Bill Levett rides Lassban Diamond Lift at Badminton Horse Trials 2022
Two Australian combinations and eight New Zealanders are among the entries for the 2023 Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian
Combinations from 10 nations are entered to contest the 2023 Badminton Horse Trials on the Coronation weekend of May 4th – 8th, including the defending champions, Laura Collett and London 52
Last year's runners-up, Ros Canter and the talented Lordships Graffalo, are also returning, and both Laura and Ros have exciting second rides in Da Capo and Pencos Royal Jewel.
UK-based Bill Levett (UK) riding Huberthus AC and South Australian based Sarah Clark riding LV Balou Jeanz are the two Australian entries while the British U25 Champion, Greta Mason, who carries both Australian and British nationality but is competing under the GBR flag, will be a first-timer on board Cooley For Sure.
Sarah Clark successfully completed the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022 with LV Balou Jeanz, who stayed in the UK while Sarah returned to Australia for a few months, and they will now have a crack at Badminton while the very experienced Bill Levett will pilot the 11-year-old Huberthus AC around his first CCI5*
From New Zealand, both Tim Price and Dan Jocelyn will ride two horses each with World Number One Tim Price competing on Vitali, third at Burghley last year, and Coup de Coeur Dudevin, winner of the Maryland CCI5* while Dan brings forward Cooley One To Many and Blackthorn Cruise
Tim Price and Vitali at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022
Caroline Powell’s exciting mare Greenacres Special Cavalier (watch our interview with Caroline here), who took fifth place at her first 5* at Pau last year, is among the Kiwi entries which also include Amanda Pottinger (Just Kidding), Lauren Innes (Global Fision M) and Hollie Swain on Solo
New Zealand’s World Number Two, Jonelle Price doesn’t have an entry but World Number Three and former winner, Britain’s Oliver Townend has five horses to choose from in Ballaghmor Class, Swallow Springs, Cooley Rosalent, As Is and Tregilder; this will be whittled down to two, the maximum number of horses per rider, nearer the time
Other former winners in the field include Pippa Funnell, the last rider to win back-to-back Badmintons (in 2002-03 with Supreme Rock), who has entered Billy Walk On and Majas Hope and William Fox-Pitt, who brings the lovely mare Grafenacht. The current World Champion, Britain’s Yasmin Ingham is not listed but we understand that she will be heading to Kentucky CCI5*
There are plenty of other rising British stars however, including the Burghley runners-up, Tom Jackson and Capel Hollows Drift, plus Alice Casburn (Top Spring), Felicity Collins (RSH Contend'Or), Kirsty Chabert with her Luhmuhlen runner-up Classic VI and Opposition Loire, Bubby Upton (Cannavaro and Cola) and Emily King (Valmy Biats).
Ireland has four combinations, including the on-form Susie Berry and Ringwood LB, France has seven, three from the USA, two for Germany and Switzerland, Canada and Lithuania each have one representative.
'We are delighted that so many top international riders want to come to Badminton this year,' said Event Director Jane Tuckwell. 'We've got a great mix of well-known and new faces which should make for a thrilling competition and, with the added interest of the Coronation that weekend, someone will be making history.'
View the full list of entries here
Pippa Funnell rides Majas Hope at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2022
