The CCI5* category is the highest level of eventing competition under the banner of the sport’s international governing body, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), with seven competitions around the world currently running at this level.
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FEI CCI5* Eventing Calendar 2025
Kentucky Three Day Event, Lexington, USA: 24th – 27th April 2025
Adelaide Equestrian Festival, SA, Australia: 1st – 4th May 2025
Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire, UK: 7th – 11th May 2025
Luhmühlen CCI5*-L, Germany: 12th – 15th June 2025
Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, UK: 4th – 7th September 2025
Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, USA: 15th – 19th October 2025
Les Etoiles de Pau, France: 23rd – 26th October 2025
FEI CCI5* 2024 Wrap Up
2024 saw seven FEI eventing competitions once again held at CCI5* level with a lot at stake during the early part of the season as Paris 2024 selections loomed.
Britain dominated the podium throughout the season, with Britain’s Oliver Townend claiming both US-based 5* titles, Ros Canter nearly taking two but having to settle for a win at Burghley and second place at Pau where Caroline Harris scored her first ever 5* title. The Antipodes claimed two titles with New Zealand’s Caroline Powell returning to the winners circle at Badminton and David Middleton winning at Adelaide after a hiatus of 24 years, and Belgium finally had a 5* winner in Lara De Liedekerke-Meier.
Adelaide Equestrian Festival (AUS) - April 2024
David (Dave) Middleton took the CCI5* win at Adelaide, 24 years after his last win at there in 2000.
Riding his homebred gelding WEC In The Money, Dave produced a clear round on the last day and was as surprised as anyone to find himself on top of the podium when the overnight leader, Olivia (Golly) Barton added a very uncharacteristic 16 jumping penalties to drop to second place.
New Zealand combinations had travelled across the Tasman to join in the fun with Diane Gilder riding Your Attorney well-placed through the first two phases of the competition but it was her travelling companion, Donna Edwards-Smith riding the off the track thoroughbred DSE Mendoza that finished on the podium in third place.
Read our full reports from Adelaide Equestrian Festival here
Defender Kentucky Three Day Event (USA) – April 2024
The week following Adelaide, all eyes were on Lexington, USA for the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event where Britain’s Oliver Townend, contesting his 100th CCI5* start, claimed his fourth Kentucky win riding Cooley Rosalent.
It was an all-British podium with Tom McEwen riding JL Dublin taking second place and Yasmin Ingham on Banzai Du Loir in third; Tom led after cross country but a rail down on the final day cost him the win and this was not his only 5* runner-up spot in 2024.
Another international visitor claimed fourth with Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp riding Carlitos Quidditch K moving up from 10th after dressage while Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus became the new USEF National 5* Champions thanks to being the highest placed American combination in fifth place.
Read our full reports from Kentucky Three Day Event here
Mars Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) - May 2024
The win at Kentucky, following his win at Burghley 2023, put Oliver Townend in with a chance of claiming the coveted Rolex Grand Slam at Badminton just two weeks later. But it was not to be when the ‘absolutely gutted’ Oliver had to withdraw his entry, Ballaghmor Class, the day before the first horse inspection due to a hoof abscess.
The front-runner changed during every phase of the competition with Ros Canter leading after dressage on Izilot DHI, who retired on cross country. Tim Price then led heading into the showjumping but had rails down on Vitali and, on a showjumping day when it all came down to the wire, it was finally his compatriot Caroline Powell that took the win on board Greenacres Special Cavalier.
“I’m not in my youth anymore so to get a horse to this stage is unbelievable, and then to come here and win is a dream come true, I can’t really believe it” admitted 51-year-old Caroline.
27-year-old Badminton first timer, Ireland’s Lucy Latta took second place on RCA Patron Saint and Alex Bragg riding Quindiva made a meteoric rise from 51st after dressage to third place.
Read our full reports from Badminton Horse Trials here
Longines Luhmuhlen Horse Trials (GER) – June 2024
Lara De Liedekerke-Meier entered the history books at Luhmuhlen in 2024, claiming not only her first CCI5* win but also the first ever 5* win for Belgium.
Ros Canter and Izilot DHI once again led after dressage but this time they did not falter on cross country, despite a freak storm that blew through the venue. However, two rails and time faults on the final day dropped Ros down to fourth place while Lara and her homebred 11-year-old mare Hooney d’Arville claimed the win with a clear round.
Lara could hardly believe it – her husband had tried to persuade her not to ride as it was close to the Paris Olympic Games, but the gamble had paid off big time. Tom McEwen once again took second place, this time on the less experienced CHF Cooliser and Yasmin Ingham once again took third place, this time on board Rehy DJ, demonstrating Britain’s depth of horsepower yet again as the Paris Olympic Games drew close.
Read our full reports from Luhmuhlen Horse Trials here
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) – September 2024
Ros Canter finally lifted a 5* trophy in 2024 at Burghley, riding her Badminton 2023 winner, Lordships Graffalo. Just 14 horses have won both Badminton and Burghley but Lordships Graffalo, who was also part of the British gold medal winning team at Paris 2024 just weeks before, did it with ease on a record finishing score of 23.6.
"I'm just a lucky person to be able to pilot a horse like him that just, quite honestly, thoroughly thrives in this kind of atmosphere” said Ros of their win, but plenty of credit must also go to the jockey with the pair adding just 1.6 time penalties in the final phase to their dressage score.
Tim Price put some demons to bed here after Badminton with Vitali taking second place thanks to just one rail down on the last day and Harry Meade not only took third place on Cavalier Crystal, finishing on their dressage score, but also fourth on board his Bramham winner Annaghmor Valoner and 12th on Superstition.
Read our full reports from Burghley Horse Trials here
Mars Maryland at Fair Hill (USA) – October 2024
5* competition returned to the USA in October at the Mars Maryland at Fair Hill where Oliver Townend made up for his disappointment of not contesting Badminton with Ballaghmor Class by winning with the big grey at Maryland.
After competing and being on the podium at Maryland since its first event in 2021, Oliver finally took the top spot after moving into the lead on cross country day when local heroes, Tamie Smith and Mai Baum, retired on course.
Just 23 combinations started the competition and only eight combinations of those completed all three phases but Tim Price riding Falco and David Doel riding Galileo Nieuwmoed, who produced an outstanding double clear on cross country, completed a very classy podium in second and third places.
Read our full reports from Maryland CCI5* at Fair Hill here
Les 5 Etoiles de Pau (FRA) – October 2024
Another first-time 5* winner joined Lara De Liederkerke in 2024 with Britain’s Caroline Harris taking her first CCI5* win at Pau in France.
Incredibly wet conditions forced several changes to the cross country course but Caroline’s horse D.Day, who had contested his first 5* at Luhmuhlen earlier in the year for 12th place, loved the going to finish in the lead after a very wet Saturday.
Ros Canter had once again led after the dressage on Izilot DHI with a fabulous score of 19 penalties but Caroline’s fast and clear cross country round put her just ahead with 0.3 penalties to spare heading into the final phase.
Ros piled the pressure on by jumping clear but Caroline kept her nerve to take the win, Ros and Izilot DHI had to be content with second place after a year of ‘so near but so far’ and Tom McEwen once again made it another all-British podium, this time riding Brookfield Quality.
Read our full reports from Les 5 Etoiles de Pau here
FEI CCI5* 2023 Wrap Up
It was a season to remember across the seven CCI5* competitions held in five countries in 2023 with ‘the year of Ros Canter’, historic wins for Ireland and the USA, Oliver Townend’s Ballaghmor class joining an elite club and Shane Rose finally winning a 5* on his favourite horse.
Adelaide Equestrian Festival - April 2023
It was a new spot on the calendar for Adelaide in 2023 with an April date and a new name – the Adelaide Equestrian Festival - with the CCI5* as its highlight.
Australia’s Shane Rose held off the competition, despite what turned out to be a broken wrist and ribs incurred just before he left home, to win his third Adelaide title but it was the first 5* win, and an emotional one, on his Tokyo Olympic medal winning horse, Virgil.
Sam Lyle (BF Valour) and Sophia Hill (Humble Glory) joined him on the podium and the crowd doubled Shane’s celebrations by singing him Happy Birthday for his 50th birthday the next day.
Read our full reports with interviews here
Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event - April 2023
The overseas riders once again made an assault on Kentucky CCI5* in 2023 but it was a win on home soil for the USA’s Tamara (Tamie) Smith and Mai Baum
They sealed their first CCI5* win, with Britain’s Tom McEwen having to settle for second place and Tamie being joined on the podium by fellow American Liz Halliday, who took third on the talented young Miks Master C. It was a long overdue win, not just for Tamie but for the USA, as the first American rider to win at Kentucky since Phillip Dutton in 2008, and the first female US rider since Kim Severson in 2005.
Read our full reports with interviews here
Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) – May 2023
It was also a first time 5* win for Britain’s Ros Canter, who started her year on a high at Badminton Horse Trials (GBR) winning on board Lordships Graffalo. As it turned out it wouldn’t be her only 5* win of the year, but it was an emphatic victory for the combination that led from start to finish in very soggy conditions.
They finished on a score of 35.2 with a winning margin of 15 penalties - the largest of modern times - over second placed Oliver Townend riding Ballaghmor Class (50.3) and Austin O’Connor riding Colorado Blue (51.9) and followed it up by taking team and individual gold at the FEI European Championship a few months later.
Read our full reports with interviews here
Luhmuhlen Horse Trials (GER) – June 2023
It was an all-female British podium at Luhmuhlen CCI5* in Germany in June when Laura Collett took her third 5* win on board London 52.
Finishing on their impressive dressage score of 20.3, Laura was joined on the podium by Kitty King (Vendredi Biats) and World Champion Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ) who both piled the pressure on by jumping two of just five double clear rounds on the final day.
Another of those double clears came from the USA’s Boyd Martin who had brought two 5* first-timers to Germany to finish in fourth and eighth places while the top German riders, as is usual at this event, opted to ride in the German Championship CCI4*
Read our full reports with interviews here
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) - September 2023
Oliver Townend may have settled for second place at Badminton, but he was the undisputed winner at Burghley in September.
Oliver and the big grey Ballaghmor Class took their second 5* victory at Burghley with Ballaghmor Class joining Priceless (the winner with Ginny Leng, nee Holgate in 1983 and 1985) and Avebury (Andrew Nicholson, 2012-2014) as the only multiple equine winners at Burghley.
David Doel riding Galileo Nieuwmoed took second place and Harry Meade riding Cavalier Cruise took third, while the leader of the first two phases, New Zealand’s Tim Price riding Vitali dropped to fourth with rails down on the final day.
Read our full reports with interviews here
Maryland at Fair Hill (USA) – October 2023
Austin O'Connor and Colorado Blue ended Ireland's 58-year wait for a CCI5* win when they clinched the top spot at the Mars Maryland at Fair Hill in October.
"People like me, we’re not supposed to win 5*s!" exclaimed a delighted Austin, who produced the only clear showjumping to claim the win on the final day. Unlike Kentucky earlier in the year where American riders dominated, the international visitors were on the podium again with two British riders, William Fox-Pitt (Grafennacht) and Oliver Townend (Cooley Rosalent) joining the history-making Irish winner.
Read our full reports with interviews here
Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA) – October 2023
2023 was without doubt the year of Ros Canter and she finished it by bagging another win at the last 5* of the year at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), this time on the less experienced Izilot DHI.
It was once again a competition dominated by British riders, with Oliver Townend taking second place riding Tregilder and Tom McEwen in third on JL Dublin but the spooky Izilot DHI was probably not the favourite horse heading into his first CCI5*, despite coming off two 4* wins in the weeks leading up to Pau.
"I'm extremely proud of Izilot DHI, we've come a long way since we got him as a five-year-old” admitted Ros “He's really taking a big step forward and even at the start of this year, we've had our ups and downs and a few little difficulties, but he's been absolutely incredible this week.”
Read our full reports with interviews here
The history of CCI5* events
Despite it being the highest level of the sport, the Olympic Games and World Championships are not run at CCI5* level.
These Championships are run as ‘Special Category’ Events, with Dressage and show jumping held at the CCI5* level while cross-country is geared towards a technical CCI4* level (10-11 minutes long with 40-45 efforts)
A new FEI CCI5* system was introduced in 2019, with the CCI5* replacing the previous CCI4* category
The Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing
The Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing is achieved when a rider wins back-to-back Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley CCI5* competitions. This may be done in any order and on three different horses as long as the wins are all within 12 months of each other, a feat so far only been achieved by two riders.
Britain’s Pippa Funnell (2003) and Germany’s Michael Jung are the only riders to have achieved the Grand Slam since its inception
Pippa Funnell:
- 2003 Kentucky Three Day Event on Prinmore's Pride
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2003 Badminton Horse Trials on Supreme Rock
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2003 Burghley Horse Trials on Primmore's Pride
Michael Jung:
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2015 Burghley Horse Trials on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW
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2016 Kentucky Three Day on FischerRocana FST
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2016 Badminton Horse Trials on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW
FEI Classics Series
The FEI Classics was a series uniting the then six four-star Eventing competitions on the calendar from 2008 to 2017
At the end of each season, the three athletes with the highest number of points collected among the FEI Classics events (Pau, Adelaide, Lexington, Badminton, Luhmühlen, Burghley) were awarded prize money
The FEI Classics Series was initiated in 2008 and sponsored by HSBC from 2008 – 2013 with the following winners
2017 – Michael Jung (GER)
2016 – Michael Jung (GER)
2015 – Ingrid Klimke (GER)
2014 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
2013 – Andrew Nicholson (NZL)
2012 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
2011 – Mary King (GBR)
2010 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
2009 – Oliver Townend (GBR)
2008 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR)
