Latest from Horse & Hound in Ros-canter

The Paris trio – and who else? British squad revealed for eventing World Championships

Pippa Roome — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:00:01 +0000

The British squad for the eventing World Championships in Aachen (12-16 August) has been revealed, following much speculation. Unsurprisingly, the effort is spearheaded by the trio who won team gold at the Olympics two years ago.

Laura Collett (London 52) and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin), the individual gold and bronze medallists at last year’s Agria European Championships, are joined by their Paris team-mate Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo), who missed the Europeans owing to her pregnancy but made a spectacular comeback at Mars Badminton Horse Trials with her third win there.

Their selection will shock nobody and will not be in any way controversial.

Gemma Stevens had emerged as a favourite for a place on the squad this spring with Flash Cooley and they have duly landed a spot.

The West Sussex-based rider and this smart grey have banked lots of super four-star form in the past few years, including experience at Aachen. This will be Gemma’s first senior championship since she was on the gold medal-winning team at the 2018 worlds in Tryon with Arctic Soul. Flash Cooley is the only horse or rider on the squad making a championship debut.

One has to assume the fifth and final spot was a tough decision – and whoever received that magic phone call, several others could feel aggrieved.

Caroline Harris is the one heading to Aachen, her recent win at Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials with D. Day evidently sealing the deal. Their two five-star wins bracket five top-10 four-star short results over the past two seasons – and a single, high-profile error at the European Championships at Blenheim Horse Trials.

Caroline Harris and D. Day at the 2025 European Championships (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

It will be announced once the British squad are in Aachen for the eventing World Championships which four riders are on the team and who rides as an individual but at this stage, it’s probably fair to assume Caroline, the least experienced rider of the squad, will be the individual.

The reserve list gives us an idea of who narrowly missed out on a spot – alphabetically, David Doel (Galileo Nieuwmoed), Yasmin Ingham (Gypsie Du Loir), Tom Jackson (United 36) and Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal).

The obvious omission from the combined squad and reserve lists? Bubby Upton with Its Cooley Time. Selectors obviously decided their run of falls couldn’t be overlooked, despite their win at Defender Bramham Horse Trials. It will be a harsh blow to Bubby, but she will no doubt come back fighting and has plenty of team appearances in her future.

British squad for the eventing World Championships 2026

Ros Canter with 14-year-old gelding Lordships Graffalo
Owners: Michele and Archie Saul
Breeder: Lordships Stud and Pennie Wallace
Breeding: by Birkhof’s Grafenstolz TSF, out of a mare by Rock King
Groom: Sarah Charnley

Laura Collett with 17-year-old gelding London 52
Owners: Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett and rider
Breeder: Ocke Riewerts
Breeding: by Landos, out of a mare by Quinar Z
Groom: Tilly Hughes

Caroline Harris with 12-year-old gelding D. Day
Owners: Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle
Breeder: Fiona Olivier
Breeding: by Billy Mexico, out of a mare by Dilum
Groom: Nellie Smith

Tom McEwen with 15-year-old gelding JL Dublin
Owners: Deirdre Johnston and Jo and James Lambert
Breeder: Volker Goettsche-Goetze
Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Canto 16
Groom: Adam Short

Gemma Stevens with 14-year-old gelding Flash Cooley, 14
Owner: Pru Dawes
Breeder: Jim O’Neill
Breeding: by CSF Mr Croon, out of a mare by OBOS Quality
Groom: Georgie Driver

Reserves in alphabetical order

David Doel with 15-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed
Owners: Mary Fox, Gillian Jonas and rider
Breeders: J. W. and A. P. Jurrius
Breeding: by Carambole, out of a mare by Harcos

Yasmin Ingham with 10-year-old mare Gypsie Du Loir
Owners: Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund
Breeder: Pierre Gouye
Breeding: by Herald 3 out of a mare by Canaletto

Tom Jackson with 10-year-old gelding United 36
Owner: Michael Stenning
Breeder: Heinrich Bohmke
Breeding: by Ucello out of a mare by Espiri

Harry Meade with 16-year-old mare Cavalier Crystal
Owners: Charlotte and Peter Opperman
Breeder: Thomas Horgan
Breeding: by Jack Of Diamonds out of a mare by Cavalier Royale

The entries are announced in collaboration with the British Eventing selectors and World Class Programme principal partner Agria.

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‘I had no control’ and ‘I watched videos of you growing up’ – Ginny Elliot and Ros Canter meet and share Burghley memories

Pippa Roome — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:50:36 +0000

Eventing legend Ginny Elliot shared memories of her Defender Burghley Horse Trials wins when she and Ros Canter met at the venue earlier this month. Ros was there to unveil her new plinth, for her win last year with Lordships Graffalo, on Winners’ Avenue.

Every winning horse and rider at Burghley since its inception in 1961 are commemorated along the famous avenue of lime trees, in a series of plinths that are the brainchild of former event director Bill Henson.

More recently, the event has started inviting the reigning champion to view their plinth and this year the Burghley team invited Lordships Graffalo’s owners, Michele and Archie Saul, to join Ros, along with five-time Burghley winner Ginny.

“When I was growing up, I was in awe of all these names,” said Ros, who was meeting Ginny properly for the first time and added she loved watching videos of the legend when she was growing up.

The sport was quite different when Ginny was in her heyday and she shared memories from the days when Saturday involved roads and tracks and steeplechase and horses had to carry a minimum weight.

“I think I had to carry two stones of lead,” she said.

Fan favourite names such as Night Cap and Master Craftsman were in the air. Ginny said Night Cap crammed a stride into a bounce of bullfinches en route to his 1984 win and discussed forgetting the showjumping course in 1986 on Master Craftsman.

“He was really difficult showjumping; I was concentrating so hard on all the bits I had to do to help the situation and I went completely blank. But a guardian angel tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Turn right, you fool!’” she said.

Ginny later passed the grey to Ian Stark as he was too strong for her.

“I literally had no control,” remembered Ginny. “I had to wrap the reins around my hand but he kept pulling and pulling. But had he not taken off, we’d never have got inside the time and won.

“I’ve had so many hiccups; you never seem to have a hiccup… you’re just a joy to watch.”

Ros said people don’t notice that there’s always a moment of panic during every competition.

“Last year’s Burghley came with extra pressures because I was nearly five months pregnant… there is always a story behind a win and that’s what makes each one very special. It is a constant juggling act but having the children and all those extra dimensions makes me a little bit more resilient,” said Ros, who had her baby, Seneh, with her on the day.

Ginny Elliot, Lordships Graffalo’s owners Michele and Archie Saul, and Ros Canter (with her baby Seneh) on Burghley’s Winners’ Avenue. (Image credit: Alex Salam/Burghley Horse Trials)

Ginny concluded: “Ros is an extraordinary competitor and rider – one of the best I’ve seen for a very long time. The fact she thinks I might have had an influence is very nice for me, but she is extraordinary, and she’ll be there for a long time to come.”

Event director Martyn Johnson added: “Winners’ Avenue is synonymous with Burghley’s history and unique within our sport. It was very special to bring together past and present Burghley champions to reflect on how becoming a Burghley champion changes your life, and to be joined by Lordships Graffalo’s owners Archie and Michele Saul, who, like Ros, are Lincolnshire-based.

“As Ginny said, the heart always beats a little faster when you arrive at Burghley. It’s truly a special place for any equestrian fan and particularly special for those who have won here.”

To book Burghley Horse Trials tickets, visit burghley-horse.co.uk/tickets
Read more about Ros’s competition mindset and how she overcame a confidence crisis in our upcoming exclusive interview in 16 July issue of Horse & Hound magazine. To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Ros Canter and other Brits among Luhmühlen withdrawals, leaving five-star field depleted

Becky Murray — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:19:56 +0000

Defending champions Ros Canter and Izilot DHI are among the withdrawals from Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials (17-21 June), leaving a depleted CCI5* field.

Ros and Alex Moody’s horse had been the favourite to win again, but it was not to be – and Ros’s other ride MHS Seventeen, owned by Lady Milnes Coates and Deidre Johnston, has also been pulled out.

Entries for the CCI5* were already on the lean side; there were only 31 combinations on the original list, but as of today (16 June) only 22 remain.

The other British withdrawals are Laura Collett and Hester, Andrew Downes with Cooley Foxtrot, Elspeth Bryce on Lacoste and Alexander Tordoff with Cool Jack. Harry Meade has withdrawn Jet Fighter; the pair were at Defender Bramham Horse Trials last week, but withdrew before the cross-country.

US combinations Grace Taylor with Game Changer and Lucienne Bellissimo with Kitsch Couture HPK have also withdrawn, as has Australia’s Bill Levett and Sligo Candy Cane. Bill still has RNH Tom Tom R entered.

There are still six Brits in the five-star, including Pau five-star 2024 winners Caroline Harris and D Day, Stephen Heal with Hagonda and Sam Ecroyd riding five-star debutant Mister Big Ears. Ireland has two entries; Sian Coleman with Carrowgar Je Taime Max and Dominic Furnell on Ivanhoe. The home side has two combinations in the CCI5*; Heike Jahncke with Mighty Spring FRH and Katharina Meyer with Aspen T.

The CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy, which incorporates the German national championship, has reduced from 63 entries to 50. The only Brits in this class, John Tilley with Licence to Cooley and Gordon Murphy riding Highmoon, have both withdrawn.

Germany’s Calvin Bockmann and Altair De La Cense, who finished fifth in the CCI4*-S last year, are out – as is Sweden’s Amanda Staam with her 2025 Europeans ride Corpoubet AT, and Desiree Schmidt on Fairy Tale B, who have made Nations Cup team appearances for Switzerland.

Emily King and Valmy Biats originally showed as entered in the CCI4*-S, but now appear in the CCI5* entries – and New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Delarado, who appeared on the five-star list, now show in the CCI4*-S. Samantha was double-entered at Bramham and Luhmühlen with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, but opted to run at Bramham, where they finished runners-up in the CCI4*-S.

The Luhmühlen Horse Trials trot-up gets under way tomorrow afternoon (17 June). The first day of dressage is on Thursday, beginning with the CCI4*-S at 8am UK time (9am local) followed by the five-star dressage at 1pm UK time (2pm local). Find more information about how to watch Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Luhmühlen Horse Trials entries for the CCI4*-S

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Badminton Horse Trials 2026 results: Ros Canter tops the leaderboard and sets a new record

Pippa Roome — Sun, 10 May 2026 17:01:30 +0000

The final Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2026 results are in! Ros Canter was odds on to win today and the script played out, with the British rider piloting Lordships Graffalo to a clear round, so they became the first combination to win the title three times.

Behind her, it was a more topsy turvy situation, with none of the rest of the top 10 holding the same leaderboard position after showjumping as they occupied before the phase.

Badminton Horse Trials 2026 results: how the final day played out

The day started as it went on – with some changes to the leaderboard. Two horses were withdrawn before the final horse inspection.

Which horses were withdrawn?

Badminton final scores

Three more horses left the competition at the final trot-up, with two not passed when they were re-presented to the ground jury and one withdrawn from the holding box.

Who was held and what happened to them?

This morning, we also caught up with some of those who didn’t finish the cross-country yesterday for an update on their horses’ welfare.

Hear what Gemma Stevens, Tom Strawson and more said

Moving into the afternoon, Tim Price jumped first of the eventual podium finishers, his faultless round on Falco putting pressure on the rest of the top pairs.

Tim finally talks publicly about how he broke his collarbone three weeks ago

Harry Meade had a single fence down to drop one spot with Annaghmore Valoner, a mare he adores.

Was Harry pleased with the round?

Ros Canter was the final rider in to jump and she and Lordships Graffalo put in one of their best rounds – there was little sign of the pressure of the situation in the way they performed to secure the title.

Why Ros won’t be celebrating tonight

And so the curtain falls on the 2026 Badminton Horse Trials, with the results set down in the history books and the legend of Ros and “Walter” continuing to spiral – what a pair.

How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials

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

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To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 28-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 14 May.

New mother Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo make history with third Badminton win: ‘I’m in awe of how he jumped’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 10 May 2026 15:24:12 +0000

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo put in a super showjumping round to win Mars Badminton Horse Trials this afternoon (10 May), making history as the first combination to win the event three times.

By the time they entered the arena, the pair had two showjumps and some time-faults in hand, but their round was incredibly assured and “Walter” never looked like touching a rail. Ros piloted Michele and Archie Saul’s 14-year-old gelding round to finish with two time-faults to win by 8.2 penalties.

“I’m kind of stunned – I try not to let myself get involved in all the things people have been saying about him being the first one to do it three times, so I think that will sink in a bit later,” said Ros Canter, who added that Nick Turner and Chris Bartle warmed her up and filled her with confidence before her Badminton showjumping round.

“But gosh, I’m just absolutely in awe of how he jumped today. I thought it was probably one of the best rounds he’s ever jumped, and probably one of the best rounds I’ve ridden as well, so I’m delighted that we were able to pull it off at the right time.”

Badminton final scores

Ros added: “I can’t put into words what it means to ride a horse like that. He loves it, he lives for it, he’ll be so content tonight. He looks and feels a million dollars.”

Ros Canter had her second daughter Seneh less than four months ago and did her final Badminton interviews after showjumping with Seneh in her arms.

“I feel lucky to be able to juggle both jobs – family and sport. I’m privileged to be able to do both at the same time,” said Ros.

Asked about celebration plans, she added: “Seneh is normally a very good sleeper, but last night she was up between 1am and 4am and so I’m pretty exhausted actually. So Chris [McAleese, Ros’s husband] will drive us home, so hopefully I’ll sleep on the way home and so will she. We’ll celebrate at some point, but it definitely won’t be tonight.”

Tim Price finishes second to Ros Canter

Behind Ros, it wasn’t quite so easy. Harry Meade was second overnight on Annaghmore Valoner, owned by Dinah and Stephen Posford and their daughter Juliet Carter, but they toppled the red and white upright over a water tray at fence six and had 0.8 of a time-fault, which ultimately dropped them from second to third.

This was Harry’s second time finishing third at Badminton, as he also collected this placing in 2014 with Wild Lone.

Tim Price moved up from fifth after cross-country to take second with a clear inside the time on Falco – the same spot the horse’s owner Sue Benson took herself in 1979.

The 17-year-old Falco has been first at Pau Horse Trials and second at Maryland 5 Star; his result here, despite Tim riding with a broken collarbone, truly franks his five-star form.

A single second over the time and a faultless round of showjumping secured fourth for Tom Jackson and the 10-year-old United 36, owned by Michael Stenning, who has come of age this week and looks like a serious horse for the future. They rose from eighth at the start of the phase.

Reigning British open champions Katie Magee and Angela Hislop’s Treworra just took out the first part of the orange butterfly double at fence 12 to move down one rank from fourth to fifth, their second good result here after 11th last year.

New Zealand’s Tayla Mason made a remarkable rise from 13th to sixth by just adding 1.6 time-faults on Centennial, while 12a also caught our France’s Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza, but they still rose from 12th to seventh.

It was an expensive day for Sarah Bullimore, who had the red postbox upright at four and the Mars Equestrian oxer at 10 down on the 10-year-old home-bred Corimiro. Their eight jumping faults and 1.6 time-penalties dropped them seven ranks from third to 10th.

Twelve jumping faults and seconds over the target cost both Ireland’s Lucy Latta (RCA Patron Saint) – riding with a dose of food poisoning – and Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (Hooney D’Arville). Lucy dropped from fifth to 17th and Lara from seventh to 19th.

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‘Badminton is one week of the year, children are forever’: overnight leader Ros Canter on combining motherhood and elite sport

Pippa Roome — Sat, 09 May 2026 17:59:58 +0000

Ros Canter has spoken about combining motherhood and being a top athlete as she rides at Mars Badminton Horse Trials this week, trying to make history with Lordships Graffalo by becoming the first combination to win the event three times.

“I’m very, very happy I’m a mum again – I think that’s overriding everything in that I wouldn’t change my situation for anybody else’s at this moment in time,” said Ros as she led the dressage yesterday evening (8 May).

Ros gave birth to her second daughter, Seneh – named after a house at the Black Country Museum, which she and husband Chris McAleese took their first child Ziggy to visit last year – in late January.

Ros said that she’s very short of time this week because “any spare moment I get I’m feeding her and things like that which is actually great, I’m really enjoying it”. So while she talks to people about the course and so on, those conversations are aimed at gaining information to help her performance and she tries not to get too worried about what others are doing.

Badminton final scores

“I’ve had two sports psychology sessions in the last few days, not really to learn anything new, but just to remind myself of the things I need to be a top performer at this level, in this environment,” Ros said.

“With my time being stretched, I’ve got to really utilise the bits of time I have by myself to use visualisation and all those sorts of things to make sure I’m in the right head space to compete.”

Ros Canter admitted she had “a little wobble” on arrival at Badminton Horse Trials on Tuesday.

She said: “We were later arriving than we wanted to be, we realised we had no water in the lorry, everything got really late and I suddenly felt a bit sorry for myself and I thought, this isn’t fair, everyone else is the enjoying the fact they arrived three hours ago, it’s getting dark, we’ve got four dogs in the lorry. We were just all over the place.

“Then I gave myself a bit of a talking to and when I got into bed I thought, but you don’t want to be anywhere else, you wanted to have this baby and you’ve got her, so as far as I’m concerned I’m very lucky.”

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo go clear across country at Badminton 2026. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros said Seneh is “a great distraction, sometimes she takes up too much of my time, but I wouldn’t change it for the world”.

“I’m thoroughly enjoying having her in our lives. Badminton is one week of the year and hopefully we have children to be part of our lives forever,” she said.

Ros said that she knows she hasn’t had the same preparation as other riders for this week, but she believes physically she is in good enough shape, although not the same shape as she has been previously.

“So my expectations are more realistic,” she said, going on to address the huge expectations around her and Lordships Graffalo, who have a superb record including two Badminton and two Burghley Horse Trials wins, a European title and an Olympic team gold medal.

“I’m also aware as a horse and rider, with two brains and everything else, that we’re not going to win every competition and at some point one of us is going to make a mistake.

“I’m not saying it would be a relief because it wouldn’t, but he is just a horse and I am just a rider so if I make a mistake or he makes a mistake, I will try to tell myself not to be too disappointed because that is life and it will happen one day. But I’ll be doing my best to prepare to stop that from happening tomorrow.”

Ros Canter on family at Badminton Horse Trials: “I gave Chris a good lecture”

At the public chat zone on Friday evening, third-placed Lara de Liedekerke-Meier talked about the fact she discusses the cross-country course with her husband, course-designer and former top-level rider Kai-Steffen Meier.

“I’d love to say that I have a husband to discuss my round with, but I know my discussion with my husband tomorrow would be how early he’s allowed to go to the beer tent and to remind him he has two children to look after while I concentrate on my job,” joked Ros.

The rider followed up on the conversation in the chat zone this evening, after going clear inside the time across country to keep her lead.

“I gave Chris a good lecture last night about my expectations of him today and he actually behaved really well,” said Ros.

“I also gave myself a bit of a talking to – thinking about the fact that if it wasn’t quite the normal that I didn’t have a bit of time to focus, that maybe I was at a stage in my career where I shouldn’t get too worried about that, and I should pull on previous occasions where it’s gone right.

“So that was fine and I did have a bit less time today. But I wrote a plan last night so everyone in my team knew at what point they weren’t to come back to the lorry, because I wanted a little bit of time by myself this morning, just to get myself in the groove. And fortunately they listened.”

Tomorrow, Ros Canter will be the final rider to showjump as she bids to defend her title successfully and set a new Badminton Horse Trials record with the incomparable Lordships Graffalo.

Whether she wins or not, she’s certainly an inspiration for mothers and mothers-to-be everywhere.

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Badminton Horse Trials 2026 results so far: Ros Canter retains top spot on leaderboard after action-packed cross-country

Becky Murray — Sat, 09 May 2026 17:01:49 +0000

The phenomenal Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are a step closer to another five-star title as they remain at the top of the leaderboard following an action-packed day of cross-country. If you want a quick run down of the key stories, here is a speedy review of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2026 cross-country results.

The reigning champions maintained their leading position, while some others who tackled Eric Winter’s five-star cross-country track came unstuck, prompting a reshuffle of the lower podium places ahead of Sunday’s second horse inspection and all-important final showjumping phase.

Badminton Horse Trials 2026 cross-country results: how the day unfolded

North Yorkshire rider Holly Richardson posted the first clear inside the time with Ballyneety Silver Service – while Caroline Powell walked away from a fall on the first of her two rides.

Find out how the opening stages of cross-country day played out

Before we move on to the rest of the news, here are the top five scores.

Badminton final scores

Sarah Bullimore’s home-bred Corimiro posted a round wise beyond his years as one of the youngest horses in the field.

Read how this rising star shone to sit in third overnight

A problem for Tiana Coudray resulted in her tumbling from her second place overnight, a Brit gained a long-awaited Badminton cross-country finish, and a US rider had a water mishap.

Read about some of the ups and downs of cross-country day

Will Rawlin’s assured performance has him on track for his best five-star finish to date – while Wills Oakden’s Keep It Cooley took away some valuable learnings.

Read how the cross-country played out for Will and Wills

The crowd was with Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo all the way as they stormed home clear 13 seconds inside the time, after being held before the start.

Read what Ros had to say about the mental challenge of today

There was mixed fortunes for top names including Emily King, Laura Collett and Sam Watson.

Find out why Emily is annoyed with herself and who climbed an impressive 33 places

Tim Price and Falco enjoyed a good round – despite Tim riding with a broken collarbone.

Read what Tim had to say about his round

The Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase came to a close with a surprise fall for world number one Harry Meade and the retirement of a former winner.

Find out how cross-country day concluded

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New mother Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo hold their lead with foot-perfect Badminton cross-country round: ‘I believe I can do it because of him’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 09 May 2026 14:03:48 +0000

Ros Canter has held her dressage lead at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials with a clear inside the time over the cross-country course today (Saturday, 9 May) on her defending champion Lordships Graffalo (Walter).

“I just feel incredibly grateful to him, to have a horse that allows me to come out at a level like this not maybe feeling at my best, but believing I can do it because of him,” said Ros, who had her second daughter, Seneh, in late January.

Ros said the challenge for her in riding Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo was more mental than physical.

“Physically I’m not up to where I was, but I was confident with him, because he makes my life quite easy, it wasn’t going to be a massive physical battle,” she said. “It’s more mental and about time – the time isn’t there, I’m feeding a baby – so the question was could I do it without having those moments to myself that I usually get?”

Badminton final scores

Ros added: “I feel very proud, not really just of myself but of the team I have around me. They’re the ones who have enabled me to do it. I didn’t sit on Walter until well into February and they put the fitness work into him when I wasn’t there – there’s a period just before and after having a baby when you just aren’t there.

“And my amazing mum, who’s been through a lot this year. She gets up earlier and earlier and works so hard to make my dreams come true.”

Dressage leader Ros Canter was held at the start of the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country because the rider before her, France’s Luc Chateau, fell when Viens Du Mont hit the second brush bucket coming out of the Equidry Huntsman’s Close (fence 6ab). The horse galloped away and Luc walked home after receiving medical attention.

Once Ros and Lordships Graffalo got going, their partnership looked as superb as ever, with Ros riding with her customary longer reins and Walter putting his mealy nose forward to seek each fence.

They were copybook through the early combinations at the Equidry Huntsman’s Close (fence 6ab) and the Mars Lake (fences 9ab and 10ab), as well as through the Spillers Sustainability Bay (fence 20abcd), where Ros’s pupil Cassie Sanger fell earlier today.

Lordships Graffalo drifted slightly over the ditch at Mike Weaver’s Farm Yard (fence 22ab) and got a little close to the rail out, touching it, but the frangible device did not break.

They made the time easily, finishing 13 seconds inside the target without looking under any pressure, and will start tomorrow’s showjumping with a rail in hand.

Ros said of her brilliant partner: “He’s amazing – he pricks his ears and says, ‘I’ve got it’ but never tows me through it, never tows me onto a difficult spot. He’s always light in the gallop and enables me to get into a position where I believe I can be one of the fastest riders in the world.”

In the section immediately before Ros, Emma Thomas finished with 20 penalties at the Mars Lake (fence 9ab) with Icarus, plus six time-penalties, and fellow Brit Fiona Kashel jumped round clear on Creevagh Silver De Haar with 12 time-faults.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Badminton final scores

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Badminton final scores

Badminton dressage after a baby for Ros Canter

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

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

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

Ros has Seneh with her at Badminton.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wills Oakden’s Badminton dressage performance

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

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

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

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British eventing stars aim to complete historic hat-trick as Badminton entries revealed

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:00:45 +0000

The 2026 Mars Badminton Horse Trials entries are out – and champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are set to return to defend their title.

Ros, who won Badminton Horse Trials with “Walter” in 2023 and 2025, and gave birth to her second child this year, tops the stellar list of entries for this year’s event (6-10 May), all competing for a top prize of £125,000.

“Ros Canter, who is number five in the world, and the great Lordships Graffalo have already galloped into the record books as the only combination to win two Badmintons and two Burghleys,” a Badminton spokesperson said. “A third victory here together would seal their place in the sporting canon of all time.”

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent and Austin O’ Connor with Colorado Blue, who came second and third last year respectively, are on the list. Harry Meade, the world number one, has five horses to choose from as he eyes a first five-star victory and is likely to start on three of the five.

European champion Laura Collett is entered with the up-and-coming Bling, Emily King with Valmy Biats, with whom she has been placed for the past two years, and Gemma Stevens with Chilli Morning sons Chilli Knight and Chilli King.

Badminton final scores

David Doel has three horses entered. He is expected to start on Midnight Rollercoaster and Ferro Point, and fly Galileo Nieuwmoed to Kentucky instead. Bubby Upton brings forward her veteran campaigner Cola.

Former winners in 2026 Badminton Horse Trials entries

Boyd Martin and Tim Price will represent the US and New Zealand respectively, with Miks Master C and five-star winner Falco. Tim’s countrywoman Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier, the 2024 champions, are also in the mix as well as 2018 Badminton winner Jonelle Price, with Chilli’s Midnight Star.

“It’s always a thrill that so many of the world’s top riders want to return to Badminton as well as the first timers aiming to ‘tick the box’ and be part of history,” said Badminton director Jane Tuckwell. “It’s going to be another exciting competition and will provide, we hope, some pointers to medallists at the World Championships in Aachen this year.”

Austin O’Connor has also entered with Sixmilewater, who made his debut at CCI5* last year.

“Badminton is the pinnacle of the sport and I am excited to be heading there again,” he said.

Badminton first-timers include Sam Ecroyd, who said the ambition to ride at the British spring five-star has “driven my whole career”.

“It’s been a long-time ambition for as long as I can remember and to be there this year with Boleybawn LeCrae feels surreal,” he said. “I am very much looking forward to the challenge.”

How to watch and listen to Badminton Horse Trials

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

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Ros Canter to return to competition after second baby –where will she compete in the run-up to Badminton?

Pippa Roome — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:30:47 +0000

Ros Canter is planning to return to competition this week after having her second baby in January.

The reigning Mars Badminton Horse Trials and Defender Burghley Horse Trials champion shared the news of the safe delivery of her daughter on 2 February. On 4 March, she published a video on social media of her jumping top horse Lordships Graffalo over an oxer in the school at home with the words, “We are back! Let the road to Badminton commence…”

Ros and Lordships Graffalo are entered for the open intermediate at Lincolnshire this Friday (20 March). Ros will also ride Broadstone Lion Man and Armscote Explorer in the open novice at Lincolnshire on Sunday.

This return marks a first competition for Ros Canter since she won Burghley last September while pregnant with her baby daughter.

The organisers of the Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby over the Easter weekend (3-5 April) have also shared that Ros and Lordships Graffalo – who belongs to Michele and Archie Saul and is known as Walter at home – are scheduled to compete there.

As many riders do, Ros is following a similar spring schedule to the one she has used in previous years. Since 2022, when Walter stepped up to five-star level, she has always run him once or twice at open intermediate and advanced intermediate level before stepping up to CCI4*-S at Thoresby for her major spring prep outing.

Judging by her previous form, Ros will not be out to win at Lincoln but to have a steady run across country for her season opener, with a slightly faster run perhaps on the cards for Thoresby. She has generally still held something back at Thoresby, though, and has not finished higher than fourth in the CCI4*-S there with Walter.

It’s obviously a system that works for Ros Canter as Lordships Graffalo has finished first twice and second once on his three Badminton starts – a brilliant record. At 14, he is very much in his prime and, assuming the build-up goes smoothly, will start as favourite at Badminton again this year.

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Top British team rider announces birth of her second child: ‘Very proud and extremely lucky’

Pippa Roome — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:14:42 +0000

Six-time five-star winner Ros Canter and her husband Chris McAleese have welcomed their new baby.

Ros announced she was pregnant in August last year, withdrawing from selection for the European Championships at Blenheim Horse Trials but going on to ride at – and win – Burghley Horse Trials in early September with her top horse Lordships Graffalo.

The child is a girl, a little sister for the couple’s first daughter Ziggy. Ros shared a picture on social media of Lordships Graffalo (Walter) with his head over his door and his tongue out, as she held the baby in her arms in front of the stable.

“The newest member of the team is here! Walter welcoming her with his usual charm and sense of humour! Chris, Ziggy and I are very proud and feeling extremely lucky,” said Ros’s update.

Ros and Chris have not yet revealed their new daughter’s name.

Burghley posted on social media to congratulate Ros, describing the new arrival as “the first Burghley-winning baby – already a record-breaker!”

Paris Olympic team gold medallist Ros Canter had her first baby, Ziggy, in July 2019 and returned to eventing a month later.

She said after her Burghley victory last year that she would be aiming to ride at Badminton Horse Trials this year (6-10 May) – if she competes at Badminton, she will be defending the title she won for the second time last year with Lordships Graffalo.

“You never know with childbirth, it can throw all sorts of spanners in the works, but the plan is to be at Badminton next year,” she said at Burghley.

Ros did not compete again last season after Burghley but said her intention was to continue to train at home and that she was looking forward to having more time to help her team and watch them at competitions.

“They give me so much time – it’ll be lovely to be able to teach them, to go and watch them in competitions. They get abandoned when they go to places because I’m so busy so I’m looking forward to that too,” she said.

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Happy 40th birthday, Ros Canter! We celebrate with a look back at the British eventing star’s career highlights…

Pippa Roome — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:15:38 +0000

Many happy returns, Ros! We’re marking the 40th birthday of British eventing star Ros Canter with a look back at her career highlights.

Ros hit the big time relatively late – she didn’t ride at five-star until she was nearly 30 – but over the past decade, her career has gone stellar, with six five-star wins and seven senior championship medals, including two individual golds.

Ros’s first eye-catching result at the top level came at Badminton Horse Trials in 2017 when she finished fifth and best of the Brits on Allstar B.

Rosalind Canter (GBR) riding Allstar B, during the cross country phase of the Badminton Horse Trials at Badminton House in the Village of Badminton in South Gloucestershire in the UK on the 6th May 2017 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Off the back of her Badminton performance, Ros was selected for her first senior championship, the Europeans in Strzegom, Poland, that autumn, where she finished fifth individually and helped the Brits to team gold.

Rosalind CANTER (GBR) riding ALLSTAR B during the cross country phase of the FEI European Championships at Strzegom in Poland between 15 - 20th August 2017 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The following spring, the pair returned to Badminton and landed their first podium place at five-star, third. Ros followed up with third at Luhmühlen Horse Trials that summer on Zenshera, proving she was no one-horse wonder.

Rosalind Canter (GBR) riding Allstar B during the cross country phase of The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in South Gloucestershire, UK on 4th May 2018 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

At that year’s championship, the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA, Ros took things to another level when she piloted Allstar B to the individual gold, as well as leading the British team to victory.

Rosalind CANTER (GBR) riding ALLSTAR B during the cross country phase of the FEI World Eventing Championship at the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 at Tryon International Equestrian Centre, near Tryon North Carolina in the USA between 11th-23rd September 2018 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

After the World Championships, Ros and her partner (now husband) Chris McAleese decided to start a family and their daughter Ziggy was born in July 2019. She returned to eventing a month later and began a campaign towards the Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled for 2020. Of course, Covid-19 resulted in a delay and the Toyko Games actually happened in 2021.

With hot competition for the British team, Ros and Allstar B ended up as the alternate combination, supporting the Brits out in Japan and ready to step in if needed, but ultimately, having to watch from the sidelines as the trio collected their gold medals. The experience fuelled Ros’s ambition to make the team next time around.

Ros Canter ( GBR) riding Allstar B during the 1st horse inspection for the Olympic Eventing Competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held at Equestrian Park in Setagaya-ku in Tokyo in Japan between the 23rd July and 8th August 2021 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

At the European Championships in Avenches, Switzerland, later that year, Ros and Allstar B claimed another team gold, although after a strong start in the dressage, their cross-country round didn’t quite go to plan so they missed out on individual honours.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

In 2022, Ros introduced a new superstar to five-star – Lordships Graffalo made a hugely impressive debut at the top level with second at Badminton.

Rosalind Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 7 May 2022 (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

The pair were members of the British team at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, that autumn, finishing fourth – on the same score as individual bronze medallists Tim Price and Falco, but placed behind because they were further from the optimum time across country, having had a quicker round.

Ros CANTER (GBR) riding Lordships Graffalo during the cross country phase of the FEI World Team & Individual Eventing Championship at Pratoni Del Vivaro near Rocca Di Papa in Italy between 14-18th September 2022 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The following year, 2023, was a huge one for Ros. She kicked things off by claiming her first five-star title, at Badminton, with Lordships Graffalo.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Selection for the European Championships in Haras du Pin, France, followed and Ros and Lordships Graffalo lived up to all expectations when they claimed the individual gold and spearheaded Britain’s team gold.

Rosalind CANTER riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR during the cross country phase at FEI Eventing European Championship in Haras du Pin in Normandy in France between the 9th-13th August 2023 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros topped off the year with a second five-star victory, at Pau Horse Trials on Izilot DHI.

GBR-Rosalind Canter rides Izilot DHI during the Cross Country. 2023 FRA-Les 5 Etoiles de Pau CCI5*. Pau, France. Saturday 28 October 2023. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography (Image credit: Libby Law Photography)

Ros got her Olympic call-up for Paris 2024, but the event itself was a mixed bag – she helped the British team to a second consecutive Olympic gold, but a controversial flag penalty on the cross-country denied her a top-six individual finish.

Rosalind CANTER riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR during the Show Jumping of the Eventing, for the Olympic Eventing Team & Individual Competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games held on the Etoile Royal Esplanade in the grounds of the Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles) in Versailles just outside Paris in France between the 25th July and 6th August 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Feeling Lordships Graffalo had another big run in him that year, Ros took him to Burghley Horse Trials for his first run there and the pair finished top of the leaderboard for Ros’s third five-star win.

Ros Canter riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR during the cross country phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

And at Pau that autumn, Izilot DHI continued his trend of being a Continental five-star specialist with second place.

Rosalind CANTER riding IZILOT DHI during the cross country phase, at the Les Étoiles de Pau CCI 5* Horse Trials held at Domaine de Sers just outside Pau in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region of France between 24-27th October 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

In 2025, Ros took Lordships Graffalo back to Badminton and the pair scored their second win there.

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros followed up with her first victory at Luhmühlen, on Izilot DHI.

Rosalind Canter (Great Britain) riding Izilot DHI in the showjumping phase of the CCI5*- L during the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials in Luhmühlen Germany between the 12 - 15th June 2025 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros announced she was pregnant with her second baby towards the end of the summer of 2025 and that she was withdrawing from selection for the European Championships at Blenheim.

However, she felt fit and well to ride at Burghley – where she did not have the pressure of letting down a team if she had needed to withdraw – and put up an outstanding display to defend her title successfully on Lordships Graffalo, who became the first horse to win both British five-stars twice. This was a sixth five-star win for Ros Canter and definitely one of her career highlights.

Rosalind Canter riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO during the cross country phase of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 3rd - 7th September 2025 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

We look forward to seeing what comes next for Ros Canter and wish her all the best for the delivery of her second child in the meantime. Have a great birthday, Ros!

All pictures by Peter Nixon, except where otherwise stated.

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

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

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

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

Burghley Horse Trials special prizes

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

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

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

They received a number of awards for their efforts:

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

They once again collected:

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

(Image credit: PETER NIXON)

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

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

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

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

There were also prizes for unsung heroes behind the scenes…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lady Victoria award: awarded to George Burnham, groundskeeper

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

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

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

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Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo win Burghley: ‘The overriding emotion is relief – every time I ride Walter the pressure builds’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 15:10:59 +0000

Ros Canter topped the Defender Burghley Horse Trials results 2025 today, winning on Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo with a comfortable nine-penalty margin.

“Walter” becomes the first horse ever to win two titles at both Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley. He won Badminton in 2023 and this year and took the Burghley honours last season too.

Ros had two fences in hand by the time she went into the arena but never looked like needing them – she and Walter put in a totally assured performance. They finished just over the optimum time to add 1.2 time-faults to their dressage score.

“The overriding emotion is relief that I managed to pull it off – every time I ride Walter the pressure builds and I know one day I won’t be perfect and he probably won’t have my back at some point as he won’t be able to,” she said. “But I’m so grateful for the opportunities for myself, my team and my owners that we get to have with him. He’s the horse of a lifetime and hopefully an inspiration to many.”

Ros said that it had been helpful that she was training US rider Cassie Sanger today so she had something to distract her – often when riding here she has had two horses or a Burghley young event horse entry, but because she is pregnant, she finishes her season now and has been focusing just on Walter over the past few weeks.

“As soon as Cassie went I went into a Portaloo – that smelt lovely – and sat on the toilet for a few minutes with headphones in, drowning everything out and trying to remember who I was riding and how I wanted to ride him,” she said.

Ros added she had gone through phases with her nerves through the day.

“It’s never a prospect you look forward to, something like this,” she said. “I’m always a bit of a self doubter and hope that I can see a stride at the right time and everything else. But I’ve become quite well practised, fortunately, in a situation like this.

“Sometimes it’s easy when you’re nervous not to focus, because it’s an avoidance tactic. I set my alarm a lot to stop, think, and then have an alarm to make sure I switch off again. I have an alarm to make sure I get changed at the right time and things like that. I worry about missing things then I never switch off and that’s a dangerous place to be too.”

Ros said her day had included a lot of walking, lunch with her husband Chris and daughter Ziggy – “I didn’t manage to eat much” – and reading her book and somehow she had “whittled the day away”.

After his triumph in the Burghley Horse Trials 2025 results, Lordships Graffalo’s name is being thrown around in conversations about the greatest event horses of all time.

“I hope he goes down as a legend of our sport, a legend of all time, not only for his performances but for his character as well,” Ros said. “He’s an unbelievable horse to have at home and he thrives on these occasions. I could have dropped the rein, waved at the crowd for 15 minutes and I don’t think many horses would do that.”

“I have had nothing but support”

Ros said that the goodwill since she announced her pregnancy has been “amazing”.

“It’s a big deal announcing a pregnancy when you know you might be coming to an event like this. It was a necessity in my case because I wasn’t going to the Europeans,” she said. “I can’t believe I haven’t had a single person saying ‘What are you doing?’ – I’ve had a few people saying, ‘Are you sure?’ and ‘Be careful’ – but on the whole I have had nothing but support and the sense people just wanted to see Walter again.”

Ros said that she felt “bodily self conscious” at the start of the week before she had “performed and performed well”.

“I know I’m bigger than I was, but the moment I’d done my dressage test and I was up there, and I felt I rode well, I pretty much had no doubt after that that I’d be running cross-country,” she said.

“I’ve actually felt better and better to be quite honest – I think the more I’ve done, the more active I’ve been [the better]. I’ve got myself a bit more sorted, last week I felt pretty full and bloated and uncomfortable. I’ve changed a few things this week. I think the more I think of myself as an athlete, the better I feel.”

Ros confirmed she plans to be back eventing next season after having her second child.

“You never know with childbirth, it can throw all sorts of spanners in the works, but the plan is to be at Badminton next year,” she said.

Ros will continue to train at home now and said she is looking forward to having more time to help her team and watch them at competitions.

Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue finished second in the Burghley Horse Trials 2025 results, with Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal third for the third year in a row. Harry was also fourth on Annaghmore Valoner, in a further echo of last year’s result.

Alice Casburn was fifth on Topspin, their fourth consecutive top-10 finish here, with Tim Price and Vitali sixth. The New Zealand pair dropped down three placings today with fences 5a and eight down.

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

Ros Canter leads after Burghley cross-country with superb performance, tweaking her style to account for her pregnancy

Pippa Roome — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 15:09:30 +0000

Defending champion Ros Canter will lead at the conclusion of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country today (Saturday 6 September), having put in the only round inside the time over Derek di Grazia’s course.

Ros and Lordships Graffalo, owned by Michele and Archie Saul, had an absolutely foot-perfect round – they appeared to cruise over Burghley’s undulations, with Ros barely moving in the saddle as she set up the 13-year-old in perfect balance for combination after combination. The tricky fences which have caught out so many – the Trout Hatchery, Joules at the Maltings, Defender Valley – looked like schooling exercises for this superlative pair.

“Lordships Graffalo is the most incredible horse – there is no other horse where you can spend time preparing for the fences to make sure you get it right and still cruise home inside the time. He gives me every opportunity to ride well,” said Ros Canter, who finished eight seconds inside the time over the Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course.

“I do always move the minute markers up 10 seconds to give me a buffer. I felt I was a bit down on the way round, which is quite good for me as it makes me keep trying harder, and he did feel a bit wearier in his gallop than usual,” she said, adding that the “insane” crowd lifted “Walter” as she came back through Defender Valley over the Defender Lodge (fence 27).

“I nearly had half a smile and thought, ‘Don’t you dare’ as he was getting a bit lower and I had to concentrate.”

‘It was down to me to make a calculated decision’

Ros is pregnant with her second child and said she had to change her style slightly today, riding with longer reins, because she is not as strong in her upper body as usual.

“I felt good this morning,” she said, when asked about the decision to run across country here. “On Thursday, there was lots of chat about my condition and everything else – it sews the seeds of doubt a little bit.

“But once I got my dressage test done, I felt good doing that and I walked the course and got in the right frame of mind. I felt very much in the competition. I did hop on him this morning for my benefit, just to pop a few fences and thought, ‘You are just Ros and it’s Walter and we can go and do what we do.’

“I always wanted to do it, so up to a point it was mind over matter because of course you have many people with many different opinions, who’d like to tell you what they think, which is absolutely fine. I just had to make a choice with the people who were important to me and I had unwavering support from my family and my husband Chris.

“[Lordships Graffalo’s owners] Michele and Archie always wanted me to come, but never put me under any pressure to come. I felt like I was riding well and it was down to me to make a calculated decision.”

Asked if she would sleep well tonight, Ros said: “I hope so – I slept really badly last night, partly because I was feeling nervous, partly because Chris and [our daughter] Ziggy came yesterday and it was three in a bed on the Luton and I was feeling cold because they took all the duvet.”

Ros was second after dressage, but first-phase leaders Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent had a run-out today so have slipped down the leaderboard.

Just before Ros set out, Emily King, sixth after dressage, lost her chance of a good placing when she had a run-out at the angled brush shoulder at the Boodles Raindance (fence 7bc) with Valmy Biats and then retired.

The following rider, Germany’s Christoph Wahler (seventh after dressage), had a risky moment when he scraped over the second two elements at the Defender Dairy Mound (fence 9abc) with D’Accord, and then was jumped off at the Burghley House Turrets at fence 14.

Ros Canter slots into second at Burghley – and says she’s taking her pregnancy day by day, but ‘at the moment, it’s all systems go’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:49:43 +0000

Ros Canter has slotted into second in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage standings, just 0.4 of a penalty behind leaders Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent.

Ros and Lordships Graffalo, owned by Michele and Archie Saul, put in a super test – accurate, smooth and powerful – to score 22.4. They earned the first 10 of the competition, from Christina Klingspor at E for their final centreline and halt.

Ros and Lordships Graffalo are the defending Burghley champions and won Badminton Horse Trials for the second time this spring. They start this year’s Burghley as favourites.

“There’s a fair amount of pressure when it comes to riding Lordships Graffalo – he doesn’t often do a bad test or make mistakes – so it’s all about trying to eke out as many marks as we can,” said Ros Canter of her Burghley Horse Trials dressage test.

“But I was particularly thrilled with the flying changes today – we missed two of those at Badminton. They have always been something that we kind of get, but they wouldn’t necessarily be 100% believable. I’ve worked hard on those since May and today, they just felt really secure.”

Ros is pregnant with her second child.

“I feel good. I felt good in there, maybe a touch out for breath occasionally,” she laughed. “Tomorrow’s another day. We’ll go out for another bike round the course and we take every day as it comes. But at the moment, it’s all systems go.”

The rider withdrew from selection for the European Eventing Championships in two weeks’ time when she announced her pregnancy and she explained the decision to come to Burghley rather than potentially go there.

“Very simply, the Europeans is a team competition. Pregnancy progresses day by day and I wouldn’t know whether I would want to compete in two weeks’ time or not. It wouldn’t have sat well with me if I’d had to pull out last minute or if I had not been able to ride at my best for a team championship.

“Burghley is a completely individual event and it’s entirely down to me if I choose to go or not. It’s up to my family and my owners and we’ve all been working together to make the decision.”

Ros added that Lordships Graffalo has been high maintenance in the stable this week and her groom Sarah Charnley has had her work cut out.

She said: “I’m coaching Cassie Sanger, who is based with me at home, and he’s got quite attached to her horse. So he’s running around the stable a little bit and he escaped yesterday morning. He’s probably given Sarah a few bruises. He’s been fairly high maintenance, like a pop star.

“I get the pleasure of riding him and the moment you put his tack on and I get on him, he’s happy as larry, so it doesn’t translate to that – he’s been kind of bright, but only in a nice way.”

Defending champions favourites as Burghley Horse Trials entries released

Pippa Roome — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:31:05 +0000

Defending champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo head up the initial Defender Burghley Horse Trials entries (4-7 September), although riders still have the opportunity to enter before the closing date tomorrow (Friday, 15 August).

Ros announced on Monday evening she is pregnant and will not be in contention for selection for the Agria European Eventing Championships at Blenheim Horse Trials two weeks after Burghley, but has obviously decided to keep her options open on riding at the autumn five-star for now.

Others in contention for the title include Tim Price and Vitali – who managed his best ever performance in five-star showjumping, which can be his Achilles’ heel, here last year for just one down and second place – and Emily King and Valmy Biats, who have twice been in the top five at Badminton.

World number one Harry Meade again has three horses entered – Annaghmore Valoner, Cavalier Crystal and Et Hop Du Matz – after three top-12 placings here in 2024.

Ros, Tim, Caroline Powell and Piggy March are the four former Burghley winners currently entered. Caroline brings forward High Time V and Piggy returns for her first time since her 2022 triumph, this time with new ride MCS Maverick.

Other pairs to watch include Ireland’s 2023 Maryland 5 Star winners Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue.

From the 14 debutants currently among the Burghley Horse Trials entries, the most prominent are new British open champions Katie Magee and Treworra, who were 11th on their Badminton debut this spring, and Ireland’s 2024 Badminton runners-up Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint, who have not managed to get back to a five-star since owing to a colic episode at Burghley last year and a cut before Badminton this season.

Another first-timer, Christoph Wahler, will be the first German to compete at Burghley since three-time Olympic individual gold medal winner and 2015 Burghley champion Michael Jung tackled it in 2018.

Burghley Horse Trials entries: what does this mean for European Championship selection?

The British squad for the European Championships two weeks after Burghley is expected to be announced imminently and horses selected to go there will not run at Burghley as the events are too close together for a horse to be on top form for the second event. Of those long-listed for the Europeans for Britain, Emily King (Valmy Biats) and Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal and Et Hop Du Matz) are the only ones currently entered at Burghley.

That leaves Laura Collett (London 52), Caroline Harris (Cooley Mosstown and D Day), Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ), Piggy March (Halo), Tom McEwen (JL Dublin and Brookfield Quality), Gemma Stevens (Flash Cooley), Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class and Cooley Rosalent) and Bubby Upton (Cola and Its Cooley Time) not currently entered at Burghley on their long-listed horses.

Of course, not every horse is suitable for Burghley and those pairs may have other autumn targets – or may yet enter Burghley.

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Top British team rider pregnant and will miss Europeans: ‘I’ll be cheering the team on’

Pippa Roome — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:58:59 +0000

Ros Canter is pregnant with her second child and will miss this autumn’s European Eventing Championships. The double Mars Badminton Horse Trials winner and reigning European champion posted on Facebook this evening that she, her husband Chris McAleese and daughter Ziggy “are very excited to say that we are expecting our second baby in early 2026”.

“Whilst I’ll be missing the upcoming European Championship selection, I’ll be cheering the team on every step of the way!” she added.

Ros won the Magic CCI4*-S at the NAF Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials last week with her top horse Lordships Graffalo, with whom she has contested the last three senior championships, winning double European gold in Haras du Pin 2023 and Olympic team gold in Paris in 2024.

She was long-listed for the Agria European Championships at Blenheim Palace in September with three horses – Lordships Graffalo, Luhmühlen Horse Trials winner Izilot DHI and MHS Seventeen.

While Ros Canter will undoubtedly be missed from the British team effort having announced she is pregnant, the home side still has the potential to field a very strong squad at Blenheim.

The other long-listed pairs are Laura Collett (London 52), Caroline Harris (Cooley Mosstown and D. Day), Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ), Emily King (Valmy Biats), Piggy March (Halo), Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal and Et Hop Du Matz), Tom McEwen (JL Dublin and Brookfield Quality), Gemma Stevens (Flash Cooley), Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class and Cooley Rosalent) and Bubby Upton (Cola and Its Cooley Time).

Harry faces a race against time to be fit for Defender Burghley Horse Trials and the Europeans, should he be selected, following a recent bicycle accident.

All nations have to file their nominated entries (up to 18 pairs from which their squad will be chosen) by the end of 18 August and their definite entries (the final squad) by the end of 1 September, although the British squad is likely to be revealed before then. Nations can field up to six pairs – a team of four and two individuals.

The British long-list of 18 nominated entries was announced in June, but it’s very possible that the selectors will now replace Ros’s three entries with another three horses before the entries are actually submitted, to give themselves multiple options in the case of injury or loss of form.

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‘I locked myself in the loo and re-watched videos I’m proud of’: Ros Canter credits new preparation strategy for Luhmühlen victory

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 11:53:54 +0000

Ros Canter added a fifth five-star victory to her CV when topping the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials results, following a dramatic final showjumping phase today (15 June).

Izilot DHI jumped a clear round, inside the time allowed, and when overnight leaders Laura Collett and London 52 lowered the first part of the treble at fence 10a, it catapulted Ros from second into the top spot, finishing on a score of 28.8.

“I’m a bit surprised, really – I’d have been absolutely delighted with second – we’re just so thrilled that ‘Isaac’ has come out again with confidence,” said Ros of the 12-year-old she co-owns with Alex Moody. “He hasn’t been an easy character, but he is a really, really genuine horse. Sometimes I think some people think he’s a bit naughty, but actually, he’s just really genuine, but also genuinely spooky.”

Isaac already has a five-star win to his name in the form of his 2023 Pau victory and, although he has the reputation of being tricky, thanks to Ros’ expertise, he has finished in the top six 13 times from his past 16 international runs.

This win is redemption for this combination, who dropped from first to fourth with two fences down and two time-faults in the final phase here last year.

“I blamed myself for losing the win and worked quite hard on how I presented myself today and the mental side behind it,” explained Ros. “Last year, I felt because the showjumping was early in the morning, I wasn’t quite prepared for the rush of it all. So I changed a few things and I was more relaxed today, and I gave him a much better ride.”

The five-star showjumping was completed shortly after 11am local time this morning, which is much earlier than other five-star events.

“Last year, I didn’t travel in my own lorry – I was with other people – and that gave it a different vibe. I mean, it was absolutely fine, but I just got caught out last year with the showjumping happening so early, and I’m definitely the type of person that needs to put work into the mental side of things. I need to prepare myself for a round.”

Ros was third into the ring today on her other ride MSH Seventeen (Vinnie) and duly jumped the first clear round of the day.

“I knew after Vinnie’s round that Isaac was going to be coming down ready for me to get on, so I went and locked myself in a loo and re-watched a video of me riding that I was proud of, and really got the plan in my head, so I felt more relaxed in the warm-up,” said Ros. “Whereas last year, it just all felt a bit rushed.

“I’ve also changed his bit to a nathe pelham, which has made a huge difference. Because he’s got such a long stride, when I used to try and shorten it, it went slower and I didn’t feel I could compress him very easily. That’s why last year I got the time-faults in the showjumping, which cost me the win. Whereas now I’m able to get that little bit more spring into the canter and he just loves it and he’s very happy in it.”

When asked about what it feels like to add another five-star victory to those already secured at Badminton in 2023 and 2025, Burghley in 2024 and Pau in 2023, Ros said that she “can’t believe it”.

“I didn’t think when I was growing up that I was ever going to do anything like this. It’s hard to believe that I keep doing it, but I’m just lucky that I’ve got horses like him [Isaac], aren’t I?”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials results: triumph and heartbreak

Of the 47 starters in this year’s five-star at Luhmühlen, not one combination finished on their dressage score. The USA’s Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious were the closest to achieving this feat – they just added .4 of a time-fault in the showjumping and ultimately finished fourth on 35. New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington also added just .4 of a penalty – this time across country – to finish second on 29.3.

Of the 25 showjumping starters, six jumped clear inside the time allowed of 82 seconds. Faults were well-spread around the course, with most fences coming down during the final phase.

Laura Collett and London 52 dropped from first place to third when picking up four faults, while New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ capitalising on a clear round inside the time to move from third to second.

Austria’s Lea Siegl and DSP Fighting Line also jumped clear inside the time to finish fifth – this 18-year-old has now been retired from competition after a successful eventing career that includes competing at two Olympic Games.

Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K also jumped clear inside the time to rise from 12th to sixth, while 8.8 penalties in the final phase dropped Laura Collett and her second ride, Hester, one place into seventh.

Cosby Green finished eighth on her second ride, Jos UFO De Quidam, Australia’s Isabel English was ninth with Cil Dara Dallas and Ireland’s Robbie Kearns and Chance Encounter were 10th in the Luhmühlen Horse Trials results.

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‘Being sat on a horse like that is something I have to treasure’: Laura Collett leads the way at Luhmühlen following action-packed cross-country

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 16:14:01 +0000

Fast clear rounds were few and far between during the five-star Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country today (14 June).

Just four of the 46 cross-country starters completed clear inside the time around the 11 minute 2 second track, which was designed by Mike Etherington-Smith.

The fastest of those was dressage leader Laura Collett on the second of her two rides, London 52, who stopped the clock with five seconds to spare and remain on their 25.4 dressage score.

“He’s sensational – I’m not very good with words and I genuinely don’t have enough to do him justice, but he’s insane,” said Laura, who is looking to maintain this horse’s unbeaten record at five-star having won this event in 2023, Badminton in 2022 and Pau in 2020.

“The feeling he gives is like no other, so to be in my position and sat on a horse like that is something that I just have to treasure.

“Everything he does, the way he gallops, the way he listens – he’s a big horse, but he’s so adjustable and nippy around these tracks, and at the end of the day, he just loves it.

“He’s so honest, and he looks for the flags, and he makes my job very easy.”

Of the 46 combinations that started the cross-country, there were 20 clears, while 32 completed. This means that 10.8% of the field jumped clear, inside the time, 43.5% of the field jumped clear and 69.6% of the field completed.

“There was nowhere you felt like you could just sit and breathe and gather your thoughts,” explained Laura of the track. “It was, bang, bang, bang, whether it was turning and twisting through the trees or setting up for a combination.”

Ros Canter and Izilot DHI maintain their second place after the dressage. Ros and the 12-year-old she owns alongside Alex Moody, picked up 2.8 time-faults, a contributing factor of which is this horse’s inherently spooky nature.

“I rode him earlier this morning and he wouldn’t go near one of the showjumps, which was slightly concerning,” laughed Ros. “But when he got out there, he really settled. I think having the woods to gallop through at the beginning really channelled and helped him focus. He ducked and dived all over going into the main arena and coming out of it again.

“He doesn’t find it so easy to gallop for so long, but that’s why he can dance so easily in the dressage, so we know his strengths and weaknesses, but I couldn’t fault his attitude today.”

“It felt fast!”: other top riders reflect on performances

British-based New Zealander Samantha Lissington continues her superb run of form, having recently filled the top three spots in the CCI4*-L at Royal Jump in France, where she also finished third in the CCI4*-S on her ride this weekend, Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ.

Sam and this striking black 14-year-old gelding, who she owns alongside her husband Brayden and Pip McCarroll, had the pedal to the metal around today’s track and finished with just .4 of a time penalty, one second over the optimum time.

“I’m really proud of him, and it felt fast!” said Sam, who said she was still wracking her brains this morning about today’s track. “I like to watch some go and then make decisions for myself, but this course was one of the ones where I was a little undecided going out the start box, and I didn’t know quite what I was going to do in the main arena, so I felt like I just had to ride it off feel, and thankfully, it came off.”

The most influential fence on Mark Etherington-Smith’s Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country track was the much talked about fence 8abc, the Longines Kombination. This consisted of a maximum width oxer at the first part, followed by a right-handed turn to two acutely angled brush fences with blue water trays below on a forward one stride distance.

Some riders opted to put in a small curve in-between the b and c elements and clever horses made this look comfortable, however, with the nature of the main arena, with plenty of crowds and marquees to distract horses, some quite simply didn’t lock on to the c element and ran out. Ultimately, this fence caught 15 combinations out – almost a third of the field (32.6%).

Kitty King fourth after Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country

Kitty King and the now incredibly consistent Vendredi Biats – who both really deserve a five-star win having knocked on the door so many times with three top-five five-star placings, including finishing second here last year – finished bang on the optimum time and go into tomorrow’s showjumping in fourth on 31.2.

Kitty was emotional following her round, dreading the day this 16-year-old, owned by Diana Bown, John Eyre, Sally Lloyd Baker and Samantha Wilson, retires from top level sport.

“It wasn’t our tidiest of rounds and we were a bit scrappy in places, but I think that’s the makeup of the course.,” explained Kitty. “It’s very twisty and fast with lots of lines, and the horses don’t really know where they’re going, but he kept helping me out, and I helped him occasionally. He’s just such a dream and I’m going to miss him so much when he has to retire.”

This marked “Froggy’s” fifth run of the season and Kitty has been experimenting with bitting after this horse’s original Myler combination bit was banned for 2025.

“We’ve been trying to find new bits for him – he’s very sensitive and tricky, so this year we’ve run in a different bit at every event,” said Kitty. “Therefore we haven’t really got that continuity yet, because on his first few runs, the bits didn’t work, so we had to keep swapping, so for an older horse, he’s been quite confused.”

Kitty and Froggy finished fourth in the CCI4*-S at Bicton on their most recent run and she decided to stick with the new combination bit she used there for Luhmühlen.

“Although we had a good run at Bicton, we’re probably still a little bit at sea,” said Kitty. “I was really nervous going out the start box here, because I sometimes when you put the bit on the second time, they don’t work at all and he was a bit stiff and wooden in the warm up – I was thinking, ‘oh gosh, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to turn’.

“But he just did his job and was fast as we could be – I was smacking my head into branches everywhere in an effort to save time!”

Young US rider impresses on Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country day

US rider Cosby Green, 24, who is based with Tim and Jonelle Price in Dorset, impressed with polished performances aboard both of her rides today.

She clocked the second fastest round of the day with the second of her rides, Highly Suspicious, finishing four seconds inside the optimum time to move from 16th after the dressage into fifth.

Cosby also finished just one second over the optimum time on her other ride, Jos UFO De Quidam to rocket from 36th after the first phase into ninth.

Laura Collett is another rider to have two horses inside the top 10, with the grey mare Hester seeming to have grown in confidence over the past 12 months – she retired across country at Badminton last year and then picked up 20 penalties in the five-star here last year, but today she finished just three seconds over the optimum time and has moved from 13th into sixth.

“She was phenomenal. The improvement in her in 12 months from where she was here last year was amazing,” said Laura. “And for me, that’s what it’s all about, is building that partnership.

“I’ve had her all the way through her career, like Dan [London 52], so it’s taken years but she feels amazing. She’s like my little unicorn that I get to fly around.”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country: the rest of the top 10

Origi, the mount of last year’s winner, Belgium’s Lara De Liedekerke-Meier, finished one second inside the optimum time to currently sit in seventh, but the gelding pulled up lame at the finish. Lara has since posted on social media to say that “he is being taken care of by the vet team and is happy in his stable”.

Rounding off the top 10 is Austria’s Lea Siegl, who at the age of 26 is another young rider to have two horses inside the top 10 following the Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country. She has DSP Fighting Line in eighth having picked up 3.2 time-faults and Van Helsing P in 10th. Van Helsing P dropped from sixth after the dressage having picked up 11.2 time-faults. Lea has been given a yellow card by the ground jury for “abuse of horse for excessive use of the whip” aboard DSP Fighting Line.

Some of those who dropped out of the top 10 today included Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno, who were in fifth after the dressage. Gemma pulled this 17-year-old mare up quickly after jumping through all elements of Manske’s Irish Bank at fence 20. Jalapeno was loaded onto a horse ambulance and Gemma posted on Instagram to say the mare was “comfortable in her stable”.

Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp dropped from third to 12th with Carlitos Quidditch K after activating a frangible device jumping into the second water at fence 11, while Piggy March and Halo dropped from seventh to 24th due to a run out at the final part of this same water fence at 12b. Finally, Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat, who held ninth after the first phase, opted to retire after a run out at 8c was followed by a run out at the middle part of the second water at 12a.

The final showjumping phase will get under way tomorrow morning after the final trot-up, which is at 7.45am (6.45am UK time), with less than one fence down separating the top three.

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Find out when your favourites and top names go cross-country at Luhmühlen five-star

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 18:04:03 +0000

The 2025 Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times have been released – and the five-star is not to be missed with British riders holding seven of the top 10 places after the dressage phase.

The five-star cross-country gets under way on Saturday morning (14 June) at 8.45am (7.45am UK time), and is due to complete at 12.08pm (11.08am UK time).

Britain’s Aimee Penny and the first of her two rides, PSH Encore, will be the pathfinders across cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington Smith’s five-star track, which features 28 numbered fences with an optimum time of 11 minutes and eight seconds. The final rider on course will be Ros Canter riding Izilot DHI.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times: five-star top 10

Laura Collett and London 52: 10.49am UK time (11.49am local time)
Ros Canter and Izilot DHI: 10.57am UK time (11.57am local time)
Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K: 9.21am UK time (10.21am local time)
Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ: 10.05am UK time (11.05am local time)
Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno: 9.25am UK time (10.25am local time)
Lea Siegl and Van Helsing P: 10.53am UK time (11.53am local time)
Piggy March and Halo: 9.53am UK time (10.53am local time)
Kitty King and Vendredi Biats: 10.21am UK time (11.21am local time)
Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat: 8.57am UK time (9.57am local time)
Aaron Millar and KEC Deakon: 8.29am UK time (9.29am local time)

The CCI4*-S class is then due to get under way at 1.20pm (12.20pm UK time). This class hosts the German Championship – known as the Deutsche Meisterschaft – but, as opposed to 2024, there are no British entries this year.

View the Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country times in full.

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‘He deserves to win every event he goes to’: Laura Collett and London 52 throw down the gauntlet in contentiously marked Luhmühlen five-star dressage

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:09:38 +0000

Laura Collett and the indomitable London 52 lead the way after the CCI5* dressage at the 2025 Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

The duo have an enviable record at five-star having won all their starts at this level – this event in 2023, Badminton in 2022 and Pau in 2020. They scored 25.4, which puts them 0.6 of a penalty ahead of second-placed Ros Canter and Izilot DHI.

Their test was virtually fault-free, scoring two nines from the judges – which have been a rare commodity in this class this year – one for their mid-test halt and one for their final halt.

“He’s an absolute dream to ride. He knows what he’s doing now, so it’s just about trusting the process and not getting caught up working in too much,” said Laura. “I rode him this morning and he was very, very fresh, but I just trusted that he’s old enough to know what he’s doing now. He was on the edge in there – it’s quite an atmosphere, but he loves an atmosphere.”

On whether she felt more or less pressure riding such an accomplished horse as London 52, Laura said: “I came into this year saying that after last year with the pressure of the Olympics and everything, I just wanted to enjoy him and enjoy having him around and not having the pressure. But the closer we got to here, I was definitely feeling it, mainly because I don’t want to let him down and he deserves to win every event he goes to, so it’s my job to allow him to do that.”

Going more into her test today, Laura said: “In the trot, he was wanting to show a bit of piaffe and show off a little too much, but we could have had just a bit more rhythm and connection.”

Laura explained that she rarely rides London 52 on the flat at home.

“It’s just a case of keeping him happy, to be honest – he knows all the movements now, so I probably only school him once a month on the flat when I have a lesson.”

Ros Canter: “He was an absolute delight”

Ros was delighted with the efforts of “Isaac”, who can be spooky. But the 12-year-old, who was fourth here and second at Pau last year, who won Pau in 2023, held it together in the first phase, which was bathed in 27°C sunshine but with a brisk breeze.

“I’m absolutely over the moon – he’s a spooky chap, but time and time again he pulls it off and he’s an absolute delight,” said Ros. “We’re much more secure and with each other now he’s 12 years old. We’ve been together a long time and I think he’s trusting me a bit more, and I’m certainly trusting him a bit more and I know him inside out – it’s just about building that relationship.”

Ros said Isaac’s neck is “tricky for her to gauge”.

“I have to rely on people watching me to tell me how it feels, and sometimes he feels elastic and sometimes he doesn’t. But I knew his neck was good because my supporters told me it was – sometimes it doesn’t feel as good as it I’d love it to and I would like to have him a little bit lower and rounder, but when you have him in a place where you’d have another horse, he always looks over-bent, so we just have to have him that little bit more up and out than maybe I feel comfortable with.

“I think I could always get more elasticity in the canter, and that’s kind of his weakness. He’s very comfortable in trot, which is quite unusual for event horses, as most do their best work in canter, but he’s more elastic in the trot.”

Ros said she rode Isaac “a little bit on the safe side” today but that although he is spooky, his brain is “really easy”.

“He’s not a horse that blows up and gets tense – he’s just spooky, and he’s got a real flight instinct, so if he spooks at something, it’s a bit more dramatic than maybe some other horses, but on the whole, he’s pretty chilled so it’s always about balance of having worked enough so he doesn’t spook but not having worked him so much that he doesn’t show off his true nature.”

The home crowd was delighted when Malin Hansen-Hotopp slotted into third with her 2022 Blenheim CCI4*-L winner, Carlitos Quidditch K, who also finished fourth on his five-star debut at Kentucky last year. They were another pair who made no obvious mistakes and went on to score 28,9,

“He was just awesome,” said Malin. “He came into the arena and was a bit ‘Ooh’ at the crowd, but if I stay cool and just ride, I get him like that.”

Samantha Lissington on “finding the balance”

British-based New Zealander Samantha Lissington, who is on flying form having finished in the top three with all three of her rides in the CCI4*-L at France’s Royal Jump event at the end of May, is hoping to capitalise on that, this week. She sits in fourth on Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, who finished second in the CCI4*-S at Royal Jump, on 28.9.

“He’s just so obedient and so easy to ride – I came out here and didn’t have to do a lot because he knows his job so well. It’s more just making sure we’re both sharp enough,” said Sam. “It is tricky finding that balance – you want them rideable enough, but quick enough to be on your leg for the changes, I wanted him relaxed and easy and rideable, but not too rideable that I missed a change.”

Gemma Stevens on the Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage: “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do”

As was the case on the first day of Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage yesterday, there were many murmurings about the marks in the first phase. One of the riders rueing the mark given was Gemma Stevens, who sits in fifth with Jalapeno on 29.4

“I’m thrilled with her – I don’t know what we’re supposed to do though. That is the best test she’s ever done and she has scored 22s in the past,” said Gemma. “The changes were on the button, she was soft, through and over her back, good in the frame and her transitions were amazing and she didn’t make a mistake. She normally scores in the low 20s and I don’t know why [the judges] have to be like that – I don’t know what they’re trying to achieve, what are they looking for?”

Austria’s Lea Siegl is sixth and 15th riding Van Helsing P and DSP Fighting Line respectively on scores of 29.8 and 34.4. Piggy March sits seventh on 29.9 riding Halo.

“I was absolutely delighted. I’m in my own bubble all week and I’ve got a cute little horse,” said Piggy. “The field is very hot, but I’m here for my own interest to find out where I’m at with my horse.

“It will be his first time galloping 11 minutes across country – he’s a lovely galloping horse, I just hope he settles at the beginning so he doesn’t run his race too early. But he’s 12 and I think he’s a real championship horse – he’s not the finished article yet and there’s lots more to come.”

On the scoring in the Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage, Piggy said: “I was watching Gemma’s [Stevens] work all morning and it’s been looking very, very smart, and so it’s quite demotivating. It’s nice when you do something good and judges give it a deserving mark, but they’ve stayed pretty miserable this week.

“Riders need to know what they’re training to – marks inspire them. I’ve spoken to ground juries before about it , but have never found the answer to the problem. Dressage is Marmite, isn’t it? But at this level, [this kind of marking] is actually not good enough. Riders have come back in tears and demoralised – these good sportspeople are trying to get to the very top.”

Kitty King and Vendredi Biats put in a polished performance to score 31.2 to sit in eighth. This is ‘Froggy’s’ worst dressage mark since scoring 32.8 in the CCI4*-S at Belton in March 2019.

“They’re just being fairly miserable, but I thought he did a nice test,” Kitty said.

Day one Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage leader Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat sit in ninth on 31.5; Aaron Millar and KEC Deakon, who were second at the end of yesterday, are 10th on 31.6.

The cross-country gets under way at 8.45am tomorrow (7.45am UK time, 14 June).

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‘Like being in a tumble dryer’: riders react to the challenge facing them on this year’s Luhmühlen five-star cross-country track

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:26:53 +0000

Some riders have shared their initial thoughts on the five-star 2025 Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country course.

The 6,340m track, which has been designed by Mike Etherington-Smith, and has 28 numbered fences and 46 jumping efforts has got some of this year’s five-star competitors scratching their heads.

Ros Canter, who has two rides this week in the form of MHS Seventeen and Izilot DHI, describes the track as “pretty intense”.

“You get a nice gentle start and then there are lots of combinations,” she says. “Each individual combination is very jumpable, but riders have to put it all together.”

Ros’ compatriot, Laura Collett, who has two rides this week – Hester and London 52 – says that she thinks riding the track will “feel like being in a tumble dryer”.

“I think it’s very intense and it’s not going to be a smooth ride, that’s for sure, and I think the time is going to be near on impossible to achieve,” she states.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country course: ‘Combination after combination’

Selina Milnes, who leads after the first day of five-star dressage aboard Cooley Snapchat, agrees with Laura’s sentiments about the course being intense.

“There is combination after combination and horses aren’t going to get much of a breather,” she says. “I’d like there to be just a few more galloping fences where you can just say to your horse, ‘well, that was good, well done’.”

In terms of a specific fence that Selina thinks will cause problems, she pinpoints fence 8abc, the Longines Kombination, in the main arena.

“I think it looks a hell of a long way in one stride between the b and c element. I think you’ve just got to jump the parallel first and then give yourself time to jump the final two elements. The skinny fences at the the Meßmer-Teich water at 11 and 12ab are very skinny too.”

Note: the screen in the bottom left-handed corner of this picture will be removed prior to the cross-country starting. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

This question at fence 8 in the main arena includes two acutely angled brush fences on a one stride distance. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Fence 12b. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Aaron Millar, who holds second place with KEC Deakon after the first day of dressage, describes the course as “twisty”.

“It’s a good test,” he says. “There’s a lot of combinations where you’re going to have to think quickly about where you’re going and where you’re turning and there’s a lot of acute angles – the course is going to keep us working and thinking.”

Swiss rider Nadja Minder is in agreement, saying that there are “ a lot of angled combinations”.

“It seems like you have to jump everything on an angle,” she says. “But I think it’s clear for the horses and there are set up fences before combinations too, so I think if you can have a good rhythm and gallop, you can use the set up fences to re-balance and I think it will be a lot of fun to ride.”

The Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country course has an optimum time of 11 minutes and 8 seconds and gets underway tomorrow (14 June) at 8.45am (7.45am British time).

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British riders hold first four spots after day one of Luhmühlen five-star dressage with some questioning ‘disappointing’ scores

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:06:23 +0000

British rider Selina Milnes and the exciting Cooley Snapchat lead the way after the first day of dressage in the five-star at the 2025 Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

There were consistent mumblings among riders that the ground jury of Katrin Eichinger-Kniely from Austria, Merel Schurink from the Netherlands and Ernst Topp from Germany were being frugal awarding marks. Indeed, not one of the 23 combinations who came forward in the first phase today broke the 30 barrier.

Selina and the 11-year-old Cooley Snapchat, who is owned by Angela and William Rucker, sit atop the leaderboard on 31.5. Their test was smooth with no obvious errors, so Selina, although delighted with the efforts of her horse, was left wondering why her mark didn’t reflect their performance.

“I’m disappointed with the mark – I actually thought he’d get into the 20s,” said Selina, who was third in the seven-year-old World Championships with this horse at Le Lion d’Angers and went on to win the CCI4*-S at Bramham in 2023.

“He didn’t really do much wrong, did he? Dickie [Waygood] said my first centre line was slightly quarters right, but other than that, I thought he was on the button.”

The judge at C, Katrin Eichinger-Kniely, placed Selina in eighth on 64.81%, while the other two judges placed them in first and second on 70.96% and 69.62%.

“I saw the judge at C’s mark first and I was surprised, but the other two judges liked it, and as long as the judge at C’s marking doesn’t change, that’s the main thing,” continued Selina. “He’s a super horse. He always stays really relaxed, so you can ride him. He needs a little bit of buzz to spark him up a bit, but he was really good today.”

Fellow Brit Aaron Millar is just 0.1 of a penalty behind Selina in second on 31.6. He was another rider to produce a virtually fault-free test and was pleased with the efforts of his horse, KEC Deakon, a 15-year-old owned by Heidi Bates.

“I slightly, slightly overworked him beforehand,” admitted Aaron. “He doesn’t need much work before he goes in, but he just dropped in the poll a little. His trot work would normally be better, we had a slight mistake in the last flying change and one of his halts wasn’t square, but he’s a performer and he always just wants to go in and do a good job.”

Further explaining his warm-up today, Aaron said: “We were down here for 25 minutes, but his best work probably came before we went in. He had last year off through injury so he hasn’t been in this sort of atmosphere for a while, so perhaps it was better to have him slightly underpowered, rather than [boiling over].”

Ros Canter on MHS Seventeen: “I’m over the moon with him”

Ros Canter and the former Nicola Wilson ride MHS Seventeen sit in third after day one of Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage. Ros and this 12-year-old, owned by Deirdre Johnston and Lady Milnes Coates, put in a solid performance to score 33.5.

“I’m over the moon with him as he’s a horse that really hates being by himself, so going into the main arena has historically been quite a difficult experience for him as he has tended to get quite tense,” explained Ros, who used the opportunity to perform one of the guinea pig tests at Bramham last week as preparation for this week.

“We’ve worked really hard to develop a system for the run-up to the event and while we’re here, and I’m just really pleased that the system worked. He came out happy and relaxed, and he went in happy and relaxed, and I think he was probably a bit harshly marked, to be honest.”

Expanding further on the system Ros has implemented to try to ensure a good first-phase performance with MHS Seventeen, she said: “He’s come out to be ridden quite a few times since he’s been here, but not for too long and never so long as to make him tired or frustrated.

“He’s been practising the trot work in the test over and over again – yesterday he probably went through the trot work 12 times. I haven’t done any other movements that weren’t in the test so as not to confuse him, because he gets better and better when he knows what he’s doing and gains confidence.

“He knows all of the movements now, but when he goes in there, sometimes he completely loses his concentration, and then me asking an aid is in the back of his mind, not in the forefront of his mind, but today he was definitely listening to me, so that was great.”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage: Laura Collett and Hester sit fourth

Laura Collett and the 14-year-old grey mare Hester, who is owned and bred by Lucy Nelson, sit in fourth on 33.9. Their score was trending in the mid-20s throughout some very smart trot work, but their flying changes let them down.

“It would be good if it was just a walk/trot test!” said Laura, who rides the favourite for this event, London 52, tomorrow afternoon. “She’s got so good now – she used to be hot through the whole test. She really struggles with the changes and when there’s four of them in the test, it’s really costly.

“That was a big atmosphere for her and historically it was like riding on eggshells the whole time, so for her to be able to let me in and ride her in the trot work today was great. It’s all going in the right direction and she is really starting to trust me and relax – she just makes mistakes because she struggles to wait for instructions because she’s trying too hard.”

The five-star Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage continues tomorrow (13 June), with 24 combinations – including 10 Brits – still to go. The action in this class kicks off at 12.15pm UK time (1.15pm local time), after the CCI4*-S dressage in the morning.

Check out all the key Luhmühlen dressage times.
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How Ros Canter won Badminton 2025: a victory cemented by spectacular jumping performances, captured in pictures

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 17 May 2025 07:30:52 +0000

Last week, Lordships Graffalo, the ride of Ros Canter, galloped into the Mars Badminton Horse Trials history books by becoming the first horse in the five-star event’s history to reclaim the title in non-consecutive years, after first winning it in 2023.

Here, we take a look back at how Ros and “Walter” won their second Mars Badminton trophy from start to finish…

First horse inspection

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Ros and Walter kicked off their week looking fantastic at the first horse inspection, which is held in front of Badminton House. Ros wore a denim jacket that held a special emotional connection to her mentor Caroline Moore, who passed away recently.

Badminton final scores

Dressage

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros and Walter performed their dressage test on Friday morning. The ground jury of Xavier Le Sauce, Nick Burton and Robert Stevenson awarded Ros a first phase score of 25.3, which left them in fourth going into cross-country.

Their otherwise splendid test was only marred by mistakes in the two double-marked flying-changes movements.

(Image credit: Nixonphoto / Badminton Horse Trials)

“I was really pleased with it,” said Ros. “His work was in line with what he’s doing at home now and he’s getting stronger all the time. I was delighted.

“I got a little bit distracted at the beginning as he started sneezing, which isn’t always a good sign, but he then settled and he was great.

“The changes have always been something he has struggled with a little bit, and I probably just didn’t help him quite enough in those. I thought he was a bit more established than he was, so that’s my fault – hand in the air for that one!”

Cross-country

(Image credit: Nixonphoto / Badminton Horse Trials)

On cross-country day, Ros gave her equine partner a masterful ride, with many quipping that it was one of the smoothest rounds they had ever seen at Badminton.

Ros and Walter finished comfortably within the 11min 40sec optimum time, with 11 seconds in hand. They were initially awarded a 15 penalty flag penalty at the second corner at Huntsman’s Close at fence 26b, but there was little doubt that it would be removed.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Ros was surprised by the news of the flag penalties saying: “I wouldn’t have said he did anything but jumped the jumps so hopefully it’s not another situation like the Olympics, but we’ll see.”

The 15 penalties were duly removed, which meant Ros moved into second going into the final day.

“He’s an extraordinary horse – I’m not the fastest rider in the world but Walter has such acceleration right until the end,” Ros said of her cross-country round.

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

Final horse inspection and showjumping

(Image credit: Nixonphoto / Badminton Horse Trials)

Walter flew through the final horse inspection on the Sunday morning, before entering the main arena to jump later in the afternoon. Ros admitted after that she had felt very nervous before jumping and the round wasn’t as slick as some of their previous performances, but all the fences remained in their cups and they jumped clear inside the time allowed.

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

This piled the pressure on overnight leader Oliver Townend, who was less than a rail ahead, and when Cooley Rosalent lowered a pole, victory was Ros and Walter’s, winning by one penalty

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Badminton final scores

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

Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain prize to the owner of best horse sired by a SHB(GB) graded stallion or premium stallion, provided it is in the top 12: Miichele and Archie Saul for Lordships Grafalo

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

LeMieux rug to the winner: Ros Canter

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

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

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

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

(Image credit: Nixonphoto / Badminton Horse Tri)

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

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Cotswold Life Trophy to the best British rider who is not entitled to wear the adult Union Jack Badge and whose permanent address is in the county of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire or Somerset: Tom Rowland, 12th on Dreamliner

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

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

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

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

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

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‘Oh Walter!’: Ros Canter provides update on her 2025 Badminton winner

Gemma Redrup — Wed, 14 May 2025 15:30:03 +0000

With the 2025 Mars Badminton Horse Trials now behind us, we have been fondly remembering what a fabulous competition it was – and keeping up with plenty of social media posts from riders of their Badminton horses back in their respective homes.

The wonderful combination of Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo were worthy winners of Badminton this year – “Walter” becoming the first horse to reclaim his title at this iconic Gloucestershire five-star event.

And he wasn’t left out when it came to social media updates; the Ros Canter Eventing social media account posted a video of the 13-year-old, owned by Archie and Michele Saul, tucking into some grass while lying down in his field at Ros’s base in the Lincolnshire Wolds in northeast Lincolnshire.

The post was captioned: “Oh Walter! What a way to spend your first day as double Badminton champion. Thank you buddy.”

Watch the video

Badminton final scores

Ros and Walter’s victory at Badminton last week (7–11 May) is yet another huge result to add to an already incredibly impressive CV, which includes a win at Burghley last September, being part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, team and individual gold at the 2023 European Eventing Championships and a win at Badminton in 2023, to name just a few.

Hopefully Lordships Graffalo will enjoy his time at home following his latest triumph before we see him producing even more awe-inspiring results in the highest echelons of eventing.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials in 2025 with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 15 May.

Lordships Graffalo makes Badminton history by regaining his title

Martha Terry — Sun, 11 May 2025 15:11:50 +0000

Ros Canter has claimed the Mars Badminton Horse Trials trophy with Lordships Graffalo, who at the age of 13 is already deserving of the title “all time great”, for the second time. From fourth in the Badminton Horse Trials results after dressage, to second after cross-country, the pair seized victory when the long-time leader Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent lowered one rail to finish second.

Like Kauto Star regaining the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo (Walter) has become the first horse in Badminton history to win the title twice, but not back-to-back. In 2023, Ros and Walter won their first Badminton title, and have since gone on to win European gold and Burghley.

Ros was visibly emotional afterwards.

“This was for Caroline Moore, she was by my side my whole career and passed away a couple of months ago,” she said. “I’m so pleased I managed to make her proud. It’s the first time I’ve done anything without her. Not only was she my trainer and mentor, but also the best friend.”

Just like his immaculate cross-country round, Walter’s clear in the famous arena appeared foot-perfect. Perhaps they took off on a smidgen of a long stride at fence six, but this was a class act confirming their legendary status.

Badminton final scores

“I’m not sure it was my best round,” said Ros. “I was really nervous. I am so used to having Caroline keeping me occupied, and I was sat by myself quite a bit this morning. It was mind over matter. But I had Nick Turner and Chris Bartle helping me and they filled me with confidence.”

The great horse played a big part on that front, too.

“He just relishes it; he absolutely loves anywhere that people are watching him,” Ros said. “Most horses as they get older, they almost get trickier, because that anticipation is there. But Walter relaxes into the environment in a nice, bubbly way and just thoroughly enjoys himself. I feel like he helped me out quite a lot, because I was quite nervous.”

Ros explained how she approached the showjumping, after Kelvin Bywater’s track yielded just two clears inside the time in the morning session.

“I re-walked the course at lunchtime and made sure I had a clear plan of where I wanted to go,” she said. “I went straight down to let Walter have a look around.

“Some in the morning session, when the bell went they hadn’t had a chance to go up the gears, so I made sure I got down quickly to give me time to get the gears going. Walter would sit pretty in a fairly average canter if I let him!”

Ros admitted she couldn’t watch Oliver’s round.

“I didn’t want to wish bad on anyone else,” she said. “I would have been quite happy with second and this win is the icing on the cake. Oliver is a fantastic performer, and his horse will definitely have her day here.

“Weeks like this are always rollercoasters, and I am quite pleased it’s finished – though maybe I could do it all again now,” she smiled.

“I am just so lucky to have Walter – he’s a cool customer, a bit of a pet who likes to lick and chew and play games. I am forever grateful to Michele and Archie for buying him, and Pennie [Wallace] for breeding him.”

How the Badminton Horse Trials results played out

Although the minor placings were very tight, there was more room for manoeuvre at the top. Oliver had only three time-faults in hand over Ros, but these two had a couple of rails to spare over third-placed Gemma Stevens. When Gemma and Chilli Knight had a very uncharacteristic five fences down, there was still Austin O’Connor in striking distance thanks to his clear round, a whisker outside the time on Colorado Blue. They finished third in a virtual copy of the 2023 podium, although with Oliver runner-up on Cooley Rosalent rather than Ballaghmor Class.

Harry Meade set the target for the top 20 going in the afternoon session. Jumping out of order because he was riding two horses, he put in a beautiful fault-free clear on his Burghley third Cavalier Crystal – to move up from seventh to eventual fourth.

He had less luck on Superstition, who was looking fantastic until a miscommunication saw them plough through fence 10, but they regrouped incredibly well to finish with two down. They slipped one place to sixth.

One of the favourites for the title at the start of the week, Tom McEwen produced a copybook clear, on JL Dublin, leaving us all to wonder quite how close he might have come had he not activated a frangible across-country to add 11 penalties to his second-placed dressage. They moved up from 14th to finish ninth on 44.2.

Badminton Horse Trials results: top 10

1. Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo) 25.3

2. Oliver Townend (Cooley Rosalent) 26.3

3. Austin O’Connor (Colorado Blue) 31.2

4. Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal) 33.8

5. Emily King (Valmy Biats) 38.5

6. Harry Meade (Superstition) 39.8

7. Christoph Wahler (D’Accord FRH) 40.2

8. Bubby Upton (Cola) 44.2

9. Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) 44.2

10. Tim Price (Vitali) 46.2

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

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

Badminton leaderboard rattled after ground jury make final decision on flag penalties

Martha Terry — Sat, 10 May 2025 17:54:35 +0000

The Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase provided a classic day of sport. There was plenty of drama with an ever-changing leaderboard under blue skies, and the top two horses were reinstated after their initial flag penalties were reviewed.

The 44 clears from the 79 starters gives a 56% clear rate. On the fast going, six horses made the time, which is the joint-highest number since Eric Winter took over as course-designer in 2017.

Top 10 at the conclusion of the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase

Oliver Townend/Cooley Rosalent: 22.3
Ros Canter/Lordships Graffalo: 25.3
Gemma Stevens/Chilli Knight: 29.5
Austin O’Connor/Colorado Blue: 30.8
Harry Meade/Superstition: 31.8
Christoph Wahler/D’Accord FRH: 32.2
Harry Meade/Cavalier Crystal: 33.8
Oliver Townend/Ballaghmor Class: 34.1
Tim Price/Vitali: 34.2
Ian Cassells/Master Point: 34.3

Oliver Townend’s second ride Cooley Rosalent has retained his dressage lead, after a brief spell outside the top 10 while his flag penalties at Huntsman’s Close were reviewed and then removed by the ground jury.

By the time Rosalent started out across country, Oliver had a bit of breathing room as the first phase runner-up Tom McEwen had broken a frangible device and clocked time-faults on JL Dublin. Rosalent finished just 3sec outside the time for 1.2 time-faults.

Badminton final scores

Before this leading round, Ros Canter’s superbly smooth clear inside the time on Lordships Graffalo had put her up to the top of the leaderboard. However, she, too, was initially penalised for a flag at Huntsman’s Close.

Gemma Stevens spent most of the day at the head of affairs after a brave and positive round inside the time on Chilli Knight from fifth draw, and she retained a podium spot once all the flag reviews were complete.

A notable climber from the dressage phase was Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, who went round on rails to add nothing to their 20th-placed dressage score of 30.8 to leapfrog up to fourth.

The final horse inspection is scheduled to take place at 8.30am tomorrow morning (Sunday, 11 May), after which the order of jumping will be confirmed.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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

Ros Canter puts in stunning cross-country round at Badminton, but flag penalty is under review

Martha Terry — Sat, 10 May 2025 14:04:19 +0000

History seems to be repeating itself as Ros Canter was awarded 15 penalties for a flag at Huntman’s Close in the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase. In Paris last summer, Ros was also given controversial flag penalties on Lordships Graffalo, which were deliberated over long into the night. Immediately after her clear round today, she had 15 on her card for the second corner at fence 26b.

Although Ros did knock a flag out on the corner, Lordships Graffalo (Walter) appeared to jump through cleanly, so it will be an agonising wait to see what the ground jury decide.

The pair were fourth after dressage on 25.3, but there was room to climb for this speedy partnership after Tom McEwen and JL Dublin had actioned a frangible device at the first corner at Huntman’s Close.

Ros and Walter cruised round to win Badminton in 2023 in the mud; here in opposite conditions the result was much the same: a simply superb event horse coasting round Eric Winter’s massive track – finishing 11sec inside the time.

Badminton final scores

This was an ultra smooth, copybook round. As always, Ros looked to be cantering round a novice course in a delightful rhythm, Walter in perfect balance with pricked ears and plenty in the tank.

Ros was surprised by the news of the flag penalties straight after: “I wouldn’t have said he did anything but jumped the jumps so hopefully it’s not another situation like the Olympics, but we’ll see,” she said.

“He’s an extraordinary horse – I’m not the fastest rider in the world but Walter has such acceleration right until the end.

“My approach was to go for it, but my morning has been different to usual, because Caroline Moore passed away recently and she’s always been by my side on cross-country day, or on the phone and messaging, so I’ve had to get what she gave me and remind myself I could do it without her. I have had to have the chat with myself.”

End of day update: Ros’ flag penalties were removed after review. She sits in second place on 25.3, three penalties behind Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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‘I wouldn’t train a horse like I trained myself!’ Ros Canter looks back on running London marathon 12 days before Badminton

Martha Terry — Fri, 09 May 2025 12:04:26 +0000

Just 12 days before her dressage test at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials, Ros Canter was pounding London’s roads in the TCS marathon. She managed to combine training Lordships Graffalo up from his fluffy winter self to his five-star prime with preparing her own body and mind for the 26-mile challenge in the capital.

The horses have clearly taken priority.

“I wouldn’t train a horse like I trained myself,” she said after posting one of the leading dressage tests at Badminton. “I struggled to fit in the training. I could only run once a week, and never ran more than 15 miles. I had pain in my IT band [a long, fibrous band of flexible fascia that runs from the hip to just below the outside of the knee] from upping the miles so quickly.”

While she’s not planning any more long-distance challenges on her own feet, Ros thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“What was really great was that we come to these places [like Badminton] and the crowds are amazing, but we’re on the job and we can’t really celebrate, enjoy it and soak it in,” she said.

Badminton final scores

“But when I was in the marathon, I didn’t have that pressure as I was just trundling along. I could soak in the atmosphere more than I would at a place like this.”

She clocked a decent time of 4hr 15min.

“I did cross-country at school, but I hadn’t run further than 10k until January,” she said. “I don’t run at all normally – I go to the gym for fitness. So I thought I’d be nearer to five or five and a half hours.”

Ros Canter’s marathon plans

Ros Canter’s decision to run the marathon has a poignant aspect. She was fundraising for the charity Spinal Research to support her friend Saffron Cresswell, who was paralysed in a cross-country fall last summer.

“It was all through Saffron,” she said. “She was training with me the previous winter, and we got chatting about all sorts of things – we’re like minded people. We both wanted to run a marathon, so we said, ‘let’s enter the ballot together’.”

Three weeks after Saffron’s life-changing accident, they got an email to say they hadn’t been successful in the ballot. But within 10 minutes of applying for a charity place with Spinal Research, Ros was in the line-up.

“Saffron was still in hospital so I contacted her and said, ‘it’s entirely your call whether I do it’, and she said, ‘don’t even think about it, please run it’,” Ros said. “Then I shoved it to the back of my mind until December.”

So far, she has raised around £11,000 for Spinal Research. Click here to donate

Ros performed her dressage test on Friday morning (9 May), scoring 25.3 to go into second place behind Tom McEwen and JL Dublin.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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

‘That’s my fault – hand in the air for that one’: Ros Canter reflects on expensive flying changes with Badminton favourite

Lucy Elder — Fri, 09 May 2025 09:41:40 +0000

Former Mars Badminton Horse Trials winners Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo slotted into provisional second behind their Paris 2024 teammates Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, with blips in two flying changes proving costly.

Ros and “Walter”, owned by Michele and Archie Saul, were favourites coming into Badminton this year. But this is live sport, not a coronation. The emerging picture at the top of this star-studded leaderboard is shaping up to be a close fight between the world’s best.

Ros, reigning Burghley and European champion with this horse, was trending ahead of Tom in the early stages. Walter looks stronger in his body every time we see him and his effortless transitions – both between and within each pace – combined with his professionalism and quality meant it looked for a time that this test would go close to their five-star personal best of 22.

Then a slight stutter in the first flying change on the long side after the half-pass was met with fours across the board from the judges, and the marks dipped again for their final flying change, when he stepped together with his hind legs. Their final score of 25.3 is testament to the overall calibre of their work and puts them 2.9pen behind Tom (22.4) ahead of cross-country.

“I was really pleased with it,” said Ros. “His work was in line with what he’s doing at home now and he’s getting stronger all the time. I was delighted.

Badminton final scores

“I got a little bit distracted at the beginning as he started sneezing, which isn’t always a good sign, but he then settled and he was great.

Ireland’s Ian Cassells showed considered test riding and elegant work with Master Point for a five-star personal best on his Badminton debut, and the second highest score of the morning so far. This 12-year-old gelding, owned by Brian and Bridget McGing, is so consistent in his frame. A blip in their final flying change prevented this test from breaking the 30 barrier, but their score of 30.7 still puts them at the business end of the leaderboard.

“He wouldn’t be the most extravagant mover – he’d be a little bit downhill, but he’s really blood, really sits and tries his hardest, sometimes a little bit too hard,” said Ian, who has completed Burghley, Luhmühlen and Pau on the road to Badminton.

“He was a little bit spooky at the camera down the end, but he really held his nerve and really allowed me to ride every stride, so I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Wills Oakden and the 2023 Blair CCI4*-L winner were first into the main arena on Friday morning. Their score of 34.4 puts them in mid-division at this half-way stage of the dressage.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Badminton final scores

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

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

View the full drawn order.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

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

Four Olympic medallists and 10 five-star podium finishers: 17 photos of top horses at Thoresby

Pippa Roome — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:00:36 +0000

The Eventing Spring Carnival took place at Thoresby Park last weekend and a host of top horses came out to play in the sunshine. We know how much you love to see the equine stars having their first big run of the season so we have a set of Thoresby photos for your enjoyment below…

The feature class, the Lycetts Grantham Cup, was won by Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, while Laura Collett and Dacapo landed the other CCI4*-S, which ran under the banner of organisers BEDE. Gemma Stevens was also on great form, taking second in both sections with Jalapeno III and Chilli King. For a full report, check out this week’s Horse & Hound magazine (dated 3 April).

Thoresby photos – top horses enjoy a run in the sun

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Ros Canter and Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo, the Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials winners, European champions and Olympic team gold medallists, finished fourth in the Grantham Cup.

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Kirsty Chabert and the 2022 Luhmühlen Horse Trials runner-up Classic VI, owned by Kate Ward, Carole Somers and Kirsty’s father John Johnston, took seventh in the Grantham Cup.

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Ben Hobday and Shadow Man II, owned by his rider, his father Stephen and Jane Chambers, claimed fifth in the advanced section. Shadow Man was piloted by Australia’s Chris Burton to claim the individual silver at last year’s Paris Olympics, before moving back to Ben and finishing 12th at Pau Horse Trials under him at the end of the season.

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Paris Olympic team gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin won the Grantham Cup, a strong result in their build-up to Badminton. The horse is owned by Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston.

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Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight – sixth in the Grantham Cup – were the winners of the one-off Bicton Horse Trials CCI5* in 2021. The horse is owned by and was bred by Chris and Lisa Stone.

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Emily King and Valmy Biats, owned by the rider, her father David and Paula and David Evans, picked up fifth in the Grantham Cup, having won the class last season. They were fourth at Badminton last year and will head there again in May.

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Tim Price and last year’s Burghley runner-up Vitali, owned by Joe and Alex Giannamore, put in a steady double jumping clear in the Grantham Cup.

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Popular and consistent five-star campaigners Alice Casburn and Topspin, a home-bred owned by the rider’s mother Caroline, jumped a double clear in the advanced section.

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Rachel Upton’s Cola III, ridden by her daughter Bubby Upton, finished eighth in the advanced. This pair have been eighth and 10th at Badminton, 14th at Burghley and fifth at Maryland 5 Star.

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Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and The Salty Syndicate’s Colorado Blue, who won Maryland 5 Star in 2023.

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Last year’s Bramham Horse Trials under-25 champions Emma Thomas and The Buzz Factor, owned by Emma’s mother Rebecca Velarde, jumped a steady double clear in the Grantham Cup.

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Zara Tindall and her five-star horse, Gleadhill House Stud Ltd’s Class Affair, finished on the podium in third in the advanced section.

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Ireland’s Lucy Latta and Lesley Crampton’s RCA Patron Saint warmed up for a return trip to Badminton, where they finished second last year.

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Tim Price opted for a steady double clear with Sue Benson’s Falco IV, the world double bronze medallist and 2021 Pau winner.

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Tom Rowland and Dreamliner, owned by his breeders Mark and Angela Chamberlayne, put in a double clear in the Grantham Cup. They were seventh at Badminton last year.

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World champion Yasmin Ingham rode Rehy DJ, owned by Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund, in the Grantham Cup and will make her Badminton debut on him next month.

Thoresby photos by Peter Nixon

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Olympic medallist to run marathon to support ‘inspirational’ fellow rider paralysed in fall

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 20:21:13 +0000

Olympic gold medal-winning eventer Ros Canter is preparing to take on the London Marathon in support of her friend Saffron Cresswell, who was paralysed in a cross-country fall.

Ros and Saffron had both entered the ballot for this year’s race. And after Saffron broke her back in two places and sustained damage to her spinal cord, in the fall at Bramham last June, Ros decided to run in aid of Spinal Research, which aims to restore function and movement for people with spinal cord injuries.

Ros was a keen runner growing up and completing the London Marathon was something she had always wanted to do but one that now has special significance.

“Saffron and I both entered the ballot and wanted to run it together,” she said. “Neither of us got a ballot place but after her accident I really wanted to do something to support her and to raise money and awareness around spinal cord injuries.

“Saffron is absolutely incredible. I have nothing but admiration and respect for how she has been able to pick herself and look forward to new challenges. She’s exceptional and a real inspiration.”

Ros has been squeezing her training runs around her eventing training, preparation and competition schedule, inspired by Saffron, who was paralysed from the chest down as a result of the fall. She has already tried wheelchair racing and is looking into a new career as a presenter and inspirational speaker.

“When I instantly couldn’t feel my legs I understood straightaway what was happening and potentially how bad it was,” she said.

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“I’ve feel I’ve always known Ros. Last winter I went for a two-week training stay with her and mentioned that I’d love to run the London Marathon and we decided to enter the 2025 ballot together.

“I got the news I hadn’t got in the day I arrived at Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre to begin my rehab. Ros has been incredibly supportive throughout and it’s brilliant that she’s entered to raise funds for Spinal Research.

“It’s been really hard going from being so fit and focused on my career doing what I love to facing a very different future, but I’m positive and determined to find new goals and purpose.”

Ros’s fundraising page is open for donations

A spokesperson for Spinal Research said someone is paralysed by a spinal cord injury in the UK every two hours. The charity funds research across the world into effective treatments for paralysis.

Chief executive Louisa McGinn said: “Saffron is genuinely an inspiration and we are delighted that Ros is taking on the London Marathon in support of her and as part of Team Spinal Research.

“Today, for the first time, we are in touching distance of function restoring treatments for people paralysed after a spinal cord injury and so every single donation brings our vision of curing paralysis a step closer.”

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

The Queen hosts celebration to thank Paris Olympic and Paralympic riders

Becky Murray — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 13:24:57 +0000

The achievements of Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic riders in Paris have been celebrated at a ceremony hosted by The Queen.

Yesterday evening (22 January) riders, owners, grooms, support staff, and British Equestrian (BEF) representatives attended a reception at Clarence House, London.

The Queen met the eventing team’s Ros Canter and travelling reserve Yas Ingham, dressage travelling reserve Andrew Gould and para dressage riders Natasha Baker, Mari Durward-Akhurt, Sophie Wells and Georgia Wilson. BEF chief executive Jim Eyre, performance director Helen Nicholls, dressage performance manager Caroline Griffith and para dressage performance manager Georgina Sharples were also in attendance.

The Queen spent time talking to owners and grooms, “acknowledging the vital roles they played in the teams’ successes”.

Mr Eyre thanked The Queen for her hospitality, “enduring support for the equestrian community” and continued patronage of the federation.

“He also took the opportunity to thank the athletes for their hard work and determination during their performances at the Games. He paid tribute to the owners, who are the backbone of our sport, and the grooms who dedicate their lives to the wellbeing of their equine charges,” said a BEF spokesperson.

“He ended by recognising the ‘team behind the team’ – the support staff, the performance managers and the practitioners, who all work tirelessly to ensure the athletes and horses can perform to their best on the world stage.”

The Queen was presented with a commemorative book of photographs, which captured “key moments and the team spirit” from Paris.

“I’m so proud to be your patron and what you achieved in Paris made us all feel very proud to be British,” said The Queen.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there, but I was watching every bit of it on television and it really did bring tears to the eyes. Thank you to the whole team for everything you do.”

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Are these our Los Angeles 2028 Olympic eventing individual medallists?

Pippa Roome — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 18:30:14 +0000

Who will be the LA 2028 Olympic eventing medallists? It sounds a long way away, with the Paris Games barely in our rear view mirror, but we all know how quickly an Olympic cycle goes round.

Sam Watson, co-founder of data analytics company EquiRatings and 2018 world eventing team silver medallist, has analysed the metrics about the Paris medallists and used the info to make some predictions about the Los Angeles Games. Read on for a summary of what he said…

Sam has used a metric called the EquiRatings Elo, which he describes as “our most powerful metric for predicting consistency and quality. Every international horse has an Elo rating. Horses lose points when beaten by lower-rated competitors and gain points when defeating higher-rated ones. The best horses consistently beat top competition.”

At the start of 2021 – so three and a half years before Paris, just as we’re now three and a half years before LA – the horses who went on to take the top four individual places at the 2024 Olympics were all rated among the top performers in their age group by Elo.

Eventual gold medallist FischerChipmunk FRH (Michael Jung, Germany) was the top-rated 13-year-old. Silver medallist Shadow Man (Chris Burton, Australia) was the highest-rated 11-year-old. Bronze medallist London 52 (Laura Collett, Great Britain) was the second best 12-year-old (behind Andrew Hoy’s double Tokyo medallist Vassily De Lassos), while fourth-placed JL Dublin (Tom McEwen) was fourth in the 10-year-old rankings.

So can we use this to predict the LA 2028 Olympic eventing medallists?

Sam has detailed for us the top horses in the 10- to 13-year-old categories right now by Elo, who could be in the running to be on the podium in Los Angeles. They are…

Lordships Graffalo, best 13-year-old – Ros Canter’s British Paris Olympic team gold medallist, already a Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials winner. He has a higher rating now than Chipmunk before Paris.
Zaragoza, best 12-year-old – the ride of Gaspard Maksud of France, who is based in Britain. She is a European team bronze medallist from 2023, who was eighth individually then and sixth at the 2022 worlds. Passed over for Paris selection last season, she had her revenge when sixth at Burghley.
Nickel 21, best 11-year-old – Tokyo Olympic champion Julia Krajewski’s Paris ride for Germany, the Aachen winner was called up from the alternate spot and went there relatively inexperienced, acquitting himself well for individual 11th.
HSH Blake, best 10-year-old – a young star for the USA’s Caroline Martin, who was the 2023 Pan Am champion and very much a talking horse going into Paris, albeit without huge mileage, which is perhaps why the pair ultimately slightly underperformed there in the first two phases for 37th. That experience will have brought both horse and rider on hugely and they’ll be on home soil in 2028.

Full article from EquiRatings

It’s fascinating to wonder if Graffalo, Zaragoza, Nickel and Blake could be in the running to be LA 2028 Olympic eventing medallists. So much can vary and change in horse sport, from injury to changing riders (note both Shadow Man and JL Dublin had different riders in Paris to at the start of 2021), but these metrics can also be powerful indicators.

Who do you think will win the medals in 2028? Send your thoughts to hhletters@futurenet.com for a chance to be published in Horse & Hound, including your name and address (town and county will be published). Letters may be edited for clarity and length.
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Which of Ros Canter’s five-star aces is she tipping for next season – and her new dream for the future

Lucy Elder — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:15:52 +0000

After ending their 2024 eventing seasons on a high, Ros Canter’s five-star horses have been enjoying a holiday in the field. Her Defender Burghley win with Lordships Graffalo (Walter) – who has Mars Badminton lightly pencilled in for his 2025 diary at this stage – was followed up by a successful trip to the Pyrenees with her two other top campaigners. Izilot DHI backed up his 2023 Pau CCI5* victory with the runner-up spot, and five-star first-timer MHS Seventeen came of age to finish 11th with a double jumping clear.

“We’re very lucky in our system at home in that they live outside anyway during the summer,” said Ros, explaining this meant the horses were able to transition seamlessly into their down-time with very little change to their routines.

“They have a bit of downtime and then we start to kind of quietly make some plans for next year and see how they come out.”

She adds: “I know Badminton and Burghley didn’t really go to plan with Izilot DHI, but bar those two events – which were always going to be a question mark – he has had his best season in terms of cross-country and rideability.

“We’ve made a big leap forward in his dressage. I’ve always known he’s had massive, massive ability in that phase, but probably never quite allowed him to use it. Now we are and he’s starting to really grow up. I’m learning to ride him better all the time.”

Ros Canter’s horses enjoy some downtime in the field. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros Canter’s one to watch in 2025

MHS Seventeen was among the stand-out performers on Pau’s drenched cross-country day. The 11-year-old gelding, owned by Deirdre Johnston and Lady Milnes Coates, skimmed across the sloppy going with a smile on his face. The world number three now has three five-star diamonds in her string heading into 2025.

“I absolutely love MHS Seventeen. We call him Vinnie at home and I really love riding him,” says Ros Canter.

The Irish Sport Horse, bred by Mary Brennan, is by Callahan and out of Quidam Junior I mare MHS Dancing Queen. He was produced to three-star by Sara Bowe and later ridden by Nicola Wilson.

“He’s just that little bit smaller and he’s a little bit different to Walter in the way he jumps,” Ros adds. “He’s less thoroughbred in his jump than Walter – he has a more careful kind of bascule in his shape – but he’s like Walter to ride to a fence cross-country. He really looks, he’s very careful, he draws himself back and does a lot of those things automatically.”

Bramham CCI4*-L this year, where he finished third, marked a turning point.

“He definitely became a man after Bramham. There were a couple of times at the start of the course where he was a little bit green and he had to really work quite hard in some of the combinations,” she says.

“Ever since Bramham this year, he’s just gone to the next level and got stuck in from the start. He’s great. I’m really excited about the future. It might be another couple of years before you see us near the top of the dressage, but I think the potential is there and that he will be very competitive on the flat.”

MHS Seventeen en route to third place at Bramham, where Ros says “he became a man”. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

And so, onwards.

“I have a little bit of a gap between the top three and my next bunch of horses, just because of when I had [my daughter] Ziggy,” says Ros. “I don’t have many eight- and nine-year-olds, but I have quite a lot of six- and seven-year-old horses coming through. So it will be interesting to see, and I think a lot of them have really good attributes, which is nice.

“Looking to the future, I’m still really loving it. That’s what’s important to me now. I enjoy getting on the horses, I love training the horses, and I love being at the big events – I get a kick out of the big competitions.”

That competitive drive is as strong as ever. The training side too is something Ros intends to do more of. And there’s something else Ros has her eye on for future.

“I have a slight dream of one day having a dressage horse as well…” she says.

Izilot DHI has “massive, massive ability” in the dressage phase – is this pushing Ros to develop new ambitions? (Image credit: Alamy)

“We all have the same goal – to become better”

Shortly before travelling to Defender Burghley, Ros Canter boxed up her five-star winners Lordships Graffalo and Izilot DHI to head from her base in Lincolnshire to Leicestershire to pop a few fences and have a “brainstorming session”.

Ros is a mentor on the Performance Mentoring Programme (PMP), founded by top coach Caroline Moore. On the riding side, it aims to give equestrians starting out in their careers all-round support, while the coaching strand is designed to give those with aspirations of one day coaching teams opportunities to further their careers.

As a mentor, Ros is there to support those on the programme. Part of its beauty, she has found, is how rewarding it is for all sides involved.

“We all chatted and bashed ideas around together – it was fantastic,” says Ros. “It’s a great bunch of people that all mutually respect each other, are very open minded and all have the same goal as wanting to become better coaches and better riders. I found it fascinating, and I learned a lot.”

Teaching and helping other riders is something Ros has done since she was young. In the busy eventing season, she tries to fit an afternoon of coaching in each week and carves out time in other places to mentor and support PMP riders where she can.

“Some of them came to stay in November to shadow me and bring a couple of horses,” says Ros, whose support also extends in other ways, such as course-walking with PMP riders at major events. “They are to use me to benefit themselves and I’m there to help.”

Ros reflects on all those who have played a role in her own career, and how beneficial it is for both riders and coaches to have a network to “bounce ideas off”.

“Caroline was keen to set something up for people that aren’t on the World Class programme, but who she felt had the right attribute to be top performers and hopefully, represent their country in the future,” she says.

“It’s fully funded and they all get training, but if somebody specifically needed a bit of help with a particular area, such as running a business, or personal training and fitness, then that could be put in place with them. It’s about opening doors for people that we think have got a lot of potential for the future to access anything that they need that can be career enhancing.”

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‘Walter was telling me he thought it was a good idea!’: Ros Canter reflects on winning her first Burghley title

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‘I want to nail a few better results’: Olympic individual silver and twice team gold medallist Tom McEwen looks to the future

‘Walter was telling me he thought it was a good idea!’: Ros Canter reflects on winning her first Burghley title

Lucy Elder — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:30:13 +0000

As the sun set on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, so too did the first chapter of this rider’s remarkable year of two halves. Some six weeks later, the team gold medal-winning combination of Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo would lead another career-defining lap of honour – this time closer to home.

“The moment we decided that we weren’t going to Badminton in the spring, we thought Burghley might be an option for him,” says Ros, for whom this was a first Burghley win.

Ros and Michele Saul, who owns the 12-year-old gelding with husband Archie, had the conversation early in the year. While the focus was on Paris, Burghley had also been pencilled in to “Walter’s” tentative season plan.

While the Paris Olympics was the primary focus for Ros and Walter during 2024, a trip to Burghley was also on the cards if all went according to plan. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“It wasn’t a last minute, ’let’s just throw him in at Burghley’ – it was very much something we’d had in the back of our minds,” adds Ros. “We were always going to wait and see how Paris went, provided we got there, and what he thought of it afterwards.

“He had had a week off after Paris. Then I took him for a couple of hacks. He squealed, he bucked, he was fairly fresh and fit. I rang Michele, and said, ‘If you still think Burghley is a possibility and a good idea, Walter is telling me that he thinks it’s a good idea!’

“We decided to give it to the ballot date and if we were on target, we would enter, and then take every day as it comes and if he felt good, then we would go for it.

“He never had a day when he didn’t feel like he was as fit as a fiddle and ready to do something else.”

Ros: “Walter felt fit and ready for Burghley”

Heading to Burghley was an easy decision with a horse in sparkling form, having taken the nine minutes of galloping over Versailles’ broadly flat terrain in his stride.

“I felt in a really good place in the last week running up to Burghley and was really happy with the way Walter was going,” says Ros.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo were feeling fit and ready for Burghley 2024. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“I tweaked a couple of things – nothing major, but you learn about horses with every event, and horses change as they go through their career. I felt I really knew Walter well. I knew how he was going to react to things, and where I wanted to be in my training, and everything was going very well.

“I had Ian Woodhead there at Burghley to help me on the flat, like I always do. But I very much felt that if he hadn’t been there, I would have been very clear about how I wanted to ride.

“I was quite relaxed about the whole thing as well – whether it was because it was in the aftermath of Paris, which had been quite a high pressurised situation – I was really looking forward to taking him there. It just all worked out.”

Ros Canter jumps the drop into the Trout Hatchery at Defender Burghley to become overnight leader after cross-country on Lordships Graffalo. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

She adds: “Burghley’s terrain rides lumpy, bumpy, even when it looks flat. You can walk it and think you’re going up a slight incline. But actually, when you ride it, you go up an incline and bump along as well.

“Walter – just in his balance and the way he goes cross country – is so incredible that it actually felt quite smooth. He’s so easy on himself, balanced and rideable. He’s so good at coming back to me that I can ride fast towards a turn, take one balance and he clocks it and steadies himself up.

“He’s just the ultimate athlete. He seems to be able to tackle these huge courses, and doesn’t seem to find galloping hard work, meaning can come out on the final day and still have that enthusiasm.”

Ros Canter: a champion’s mindset

Ros’s mindset as an athlete and a horsewoman is exceptional. Her analytic brain and attention to detail set her apart. Walter, after all, is a horse who came to Burghley already a 2023 Badminton and European champion – but she always has a fresh gem to share about something she has learnt in the build-up to that particular event. It’s what makes her post-ride analysis in her debriefs to the media a must-listen. From how focusing on straightness helped Walter nail a new five-star personal best of 22 in the dressage, to not letting her guard slip until through the cross-country finish flags as the last fence had a roof – something Walter hadn’t liked in his younger years.

A focus on straightness helped Ros and Walter achieve a five-star personal best dressage score at Burghley 2024. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros has also spoken openly about the mental processes she went through to get herself in the frame of mind that led to that Burghley win. Uncharacteristic showjumping faults with Izilot DHI costing them the Luhmühlen CCI5* title in June stoked her competitive fire. Processing her feelings around Paris also helped to give her clarity.

“I do use sports psychology a bit. I had a really good sports psychology session that week [before Burghley]. Again, we tweaked a couple of things, I got myself in a slightly different headspace, and everything did just go well,” she says.

“It’s not something I do on a weekly basis, but I generally have a session at the start of the season. Then when gearing up towards a big one, I normally have one or two sessions.

“We cover all sorts of things. I am quite a thinking person. So quite often, I can come up with the problems I’m having, and I can almost come up with the answers to my problems myself. But it is just nice to bounce ideas off someone who knows me.

“We often talk about family life, juggles, guilt, all sorts of different things, but the preparation for Burghley was very much around the feelings I’d had after Paris, how I’d felt a bit flat and deflated, and how that was actually quite normal.”

Ros got “really revved up to go out and mean it” before her cross-country round at Burghley. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

She adds: “My psychology around Burghley was making that decision to myself that I actually really, really wanted it.

“I think because I’d had Paris as my big end goal and then that goal had gone, I was a bit like, ‘well, now what do I do?’ Then I sat down and we chatted, and I really decided that I really wanted to go to Burghley, I really wanted to do well at Burghley, and I wanted to get really psyched up for it. And before cross-country, I was going to get myself really revved up to go out and to really mean it, to really want it.

“It was something a little bit different to what we have done before – changing it up, trying to keep everything fresh.”

Keeping things fresh certainly did pay off.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Enjoy the day-by-day reports of Ros’s Burghley win:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo win Burghley: ‘I wasn’t sure I’d ever tick this box’

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘I didn’t realise he’d lost a shoe’: Ros Canter’s fascinating analysis of her winning cross-country round at Burghley 2024

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘I held my breath until the final fence’: Ros Canter cements Burghley lead despite last-minute concern

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Ros Canter holds one-two at Burghley after ‘lightbulb moment’ with Lordships Graffalo

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

British Paris Olympic gold medallists head up strong field as Burghley entries close

‘I can’t believe I’ve actually done that’ – four months on, Ros Canter is folding washing when her Olympic gold sinks in

Lucy Elder — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:28:17 +0000

Pre-Paris and post-Paris. Ros Canter’s experience of 2024 falls neatly into two halves, each topped by achieving two life-long ambitions. Ros’s Paris Olympic team gold medal performance and her Burghley Horse Trials win took place in fairly quick succession, but were completely different experiences.

“Paris was such a big focus for me that the first half of the year all revolved around that,” she explains. “I had a couple of weeks after Paris where I felt a bit flat and a bit lost, because I hadn’t really thought beyond the Olympics – and then I really kicked back into gear again.”

We caught up in the days after Pau five-star, where Ros ended her season with another top-level podium finish, this time riding Izilot DHI, the pair finishing second in 2024 having won in 2023. Ros’s five-star debutant ride MHS Seventeen also stepped up to the big time in Pau, meaning the eventing season finished for Ros with this new star’s five-star future just beginning.

Ros Canter rounded off an incredible year by finishing second at Pau five-star riding Izilot DHI, and is ready for more. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“Normally I finish the season ready to stop and have a bit of a break, but actually this year I still feel quite buoyed up,” says Ros. “I could have quite happily carried on for a bit longer. I think that’s because the first half of the season was so different to normal, as I only had that one focus. Now, I almost feel like I found another spark – that I still really love it again.

“Paris had just become such a big thing, in that I really wanted to tick that box. I felt like it was the one box I hadn’t ticked.”

Pressure to reach the Olympics

“Having a horse like Lordships Graffalo, and having had a [successful] year like we’d had in 2023, I felt quite a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that I got him to Paris, because I knew I was sitting on a horse that ought to be going to the Olympics,” says Ros.

Teams of three means there is ever more pressure for Olympic places – as Ros well knows, having supported the Brits as the alternate combination in Tokyo 2021 with her 2018 World Champion, Allstar B.

As 2024 dawned, Ros and Lordships Graffalo (“Walter”) – owned by Michele and Archie Saul – were in one of the strongest positions to make that team for Paris, having backed up their Badminton win by leading the Brits to victory with a double gold medal-winning performance at the 2023 Europeans.

Handling high expectations

Ros is no stranger to preparing for championships. Paris was her sixth call-up – seventh including Tokyo – and her system is well honed. Beneath her cool outward composure is a competitor constantly evaluating every decision.

“It was more mental pressure than anything else,” says Ros. “I think the team at home would say it was probably a bit more stressful at the yard. We tightened everything up in terms of biosecurity, so put more work onto ourselves to just try and keep ticking all the boxes and making it happen. But mentally, really, it was the big thing I wanted to do.”

Ros was with her daughter, Ziggy, at the yard when she got the call to say she’d been selected.

“My reaction was relief first and foremost. It’s a funny year, an Olympic year, and a long process. With the weather and everything else, there’s been lots of chopping and changing of plans and you never quite know if you’ve got it right,” said Ros at the time.

“The feelings were bigger than anything I’d felt before”

Ros Canter says the atmosphere in the British camp, and understanding between team mates, made a huge difference in Paris. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“The atmosphere we had in Team GB at the Olympics was incredible,” says Ros, acknowledging her squad mates Tom McEwen, Laura Collett and alternate rider Yasmin Ingham, as well as the wider support team.

“We all knew our jobs, everybody respected that we knew what we were doing. Nothing really changed, in terms of that we were allowed to prepare how we wanted to prepare. But we had all the right people there if we needed them.

“The overriding memory is definitely of cross-country day. The pressure was quite big and obviously I was last to go for the team, so I had a long wait. The sensations and the feelings were bigger than anything I’d ever felt before.”

They delivered, as they have spent their lifetimes preparing to do. But the emotional rollercoaster had a twist yet, as Ros and Lordships Graffalo were awarded controversial flag penalties. The Brits were still out in front, but their buffer ahead of the showjumping was far thinner.

An emotional rollercoaster

“My competition was quite up and down in terms of how it panned out,” says Ros, reflecting back on that evening in Paris some three months on.

“Emotions wise, I got an initial thrill from the cross country, but then that evening didn’t really pan out how it was supposed to, so there was a lot of worry and different emotions surrounding that.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo’s incredible Olympic cross-country round was tainted by controversial flag penalties. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“The knock-on effect for showjumping day was that when I finished my round and we’d won the gold medal, the real emotion was relief. Relief that the situation hadn’t lost us the gold, and relief that I hadn’t let anybody down too much.

“By the time we got to the medal ceremony, we were able to really enjoy it. That was really great fun – our horses behaved impeccably, which helped, and we were able to play to the crowd.”

Ros Canter and Laura Collett return to Paris

A beauty of these Games was the rare opportunity for athletes to be able to nip back to appreciate more of the Olympic magic after their events had finished. Ros and Laura made the most of the opportunity, hopping back across the Channel for a few more days in Paris.

“As soon as I saw the timetable and that we were on early in the Games, I knew I’d like the opportunity to go back to the closing ceremony,” says Ros. “I knew I was going to try and make that happen. When Laura said she wanted to come back too, we made a plan to make two or three days of it.”

Laura Collett and Ros Canter soak up the Olympic experience at the Champions’ Parade. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The pair hot-footed it from Aston-le-Walls down to London, where they jumped on the train to Paris to parade through Champions Park and experience the closing ceremony.

“It was absolutely brilliant. One of the best things I’ve done,” says Ros. “When you’re actually competing at an Olympics you have to treat it like it’s just another competition – you can’t get bowled over by it being the Olympics, or it would just become much too difficult.

“To be able to go back and soak it in was fantastic.”

Ros Canter: “I’m still first and foremost a mother, and an eventer”

Has life changed since winning Olympic gold?

“Not really!” says Ros, with a smile in her voice. “There are some lovely things that come because of the Olympics. We get new opportunities, which is great – I get to experience and am invited to places that I would never normally get to go.”

She mentions a trip to Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister – shortly after we speak, Ros joins fellow Olympians to meet The King at a reception at Buckingham Palace.

“But no, life very much goes on. I’m still, first and foremost, a mother, and an event rider, trying to juggle – and life is still one big juggling act,” she says.

Ros Canter continues to balance being a parent and athlete with day-to-day life. Here she is pictures with her daughter Ziggy at Ros’s yard back in 2020. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

There are moments, though, that the glint of that golden achievement sinks in.

“Yesterday evening, I was upstairs putting clothes away or doing something very normal, and I suddenly thought, ‘oh my gosh, I actually won a gold medal!’” she says.

“I love the Olympics, I have always loved the Olympics, and I love sports. I just had a moment where I thought, ‘crikey, I can’t believe I actually, I’ve actually done that!’”

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‘I didn’t realise he’d lost a shoe’: Ros Canter’s fascinating analysis of her winning cross-country round at Burghley 2024

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Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo win Burghley: ‘I wasn’t sure I’d ever tick this box’

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‘We were broadsided’: Dickie Waygood and Ros Canter on THOSE Olympic flag penalties

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Change in tactics pays off for Ros Canter in final jumping round of Olympics eventing

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‘I don’t think I breathed the whole way around’: Ros Canter on her team leg of Paris Olympics eventing showjumping

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‘We’re only scratching the surface’: Ros Canter buoyed by what the future holds following Paris Olympics dressage test

Bid on training with Ros Canter and Laura Collett or a Carl Hester yard tour in silent auction

Pippa Roome — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:59:09 +0000

Unique lots such as training with British Olympic gold medallists are on offer in a Performance Mentoring Programme (PMP) silent auction.

Renowned eventing coach Caroline Moore set up PMP at the beginning of 2024 to offer fully funded support to young event riders and developing coaches in areas such as business, technical skills, horsemanship and the ability to be successful in the industry. She aims to raise £25,000 with the PMP auction.

Lots in the auction include training with 2024 Olympic team gold medallists Laura Collett and Ros Canter – a PMP mentor – and a day’s eventing with JL Dublin, a team gold medallist with Tom McEwen in Paris.

Other riders offering lessons and training camps in the auction include 14-time five-star winner William Fox-Pitt, PMP-supported riders Emma Thomas and Phoebe Locke and five-star competitors Emilie Chandler and Kylie Roddy. There are also opportunities to snap up sessions with British team coaches Christopher Bartle, Dickie Waygood and Ian Woodhead.

Bidding is now open

Or do you fancy learning from a top-class groom? Ros’s travelling groom Sarah Charnley is offering a day of her time and skill at a competition or at home.

If a holiday is more your thing, you can bid on mini break or a residential riding holiday or hunting fans can try their luck for a day with the Quorn. If the British five-stars are your passion, you could win a behind-the-scenes experience at Badminton Horse Trials with rider Aaron Millar or a VIP package at Burghley Horse Trials.

Other celebrity lots include yard tours with dressage multiple medallist Carl Hester, lunch with British Horse Society president Martin Clunes and a tennis racquet signed by tennis star Sir Andy Murray.

Under-25 national champion Emma Thomas has had support through the PMP this year and described it as “incredible”, including funding for training, sports psychology, talks and personal training.

“It’s educating us to be better athletes and better eventers,” said Emma, adding that she was “immediately taken care of” when she was kicked in the build-up to Burghley this year and needed assistance such as physio to ensure she could compete at the event.

The auction is open until 9.30pm on Saturday 23 November and there are 72 lots on offer.

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Defending champions lead bumper Pau field on sub-20 dressage: ‘He lifted when he came in’

Lucy Elder — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:14:31 +0000

Defending Pau Horse Trials champions Ros Canter and Izilot DHI recorded a new CCI5* personal best to top the dressage results in their quest to defend their title.

The Pau Horse Trials dressage leaderboard has undergone a total overhaul today (25 October), with an exciting – if damp – day of sport at the final five-star of 2024.

Ros and the 11-year-old gelding, whom she owns with Alex Moody, are on a score of 19 ahead of tomorrow’s cross-country – shaving 0.9 of a penalty from their previous best of 19.9, which they set at Burghley in September.

The pair have a 5.6-penalty lead over Emily King (Valmy Biats) and Oliver Townend (Cooley Rosalent), who are tied for second place at this stage on 24.6. Thursday’s dressage leaders Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality now hold fourth on 25.8.

Mercurial talent “Isaac” looked confident and relaxed – his score sheet peppered with eights and nines, and a brace of 10s for his halts the crowning moments in a harmonious test.

“I thought we’d probably done a little bit too much [in the warm-up], he was a bit heavy on the rein out there. But then he lifted when he came into the ring – he heard the clapping from Boyd [Martin’s] test and was really lovely to ride,” said Ros.

“He’s a real professional now. What I’m really delighted about is that last year he came in there and he found the camera quite spooky – it took a while for me to get round it. He was then good when he got in there, but today he just went straight past it. It just shows how much he’s come on in a year.”

The top 10 after dressage is filled with Brits and Kiwi combinations. Clarke Johnstone heads the three New Zealand partnerships at the business end of proceedings at this stage. He is now in fifth place with his Paris 2024 ride Menlo Park (26.3).

Yasmin Ingham has slotted into sixth with her experienced campaigner Rehy DJ (26.5), owned by Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund.

“He was super accurate. He’s not big and flashy, like Banzai Du Loir or other big flashy movers, but when he does everything I ask him to do on the right marker, he’s accurate, consistent and will be in the mix – and that’s where we want to be,” she said.

“We got here on Monday night and having a Friday test has massively benefited him. It meant I could get him out of his stable several times a day, even if was just for a hack or hand-grazing or a bit of schooling. So he’s plenty familiar with the place.

“He’s been in the main arena twice now, so that’s always a really big help. He had a jump this morning, which normally brightens him up, he gets a bit bored with dressage! We gave him a fun jump and it seemed to put him in the right frame of mind for this afternoon.”

New Zealand rider Samantha Lissington’s partnership with the elegant Lord Seekonig, who joined her string in 2022, is now really blossoming. Their score of 26.7 means they hold provisional seventh and are in touch with the leaders.

“I’d been really struggling with the left-to-right flying change, because he can be a bit spooky, and then focuses more on the judging box than he does on me, so I’m pleased that he stayed with me for that,” said Samantha.

“In his test at Luhmühlen, he got really muddled with so many changes in one test, whereas I felt like he knew what he was doing here. He felt prepared for all of them, without anticipating, which is quite a tough thing to get at this age and stage of training.”

Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat are now in eighth (27.1), Tim Price and Jarillo are in ninth (27.2), with Piggy March and Halo completing the top 10 (27.4).

In total, 18 of the 73 competitors broke the 30 barrier, and there are just 15 penalties between the top 41 starters.

Thursday’s sunshine gave way to continuous rain. Changes will be made to Saturday’s cross-country course, which had walked soft even before this deluge.

Pau Horse Trials cross-country is scheduled to start at 10.30am UK time (11.30am local time).

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Previous winners of Pau Horse Trials: Olympic medallists, the sire of a five-star horse and a French female first

Pippa Roome — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:30:47 +0000

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

Cross Country . Nicolas Touzaint and Hildago De L'Ile . (Image credit: Phil Mingo)

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.

bettina hoy and ringwood cockatoo (Image credit: trevor meeks)

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.

Olympics Eventing SJumping 31 07 2012 SCHRADE DirkKING ARTUS (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

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.

European Horse Trials Luhmuhlen Day 3 27 08 11 FRH Fantasia andreas dibowski (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

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.

OSLO William Fox-Pitt (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

Andrew Nicholson riding NEREO during the cross country phaseof The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford UK, September, 2013 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

WILLIAM FOX-PITT (GBR) RIDING SEACOOKIE in the CCI **** at Pau in France on 27 October 2013 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

Ingrid KLIMKE (GER) riding HORSEWARE HALE BOB during the cross country phase of the CCI**** at Les Etoiles de Pau, in Pau France between 23th -26th October 2014 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

PIAF DE B'NEVILLE Astier Nicolas (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

Maxime LIVIO (FRA) riding QALAO DES MERS during cross country phase of the Pau CCI**** near Pau in the Pyrenees region of France on 15th October 2016 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

Gwendolen Fer riding Romantic Love FRA during the Cross Country Phase of The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials at Badminton in Gloucestershire, UK on 7th May 2016 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

Thibault Fournier riding SINIANI DE LATHUS (FRA) during the cross country phase of the British Horse Feeds CCI***U25 at the Bramham International Horse Trials on the Bramham Estate near Weatherby in North Yorkshire in the UK on 9th June 2018 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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.

GBR-Tom McEwen rides Toledo De Kerser during the Cross Country for the CCI5*-L. Interim-1st. Les 5 Etoiles de Pau. Pyrenees Atlantiques. France. Saturday 26 October. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography (Image credit: Libby Law)

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.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

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

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World number one and Burghley re-routers head huge entries for French five-star at Pau – plus a rider swap post-Paris

Pippa Roome — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 11:44:03 +0000

The top three riders in the world head up a strong list of Pau Horse Trials entries for the French five-star (24–27 October).

World number one Tom McEwen is one of 25 British riders planning to compete and brings forward John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Quality, who seeks a first five-star completion after retirement at Luhmühlen Horse Trials, and MHS Brown Jack, a debutant at the level owned by Fred and Penny Barker.

Tom’s fellow Paris team gold medallist, world number two Ros Canter, also has two rides. She and Izilot DHI, owned by his rider and Alex Moody, will defend the title they won last year and aim to file another strong result after leading the dressage but retiring after an early run-out across country at Burghley Horse Trials. Ros’s other ride, Deirdre Johnston and Lady Milnes Coates’s MHS Seventeen, will have his first tilt at this level.

Other notable British entries include Ben Hobday with Shadow Man, who was ridden to Olympic individual silver this summer by Australia’s Chris Burton, but is now back with his original rider. Ben and the chestnut finished 10th at Lignières CCI4*-S since re-forming their partnership.

Zara Tindall (Class Affair), Pippa Funnell (MCS Maverick) and Emily King (Valmy Biats) are also among those seeking redemption after problems at Burghley, as is Oliver Townend with Kentucky Three-Day Event winner Cooley Rosalent. Oliver also pilots five-star first-timers En Taro Des Vernier and Crazy Du Loir.

A stallion is always noteworthy at this level and Halo will make his five-star debut here under Piggy March.

Big entries for Pau Horse Trials

There are 80 horses from 14 countries on the current full list of Pau Horse Trials entries.

World number three Tim Price brings forward a five-star first-timer for New Zealand in Jarillo, while his compatriot Clarke Johnstone will ride his Paris mount Menlo Park.

The USA’s Boyd Martin rides his Paris horse, Federman B, as well as five-star first-timer Miss Lulu Herself. He is joined in the trip across the Atlantic by world team silver medallists Will Coleman and Off The Record.

Two combinations from Sweden’s Olympic team will tackle Pau in Frida Andersen with Box Leo and Sofia Sjoborg on Bryjamolga VH Marienshof Z, as well as their Paris alternate pair Malin Asai and Golden Midnight.

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‘I didn’t realise he’d lost a shoe’: Ros Canter’s fascinating analysis of her winning cross-country round at Burghley 2024

Carol Phillips — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 17:28:45 +0000

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo’s brilliant cross-country performance at Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2024 was an absolute masterclass and a must-watch for any fan of the sport. It’s made even more impressive when you realise that “Walter” jumped much of the way around Derek di Grazia’s challenging five-star track with just three shoes after losing one at fence nine, the big open oxer – the Pedigree Rails.

In a fascinating video of her round on Burghley’s facebook page, Ros analyses her riding and Walter’s performance over every fence around possibly the toughest track they’ve ever faced.

How Ros Canter rode the Burghley cross-country course

Ros says she was really happy with how she started the course: “I went out with with real confidence, and I got a really good, open, kind of galloping stride over the first log.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

This set the pair up for the first few straight forward galloping fences, before heading into the main arena, where Ros says she was very pleased that Walter stayed very straight as “my trainer Caroline Moore had given me strict instructions not to take a single flag at Burghley” after the unfortunate flag penalties the pair picked up at the Paris Olympics.

Ros’s earlier attempt at the Burghley 2024 cross-country course on Izilot DHI came to an end at the Defender Valley, when as Ros described it – “I had a bit of a whoopsie” – so between her rides she returned to the fence on foot to re-walk her line and confirm her plan. “It was all eyes on the red flag of the last part to make sure that I got my line on the way in, spot on. And then it was just a little bit of a steering exercise. And Walter flew through there.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Having kept a tight line over the Trakehner at fence six, they headed up the hill to the Leaf Pit, which had been a real talking point among the riders before the cross-country got underway. Here was one of a number of times in the video when Ros shares her gratitude that Walter is such a polite horse to ride, while also having a lot of speed when galloping.

“When I came around the corner of the Leaf Pit, he came straight back to me and popped off [the big drop] with really lovely balance, and then rolled down to the two triple brushes. We saw a good shot for the first, and I was able just to steer him round for a second – a tick in the box with no flags.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Ros’s return route through Discovery Valley also went without a hitch and then she “let Walter rip” and galloped on up the hill to fence 9.

“Walter really flew [the oxer at fence 9], but he drifted right, which is what he does if I’m not quite on my A game,” explains Ros. “So that was a good wake up call for me before the Tout Hatchery with the right-handed corner coming out.

“He was absolutely super through the Trout Hatchery. You know, he’s fast, but he waits. He’s polite, so it’s exactly the kind of question that he excels at.”

Ros Canter jumps the drop into the Trout Hatchery at Defender Burghley Horse Trials on overnight leader after cross-country Lordships Graffalo. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

Ros adds that she didn’t realise Walter had lost a shoe at fence 9 and so she was able to carry on “without letting that interfere with my thoughts”.

With the next two straight forward galloping fences under her belt, Ros says she got a useful reminder that she needed to stay strong in her position when Walter flew over the big oxer going into Joules at the Maltings at fence 14.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“We got a great shot at the big oxer,” she says. “At Burghley every fence feels a bit like a drop fence and I felt like my body tipped forward a little bit so it as a good reminder to make sure I stayed strong for the rest of the course.”

The challenging bending line over the brush to the rails to the triple brush was the sort of “schooling exercise” at which Walter “excels, because he’s neat and he bounces and he comes around his corners as well”, so they wasted no time there before heading on the challenging Rolex Corners at fence 16.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“I think the riders probably slightly under estimated this fence in our course walk, but I’d watched what was unfolding during the day” explains Ros. “I was determined, I wanted the four strides. I wanted to be turning and waiting to the last corner because when people were chasing their horse [to make the distance] the horses weren’t having time to read it.”

Of course when it came to it, Ros’s ride through the fence 16 “all came off a bit like clockwork” and they were quickly heading off towards Winners’ Avenue, after negotiating Capabilities Cutting, another big table and the two gates on a turning line.

The Irish Horse Board Cottesmore Leap (fence 20) on the Burghley cross-country course for 2024. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Having got the long pull up Winners’ Avenue out of the way, Walter “ate up” the impressive Cottesmore Leap, before tackling the two triple bar accuracy questions at Fairfax & Favor at Keepers (fence 21ab), which Ros says she rode “as smoothly as I could, so that I was still staying on my minute markers”.

It may be a surprise to learn that a rider of Ros’s experience ever gets “a little bit nervous” about a particular fence, but she describes the Defender Dairy Mound as “a little of a nemesis for me” having fallen there in 2023 and had problems with the late, great Allstar B on an earlier visit. While her ride through looked almost flawless to observers, ever the perfectionist, Ros says she “kind of nearly got it right” this time.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“I felt I’d put Lordships Graffalo in a touch close coming over the corner, but he’s so sharp in front and brave that he didn’t really notice. Then he was agile, like a cat, coming down over the log and two strides to the cabin with brush on top – that’s where he really excels.”

With the most challenging parts of the course behind them, Ros said this was the first time that she had to remind Walter to “keep plugging on”, when previously he’d been taking her along all the galloping stretches: “I started to chat to him a bit and say ‘Don’t worry mate, we’re nearly there. Let’s keep at it’.”

Having negotiated Capabilities Cutting for the second time, where Ros says she was “pleased with the way I rode” the road crossing and upright hare that followed, they headed down to the huge Slate Mine and the next water crossing at Fence 26abc – Boodles Raindance.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Ros explains: “That was the first time I felt Walter felt like he was getting a little bit weary and he didn’t jump into the water quite as cleanly as he normally does, so I was like ‘Come on Ros, pick him up, it’s time to get working!’”

From there onwards, Ros describes her round as “plain sailing” with a “good shot” at the house before the Lion Bridge, and “a really good line to the fish in the water, which always gives us riders the heebie-jeebies”.

Ros Canter and Lordships Gaffalo pass under the Lion Bridge on their way to a clear round inside the time at Defender Burghley 2024. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Having got that out of the way, Ros says she got down on Walter’s neck and “he really responded. He is an incredible horse like that. He seems to be able to find that extra gear when other horses are getting tired”.

Having flown over the second last, Ros admits to feeling a little nervous before the last fence: “When Walter was six-years-old, he came across a jump with a hat on top. He stumbled and fell and I fell off. So ever since he’s been a bit wary of things over the top of him.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

But of course, he jumped the Defender Finale like the absolutely pro he is and Ros could relax in the knowledge that she’d “done a good job, and shown off a horse with such ability as Walter to be the best we could.”

Watch the full video on Burghley’s facebook page
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The best mare, a groom’s story and how many awards for Walter? Check out our Burghley prize-winners’ photos…

Pippa Roome — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:30:22 +0000

With Defender Bughley now in the rearview mirror, it’s time to catch up on who won all the Burghley Horse Trials special prizes and trophies.

It was a week of brilliant performances, drama and bold riding and we’re up for any way to re-live it now that the British five-star action is over for another year. So read on to catch up on the winners and see lots of beautiful photos of them…

Burghley Horse Trials special prizes

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo topped the billing. Second after dressage to Ros’s other ride Izilot DHI, “Walter” didn’t put a foot wrong thereafter, moving up to win by a comfortable margin. He and his connections took home a host of prizes for their efforts…

Ros Canter riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR winners of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

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

Ros Canter riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR during the show jumping phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

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

Ros Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO during the cross country phase, Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire, 7 September 2024© Nico Morgan Media. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

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

Ros Canter riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR in the 1st Horse Inspection of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

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

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

Ros Canter riding LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR during the dressage phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

Tim Price and Vitali took second. This horse has long promised a podium finish at five-star, but his showjumping has let him down on multiple occasions, so it was special that on Sunday Tim managed to coax him round with just four faults. Prizes rained down on them too…

The Henry Tate Challenge Cup, awarded to the owner of the second-placed horse: Alex and Joe Giannamore

Tim Price riding VITALI for NZL during the show jumping phase during the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

The Sugden Challenge Trophy, awarded to the rider of the second-placed horse: Tim Price

Tim Price riding VITALI for NZL during the cross country phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

A Crystal Champagne Cooler, awarded to the owner and rider of the second-placed horse: Alex and Joe Giannamore and Tim Price

Tim Price and VITALI during the cross country phase, Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire, 7 September 2024© Nico Morgan Media. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Harry Meade finished in the top 12 with all three of his horses, with Cavalier Crystal repeating her podium place from last year in third.

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

Harry Meade riding CAVALIER CRYSTAL for GBR during the cross country phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

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

Harry Meade riding CAVALIER CRYSTAL for GBR during the show jumping phase during the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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

Harry Meade and CAVALIER CRYSTAL during the cross country phase, Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire, 7 September 2024© Nico Morgan Media. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

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

A Miniature of the Defender Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded to the highest placed first-timer: Gaspard Maksud riding Zaragoza

Gaspard Maksud riding ZARAGOZA II for FRA during the cross country phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials /)

There isn’t actually a prize for it, but we’re throwing in a picture of the best British first-timer too, Max Warburton, who rode Deerpairc Revelry into 18th.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Pol Roger Champagne presented a jeroboam of Pol Roger Champagne to the top three riders: Ros Canter, Tim Price and Harry Meade

The top 3 at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials; winners Ros Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO for GBR, 2nd Tim Price and VITALI for NZL and 3rd Harry Meade and CAVALIER CRYSTAL for GBR, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Mint Julep Cups were also given to all owners whose horses completed the competition, and to any athlete completing who is not the owner of the horse.

There were also prizes for unsung heroes behind the scenes…

Spillers Horse Care Prize, to the grooms of the best-cared-for horses, in recognition of their hard work and dedication – winner: Michelle Koppin for her care of Monica Spencer’s ride Artist

Michelle explained how she ended up looking after the thoroughbred here: “Monica teaches me on my horse and in return I help her out. I was at her yard trying a horse when she asked me whether I’d like to come to Burghley — I said yes, absolutely!”

Monica Spencer with ARTIST for NZL winner of grooms prize during Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Runner up: Sarah Murray for her care of Wills Oakden’s ride A Class Cooley

Wills Oakden and A CLASS COOLEY during the cross country phase, Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincolnshire, 7 September 2024© Nico Morgan Media. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

The Worshipful Company of Farriers best shod horse award, judged by Jim Blount: Russel Deering for Monica Spencer’s Artist

Monica Spencer riding ARTIST for NZL during the cross country phase at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held in the Deer Park of Burghley House in Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the between the 4th - 8th September 2024 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Lady Victoria Award: awarded to Di Boddy, showjumping course designer for over 30 years

Fairfax & Favour presented a prize to the best-dressed male and female riders at the first horse inspection: Tom McEwen and Bella Innes Ker

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Unsung hero award, in memory of Justin Llewelyn: Major Chris Tar, chief Sunday steward for many years

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

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A standout star delivers, a nearly-horse fulfils his promise and Harry Meade excels: all the action from Burghley’s final day

Martha Terry — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 16:56:10 +0000

The results are in and the Defender Burghley Horse Trials is over for another year – what a fabulous exhibition of top-class eventing it was.

Under sunny autumn skies, Lordships Graffalo cemented his place as the outstanding event horse of his generation with victory under Ros Canter. The overnight leaders showjumped clear to take the win over Tim Price and Vitali, with Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal third for the second year in a row.

Here’s a recap of how the final day of Burghley CCI5* played out.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo proved imperious to land the trophy.

Why was this success a big box to tick for Ros?

Tim Price earned his best CCI5* result with Vitali (second) in six attempts at the level.

Find out how Tim eked out such improvement in the horse’s final phase

Harry Meade has had a stellar week, finishing third, fourth and 12th – with just one pole the only blip in six jumping rounds.

Why did Harry Meade put his fingers in his ears at the end?

The day didn’t start smoothly for some contenders, with an eventful horse inspection.

Who was spun and withdrew overnight?

Further down the Burghley Horse Trials results, British rider Emma Thomas overcame a nasty leg injury to complete.

How did Emma ensure she was fit to compete over Burghley’s demanding track?

The youngest rider in the competition achieved a satisfying completion

Read about Tom Bird’s Burghley experience with Cowling Hot Gossip

Jesse Campbell enjoyed a shaft of joy months after the tragic death of his wife Georgie.

Find out what has kept Jesse going in this rollercoaster year
To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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