With a new course designer, the course for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials is said to mark a return in style to the event’s illustrious past.
New design
Giuseppe Della Chiesa, a leading course designer and former international rider, has taken over the role of designing the world’s most famous four-star cross-country course from Badminton’s director, Hugh Thomas.
Horse & Country were taken on an exclusive tour of this year’s course, which includes many traditional types of fences and the usual substantial rider-frighteners. The new designer has added a number of new jumps and utilised some different parts of the park.
After last year’s event, when 23 riders made the allowed time, this year’s course sees fewer long route choices – with those available taking a considerably longer time than usual. The course is 11min 30sec long, with 30 fences and 45 jumping efforts.
Course
1)ASX Starter
2) Tree Trunk
3)John Whitaker Keepers Brush
4) Little Badminton Double Rails
5) The Savills Escalator
6and 7) the Team GBR Silver Birch
8) The Rolex Grand Slam Triple Bar
9) The Lake
10) KBIS Garden Table
11 and 12) Shogun Hollow
13) Outlander Bank
14) Gatehouse New Pond
15) PHEV Vicarage Vee
16) Mirage Pond
17) FEI Classics Stick Pile
18) Swindon Designer Outlet Mound
19)Wadworth Barrels
20) World Horse Welfare Garden Gates
21) L200 Trailer
22 and 23) ISH Studbook Huntsmans Close
24, 25 and 26) Horsequest Quarry
27 and 28) Countryside Hedges
29) Rolex Presentation Boxes (29)
30) Mitsubishi Finish
Horse & Country TV will be showing extensive highlights from the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials – for programme times, click here.