A Quick Guide to Badminton Horse Trials
What is Badminton
Horse Trials?
Badminton Horse Trials is one of the most challenging, exciting
and glamourous equestrian events in the world, drawing around 200,000 spectators. Set within the beautiful grounds of the Badminton estate in South
Gloucestershire, it sees horses and their riders compete over three days,
testing them in three disciplines: dressage, cross country and show-jumping, and the winning pair must show excellence across all.
As a 5-star event, Badminton is known for being the highest level
of equestrian competition, requiring horses and riders to be at the top of their game (international horse trials are given a star grading according to how difficult they are, so the higher the number of stars, the more physically demanding the competition!)
Indeed, it is one of only seven, 5-star events in the
world. The others are Burghley Horse Trials (UK), Kentucky Three Day Event
(USA), Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill (USA), Australian International Three Day
Event (Australia), Luhmühlen Horse Trials (Germany) and Pau (France).
But Badminton
is not only the oldest, it's considered to be the most prestigious. Both horses and riders must qualify in order to compete, and it can take several years. In 2026, the winner of the event will
take home £125,000 – the biggest first prize in eventing.
History
When the first post-war Olympic Games were held in London in
1948, a British equestrian team competed but the horse riding was
mostly limited to cavalry officers and women
were not allowed to enter. Attending the event, and believing that Britain could produce great riders from hunting and racing, the 10th Duke of Beaufort proposed
an annual competition at his Badminton estate to help with the training and selection of future teams. This led to the creation of trials – which have
been hosted at Badminton ever since.
Programme
This year, Badminton
Horse Trials opens to the public on Wednesday 6th May and continues until
Sunday 10th May 2026.
Wednesday (7th May) – Opening Day: HORSE
INSPECTION & GRASSROOTS
This is the opening day! In the afternoon, the competition kicks off with the horse inspection. Before competing, each horse is trotted up in front of a panel of judges (including a vet) to make
sure the horse is healthy and fit to compete. This is called the First
Inspection. Today is also the LeMieux Design Grassroots Championships.
Thursday & Friday (8th and 9th May) - Days 1 and 2: DRESSAGE
The first phase of the competition is dressage (spread over two days). Both horse and rider must complete a ‘dressage test’, or set
movements between markers in an arena (20m x 60m). Judges look at the horse’s obedience,
discipline, accuracy and elegance. Each test is approximately 7 and a half minutes and
consists of 26 movements in walk, trot and canter, (varying in difficulty)!
Saturday (10th May) - Day 3: CROSS
COUNTRY
One of the highlights of the competition has to be the
cross-country phase! The horse must prove their fitness and
stamina by completing a four-mile cross-country course with about 45 ‘jumping
efforts’, including both natural and man-made obstacles. This is for sure the most physically demanding phase of the competition, with the world famous course at Badminton designed to
challenge both horse and rider. They must complete the course at an average speed of 570 metres per
minute, (i.e. within a set time). The rider will get penalty points
for exceeding the time and for errors on the course (such as refusals, falls).
Sunday (11th May) - Day 4: SHOW JUMPING AND PRIZE CEREMONY
This morning sees another horse inspection take place to
ensure the horses are still fit and well enough to complete the competition (also
called the Final Inspection). Day 4 is then an intense final day, as all riders must
complete the show jumping course designed to test the horse’s accuracy, fitness and agility, with jumps up to 1.30m high and 2.30m wide. They must finish the
course within a certain time, and in front of thousands of spectators. (Many events have been won or lost on the final day under the pressure). Competitors gain penalty points if they knock down fences, if
the horse refuses, or if they don’t complete the course within the time. Any penalties from the show jumping are then added to the
rest, giving the final results.
The pair with the lowest final score are declared
the winners and the event ends with the prize ceremony!
Other highlights
Shopping - Aside from
the horse riding, Badminton is known for providing a fantastic shopping
experience, with over 500
trade stands and a huge collection of brands in its shopping village. There’s
everything from clothes, jewellery and art, to transport and garden furniture. You can of course find the Equus Journeys stand in the Country Living Pavilion!
Food - The fabulous atmosphere at Badminton also stems from its varied
and exciting food and drink choices. Spectators can enjoy a morning coffee and
an afternoon champagne, and taste cuisines from around the globe with over 100 street
food vendors serving everything from tacos to bao buns to Greek
wraps! Hydration stations are also available within the Shopping Village for
people and dogs, but spectators are asked to bring refillable water bottles.
Interesting
facts and records
Horses
- The youngest horse to win at Badminton was Golden Willow at 5 years old, with rider John Shedden, in 1949. Today, the minimum age for all horses is 7 years old.
- The oldest horse to win was 16 year-old Horton Point, with rider Mark Todd in 1994.
- Five grey horses have taken the title – Columbus, (ridden by Captain Mark Phillips in 1974), Beagle Bay (ridden by Lucinda Green in 1984), Welton Houdini, (ridden by Ginny Leng in 1993), Flint Curtis (ridden by Oliver Townend in 2009) and NZB Land Vision (ridden by Mark Todd in 2011).
- The smallest horses to win (both 15hh) were Our Solo, (ridden by Bill Roycroft in 1960), and Our Nobby, (ridden by Jane Bullen in 1968).
- The biggest horses (all 17hh) to win at Badminton include Durlas Eile (ridden by Major Eddie Boylan in 1965), Columbus, (ridden by Captain Mark Phillips in 1974), Custom Made (ridden by David O’Connor in 1997) and Word Perfect II, (ridden by Christ Bartle in 1998).
- Seven mares have been at Badminton: Emily Little (ridden by Captain Mark Darley in 1952), Bambi V (ridden by Margaret Hough in 1954), Peggoty (ridden by Captain Martin Whiteley winner of Little Badminton in 1960), Headley Britannia (ridden by Lucinda Fredericks in 2007), Paulank Brockagh (ridden by Sam Griffiths in 2014), Classic Moet (ridden by Jonelle Price in 2018) and Vanir Kamira (ridden by Piggy French in 2019).
People
- The first female rider to win Badminton was Margaret Hough on Bambi V in 1954.
- Sheila Willcox took the Badminton title for three years running (and is the only rider to have achieved a hat-trick of wins) riding High and Mighty in 1957 and 1958, and on Airs and Graces in 1959.
- The youngest rider to take the title is Richard Walker, aged 18 on Pasha in 1969.
- The oldest rider to win is Mark Todd aged 55 in 2011.
- Ian Stark is the only rider to win first and second places (in 1988) with Sir Wattie, first, and Glenburnie, second.
- In 1995, Mark Todd rode two-thirds of the cross-country course with only one stirrup (on Bertie Blunt). The horse was eliminated at the final Horse Inspection, but they won the competition the next year!
- Lucinda Green (nee Prior-Palmer), is the rider with the most wins at Badminton, taking the title six times (in 1973 on Be Fair, in 1976 riding Wide Awake, in 1977 on George, in 1979 with Killaire, in 1983 with Regal Realm and in 1984 riding Beagle Bay).
General
- Badminton Horse Trials was first televised in 1956.
- For the first decade, the dressage and show-jumping arenas were situated in front of Badminton House on the old cricket ground, but bad rain in 1959 meant they were relocated.
- Inclement weather has forced the cancellation of Badminton four times – in 1966, 1975, 1987 and 2012. Badminton was also cancelled due to foot and mouth disease in 2001, and in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sources - https://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/, https://badmintonretreat.co.uk/, www.visitbath.co.uk, https://www.badmintonestate.com/.