The new Badminton trophy was brought to Badminton for the draw, which took place today. Around 80 combinations are expected to start, with Britain’s Harry Meade riding either Tenareze or Cavalier Crystal first into the dressage arena on Thursday, May 5.
Today's draw at Badminton House by the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort saw the defending champions from 2019, Piggy March and Vanir Kamira, drawing number 19 while the World Champions, Ros Canter and Allstar B are in at number 10
13 different nations are entered for the event this year and the five Australian riders have been drawn at;
18. Bill Levett and Lassban Diamond Lift
61. Hazel Shannon and Willingapark Clifford
64. Dominic Schramm and Bolytair B
91. Sammi Birch and Finduss PFB
117. Bill Levett and Lates Quinn
New Zealand riders are drawn at;
21. Caroline Powell and Up Up and Away (Waitlist)
25. Bundy Philpott and Tresca NZPH
32. Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding
52. Jonelle Price and Classic Moet
58. Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Rui (Waitlist)
86. Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy
99. Lauren Innes and Global Fision M
Britain's Zara Tindall was drawn at number 41 with Class Affair but is the latest withdrawal from the entries
The combinations who so eventually take part at the big event from 4th - 8th May will be vying not only for the glory but a brand new trophy
The winner of this year's Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, will take home a magnificent new trophy, created by the award-winning animal sculptor Judy Boyt and using materials from the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton estate.
Judy, who has the distinction of sculpting both present-day Badminton trophies, three decades apart (she created the three-discipline Mitsubishi Motors trophy for 1992), has had a long wait to unveil this new work. She was commissioned in September 2019 and had been racing to finish it, working one-handed as the result of a bout of shingles, when the pandemic hit.
"It's been a huge honour and I'm very lucky, I know I am," she said, "but it has been hard keeping it a secret for two years and I am so pleased that everyone can see it now.
"We very much wanted to keep a link to the previous trophy, so you will see that it is again three horses, performing the three eventing disciplines [of dressage, cross-country and show jumping], but with up-to-date tack and equipment. For instance, the dressage and show jumping horses are wearing ear muffs and I have re-created the modern stirrups and boots. I've had to do a lot of research!"
In keeping with the Horse Trials' sustainability aims, the silver used for the trophy includes pieces from Badminton House, which were added to the mix, and the plinth, which allows plenty of space for future winners, was made by Marc Stevenson of Stevenson Brothers Rocking Horses, using timber from an old oak tree in the Badminton park.
Another important touch, which preserves the link with the past and evokes the history of Badminton, is that all the winners' names — from John Sheddon in 1949 to Piggy French (now March) 70 years later in 2019 — are archived in a secret drawer within the plinth. ‘We didn't want the past winners to be forgotten," explained Judy. "It was very important to preserve the link with the past and with Badminton Estate."
And this is how it was made
