As Mars Badminton Horse Trials welcomes its 75th anniversary in 2024, organisers have announced a stellar lineup of horse and rider combinations for the event, which will take place from Wednesday, May 8th, to Sunday, May 12th.
With a record first prize pot of £117,600, we take a look at who else will face this fierce 5* competition that graces the rolling fields of the Badminton Estate each year.
Horse and rider combinations
Of the top 12 FEI World Ranking riders, we can expect to see 11 tackling this year’s event. There will also be 19 first-timers and 11 nations taking part.
Ros Canter
Eventing fans will be glad to know that defending champion and world no.2 Ros Canter will head the field, entering on Izilot DHI, winner of Blenheim CCI4*-L and Pau CCI5*-L in 2023.
Piggy March and Brookfield Inocent
Piggy March, the 2019 Badminton champion, has entered with the remarkably talented Brookfield Inocent, who statistics analysts Equiratings have tipped to win in 2024.
Oliver Townend brings three rides
FEI World Ranking No.1 rider Oliver Townend has entered on top-ranked horse in the field, Ballaghmor Class, alongside Tregilder and the up-and-coming mare Cooley Rosalent. Leading US rider Boyd Martin, third in the world rankings, has entered Tsetserleg TSF and his Maryland 2021 winner On Cue.
Other top talent
British riders Tom McEwen (CHF Cooliser), Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal, Red Kite and Away Cruising), Wills Oakden (Arklow Puissance and A Class Cooley), 2022 winner Laura Collett (Bling and Hester), and triple victor Pippa Funnell (Majas Hope and MCS Maverick) all have great chances. So do the leading New Zealand husband-and-wife team Tim and Jonelle Price, with Vitali and Grappa Nera and Switzerland’s top rider Felix Vogg (Cartania).
“We are thrilled that so many of the world’s best riders and first timers want to come to Badminton for what should be a particularly special year in our long history,” said Event Director Jane Tuckwell.
Discover the full line-up here.
Admission tickets must be bought in advance. Click here for the Box Office.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.