Flag dramas, cross-country climbers and why dad knows best: catch up with all the action from Badminton cross-country day
It was a fantastic day of sport to settle the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country results (Saturday, 10 May), with the sun shining, sell-out crowds and nail-biting competition.
If you want to relive the day’s exciting action, here’s a round-up of all the stories.
- The Badminton Horse Trials cross-country results yielded a shake-up of the leaderboard, with some top riders dropping out of contention.
The decisions on flag penalties – and what’s the overnight top 10?
- Oliver Townend produced a fantastic round on his dressage leader but a flag penalty put his placing under review.
Badminton final scores
Find out what Oliver’s dad had to say that changed his son’s riding plan
- Ros Canter put the pressure on the leaders with a scintillating round.
Where did Ros nudge a flag – and her reaction to the penalties
- Tom McEwen dropped down the order after his excellent dressage test.
It wasn’t Tom’s day, but two other young Brits were on song
- Gemma Stevens set the early standard – and stayed at the top nearly all day.
Find out how Gemma became the first rider inside the optimum time
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
- But Gemma’s higher-placed dressage ride dropped out of contention.
What Gemma says about saving her veteran mare for another day
- A British first-timer made an eye-catching debut.
Learn more about Katie Magee’s “proper old-fashioned chaser”
- Austin O’Connor made an impressive climb up the placings from 20th after dressage.
Why the Irishman says this is the “most excited I’ve ever been”
- A home-bred mare proved her 2024 five-star win was no fluke.
How Lara de Liedekerke’s ride dispelled her doubts
- Harry Meade showed once again why he’s known as the fastest rider in the world.
Read about Superstition’s unorthodox preparation
- Tayla Mason, the Kiwi rider who came off the waitlist only five days ago produced a cracking clear for just 4.4 time-faults.
Make sure you come back on Sunday to keep tabs on all the action.
5 things not to miss from showjumping day at Badminton
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.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.