This year’s Badminton Horse Trials was due to be held on 6-10 May, 2020 and would have been the 71st running of the event, before the coronavirus pandemic led to its cancellation. The FEI five-star event was going to take place in partnership with Science Supplements and Mars Equestrian. The Badminton box office opened for priority bookings on 6 January 2020 and for all ticket sales on 13 January.
Piggy French was crowned the 2019 winner riding Vanir Kamira, ahead of Oliver Townend, who had led going into the final phase on Ballaghmor Class. Third was Chris Burton riding Cooley Lands, who finished on their dressage score.
Held in the grounds of Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the cross-country course for this year’s event as designed by Eric Winter once again. The 2020 event had a new director in Jane Tuckwell, following Hugh Thomas’ decision to retire after 31 years at the helm.
One of just seven five-star events in the world, the Gloucestershire event is arguably the most prestigious. The list of winners is a true who’s who for the sport of eventing and we can’t wait to see who will add their name to the roll of honour next time.
The first event was held at Badminton in 1949 when the 10th Duke of Beaufort decided to host an event to help British riders train for future international events. The event has been cancelled five times, due to bad weather in 1966, 1975, 1987 and 2012, and due to foot and mouth disease in 2001. Weather also forced the event to downgrade to a one-day competition in 1963.
After the announcement of her retirement earlier this week, we look back at super-mare Paulank Brockagh’s successful career under Sam Griffiths
In the 1970s and 1980s, Lucinda Green set a record that no one has yet come close to equalling when she won Badminton six times on six different horses. She talks to Kate Green about why each victory was so special
As we can’t be at Badminton this week, we remind you of the thrilling, funny and touching moments from the 2019 event, in the riders’ own words
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane. Here is the interview that was conducted with Imogen Murray before her first Badminton in 2017
Running Badminton requires the time, energy and skill of thousands of people every year. Catherine Austen speaks to a few of the key players about their roles and favourite memories
From the horse who completed seven times in a row to a mare whose son followed her into the runner-up spot, Catherine Austen and Pippa Roome tell the story of 10 of Badminton’s equine stars
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane. Here is the interview that was conducted with Cathal Daniels before his first Badminton in 2017, where he was the youngest competitor in the field and we also met his small and mighty horse
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane and delve into elements that make up the event. Here we trace the origins of the trophy given to the youngest British horse in the top echelons of the leader board
We’ve dug into the archives to remember one of Mark Todd’s hairier Badminton cross-country rounds...
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane. Here is the interview that was conducted with Emily Philp before her first Badminton in 2019. Find out more about these five-star first-timers as they prepared for the week of their lives
We take a trip down memory lane to re-live the moment that Mary King won her first Badminton title, aboard King William in 1992
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane and delve into elements that make up the event. Here we take a look at the prize given to the best British first-timer
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane. Here is the interview that was conducted with Lissa Green before her first Badminton in 2017. So meet the daughter of a six-time Badminton winner and her 15.2hh horse with the biggest of hearts
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane and delve into elements that make up the event. Here we look at the trophy given to the horse who climbs the most places after dressage...
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we will take a few trips down memory lane. Here is the interview that was conducted with Ros Canter before her first Badminton in 2016. She talks about the little and large relationship with her Badminton ride and taking confidence from her first Burghley in 2015
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due to take place this week (6—10 May). So instead we’re taking a few trips down memory lane. Here is the final day report from the 2016 event when Michael Jung became the first German rider to win the prestigious five-star, while also walking away with the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing prize too...
We look at 12 rider frighteners from around the world. How many would you willingly take on?
Many great horses helped make Sir Mark Todd’s eventing career such an illustrious one, but everyone can only ever have one first Badminton winner. Sir Mark talks about Southern Comfort, with whom he won his first Badminton in 1980...
Fans can vote for which year's Badminton highlights programmes they would like to watch, with each person being able to vote for up to three renewals
