Badminton Horse Trials
With the European Championships on the horizon, the Badminton Horse Trials are the proving ground for riders and their mounts. Will old favourites return triumphant, or will new talent snatch the attention and become the ones worth watching?
Make your arrival stress free, avoiding the country lane congestion, with an Atlas Helicopters charter from a location of your choice. Pick up friends en route and, with complimentary champagne and light catering, you’ll arrive refreshed and ready to enjoy this award winning event.
Tim Prince riding Ringwood Sky Boy
Our Operations team is ready to organise everything for you including any overnight accommodation should you wish to stay until the presentations on Sunday.
In 2014, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials was voted Best Event (Eventing) 2014 by L'Annee Hippique, an international publication with a judging panel of peers at the top of the sport.
What is happening this year?
The competition starts with the six day Grass Roots Championships, with the main events running from Wednesday 3rd May to Sunday 7th May, 2017. This year's course will once again be created by Italian designer Giuseppe Della Chiesa, whose bold flowing course last year was a hit with both riders and spectators.
Giuseppe Della Chiesa at one of the new pond fences at Badminton
The event will follow the same programme as last year, with International Dressage on Thursday and Friday, Cross Country on Saturday, and the Jumping & Presentations on Sunday.
What else can you do at Badminton?
A large improvement this year will be a newly designed Trade Stand Village, which has been reviewed and upgraded to provide the best possible customer experience. The new, slick area has all the clutter hidden away, better signage to help guide you towards the things you want to be looking at, and more obvious entrances. It will be full of exhibitors, showcasing all kinds of country and equestrian-related products.
Mary King riding Imperial Cavalier
How it all began
The first Horse Trials took place at Badminton in 1949, after the 10th Duke of Beaufort decided that British riders needed an event to train for international competitions. In 1959 torrential rain flooded the park and the trade stands had to be moved.
They have been set up each year in the same location ever since. Badminton hosted the first ever European Championships in 1953, and in 1956 the events were televised for the first time. The initial prize money when the event started was £150 for the overall winner.
Ready to book or have a question? Contact us.
