – a pretty and petite little grey with a fiercely competitive streak – was back on a redemption mission after a fall here last year.

The pair, who lifted the Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star trophy in 2018, skipped across Mike Etherington-Smith’s influential five-star course to come home a second inside the time. They hold sixth place ahead of cross-country on a score of 31.6.

“She knows her way around a five-star – she particularly knows her way around Luhmühlen!” said Jonelle, who co-owns the mare with Jacky Green and breeder Trisha Rickards.

“I had a bit of a score to settle after a silly moment last year, so it’s nice to come here and she really gave me a lovely ride. She’s a bit unique at times, her jump can go a bit skewiff or up and down, but you know she’s always fighting for the flags and she’s always looking where she’s going.

“She feels fantastic, otherwise we wouldn’t bring them here. It really is one day at a time, I can honestly say she felt as good as ever out there today.”

Kirsty Chabert’s ride, Classic VI, owned by Carole Somers and John Johnston, is the highest-placed mare at this stage in the competition. The 13-year-old, by Calvaro F.C., is in fourth place after cross-country and 1.1 penalties adrift of overnight leaders Felix Vogg and Colero.

Luhmühlen has proved a happy hunting ground for Irish rider Cathal Daniels’ popular medal-winning ride Rioghan Rua, who is the third mare in the top 10 at this stage.

Frank and Margaret Kinsella’s diminutive chestnut looked in her element as she zipped through the woodland trails, stopping the clock bang on the optimum time of 11 minutes.

The pair were seventh here in 2018 and claimed individual bronze at the European Championships held at Luhmühlen in 2019. They head into the showjumping in provisional ninth place on a score of 34.9.

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Britain in pole position as a former winner joins the podium: significant top-10 shake-up as Luhmühlen dressage concludes

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

There are 14 British-ridden horses are among the Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries for the five-star class (16-19 June).

Olympic team gold medallist Tom McEwen brings forward two first-timer five-star contenders in the Barkers’ Bob Chaplin and Barbara Coopers’ Braveheart B, while world champion Ros Canter will ride Kate James and Annie Makin’s Pencos Crown Jewel, who was fourth in the one-off five-star at Bicton Horse Trials last September.

World team gold medallist Gemma Tattersall is entered on Chris Stone’s Chilli Morning daughter Jalapeno, who was fourth at Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L last year.

Kylie Roddy will get another shot at five-star with the Fox Family’s SRS Kan Do, who she pulled up at Badminton Horse Trials after he lost a shoe, while Kirsty Chabert – with Classic VI, owned by Carole Somers and Kirsty’s father John Johnston – and Ben Hobday (with his own, his father Stephen and Jane Chambers’ Shadow Man) will both hope to make amends for eliminations at Badminton.

David Doel, who impressed when he finished sixth on his Badminton debut with Galileo Nieuwmoed, will ride Christine Lees Ferro Point and the Pages’ Dunges Don Perignon this time. Bubby Upton is another younger rider hoping for a good result at five-star and she rides her mother Rachel’s Cannavaro, her partner in winning the under-25 national title last year.

Ireland has six entries, including two for Cathal Daniels – Jo Breheny’s LEB Lias Jewel and the Kinsella’s Rioghan Rua, the latter is the horse he rode to an individual bronze medal at this venue at the 2019 European Championships.

The Prices both bring forward five-star winners. Jonelle Price will pilot the grey mare Faerie Dianimo, owned by Trisha Rickards, Jacky Green and her rider, who won here in 2018. Tim Price has three rides, including Sue Benson’s and his own Falco IV, last year’s Pau Horse Trials winner.

There are 38 horses on the five-star list of Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries in total, with Canada, Denmark, France, Lithuania, South Africa, Switzerland, Sweden and the USA all sending representatives. The US has three entries – Matthew Flynn (the Flynns and Merry Go Round Farm’s Wizzerd), Liz Halliday-Sharp (The Monster Partnership’s Cooley Quicksilver) and Lauren Nicholson (Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus).

As usual, many of the top German riders will take on the CCI4*-S instead of the CCI5* and there are only two home-side combinations in the five-star – Sophie Leube makes her debut at the top level on Jadore Moi and Dirk Schrade pilots Freya Rethmeier’s Casino 80.

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The Badminton Horse Trials cross-country continued to exert considerable influence on the dressage leaderboard at the Gloucestershire event presented by Mars Equestrian. Kitty King managed to consolidate her place at the business end despite time-faults.

Kitty had a rough ride through the first water on Vendredi Biats (Froggy), where the horse jumped in extremely boldly and she had to ride through on a long rein, but the grey stayed on his line. But their round was almost flawless otherwise, and although she incurred eight time-faults, he seemed to be galloping well within himself, just easing up over the final few fences. Their time was good enough to go into third place at this stage.

Kitty was particularly pleased with Froggy’s performance given that historically he has found the left rein harder.

“Unfortunately when I knew the track was on the left rein, I knew it was never going to be easy for him,” she said. “From a young horse he has struggled with turning left, and all the approaches to the tricky combinations were on a slight left turn – Huntsman’s, the water — and he likes to be on the right lead.

“We were a bit slow, but I had to calm down and think what we were doing – I felt I was making heavier weather of it than it needed to be. So I had to take a pull and think, let’s sort this out and get the balance. He helped me out all the way, that’s the way a partnership works. It wasn’t the smoothest ride I’ve ever had, but those left turns were a huge factor.”

Badminton final scores

Badminton Horse Trials cross-country: the hard-luck stories

Emily King was coming to the end of a superb round on Valmy Biats, having held 16th place with 28.5, when the horse came into the Savills Hay Feeders three fences from home with too much momentum. He took a flier at the B element rolltop and left a leg, propelling himself into the turf. Emily’s leg was briefly caught in the stirrup but mercifully both horse and rider did get to their feet to walk off the track.

Mollie Summerland’s courageous debut came to an end at the second water when her Luhmühlen winner Charly Van Ter Heiden petered out at the vast drop in. They were holding fourth place after dressage but across-country Charly looked overwhelmed by the intensity and dimensions and his jump was becoming increasingly high and laboured over the few previous fences. After two attempts at the drop she put up her hand to retire.

Read our full Badminton form guide in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound (issue dated 5 May 2022). Our bumper 20-page Badminton report will be in our 12 May issue and keep fully up-to-date with all the action during Badminton week via horseandhound.co.uk, where a host of features and reports will be published.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Two veteran crowd favourites failed to produce fairytales in the final session of day one of the Badminton Horse Trials dressage, at the event presented by Mars Equestrian. While former winner Classic Moet and five-star stalwart Reve Du Rouet put up middling displays, the debutant Valmy Biats moved into the top 10.

Emily King made an impressive return to Badminton with the first-timer Valmy Biats to score 28.5 and go into equal 10th with Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On at the end of day one. They scored consistent sevens, with very few errors, and finished on a high with a nine from the judge at H for their final halt.

“He’s come on so much in dressage these past couple of years,” said Emily. “I’ve only had him for two years, and when he came he couldn’t do flying changes. Give him another year and he’ll be mega.

“He coped very well with the atmosphere as he is quite a hot horse with so much power that quite easily goes straight out the front door, so it’s about containing that.”

Badminton Horse Trials dressage: veterans frustrate

World number two Jonelle Price will be hoping for a stiff cross-country test with the oldest horse in the field, the 2018 winner Classic Moet after scoring 31.4. They are still within touch of the leaders, although the test was marred by tension. The 19-year-old mare lacked the suppleness of a younger horse, but looked raring to go ahead of cross-country. Jonelle admits this is the grand old campaigner’s weakest phase, and was content to be in the top 15 towards the end of the first day.

Badminton final scores

“With her it is a little bit ‘sit and suffer’ in this phase I’m afraid, and it’s just about trying to stay as near to the leaders as we possibly can and hopefully we have done that,” she said.

Classic Moet’s fellow veteran, Sarah Bullimore’s 18-year-old Reve Du Rouet, showed age has made him no wiser as he scored a frustrating 34.4. The Balou De Rouet-sired bay has all the potential to put up some superb marks, but he showed his quirky side from the first halt, turning for a look round his left shoulder. Sarah rode him with the utmost tact and the handbrake firmly on, leaving us all wondering what might have been if he had put his best hoof forward throughout.

“He is frightened of crowds, it is frustrating,” she said. “I thought we were through all that, but we’ve had two years of Covid and he needs to be out there being accustomised to the crowds. He was cool as a cucumber in the arena familiarisation and the trot-up so I thought maybe he was growing up. It’s disappointing.

“Hopefully he’s up for the cross-country. He doesn’t feel like an 18-year-old – he’s a freak of nature.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

There was drama at the first Badminton Horse Trials trot-up this afternoon (4 May) when title contender and former Badminton winner Classic Moet was sent to the holding box at the event, which is presented by Mars Equestrian.

The 19-year-old mare, ridden by Jonelle Price who co-owns the mare with Trisha and Sophie Rickards, won this event in 2018.

The ground jury consisting of Christian Landolt, Seppo Laine and Anne-Marie Taylor requested that she be sent to the holding box ,where vet Paul Farrington could have a closer look. Happily, the pair were accepted upon re-presenting.

Shadd’OC, the mount of Frenchman Ugo Provasi, was another horse that was sent to the holding box. The 16-year-old gelding, who is owned by Ugo and Sophie Bonduelle, was also accepted upon re-presenting.

Badminton final scores

There was a late withdrawal prior to the Badminton Horse Trials trot-up as Tina Cook did not bring Billy The Red forward to the first horse inspection.

This means that 83 horses will go forward to the dressage, which will get underway at 9.30am when first to go, Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI, will enter the main arena.

Read our full Badminton form guide in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound (issue dated 5 May 2022). Our bumper 20-page Badminton report will be in our 12 May issue and keep fully up-to-date with all the action during Badminton week via horseandhound.co.uk, where a host of features and reports will be published.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Michael Jung has taken over the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage lead at the halfway point of the second day (29 April).

The German superstar and FischerChipmunk FRH scored 20.1 for a definitive 9.2-penalty margin over the rest of the field at this stage. The pair were awarded 13 nines between the three judges and Christian Steiner at B gave them a 10 for their final centreline.

FischerChipmunk FRH’s work was on a different level to anything else seen so far in the competition – the test was flowing, the horse’s outline uphill and Michael placed the flying changes with unhesitating accuracy. His only tiny error was a slight movement in the mid-test halt.

“I think that was the best test I’ve ever done on him,” said Michael of the 14-year-old horse who belongs to Klaus and Sabine Fischer, Hilmer Meyer-Kulenkampff and the Germany Olympic committee for equestrian sport.

“There were small things that were better than in Tokyo – I think he’s got more powerful and spectacular, but he’s also really relaxed so I can work him through the test.

“He can be a bit shy and nervous so you have to know how to work with him. I was worried about his reaction to the spectators, but we had great timing and everything worked out.”

Speaking about his decision to bring Chipmunk here for the horse’s five-star debut, Michael said: “I have great memories here and the horses always feel good here – they feel well in the stables and there are perfect conditions on the all-weather arena and the beautiful cross-country. That all helps for a horse’s first five-star.”

The pair start the competition as favourites, with data analytics experts EquiRatings giving them a 41% win chance in the pre-event predictions.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage: Boyd Martin holds second

US Olympic combination Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF were the first pair to break the 30-barrier today when they scored 29.3, which currently puts them in second place. The Turner family’s horse showed some slight tension in his neck, but his work was otherwise pleasing.

“He has been a bit nervous, tight and edgy the past few days, but I rode him on the grass this morning and he took a breath, so I had a feeling we were in business,” said Boyd.

“It’s certainly more electric here with crowds and he perked up when he went round the ring. He likes crowds but there’s a point where he loses attention. In Tokyo, with no spectators, he felt a bit flat, but today he was about right.”

Last year’s Aachen winners Will Coleman and Off The Record now hold third (32.5) with overnight leaders Tamie Smith and Fleeceworks Royal in fourth.

New Zealand rider Jonelle Price is fifth with David and Katherine Thomson’s McClaren on a score of 33.4.

“I’m pleased with him, but gutted with the mark – 62% from the judge at H is a bad test and it didn’t feel like a bad test, so I’ll need to go and take another look [on video],” she said.

“He can go a little wide behind but it felt like a solid test, a clear round with no blinding mistakes.”

Three British riders perform their tests in the final session this afternoon – Yasmin Ingham (Banzai Du Loir), Sarah Bullimore (Corouet) and Pippa Funnell (Maybach).

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times have been released for this week’s competition (28 April-1 May).

The flagship CCI5* dressage takes place in the afternoons on Thursday and Friday, starting at 1pm local time (6pm British time) on Thursday and 12.30pm (5.30pm British time) on Friday.

Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times for British riders

• Leslie Law and Voltaire De Tre’: 1.24pm local time on Thursday (6.24pm British time)
• Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope: 3.56pm local time on Thursday (8.56pm British time)
• Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir: 3.18pm local time on Friday (8.18pm British time)
• Sarah Bullimore and Corouet: 3.50pm local time on Friday (8.50pm British time)
• Pippa Funnell and Maybach: 4.14pm local time on Friday (9.14pm British time)

Other riders to watch

• Will Coleman and Dondante (USA): 1pm local time on Thursday (6pm British time)
• Doug Payne and Vandiver (USA): 1.16pm local time on Thursday (6.16pm British time)
• Phillip Dutton and Sea Of Clouds (USA): 2.28pm local time on Thursday (7.28pm British time)
• Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF (USA): 12.54pm local time on Friday (5.54pm British time)
• Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH (GER): 1.10pm local time on Friday (6.10pm British time)
• Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (USA): 1.18pm local time on Friday (6.18pm British time)
• Jonelle Price and McClaren (NZL): 1.26pm local time on Friday (6.26pm British time)
• Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo (USA): 1.50pm local time on Friday (6.50pm British time)
• Will Coleman and Off The Record (USA): 1.58pm local time on Friday (6.58pm British time)

Full Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage times

• See all the times

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

New Zealand’s Jonelle Price has just one ride at Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian this year, but it’s a good one – the 2018 winner, Classic Moet.

The mare, owned by Trisha and Sophie Rickards, is now 19 years old but in an interview on episode 98 of the Horse & Hound Podcast, Jonelle says she “looks fantastic”.

“I’ve never had a senior horse like this before, so it is sort of unprecedented times for us, but I think the most important thing is you just take each day as it comes,” says Jonelle.

“Certainly she looks a million dollars and I can honestly say she feels no different than she has for the last few years. So I’m excited to have her in contention and on track and we’ve done the bulk of the work. So I’m just looking forward to getting through these last couple of weeks and hopefully we’ll be there come trot-up.”

Classic Moet was placed in an advanced at Thoresby last month, but Jonelle says she isn’t really a one-day horse.

Badminton final scores

“The dressage is obviously a downside and she needs a little bit of time to settle into the environment. She needs quite a lot of work,” she says. “I don’t try really hard at the one-days. We use those as a stepping stone to get to the bigger picture, so I’m hoping with a bit more work during the week of Badminton, we can have her a little bit more on side for the all-important dressage.”

Jonelle started riding Classic Moet – known as Molly – as a 10-year-old, but certainly didn’t think initially that she’d be a five-star winner.

“I’m sure her owner Trisha Rickards won’t mind me saying that she wasn’t particularly nice, to be honest,” says Jonelle. “I rode another mare for Trisha, the grey Faerie Dianimo, and then she said, ‘Do you want Molly as well?’ and I jumped at the opportunity but upon getting her, she sort of felt all over the show.

“She was an unusual-looking thing and I was a little bit almost embarrassed at the start. I used to hide down the back of the warm-up, but she definitely always had something about getting the job done. She’s incredibly determined. And as time went on, she just grew into more horse than I ever thought she could have been.

“I know that I will look back – at some point when she has retired, when that day comes – and my fondest memories will be of numerous cross-country rounds, of tearing around the biggest tracks in the world and making really light work of it, so I owe her a huge amount. And I have so much admiration for her.”

As well as her Badminton win, Molly’s five-star record includes fourth at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, 10th at Badminton 2016, third and fifth at Burghley Horse Trials in 2016 and 2015 and seventh at Kentucky Three-Day Event and eighth at Maryland 5 Star last year.

Hear more about Classic Moet’s Badminton win, plus hear Jonelle talk about taking over the ride on McClaren from Mark Todd by tuning in to episode 98 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

In our 98th weekly episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, H&H’s Pippa Roome talks to top event rider Jonelle Price, who discusses her trips to Kentucky and Badminton this year and she also reflects on her win at Badminton in 2018. H&H’s Jennifer Donald then catches up with H&H’s Gemma Redrup to review the Grand National, while H&H’s Polly Bryan takes a look back on the World Cup Finals. Pippa then talks to the H&H news team to discuss equine I.D, insurance for coaches and careers for ex-racehorses. Finally, we’ll be hearing from bits and bitting expert Tricia Nassau-WIlliams, who talks about how you can make sure you buy the correct sized bit for your horse. We hope you’ll enjoy listening.

Episode 98 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, our popular audio service available every Thursday morning for our H&H digital subscribers, is now live.

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• View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

In our 98th weekly episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, H&H’s Pippa Roome talks to top event rider Jonelle Price, who discusses her trips to Kentucky and Badminton this year and she also reflects on her win at Badminton in 2018.

Pippa then catches up with H&H’s Polly Bryan to review the World Cup Final in Leipzig.

H&H’s Jennifer Donald then catches up with H&H’s Gemma Redrup to review the Grand National.

Pippa then talks to the H&H news team to discuss equine I.D, insurance for coaches and careers for ex-racehorses.

Finally, we’ll be hearing from bits and bitting expert Tricia Nassau-WIlliams, who talks about how you can make sure you buy the correct sized bit for your horse.

• 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 98

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Listen now to other recent episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast…

The Horse & Hound Podcast 97: Tiger Roll’s former jockey Davy Russell | Caring for your horse’s teeth and mouth | News round-up

The Horse & Hound Podcast 96: Show horse producer Edward Young | Bitting strong horses | News round-up

The Horse & Hound Podcast 95: Grand prix dressage rider Sonnar Murray-Brown | Cheltenham Festival review | Bitting issues | News round-up

The Horse & Hound Podcast 94: Italian eventer Vittoria Panizzon | How bitting has changed | News round-up

The Horse & Hound Podcast 93: Former top jump jockey Barry Geraghty | Roughing hunters off | News round-up

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Jonelle Price’s Tokyo Olympic ride Grovine De Reve is among four Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals at this early stage in the build-up to the event presented by Mars Equestrian (4-8 May).

“He sadly picked up an injury at the gallops which will mean he misses Badminton,” Jonelle told H&H.

The 14-year-old, owned by Therese Miller and his rider, finished 11th at Tokyo for New Zealand as well as third at Kentucky Three-Day Event last spring.

US rider Sharon White has withdrawn and reports that Cooley On Show “has sustained a minor injury that will keep him sidelined for the time being”.

She added in her post on Instagram: “Luckily we found it in time and he’s feeling just fine about himself! He owes us absolutely nothing and his well-being will always be the top priority.”

Badminton final scores

Sharon was set to make her Badminton debut with her own 15-year-old grey.

The other Badminton Horse Trials withdrawals at this stage are Australian Sammi Birch’s ride Hunter Valley II – owned by his rider, her husband Ed, her parents Judith and Lyndon McLeod and sister Emma McLeod – and Belgium’s Constantin Van Rijckevorsel with his own Beat It. Sammi is still set to start on Finduss PFB.

Beat It was the first horse on the waiting list, so no horse is brought in to replace him.

Therefore three pairs have now been accepted from the Badminton Horse Trials waiting list – James Sommerville with his own and his mother Jennifer’s Talent, Australia’s Bill Levett on Elisabeth Murdoch’s Lates Quin and US rider Lillian Heard with her own LCC Barnaby.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Defending champions Piggy March and Vanir Kamira head up this year’s Badminton Horse Trials entries. The event, presented by Mars Equestrian, will run 4-8 May 2022.

Piggy and Trevor Dickens’ mare are the most recent winners of Badminton, having triumphed in 2019. The event was cancelled owing to Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021.

Piggy is also entered with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent, who took individual silver and team gold at last year’s European Eventing Championships in Avenches.

A raft of strong British contenders join Piggy on the Badminton Horse Trials entries list, including all three pairs from Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning team – Laura Collett with Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott’s and her own London 52, Tom McEwen with Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns and his mother Ali’s Toledo De Kerser (who also won individual silver) and Oliver Townend with Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class.

Tom is also entered with Vicky Bates and David Myers’ CHF Cooliser and Fred and Penny Barker’s Bob Chaplin, but will have to choose which two of his three entries he will start on nearer the time. Similarly Oliver Townend has five horses entered – with Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class, the Ridgeons’ Swallow Springs, the Hazeldines and Mitchell Fox Group’s Tregilder and Sophie Adams’ Ridire Dorcha all in the mix – and will only be able to start on two.

Badminton final scores

Five of the other horses from the 2021 British European Championships squad also come forward, with entries in from individual gold medallists Nicola Wilson on Deirdre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert’s JL Dublin, individual bronze medallists Sarah Bullimore and her own and husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate’s Corouet, and team gold medallists Kitty King and Vendredi Biats (owned by Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker, Sally Eyre and Samantha Wilson) and Ros Canter with her own and Caroline Moore’s Allstar B.

Nicola also has Lady Milnes Coates and Rosemary Search’s Erano M on the list, Sarah is double-handed, with Chris and Sue Gillespie and the rider’s husband Brett’s Reve Du Rouet joining Corouet, and Ros Canter brings forward Michele Saul’s Lordships Graffalo alongside world champion Allstar B.

Izzy Taylor is not entered with Mark Sartori’s and her own Monkeying Around, who finished in the top 10 as an individual at the Europeans, but she has Sara and Tom Strong’s Artful Trinity 10th on the waiting list, so he should make the cut to start.

Former winners entered also include William Fox-Pitt (Jennifer Dowling’s and his own Little Fire and the syndicate-owned Oratorio) and Pippa Funnell (who will have two choose two of the Walkinshaws’ Billy Walk On, Marek Sebestak’s and her own Majas Hope and the Clarkes’ MGH Grafton Street).

Zara Tindall is slated for her first Badminton Horse Trials start since 2016 as she is entered with Gleadhill House Stud’s Class Affair.

The Brits won’t have it all their own way at Badminton, though. A strong international challenge is led by New Zealand’s husband and wife duo Tim Price and Jonelle Price, with Tim entered on his own and Trisha and Sophie Rickards’ Xavier Faer and the Prices’ and Sophie Hearnden’s Ringwood Sky Boy and Jonelle on her own and Therese Miller’s Grovine De Reve and her own and Trisha and Sophie Rickards’ Classic Moet, who won the event in 2018.

A sizeable US contingent will cross the Atlantic for the British spring classic, including Phillip Dutton with his Tokyo horse Z (owned by Phillip’s wife Evie, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt and Thomas Tierney), Ariel Grald and Anne Eldridge’s Leamore Master Plan, who were third at Luhmühlen last year, and Tamie Smith with the super dressage horse Mai Baum, owned by Alexandra Ahearn and her parents Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell.

Only one German is entered to start at Badminton this year – last year’s Luhmühlen runners-up Christoph Wahler and his own and Lena Thoenies’s Carjatan S.

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Piggy March on Badminton winner Vanir Kamira: ‘The days revolve around her, but she could sense my dreams and took me there’

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Tim Price and five-star debutant Falco topped the Pau Horse Trials results with a wow-factor showjumping performance to seal victory in the French CCI5*.

Pau proved a red letter day for the Price family, with Jonelle Price joining her husband on the podium in third aboard the pint-sized McClaren.

Former winner Tom McEwen, victorious in 2019, soared up the leaderboard with Vicky Bates and David Myers’ exciting prospect CHF Cooliser, rising 18 places after dressage to fill the runner-up spot on their dressage score of 29.6.

This is Tim’s first Pau title and the second time in the event’s 15-year history that a Kiwi has taken the crown. Andrew Nicholson and the great Nereo were the first combination to scoop victory at the event in 2012.

“He’s a great little horse, isn’t he?” said Tim. “You never expect that on a first time coming to this level, but he is a class horse. He always has been, even when he’s been learning his craft. But he has come here very well prepared and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the way he has delivered through the three phases. What an exciting horse he is for me and for the future.”

Reflecting on how he felt going into his round, given how many problems the course was causing, he added: “You’re nervous for many reasons. It’s high pressure. You try not to think about all the things that could go wrong and I knew I was on a very good jumper, so yes there had been quite a lot of problems, but I felt if anyone was going to do a good job of it, it would be this horse. It was just my [place] to do an ok job on top.

“[Pau] is a really tough place to do well in, I find. Even though there’s the other big five-stars in the world, this one is very difficult and the winner can come from anywhere, which it did today I suppose.

“It’s just a thrill to win anything at this level and a great way to think about things over the winter having a win at the end [of the season].”

Pau is the second “double Price” five-star podium this year, both times aboard different horses. The eventing power couple were second and third, in the same order, at Kentucky in May aboard Xavier Faer and Grovine De Reve respectively.

Tim added it was “so special” to be on the podium with Jonelle and to have their children there with them.

“It couldn’t be a better end to the season,” he said, adding the win is as much for his country and family back at home as it is for him.

“It’s an honour to represent New Zealand – we do pretty well for a little country – and it makes us very proud.”

Jonelle and the 14-year-old gelding, owned by David and Katherine Thomson, delivered confident jumping rounds across country and over the coloured poles to add only time-penalties to their dressage score. Their final total of 29.6 is the same finishing score as Tom, who edged ahead as he was closer to the cross-country optimum time.

Yann Royant’s showjumping course took no prisoners and only five of the 35 starters – including four Brits – completed the final phase with no extra penalties to add.

The last fence – a teetering upright with the finishing line tantalisingly in sight – was the bête noire for Australia’s Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend, dropping the pair from third to fourth.

Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy and the 12-year-old Fidertanz mare Fallulah had one rail in hand to hold their second place position when they entered the arena, which they used at the first part of the double at 5a. Sadly it was not to be for the pair, who tipped three more fences and added 0.8 of a time-penalty to their scoresheet to finish 17th.

This meant Tim and Falco, owned by London 2012 cross-country course designer Sue Benson, had a fence to play with. The 11-year-old Cardenio 2 son gave each jump feet to spare, prompting gasps from the crowd. Any fears that so much time in the air could catch them on time were unfounded as the pair could well afford the 0.4 of a time-penalty they added to their final tally, giving them a finishing score of 22.5.

Maxime Livio and Vitorio Du Montet were the highest-placed combination for the home side. The pair’s two fault-free jumping rounds propelled them from 24th after dressage to fifth on their dressage score of 30.6.

Sixth place went to Oliver Townend and Ridire Dorcha, owned by Sophie Adams, who produced one of the few zero score showjumping rounds of the afternoon (32.2). Tom Jackson and Billy Cuckoo’s showjumping clear was also rewarded with a hike up the leaderboard to finish seventh (33.3).

Eighth place went to Selena Milnes and Iron, her best result at this level, on 35.3.

The French combinations of Cedric Lyard (Unum De’Or) and Sidney Dufresne (Swing De Perdriat) completed the top 10 in ninth and 10th respectively.

The highest-placed British debutante was Kylie Roddy with SRS Kan Do in 11th on 36.3.

View the Pau Horse Trials results

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Multiple British five-star first-timers impress on testing Pau Horse Trials cross-country day

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

British Olympic gold medal-winner Oliver Townend tops a list of stellar names due to compete at the world’s newest CCI5* event.

Oliver and Cooley Master Class with whom he won the Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2018 and 2019, will be joined at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill by top British and British-based riders, as well as some of the other top names in the sport from across the world.

This first running of the CCI5* event, the seventh at this level globally and the second in the US, should have been last year but it was lost to the coronavirus pandemic. It takes place from 14-17 October at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Elkton, Maryland.

Also entered are Britain’s Harry Meade, on the 12-year-old British-bred gelding Superstition, with whom Harry finished fifth at Kentucky CCI5* this year, and US-based British rider Leslie Law, who took individual gold and team silver at the 2004 Olympics, on 12-year-old gelding Voltaire De Tre, with whom Leslie finished 26th at Kentucky.

Also in the mix are British-based Jonelle and Tim Price, Jonelle riding her 2018 Badminton winner Classic Moet and Tim on Xavier Faer, on whom he finished second at Kentucky this year.

Other top names include all the Tokyo US eventing team riders: Phillip Dutton, on Fernhill Singapore and Sea Of Clouds, Boyd Martin, on Long Island T and On Cue, and Doug Payne, on Quantum Leap.

More combinations due to contest the CCI5* will be confirmed before the close of definite entries on 30 September.

The event is also hosting a CCI3*-L, which is acting as the US national championship, and a young horse class.

You might also be interested in:

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

At the end of the first team rotation in the eventing competition of the Tokyo Olympic Games, the British team maintain their lead. The Olympic eventing cross-country is action packed to this point.

A strong round, clear inside the optimum time, for Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, cemented things at this early stage.

The Australian team are in silver medal position, thanks to a clear jumping round from Kevin McNab and Don Quidam, but the combination clocked up 2.8 time-faults.

The United States are in team bronze, following a sold round from Phillip Dutton and Z, who again jumped clear across country, but incurred 4.8 time-faults.

Olympic eventing cross-country first team rotation results

Jonelle Price, the fist team member out on course for New Zealand, jumped clear across country, and picked up just two time-faults.

“He gave me a lovely ride, to be honest – he’s quite experienced now with the the two years I’ve had him and we’ve developed a really good partnership over that time,” Jonelle said after her round. “He wasn’t the fastest horse when I first got him, but he’s done nothing but improve, and while I thought we weren’t going to be the fastest of the day, I was hoping we could be close or thereabouts and, and we’ve certainly done that. Obviously I would have liked to have been five seconds faster, but we’re happy with it.”

Julia Krajewski, pathfinder for the German team with Amande De B’Neville, put in a great round to finish just one second over the optimum time, adding .4 of a time penalty to their 25.2 dressage. They currently hold individual silver position going into the final showjumping phase.

“My horse was a little bit surprised with the surroundings. She got a bit distracted by the moving camera in the middle of the course, but generally she just showed me what a cool mare she is,” Julia said after her round. “She was jumping, super galloping, even if she was a little bit off the line, she has the biggest heart and she’s the biggest lion and huge fighter. I would like to say it was all fun, but probably three-quarters was real fun, then I had to do a bit of work, but she was really cool.”

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‘The bottom line is that he wants to do his job more than most horses’: Oliver Townend rides fabulous cross-country clear in Tokyo

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Tokyo Olympic eventing team pathfinders have been giving their reaction to being first out for their countries in this new format competition.

Jonelle Price said that “sadly” there hadn’t been much discussion about the New Zealand order, joking about her husband and team-mate Tim and their third team-mate, Olympic debutant Jesse Campbell: “Tim is definitely not at his best early in the morning and Jesse would have been crapping himself going number one, so it was really me by default.”

She added that having no drop score, a change to other eventing championships and previous modern Olympics, is “a different kettle of fish”.

“If I was coming out here on my own, I’d be riding very differently to what I’m going to have to do riding for the team – playing a bit of a safer game because if one person has a mistake somewhere, you can’t afford that person to be on your team. So it slightly changes the way we look at things,” she said.

Alex Hua Tian is by far the most experienced rider of the Chinese team and many would have expected him to be the anchorman. But he said it worked for him and the team for him to go first with Don Geniro.

He explained: “The forecast for Sunday is hit and miss – it was going to be very hot, now it might be raining. ‘Don’ isn’t the most blood animal in the world. He was always going to find the heat hard, especially with that level of intensity on the course. So for me personally, I really didn’t want to go last. With the possibility that it might still be very hot on Sunday, it suits me to go first and give him as much of a chance as possible.

“Our other two team riders are great horseman, sat on good horses, but I think if I have a good ride, it’ll hopefully give them the confidence to go out there and attack it.”

US team rider Doug Payne, another of the Tokyo Olympic eventing team pathfinders, said he chose to be first out with Vandiver.

“‘Quinn’ is very good on cross country – he’s quick, efficient, good on his feet, but he’s also a little bit unconventional, so in the end, watching a whole lot of people doesn’t necessarily add as much value for me riding him as it would for some of the others, riding a more conventional type of horse.”

Doug went on to explain in what way Vandiver is unconventional: “Any sort of drop or a blind fence or a jump into water, for many horses the first landing step is kind of normal to a little bit big. But he would tend to sort of do a little stuttered choppy step. For example, at the first water here, I would imagine we’re going to see some people get down there [from the log in to the fish in the water] in three strides. That’ll never happen, that’ll be just a normal four for him.

“In many ways, that allows him to be sort of be agile, catlike and get out of trouble pretty quick. He’s super genuine and he’s got a massive heart.”

You might also be interested in:

Olympic eventing dressage times released: find out the British team order and start times

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‘It’s intense, but horse friendly’: Oliver Townend and others’ first reactions to the Tokyo Olympics cross-country course

Walk the Tokyo Olympics cross-country course: photos of every fence

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The New Zealand Olympic eventing team heading to the Tokyo Games consists of:

• Tim Price and Vitali, owned by Joe and Alex Giannamore and his rider
• Jonelle Price and Grovine De Reve, owned by Therese Miller and his rider
• Jesse Campbell and Diachello, owned by Kent Gardner and his rider

The alternate is:

• Bundy Philpott and Tresca NZPH, owned by his rider and her father Brian

New Zealand’s non-travelling reserves for the Olympic eventing are Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding, owned by the Pottinger family, and James Avery and Mr Sneezy, owned by Tiny Clapham, Heidi and Ian Woodhead and his rider.

The Prices showed their strength in depth by each having an extraordinary four horses listed on the nominated entries. Alongside Grovine De Reve, Jonelle was nominated with Grappa Nera, McClaren and Classic Moet, while Tim had Falco, Ringwood Sky Boy and Xavier Faer on the list as well as selected horse Vitali.

Jonelle said of her selected horse, who was third at Kentucky Three-Day Event this spring: “Grovine De Reve has gone from strength to strength in the time we have had him.

“It doesn’t always work out that you have a horse whose age and stage truly aligns with a championship, but I really believe it does for this guy. The postponement probably worked in his favour.”

Tim only started competing Vitali this year, but he impressed with sixth in the competitive CCI4*-S at Luhmühlen Horse Trials this month.

Tim said: “Vitali is just the right sort of horse for this kind of competition – athletic, fast and honest. He has been beautifully produced by Jock Paget and later by James Avery so is a real Kiwi community horse.”

Article continues below…

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The Prices both have previous Olympic experience, while Jesse will make his debut, having finished 11th at Kentucky on Diachello.

“The New Zealand eventing team has an incredible legacy and it is really exciting to be adding my own chapter to it,” he said. “I really hope I can do it proud.

“The real work steps up another level as we get ready to compete at Tokyo.”

The New Zealand Olympic eventing team riders are all based in Britain, while Bundy lives in New Zealand.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out more about getting the magazine delivered to your door every week.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

European travel restrictions have affected British and British-based riders hoping to compete at top-level events on the Continent. H&H finds out who has managed to find ways safely to get to the competitions, and how

PANDEMIC challenges continue for top riders but there is hope as competitors find ways to make the 2021 season work.

Two British riders and a few British-based international riders have found ways to comply with German travel restrictions and compete at Luhmühlen (17-20 June).

Exceptions were announced for elite athletes last week but British Equestrian (BEF) eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood told H&H this only reached him on Saturday (12 June), by which time most Brits who might have taken advantage were already at Bicton.

“If anyone had a problem at Bicton, it could have been an option but it was a step too far, unfortunately,” he said.

Mollie Summerland (pictured) is entered in the CCI5* on 12-year-old gelding Charly Van Ter Heiden, with whom she finished 10th at their five-star debut at Pau 2020.

Germany’s travel restrictions broadly mean most people cannot enter the country if they have been in the UK within the last 10 days.

Mollie based herself with Dutch Olympic rider Tim Lips in the Netherlands, to comply with the rule, and explained why it was important for her, as a young professional rider, to take on the opportunity.

“I only have one horse at this high level and you never know if you’re going to be in this position again, with a horse that is fit, sound and feeling amazing,” she said.

She added Pau was a “fantastic experience”, as a rider and in terms of building her businesses as it led to new horses joining her string.

As her younger horses needed downtime after their three-day runs at Houghton, the possibility and reasons for going to Luhmühlen as a rider gaining valuable experience and with her business head on, made sense.

David Doel was already planning on competing at Renswoude in the Netherlands (2-6 June) with two other horses, not bound for Luhmühlen, before the German travel ban was announced. Those horses returned home after Renswoude while David remained in the Netherlands and was joined by his three CCI5* rides: Dunges Don Perignon, Shannondale Quest and Carneyhaugh Rua.

He told H&H the cancellation of the British CCI5*s means horses at the level had already missed opportunities, which is why he decided to head to Luhmühlen, and his owners have been “so supportive”.

New Zealand’s Tim and Jonelle Price, whose entered horses include 2019 and 2018 winners Ascona M and Faerie Dianimo and Tim’s 2018 Burghley winner Ringwood Sky Boy, have been out of the UK for long enough to comply with Germany’s travel restrictions. British-based Australian multiple Olympic medal winner Andrew Hoy, who has Vassily De Lassos and Bloom Des Hauts Crets in the CCI4*-S has been quarantining in Belgium.

The German travel restrictions were raised at the FEI Sports Forum (1-2 June), as most horses will be quarantining in Aachen ahead of their flights to Tokyo from Liège Airport in Belgium.

FEI director of games operations Tim Hadaway told the forum that these challenges were “being addressed at the very highest level” and a British Equestrian spokesman has since confirmed that horses can quarantine in the UK.

“All of our [horses] across the disciplines will be quarantining in this country and all arrangements have been made with Defra to get their approval in line with the requirements,” she said. “The exception will be European-based horses, who will have the option to do their quarantine in Aachen with the other nations.”

French travel restrictions and vaccination timings mean there will be no British riders at Le Mans CDI4* (17-20 June), but there was better news for the British showjumpers competing at La Baule Nations Cup (11 June).

A spokesman for British Equestrian told H&H that the showjumpers were already on the continent, so there was no issue with entering France.

Tokyo is rapidly approaching and the final deadline for Olympic minimum eligibility requirements (MER) is Monday (21 June).

There has been a reshuffle of Olympic dressage places in recent weeks after several nations gave up their Olympic tickets.

New Zealand has withdrawn its individual dressage spots from both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, while Norway has also withdrawn its individual Olympic spot. This has resulted in a late call-up for Italy and Malaysia.

This will be the first time Malaysia has competed in any equestrian competitions at the Olympics and their top rider, Qabil Ambak, is seeking his final Olympic MER at Le Mans CDI4* in France this week on Delatio.

This is the first Games that Ireland has qualified a team, instead of sending individual riders. The retirement of the nation’s top horse, Vancouver K, ridden by Judy Reynolds, and the withdrawal from selection by Kate Dwyer, who is expecting a baby, has sparked questions as to who will be getting the call.

Alex Baker, who is in need of one further MER, is on the start list for Le Mans aboard Dutchman but it was unclear whether she would be able to compete.

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The German ban on travellers from the UK has thrown a major spanner in the works for Brits and British-based riders. H&H speaks to eventers, organisers and authorities to find out what might happen next

FRESH challenges face elite British-based riders as travel restrictions place question marks on whether competitors will be able to compete at top-level events.

Luhmühlen holds the first European CCI5*-L of 2021 this month (17–20 June) and more than 30 British combinations, plus many leading British-based riders of other nationalities, are entered.

Doubts were cast over whether riders would be able to travel from the UK to the event given the German travel ban, for which there are very limited exceptions. The rules broadly mean that people cannot travel to Germany if they have been in the UK in the previous 10 days.

A spokesman for the event confirmed on Friday (28 May) that there would be “no exceptions” to the travel restrictions for riders.

One potential route for competitors still determined to get to Germany would be investigating travelling earlier and undergoing a minimum 10-day “quarantine” stay in a nation that does not currently have a ban on UK travellers and is not on Germany’s “areas of virus variants of concern” list.

“This is not only binding for equestrian sports but for example also for soccer, golf etc. at the moment. Nobody can say if things will change again closer to the event,” the Luhmühlen spokesman said.

“Therefore everyone needs to decide if they would like to hope and wait, find a way to travel earlier in order to go into quarantine or cancel their trips.”

Riders are now weighing up their options and many are double- or even triple-entered in four-star sections at Bicton (9–13 June) and/or Millstreet (3–6 June).

British Equestrian (BEF) eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood told H&H the news is “massively disappointing”.

“There’s a few [Brits] looking at various options of a 10-day quarantine in another country, but I think when reality hits home, it just might be too complicated,” he said.

“I think we might get the odd one or two there, if that. Obviously there’s Bicton, which is fantastic and Helen [West, manager] is doing everything she can to make sure she gets as many, if not all, of them in.”

While Luhmühlen is not part of the British side’s preparations ahead of Tokyo, he added that the five-star “would have been a good barometer for the Europeans” (23–26 September).

Tim Price told H&H he and wife Jonelle are “endeavouring to find a way” to Luhmühlen but things are changing on an almost daily basis.

Defending champion Tim, who has twice won the CCI5*, is entered in the five-star class with his 2019 winner Ascona M, plus his 2018 Burghley victor Ringwood Sky Boy. Jonelle is on the five-star list with her 2018 winner, Faerie Dianimo.

Imogen Murray, who was entered with her long-term CCI5* campaigner Ivar Gooden, told H&H: “It’s really difficult with ‘Charles’ as we were aiming for Luhmühlen because he is an out-and-out five-star horse. He’s not really a four-star short horse, he’s not really a four-star long horse, he is a five-star machine, so we really needed to find a CCI5* run for him when Badminton and Burghley cancelled.

“With Luhmühlen cancelling there is the potential of Pau, but equally we are also now considering looking at ways that we could fund a trip to Fair Hill [the new US CCI5*] in October as another potential option. It’s a big cost for us as a team, it’s a big cost for the owners and there’s obviously extra risks involved with flying the horse and the team out to America, but it’s starting to feel like one of the only options left when you’ve got a horse who needs his five-star runs.

“Five-star horses only have a certain number of years in their career and we are very aware that he missed one last year and we might miss one again this year, so we are now looking at funding options to help us get to America.”

France also tightened its restrictions on Monday (31 May). Travel to France from the UK is now permitted only for EU nationals, French residents, or those travelling for essential reasons. It also involves a seven-day quarantine period, plus tests.Britain’s second point-scoring leg of the FEI Nations Cup showjumping series is at La Baule CSI5* next week (10–13 June), while Le Mans CDI4* (17–20 June) would likely have been on the radar for some of the nation’s leading dressage combinations.

The BEF is awaiting news from UK Sport, which is assisting as a number of sports are affected.

Ireland has travel restrictions in place, but top competitors are being allowed to travel to Millstreet with quarantine exemption, with negative tests, as part of a “bubble” situation. This means they are stabled and parked in a separate area to avoid any cross-over with Irish-based riders. There was a similar set-up at Ballindenisk in April, while there have also been bubbles at racing fixtures such as the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals.

“We are very thankful that Horse Sport Ireland and Sport Ireland have made it possible for these combinations to come and compete in Millstreet,” a spokesman for the event told H&H. “It will provide a great standard of competition for all and great Olympic preparation.”

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Doubts have been cast over whether British and British-based riders can compete at the five-star at Luhmühlen Horse Trials (17-20 June) because the German government has imposed new entry restrictions on travellers from the UK.

From today (23 May), the UK is designated as a virus variant area of concern “which means that you may only enter Germany from the UK if you are a German citizen, a resident or their spouse/partner/child under 18, or if you can invoke an urgent humanitarian reason such as an immediate family bereavement”, according to the UK government website, which continues: “Travel from the UK is subject to pre-departure digital registration and 14-day quarantine with no exemptions and no possibility for early test and release.”

British eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood told H&H: “It’s a bank holiday in Germany on Monday, so we will have to wait for clarity, but we hope to get confirmation of the situation on Tuesday. We weren’t encouraging riders to go to Luhmühlen as part of Olympic preparation or selection as it’s not the perfect pathway to Tokyo, but the event could have provided a good pathway to the European Championships. And of course it would be a huge blow for anyone hoping to compete if they are not able to travel.”

The entries for Luhmühlen were released on Wednesday last week. Forty-one British combinations are entered in the five-star including reigning world champions Ros Canter and Allstar B, the 2019 Burghley Horse Trials winners Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street and Piggy March with both her 2019 Badminton Horse Trials winner Vanir Kamira and her 2020 Pau Horse Trials runner-up Brookfield Inocent. Kitty King and Vendredi Biats, best of the British at the 2o19 Europeans at Luhmühlen, are also in the line-up.

A number of Irish, Australian and New Zealand riders who are based in Britain could also be affected by the new restrictions. These include Tim Price, who is entered for the five-star with his 2019 Luhmühlen winner Ascona M and 2018 Burghley winner Ringwood Sky Boy and his wife Jonelle Price with the 2018 Luhmühlen winner Faerie Dianimo.

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Some riders have kept their options open by double entering horses at both Luhmühlen and Bicton Arena, the Bramham replacement fixture which will run four-star long and short classes the week before the German five-star. Bicton has accepted all entries made before noon on the ballot date (18 May) and is now wait-listing further entries. There are 104 entries in Bicton’s CCI4*-L, 111 in the CCI4*-S and 40 in the under-25 CCI4*-L.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out more about getting the magazine delivered to your door every week.

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A ferocious line-up headed by past winners and the world’s best eventers have been announced for Luhmühlen CCI5* (17-20 June).

Defending champions Tim Price and Ascona M, who won here in 2019, will be seeking to reclaim their crown, while Jonelle Price brings forward her 2018 winner, Faerie Dianimo. Tim is also entered with his 2019 Burghley winner, Ringwood Sky Boy.

The German CCI5* is the first five-star event in the 2021 European calendar, a title that is usually held by Badminton, which was forced to cancel this year owing to Covid.

Other previous winning riders aiming to add another Luhmühlen CCI5* victory to their CV include Michael Jung, who has two horses entered (Highlighter and FischerWild Wave).

World Champions Ros Canter and Allstar B spearhead the British contingent, which also features 2019 Burghley winners Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street. Pippa, who won individual gold at the European Championships here in 1999 with Supreme Rock, is also entered with Billy Walk On.

Tom McEwen and Figaro Van Het Broekxhof, second here in 2019, will be aiming to go one better this time, as will 2018 runners-up Laura Collett and Mr Bass. Tom also rides CHF Cooliser.

Joining them are Sarah Bullimore and Reve Du Rouet, who were fifth here in 2019 and whose five-star results also include fourth at Burghley in both 2018 and 2019 and runner-up at Pau 2017. Sarah will also ride Conpierre, with whom she finished eighth here in 2019.

World number one Oliver Townend has two entered (Tregilder and MHS King Joules).

Other Brits with multiple rides include Piggy March, who brings her 2019 Badminton winner Vanir Kamira as well as Brookfield Inocent, Gemma Tattersall (Jalapeno III and Santiago Bay), Nicola Wilson (JL Dublin and Bulana) and Izzy Taylor (Monkeying Around and Fonbherna Lancer). David Doel has three rides (Carneyhaugh Rua, Dunges Don Perignon and Shannondale Quest), Simon Grieve is entered with Drumbilla Metro and The Rutman and Ben Hobday is also taking a pair (Harelaw Wizard and Shadow Man).

Imogen Murray and her experienced five-star campaigner Ivar Gooden will be making the trip, as will Kitty King and her 2019 Europeans ride Vendredi Biats.

Other British riders entered are: Harry Meade (Tenareze), Tom Jackson (Billy Cuckoo), Sarah Way (Dassett Cooley Dun), Hector Payne (Dynasty), Georgie Spence (Halltown Harley), Mollie Summerland (Charly Van Ter Helden), Felicity Collins (RSH Contend OR), Selena Miles (Iron), Harry Mutch (HD Bronze), Thomas Rowland (Possible Mission), Emma Hyslop-Webb (Pennlands Douglas), Kirsty Chabert (Classic VI), Emilie Chandler (Gortfadda Diamond), EIlidh-Jane Costello (Wedmur Quality) and H&H’s 2019 Burghley first-timer blogger Julia Norman.

Article continues below…

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There are strong sides entered from across the rest of the world, including Australia’s Chris Burton (Graf Liberty) and Kevin McNab (Willunga and Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend), Jesse Campbell (Amsterdam) and Samantha Lissington (Ricker Ridge Rui) joining the Prices in the New Zealand contingent, plus four combinations each from the US and France, and three from Ireland.

The CCI4*-S also features a world-class entries list, headed by Ingrid Klimke entered with the great SAP Hale-Bob OLD, who won European individual and team gold here in 2019, and Michael Jung aboard the multiple international-winner FischerChipmunk FRH.

View the full Luhmühlen CCI5*-L and CCI4*-S entries list

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Find out how what Kentucky winner Oliver Townend said about Ballaghmor Class, pressure and why the US wait for a winner at their home five-star continues…

By Nancy Jaffer

Although it seemed as if much went against Oliver Townend this week, nothing – not a disappointing dressage test, a lost shoe in a rainstorm on a difficult cross-country trip, or the letdown of having a mount spun in the horse inspection– could stand in the way of topping the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2021 final results, his third consecutive victory in the five-star at the Kentucky Horse Park.

After days of questionable weather, the sun finally shone on his faultless showjumping round with Ballaghmor Class, who had no margin for error but didn’t need one.

“He’s come and done what I thought he would do. It wasn’t the way that I believed he would do it, but we got there in the end,” said Oliver, noting how pleased he was that British selectors and team management were at the competition watching Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s horse, so they could “actually see and witness him being at his toughest” to earn “another feather in his cap” and hopefully a trip to the Olympics.

“He has an extra gear in comparison to most horses, so when you think, ‘Oh, he really can go,’ he used to go when you didn’t want him to go, like it was more his choice than yours. He’s got an extreme amount of power, an extreme amount of talent and now he’s very, very professional about his job.”

The horse appeared at the awards ceremony with a groom on either side of him keeping a firm hold. When he was let off the leads for the victory gallop, you could see he was really enjoying himself as he made three laps of the arena as his rider saluted the sparse crowd, limited to riders, owners, sponsors, volunteers and staff, because the US Equestrian Federation isn’t allowing fans to attend shows due to Covid.

Although he finished in triumph collecting a $50,000 cheque, Oliver’s day didn’t start well, when Cooley Master Class, his two-time Kentucky winner in 2018 and 2019, was spun at the Kentucky Three Day Event 2021 final trot-up after being a bit sore from a cut on one leg. Oliver said he understood it was a horse welfare issue, and turned his laser focus on preparing Ballaghmor Class for the drama of the event’s finale.

Second place in the Kentucky Three-Day Event 2021 final results by a whisker went to New Zealand’s Tim Price, third in 2019, the last time the event was held since the 2020 edition was cancelled due to Covid. He was aboard Xavier Faer, the same horse he rode in his last appearance at the event. Third after cross-country, he finished on his dressage score. His mark of 28.2 left no leeway for Oliver as he rode his game gray gelding into the ring with a total of 27.3 penalties to tackle the route set by 2008 Olympic showjumping course-designer Steve Stephens.

For Oliver, that kind of “big ask” was routine.

“Tim has me under pressure every week in England,” Oliver said with a what probably was a grin, though you couldn’t see it behind his mask, mandatory for all at the Horse Park. “You kind of get used to the feeling.”

Kentucky Three-Day Event 2021 final results: best of the home side

A bit of the suspense ended when the USA’s Boyd Martin, second after cross-country, had a knockdown with five-star debutante On Cue, enabling Tim to rise one place and pushing Boyd to fourth. Boyd was still the top American for the second year in a row on 31.8 penalties, though he dropped from being runner-up in 2019 on Tsetserleg TSF.

Boyd was the only American in the top-seven ribbon winners; the crew that flew over from Europe made almost a clean sweep of the top placings. No American has won the event since 2008, when Phillip Dutton managed to achieve that distinction.

Asked why, as a veteran of the Kentucky test, Oliver thought it hadn’t happened, he said “it isn’t lack of horsepower” but felt it wasn’t his place to elaborate on the reasons for the US shortfall.

Jonelle Price came up from equal sixth with Grovine De Reve to finish right behind her husband, Tim, on 30.7 penalties with 0.4 time faults. She also was seventh with Classic Moet (35.2), who finished on her dressage score. Great Britain’s Harry Meade had an unlucky rail with Superstition to finish fifth (33.6) followed by Kevin McNab of Australia aboard Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam (34.3).

It was amazing to think that the five-star, which was cancelled in February because organisers felt they couldn’t run without spectators, wound up as a rousing success after being put back on the calendar through a grassroots fundraising effort.

Boyd noted that having so many top foreign riders come over to compete “made the Kentucky five-star the greatest five-star in the world for the last two years,” and he got a laugh, since there was only one five-star, France’s Pau, in 2020. But he added with the calibre of horses and riders at the Horse Park “it almost felt like a championships.”

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The Kentucky Three-Day Event 2021 cross-country times have been released ahead of the second phase of the competition tomorrow (Saturday, 24 April).

New Zealand rider Jonelle Price is the pathfinder for the five-star and will start at 8.30am (1.30pm British time) on Grappa Nera, the first of her three rides. Jonelle will also be on course at 10.18pm (3.18pm British time) on 2018 Badminton Horse Trials winner Classic Moet and 12.18pm (5.18pm British time) on Grovine De Reve.

The dressage leader, RF Scandalous ridden by Marilyn Little, will head out on course at 9.58pm (2.58pm British time).

Fellow US rider Tamie Smith on Mai Baum holds second overnight and takes on the track at 11.58am am (4.58pm British time).

Last year’s winners, Oliver Townend and Cooley Master Class, set off at 10.26pm (3.26pm British time) to defend their third position after dressage, while Oliver’s other ride Ballaghmor Class – currently fifth – will leave the start box at 12.26pm (5.26pm British time), according to the Kentucky Three-Day Event 2021 cross-country times list.

Boyd Martin has three horses in the top 12, with Long Island T (equal 11th) at 8.38pm (1.38pm British time), On Cue (seventh) at 10.30am (3.30pm British time) and Tsetserleg TSF (fourth) at 12.30pm (5.30pm British time).

The last horse on course in the five-star starts at 12.38pm (5.38pm British time) and it will be Buck Davidson’s third ride, Carlevo, who sits sixth after the first phase.

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The Kentucky cross-country course 2021 has been set by Derek di Grazia. The track is 6270m long, with an optimum time of 11 minutes, and there are 28 numbered obstacles.

Kentucky is running behind closed doors this year, so there will be far fewer people on course than in normal years with only horses’ close connections at the horse park. But fans around the world will be watching the action online.

Check back for more from Kentucky on horseandhound.co.uk over the weekend.

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A British horse is among the withdrawals from this week’s Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (22-25 April).

Richard Coney and Mermus R Diamonds had been due to make their Kentucky debut but the pair dropped off the starter list this week. The combination completed their first five-star at Pau Horse Trials, France, in October 2020 finishing ninth.

Jonelle Price will be stepping into the role of pathfinder on the first of her three rides, Grappa Nera, following the withdrawal of Clayton Fredericks and FE Ophelia. Clayton said the mare, who would have been making her five-star debut, “didn’t make the trip this time” but he was “excited to arrive” with his two other rides; FE Always In Time and FE Stormtrooper.

Kentucky marks Grappa Nera’s first appearance at five-star level. Jonelle and the 10-year-old mare took second in the CCI4*-L at Strzegom Horse Trials in Poland last August. Jonelle’s other rides are 2018 Badminton winner Classic Moet and Grovine De Reve.

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US rider Chris Talley has withdrawn Unmarked Bills. The pair had competed at Fair Hill International Horse Trials (9-11 April) as their final preparations for Kentucky but Chris said the 12-year-old gelding was not “feeling himself” in the showjumping phase, and following vet checks the decision was made to pull out of Kentucky.

“The truth is, it’s an easy decision because his wellbeing will always come first and foremost,” said Chris.

“The hardest part is to see a horse who has given so much to so many, not feeling like his typical self. We are optimistic that he will be back to his fighting self, looking for those cross-country flags with a fire in his eyes, but no matter what, one thing is clear to us and that is that he owes absolutely nothing to anyone. I am grateful to be surrounded by such special people who make a decision like this so easy.”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now