There was drama at the final horse inspection at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this morning (7 May) as three horses were withdrawn and a total of five sent to the holding box.
Alex Bragg, who was in eighth place overnight after the cross-country riding Zagreb (pictured), was sent to the holding box where he was then withdrawn before representing.
Malin Head Clover, the mount of Lissa Green, was also sent to the holding box where he was then withdrawn, meaning they will play no further part in the competition.
Lissa Green and Malin Head Clover
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Fellow Badminton first-timer Becky Woolven withdrew before the trot-up and so did not present her horse, Charlton Down Riverdance.
Badminton final scores
Three other contenders were sent to the holding box. They were Frenchman Astier Nicolas and Piaf De B’Neville, who was 13th after the cross-country. Fourteenth-placed Tina Cook and Billy The Red were also held, plus Oliver Townend and Samuel Thomas II. All three horses were accepted upon reinspection in front of the ground jury of Martin Plewa, Anne-Mette Binder and Christina Klingsor.
The French rider Thibaut Vallette and Qing Do Briot Ene HN were asked to trot twice initially, but were then accepted.
Forty-six horses go forward to the showjumping phase which kicks off at 11.30am with the top 20 jumping from 2.55pm. The first session of showjumping can be watched on the Horse & Hound website here.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Continued below…
A statement has been issued by Badminton with regards to Emily Gilruth, who fell at fence three on the cross-country yesterday, riding Topwood Beau. It reads: “Emily remains in intensive care at Southmeade Hospital, Bristol, undergoing treatment and further investigation.”
Don’t miss this week’sH&H(out now), which includes a 16-page Badminton pull-out with full form guide and more. Next week’s H&H (out on Thursday 11 May) will have comprehensive 25-page Badminton report, bringing you all of the news, analysis and statistics.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
