‘Exceptional circumstances’ force date changes for Badminton and Royal Windsor in 2024

Badminton Horse Trials and Royal Windsor Horse Show are to swap their traditional dates next year, it has been confirmed, owing to “exceptional circumstances” relating to BBC scheduling of Badminton.

The organisers of Windsor announced this week that the 2024 event will run from Wednesday to Sunday, 1-5 May. Badminton has confirmed it will run exactly a week later, from Wednesday to Sunday, 8-12 May.

“This is a change to the annual UK and international equestrian event calendar, as the show is normally the second week in May, with Badminton Horse Trials running the first week,” a spokesman for Royal Windsor said.

“Due to exceptional circumstances that arose from BBC’s scheduling of Badminton, Royal Windsor has agreed, with the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) and Badminton, to alter its dates, on a one-off basis only.”

The spokesman added that after next year, the show will revert to its usual week, running from 14-18 May 2025, 13-17 May 2026 and 12-16 May 2027.

Badminton final scores

Badminton event director Jane Tuckwell told H&H: “Badminton is extremely grateful to Royal Windsor Horse Show and the BEF for finding a solution that enables spectators and traders alike to attend both of these prestigious equestrian events if they so wish.”

The schedule change means eventers will have more breathing space between the Kentucky Three-Day Event and Badminton, as the former will run from 24-28 April, and a shorter gap between Badminton and Luhmühlen (13-16 June).

It could also result in a clash with Chatsworth International Horse Trials, which this year ran from 12-14 May. H&H has approached the Chatsworth organisers to confirm the event’s 2024 date.

It is understood that the moving of Windsor would mean a clash with the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) winter championships, which usually run that weekend. A BSPS spokesman told H&H the society would call a meeting next week to discuss the issue.

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