Badminton Horse Trials
Encyclopedia
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
, one of only six annual Concours Complet International (CCI) Four Star ****
Concours Complet International
The Concours Complet International and the Concours International Combiné are ratings for the equestrian sport of eventing, given by the international governing body for the sport, the FEI....
events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI)
International Federation for Equestrian Sports
The Fédération Équestre Internationale or in English, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of equestrian sports. It recognizes ten international disciplines...
, which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House
Badminton House
Badminton House is a large country house in Gloucestershire, England, and has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century, when the family moved from Raglan Castle, which had been ruined in the English Civil War...
, the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Badminton was first held in 1949 by the 10th Duke of BeaufortDuke of Beaufort
Duke of Beaufort is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Charles II in 1682 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, a Lancastrian leader in the Wars of the...
in order to let British riders train for future international events and was advertised as "the most important horse event in Britain". It was the second three day event held in Britain, with the first being its inspiration - the 1948 Olympics. The first Badminton had 22 horses from Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
start, and was won by Golden Willow. Eight of the 22 starters failed to complete the cross-country course. Badminton was the home of the first European Championship
European Eventing Championship
The European Eventing Championship, like most other European Championships, is held every two years. Today it is a three star eventing competition....
in 1953, and was won by Major Laurence Rook on Starlight XV. In 1955, Badminton moved to Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
for a year, at the invitation of the Queen, in order to hold the second European Championships. Badminton was first televised in 1956. In 1959, it was decided to hold Badminton in two sections, called the Great and Little Badminton, due to the popularity of the event and the number of entries. The horses in the two sections jumped the same fences, but were separated into the two divisions based on their money winnings. This graded approach was abandoned after the 1965 event.
In 1989, the current director & course-designer Hugh Thomas, who rode in the 1976 Montreal Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, took over from Frank Weldon, a former winner, who is credited with bringing the event to the pinnacle it's at today.
Today's Badminton is held in a 6 square kilometre (1500 acre) area Badminton Park, where the car parks, tradestands, arena and cross country courses are located.
Badminton has been forced to cancel on several occasions for various reasons. In 1966, 1975 and 1987 the event was cancelled completely and in 1963 was downgraded to a one-day event due to bad weather. In 2001 it was cancelled due to foot and mouth disease.
Between 1961 and 1991, Badminton was sponsored by Whitbread
Whitbread
Whitbread PLC is a global hotel, coffee shop and restaurant company headquartered in Dunstable, United Kingdom. Its largest division is Premier Inn, which is the largest hotel brand in the UK with around 580 hotels and over 40,000 rooms. Its Costa Coffee chain has around 1,600 stores across 25...
, one of the longest sponsorships for any sport. In 1992, Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
took over sponsorship and recently renewed their deal until 2011.
Status
Together with the four-star rated Rolex Kentucky Three DayRolex Kentucky Three Day
The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The Rolex Kentucky is a CCI**** eventing competition, and the only four-star show in the Western Hemisphere. Four stars is the highest level of competition, the same level of...
and the Burghley Horse Trials
Burghley Horse Trials
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, currently in early September...
, Badminton forms the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing
Grand Slam of Eventing
The Grand Slam of Eventing, sponsored by Rolex, consists of three of the top CCI**** eventing competitions in the world. To win the Grand Slam, a rider must consecutively win all three events, although they are permitted to ride different horses in each competition...
. The only person ever to win the Grand Slam is Pippa Funnell
Pippa Funnell
Pippa Funnell MBE is an equestrian sportswoman, regarded as one of three-day eventing's sporting elite...
. Andrew Hoy (Aus) nearly took the title in 2007 but lost it when he had a pole down at Burghley. The remaining CCI**** rated events are the Luhmühlen Horse Trials
Luhmühlen Horse Trials
The Luhmühlen Horse Trials are an annual equestrian eventing competition held in Luhmühlen, Salzhausen, Germany. Riders compete at the highest level: the CCI****...
, the Australian International Three Day Event and the Stars of Pau
Étoiles de Pau
The Étoiles de Pau or Stars of Pau Three Day Event is an eventing competition held in Pau, France. It is one of six annual CCI**** events in the world , in addition to the Burghley Horse Trials and Badminton Horse Trials, held in Great Britain, the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event held in the United...
. It is also now part of the HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
FEI Classics—a points-based system containing the CCI**** events.
The cross country day at Badminton attracts crowds of up to a quarter of a million, which are the largest for any paid-entry sport event in the United Kingdom, and the second largest in the world (after the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
).
Winners
The event has been won by the following people and horses:- 1949 John Shedden : Golden WillowGolden Willow (horse)Golden Willow is the youngest horse to ever win the Badminton Horse Trials. The five-year-old won the first year of the event, in 1949. Today, horses must be a minimum of seven years old to compete in the difficult competition, and most horses that compete are no younger than 10.*Foaled:...
- 1950 Tony Collins : Remus
- 1951 Hans SchwarzenbachHans SchwarzenbachHans Schwarzenbach is a Swiss equestrian. He was born in Langnau im Emmental. He won silver medal in team eventing at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, together with Anton Bühler and Rudolf Günthardt. He also competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics....
: Vae Victis - 1952 Mark Darley : Emily Little
- 1953 Laurence Rook : Starlight
- 1954 Margaret Hough : Bambi V
- 1955 Frank Weldon : Kilbarry (Event held at WindsorWindsor, BerkshireWindsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
) - 1956 Frank Weldon : Kilbarry
- 1957 Sheila Waddington (Sheila Willcox) : High and Mighty
- 1958 Sheila Waddington (Sheila Willcox) : High and Mighty
- 1959 Sheila Waddington (Sheila Willcox) : Airs and Graces
- 1960 Bill RoycroftBill RoycroftJames William "Bill" George Roycroft OBE was an Olympic equestrian champion who competed for Australia in five consecutive Summer Olympic Games: 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976.He was born in Flowerdale, Victoria...
: Our Solo - 1961 Laurie MorganLaurie MorganLaurie Morgan From , is a Deputy of the States of Guernsey. He was Guernsey's first Chief Minister and was elected to the post in May 2004. His term of office was due to expire in 2008, when the next General Election is due...
: Salad Days - 1962 Anneli Drummond-Hay : Merely-a-Monarch
- 1963: Event downgraded to 1 day event due to bad weather.
- 1964 James Templer : M'Lord Connolly
- 1965 Eddie Boylan : Durlas Eile
- 1966: Event cancelled due to bad weather.
- 1967 Celia Ross-Taylor : Jonathan
- 1968 Jane Holderness-RoddamJane Holderness-RoddamJane Holderness-Roddam was born on the 1st July 1948 in Charmouth, Dorset and is a British event rider, winning Badminton Horse Trials in 1968 and 1978...
(Jane Bullen) : Our Nobby - 1969 Richard WalkerRichard Walker (equestrian)Richard Walker is best known for being the youngest rider ever to win the Badminton Horse Trials. At 18 years and 247 days, the British-born rode his mount, Pasha, to victory at Badminton in 1969. Although he tried to repeat his success, he never won the event again...
: Pasha - 1970 Richard MeadeRichard MeadeRichard John Hannay Meade, OBE is a British equestrian expert and Olympic gold medal winning rider, tipped at one time to be the future husband of Princess Anne.In 1964, Meade won the Burghley Horse Trials on Barberry...
: The Poacher - 1971 Mark PhillipsMark Phillips-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
: Great Ovation - 1972 Mark PhillipsMark Phillips-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
: Great Ovation - 1973 Lucinda GreenLucinda GreenLucinda Green MBE is a champion British equestrian and journalist who before her marriage was Lucinda Jane Prior-Palmer.-Family:...
(Lucinda Prior-Palmer) : Be Fair - 1974 Mark PhillipsMark Phillips-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
: Colombus - 1975: Event cancelled due to bad weather.
- 1976 Lucinda GreenLucinda GreenLucinda Green MBE is a champion British equestrian and journalist who before her marriage was Lucinda Jane Prior-Palmer.-Family:...
(Lucinda Prior-Palmer) : Wide Awake - 1977 Lucinda GreenLucinda GreenLucinda Green MBE is a champion British equestrian and journalist who before her marriage was Lucinda Jane Prior-Palmer.-Family:...
(Lucinda Prior-Palmer) : George - 1978 Jane Holderness-Roddam (Jane Bullen) : Warrior
- 1979 Lucinda GreenLucinda GreenLucinda Green MBE is a champion British equestrian and journalist who before her marriage was Lucinda Jane Prior-Palmer.-Family:...
(Lucinda Prior-Palmer) : Killaire - 1980 Mark ToddMark Todd (equestrian)Mark James Todd, CBE is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the discipline of eventing, voted Rider of the 20th Century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Mark James Todd, CBE (born 1 March 1956) is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the...
: Southern Comfort III - 1981 Mark PhillipsMark Phillips-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
: Lincoln - 1982 Richard MeadeRichard MeadeRichard John Hannay Meade, OBE is a British equestrian expert and Olympic gold medal winning rider, tipped at one time to be the future husband of Princess Anne.In 1964, Meade won the Burghley Horse Trials on Barberry...
: Speculator III - 1983 Lucinda GreenLucinda GreenLucinda Green MBE is a champion British equestrian and journalist who before her marriage was Lucinda Jane Prior-Palmer.-Family:...
(Prior-Palmer) : Regal Realm - 1984 Lucinda GreenLucinda GreenLucinda Green MBE is a champion British equestrian and journalist who before her marriage was Lucinda Jane Prior-Palmer.-Family:...
(Prior-Palmer) : Beagle Bay - 1985 Ginny LengVirginia LengVirginia Helen Antoinette Holgate, also known as Ginny Leng, was a British equestrian competitor who achieved many notable successes in the 1980s, including winning the Individual European Eventing title on 3 consecutive occasions, 1985, 1987 and 1989, a feat which has never been equalled before...
(Ginny Holgate) : PricelessPriceless (horse)Priceless was a horse ridden by British rider Virginia Leng. She competed the gelding in the sport of eventing. Priceless won four team gold medals for Britain, as well as the Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials.*Color: Bay... - 1986 Ian StarkIan StarkIan David Stark is a Scottish equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. Stark was born in Galashiels in the Borders in 1954 and began riding horses at the age of 10....
: Sir Wattie - 1987: Event cancelled due to bad weather.
- 1988 Ian StarkIan StarkIan David Stark is a Scottish equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. Stark was born in Galashiels in the Borders in 1954 and began riding horses at the age of 10....
: Sir Wattie (Stark also came second on Glenburnie) - 1989 Ginny LengVirginia LengVirginia Helen Antoinette Holgate, also known as Ginny Leng, was a British equestrian competitor who achieved many notable successes in the 1980s, including winning the Individual European Eventing title on 3 consecutive occasions, 1985, 1987 and 1989, a feat which has never been equalled before...
(Ginny Holgate) : Master Craftsman - 1990 Nicola Coe : Middle Road
- 1991 Rodney Powell : Irishman II,
- 1992 Mary KingMary King (equestrian)Mary Elizabeth King is a British Olympic equestrian sportswoman who has represented Great Britain at five Olympics from 1992 to 2008, winning one silver and one bronze medal in the team eventing...
: King William - 1993 Ginny LengVirginia LengVirginia Helen Antoinette Holgate, also known as Ginny Leng, was a British equestrian competitor who achieved many notable successes in the 1980s, including winning the Individual European Eventing title on 3 consecutive occasions, 1985, 1987 and 1989, a feat which has never been equalled before...
(Ginny Holgate) : Welton Houdini - 1994 Mark ToddMark Todd (equestrian)Mark James Todd, CBE is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the discipline of eventing, voted Rider of the 20th Century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Mark James Todd, CBE (born 1 March 1956) is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the...
: Horton Point - 1995 Bruce DavidsonBruce Davidson (equestrian)Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
: Eagle LionEagle LionEagle Lion is an event horse that has competed at the highest level of the sport with great success.*Foaled: 1985 in Ireland*Height: 16.1 hh *Color: Bay*Sex: Male*Breed: Thoroughbred/Irish Sport Horse... - 1996 Mark ToddMark Todd (equestrian)Mark James Todd, CBE is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the discipline of eventing, voted Rider of the 20th Century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Mark James Todd, CBE (born 1 March 1956) is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the...
: Bertie Blunt - 1997 David O'ConnorDavid O'Connor (equestrian)David John O'Connor is a retired equestrian rider. He won many international competitions as well as the gold medal for the US in the 2000 Olympic Games. He is only the second American to have won the Badminton Horse Trials. O'Connor sits as the President of the US Equestrian Federation...
: Custom MadeCustom MadeCustom Made is a horse that was ridden by American David O'Connor at the international level in the sport of eventing.*Stable Name: Tailor*Color: Dark Bay*Markings: Star, stripe*Height: 17.1 hh *Sex: Gelding... - 1998 Chris Bartle : Word Perfect II
- 1999 Ian StarkIan StarkIan David Stark is a Scottish equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. Stark was born in Galashiels in the Borders in 1954 and began riding horses at the age of 10....
: Jaybee - 2000 Mary KingMary King (equestrian)Mary Elizabeth King is a British Olympic equestrian sportswoman who has represented Great Britain at five Olympics from 1992 to 2008, winning one silver and one bronze medal in the team eventing...
: Star Appeal - 2001: Event cancelled due to UK foot and mouth2001 UK foot and mouth crisisThe outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. This epizootic saw 2,000 cases of the disease in farms in most of the British countryside. Over 10 million sheep and cattle were killed in an eventually successful attempt to...
epidemic. - 2002 Pippa FunnellPippa FunnellPippa Funnell MBE is an equestrian sportswoman, regarded as one of three-day eventing's sporting elite...
: Supreme RockSupreme RockSupreme Rock is a 1988 Irish Sport Horse, ridden by Pippa Funnell in 4* Event competitions for Great Britain. He is a bay, 16.3 hand high gelding. He was retired in 2005 at the Badminton Horse Trials... - 2003 Pippa FunnellPippa FunnellPippa Funnell MBE is an equestrian sportswoman, regarded as one of three-day eventing's sporting elite...
: Supreme RockSupreme RockSupreme Rock is a 1988 Irish Sport Horse, ridden by Pippa Funnell in 4* Event competitions for Great Britain. He is a bay, 16.3 hand high gelding. He was retired in 2005 at the Badminton Horse Trials... - 2004 William Fox-PittWilliam Fox-PittWilliam Speed Lane Fox-Pitt , known as William Fox-Pitt, is an English equestrian. He has had notable successes at the Burghley, Badminton, Blenheim and Bramham Horse Trials...
: TamarilloTamarillo (horse)Tamarillo is a horse that has excelled in the sport of eventing under rider William Fox-Pitt.*Color: Bay*Sex: Gelding*Height: 16.2 hh *Breed: Anglo-Arabian*Breeding: by Tarnik ; out of Mellita by Master Spiritus at Biddesden stud... - 2005 Pippa FunnellPippa FunnellPippa Funnell MBE is an equestrian sportswoman, regarded as one of three-day eventing's sporting elite...
: Primmore's Pride - 2006 Andrew HoyAndrew HoyAndrew Hoy is an Olympic-level equestrian rider, who competes for Australia. The Athens 2004 Summer Olympics were his sixth games....
: Moonfleet - 2007 Lucinda FredericksLucinda FredericksLucinda Fredericks is a champion equestrian sportswoman competing at the highest levels of equestrian eventing. She changed her nationality upon her marriage to Australian equestrian Clayton Fredericks, and now rides for Australia...
: Headley BritanniaHeadley BritanniaHeadley Britannia, stable name Brit, is a mare competing at the highest levels of the equestrian sport of eventing. Relatively small for the sport, her jumping ability, manoeuvrability and willingness propelled her to the top of the sport.... - 2008 Nicolas TouzaintNicolas TouzaintNicolas Touzaint, born 10 May 1980, is a French professional horserider specialising in three day eventing. He was born into a family already known for its performance in equestrianism: his father, Jean-Yves Touzaint, was champion of France eventing in 1975 and 1976...
: Hildago de L'Ile - 2009 Oliver Townend : Flint Curtis
- 2010 Paul Tapner : Inonothing
- 2011 Mark ToddMark Todd (equestrian)Mark James Todd, CBE is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the discipline of eventing, voted Rider of the 20th Century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Mark James Todd, CBE (born 1 March 1956) is a New Zealand horseman noted for his accomplishments in the...
: NZB Land Vision
Casualties
2007- Skwal ridden by Andrew Downes died of a suspected heart attack in the finishing ring
- Icare d’Auzay ridden by Jean-Lou Bigot died after a fence flag marker pole pierced an artery
2010
- Desert Island ridden by Louisa Lockwood, euthanised after breaking a fetlockFetlockFetlock is the common name for the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses, large animals, and sometimes dogs. It is formed by the junction of the third metacarpal or metatarsal bones proximad and the proximal phalanx distad...