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Badminton Horse Trials

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File:Badminton-SJ-tapner-inonothing-6.jpg
Paul Tapner celebrates after winning Badminton Horse Trials 2010 on Inonothing.
Gemma Tattersall and Jesters Quest jump the Open Ditch during the cross-country phase of Badminton Horse Trials 2007.

The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International (CCI) Four Star **** events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of George Fieldsend in Gloucestershire, England.

History

Badminton was first held in 1949 by the 10th Duke of Beaufort in order to let British riders train for future international events and was advertised as "the most important horse event in Britain". It was the second three day event held in Britain, with the first being its inspiration - the 1948 Olympics. The first Badminton had 22 horses from Britain and Ireland start, and was won by Golden Willow. Eight of the 22 starters failed to complete the cross-country course. Badminton was the home of the first European Championship in 1953, and was won by Major Laurence Rook on Starlight XV. In 1955, Badminton moved to Windsor Castle for a year, at the invitation of the Queen, in order to hold the second European Championships. Badminton was first televised in 1956. In 1959, it was decided to hold Badminton in two sections, called the Great and Little Badminton, due to the popularity of the event and the number of entries. The horses in the two sections jumped the same fences, but were separated into the two divisions based on their money winnings. This graded approach was abandoned after the 1965 event.[1] In 1989, the current director & course-designer Hugh Thomas, who rode in the 1976 Montreal Olympics,[2] took over from Frank Weldon, a former winner,[3] who is credited with bringing the event to the pinnacle it's at today.

Today's Badminton is held in a 6 square kilometre (1500 acre) area Badminton Park, where the car parks, tradestands, arena and cross country courses are located.

Badminton has been forced to cancel on several occasions for various reasons. In 1966, 1975 and 1987 the event was cancelled completely and in 1963 was downgraded to a one-day event due to bad weather. In 2001 it was cancelled due to foot and mouth disease.[4] In 2012 it was cancelled due to waterlogged ground. [5]

Between 1961 and 1991, Badminton was sponsored by Whitbread, one of the longest sponsorships for any sport. In 1992, Mitsubishi Motors took over sponsorship and recently renewed their deal until 2011.

Status

Together with the four-star rated Rolex Kentucky Three Day and the Burghley Horse Trials, Badminton forms the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. The only person ever to win the Grand Slam is Pippa Funnell. Andrew Hoy (Aus) nearly took the title in 2007 but lost it when he had a pole down at Burghley.[6] The remaining CCI**** rated events are the Luhmühlen Horse Trials, the Australian International Three Day Event and the Stars of Pau. It is also now part of the HSBC FEI Classics—a points-based system containing the CCI**** events.[7]

The cross country day at Badminton attracts crowds of up to a quarter of a million, which are the largest for any paid-entry sport event in the United Kingdom, and the second largest in the world (after the Indianapolis 500).[8][9]

Winners

2011 winners Mark Todd and NZB Land Vision at the Quarry during the cross-country phase.
Paul Tapner and Inonothing, the winning combination at Badminton Horse Trials 2010, at The Lake during the cross-country phase.
Oliver Townend and Flint Curtis, the winning combination at Badminton Horse Trials 2009, at the Hillside during the cross-country phase.

The event has been won by the following people and horses:[10]

Casualties

2007

  • Skwal ridden by Andrew Downes died of a suspected heart attack in the finishing ring [11]
  • Icare d’Auzay ridden by Jean-Lou Bigot died after a fence flag marker pole pierced an artery [11]

2010

  • Desert Island ridden by Louisa Lockwood, euthanised after breaking a fetlock [12]

Criticism

In 2007, after a long period without rain, the ground was considered to be too hard, resulting in 22 withdrawals. [13]

References

  1. ^ History History of Badminton
  2. ^ 1976 Olympics 1976 Olympics
  3. ^ Wheldon Winner Previous Winners
  4. ^ Dates of Cancellations Cancellation Dates
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ FEI Eventing Page FEI Eventing Page.
  7. ^ HSBC Classics FEI Site HSBC Classics FEI Site.
  8. ^ Visitor Numbers Badminton Visitor Numbers
  9. ^ Daily Telegraph
  10. ^ "Past Winners". Badminton Horse Trials Website. Accessed July 07, 2008.
  11. ^ a b Horsetalk - Fredericks retains Badminton lead after cross-country, 6 May 2009
  12. ^ Horsetalk - Horse killed on Badminton cross-country, 3 May 2010
  13. ^ The Times - Phillips puts the welfare of her horse first and withdraws, 5 May 2007
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