Japan's Kazuma Tomoto and Tacoma d'Horset compete at Badminton 2019 against the backdrop of Badminton House and some of the thousands of spectators that normally attend the event
The organisers of Badminton Horse Trials have announced that the event will run ‘Behind Closed Doors’ in 2021 but ‘with the potential to include a limited number of spectators should, come the spring, guidelines/restrictions allow us to do so’
“We realise that this is not the scenario everyone would wish for but feel by announcing our intentions now it will give all involved in whatever capacity the opportunity to plan accordingly” says Event Director Jane Tuckwell
“To deliver the ‘Behind Closed Doors’ event will not be without its challenges, but we look forward to bringing you a great competition in partnership with Science Supplements and Mars Equestrian”
The event will run as planned from Wednesday 5th May – Sunday 9th May with the Science Supplements Cup being run on Wednesday 5th
“It will be a very different Badminton” says William Fox-Pitt, a dual Badminton winner and the FEI eventing athletes representative “But it is fantastic news that Badminton is planning to run next season in these challenging circumstances. To lose this prestigious event again would be a terrible disappointment and the eventing world will get behind Jane and her team to make this happen”
Following Hugh Thomas’s retirement from the helm of the major British sporting fixture, the long-term Assistant Director Jane Tuckwell became the new Event Director after the 2019 event. Badminton 2020 was to be her first year as Director before the event was cancelled due to coronavirus
