Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning event riders from Paris 2024 all have horses entered for this year’s Mars Badminton Horse Trials.
Ros Canter, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, who triumphed in the team event at last summer’s Olympics, will take part in the CCI5* at Badminton, which takes place on Thursday 7 – Sunday 11 May, as will Olympic reserve rider and current world champion Yasmin Ingham.
Ros will start as one of the favourites aboard her Paris 2024 partner and last year’s Defender Burghley winner, Lordships Graffalo. This pair is no stranger to success at the Gloucestershire event having lifted the title there in 2023.
Tom, who is the current world No.1, has entered his Paris mount JL Dublin, as well as the former Piggy March ride, Brookfield Quality.
Laura, who triumphed at Badminton in 2022 with her Olympic mount London 52, will ride two mares this time — Bling and Hester — while Yasmin will make her Badminton debut aboard Rehy DJ.
Defending champions return
Reigning champions New Zealand’s Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier will return to defend their title, while last year’s runners-up Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint from Ireland will also be back.
Harry Meade has five horses entered – Cavalier Crystal, Annaghmore Valoner, Grafennacht, Superstition and Et Hop Du Matz – and will have to make the difficult decision as to which he decides to ride.
He can start on three horses providing everyone has been accepted from the waitlist.
Familiar faces such as Oliver Townend (Cooley Rosalent and Ballaghmor Class), Tim Price (Falco, Vitali and Viscount Viktor) and Gemma Stevens (Jalapeno and Chilli Knight) will also be in action.
“We have competitors from 15 nations wanting to compete at Badminton, from some of the sport’s biggest names to first timers hoping to pull off an impressive result like Lucy Latta did last year,” said Badminton director Jane Tuckwell.
“It’s going to be a thrilling competition and there is no doubt that the British team’s wonderful performance in Paris last year has been an inspiration and a shot in the arm for five-star eventing. It is exciting the entry contains eight horses who have won a five star.”
Eighty-six combinations have been accepted on the entry list from 15 countries. The waitlist currently contains 16 combinations.
Main image © Trevor Holt/Your Horse Library
