Badminton celebrates 75 years

The Badminton Horse Trials, from 8 to 12 May, is set to be a highly competitive event this year as 90 horses from 11 nations, including 19 first-timers, participate for record prize money.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, the prestigious occasion is attracting many of the crowd’s favourite riders, including Ros Canter, William Fox-Pitt, Piggy March and the USA’s Boyd Martin, with the world’s best competitors going head-to-head for the coveted title and a first prize of £117,600.

Defending champion and world number two Ros Canter has entered a new star, Izilot DHI, winner of Blenheim CCI4*-L and Pau CCI5*-L last year. She is one of the top two riders, alongside the 2019 winner Piggy March (riding Brookfield Inocent), tipped to win this year by statistics analysts Equiratings. See Equiratings statistics on riders’ records and Badminton chances here

The MARS Badminton Horse Trials takes place in the beautiful grounds of Badminton House in South Gloucestershire. The first day kicks off with the International competition horse inspection and the Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships. The International event continues with dressage on Thursday and Friday with the thrills of the cross country phase happening on Saturday. Sunday is the culmination of the competition, including show jumping in the arena.

The occasion also offers a great day out for all the family, including dogs, with a great festival atmosphere and a shopping village featuring many well known brands. You will never go hungry with a fabulous food and drink options, from sit-down lunches to picnic bites and artisan delights, plus the chance to sample the very best Gloucestershire gastronomy. If you are staying over, there are campsites located just a short walk away, but for those looking for a little bit more comfort, a luxury glamping retreat has been set up in the park.