Owned by Laura, Keith Scott and Nick How, the 10-year-old has been a victim of the recent event abandonments as a result of poor weather.
“I said at the beginning of the season that unless Mr Bass came out feeling absolutely ready for Badminton, I wouldn’t go,” Laura told H&H.
“He was meant to run in the CIC3* at Burnham Market last weekend (29-31 March), but when that was abandoned [after the dressage], that was the last straw for me.
“He missed a couple of fitness sessions due to the snow and with the lost run at Burnham, I don’t want to risk him at Badminton. He’s only 10 and a very exciting horse for me — it’s just one of those things and not worth it.”
Badminton final scores
Mr Bass was the seven-year-old World Young Horse champion and finished second in the CCI3* at Blenheim last year. Badminton would have been his first attempt at four-star level.
Laura said that Mr Bass was “totally wild” in his only full run of the season so far at Gatcombe on 24 March, when he contested the open intermediate. He was the dressage leader by four marks and showjumped clear but then ran out across country.
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“He needs a lot to keep his brain occupied and with a lack of cross country schooling due to the poor weather, he was very opinionated at Gatcombe,” explained Laura.
Following the success of last year’s fence-designing competition, the idea has been extended to the whole course
The pair were 18th after the dressage in the CIC3* at Burnham Market, but competition was abandoned on the Saturday morning before the section’s jumping phases.
“We’re now heading for the CIC3* at Belton (if the weather ever changes!) and then Luhmuhlen CCI4* which gives me a few more weeks to prepare as it is in June,” said Laura.
Of the 14 combinations that were originally on the Badminton wait-list, eight now remain, with Pippa Funnell topping the list on Billy Beware.
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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.
