Harry Meade may not have pulled off his ambition to complete Badminton with three horses he would have been the first rider to do so since Lorna Clark in 1970 but he will be collecting a third Armada Dish (awarded for five completions).The year of 1970 was also when his father Richard won his first Badminton (on The Poacher) his stellar career also included three Armada Dishes.When I grew up, I would help my father lay the table, and he would put two Armada Dishes at one end and one at the other, Harry recalls. He always wanted four to make it symmetrical so when I collected my first one, in 2009, I gave it to him.Harry first competed at Badminton 20 years ago in 2006, finishing 21st and winning the best under-25 prize on Midnight Dazzler. When he received his first Armada Dish in 2009, aged 25, he was the youngest rider to do so.When I fell with Cavalier Crystal [third ride at Badminton this year], it was my 18th ride around the cross-country here, but I can say I have had 17 great ones and that is how the sport grounds you. I have been to every Badminton since I was born and it does mean a lot to me, because its my local event.

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The final horse inspection at MARS Badminton Horse Trials 2026 has taken place. There had been two overnight withdrawals, Kylie Roddys SRS Kan Do (40th) and Will Rawlins Ballycoog Breaker Boy (7th).The hold box vet was kept on his toes as Grantstown Jackson (Sarah Ennis, 19th) and Chiko (Alex Hua Tian, 34th) were not accepted by the ground jury after re-presenting. Cancaras Girl gave Tiana Coudray a worried few minutes when sent to the hold, but she was subsequently accepted to continue her competition. Finally, Dreamliner (Tom Rowland, 18th) was withdrawn from the hold.Forty combinations will go forward to todays showjumping phase, with the morning session starting at 11.30am, and the top 25 jumping this afternoon.

Ros Canter is on the brink of making eventing history as the first rider to win MARS Badminton Horse Trials three times on the same horse.She and the magnificent Lordships Graffalo put up a supremely impressive cross-country performance, adding no penalties to their leading dressage score of 23.7. This gives them one show jumping fence in hand for victory tomorrow.My cross-country round wouldnt have looked so perfect if I hadnt been on Walter, Ros admitted, a reference to only returning to the saddle during February after giving birth to her second daughter, Seneh, in January. She was quick to pay tribute to her team at home, and to her amazing mother, Heather.I feel incredibly grateful to have a horse like Walter when I am not at my fittest. He is always light in his gallop and that allows me to be one of the fastest in the world.The challenge this week has been more mental, and a matter of working out timings around feeding the baby and having time to myself, as I usually do at a major competition.The crowds were amazing and I could hear them shouting Go Walter! What a lucky person I am to have a horse like that.Ros heads a British one-two-three. World number one Harry Meade rose nine places to the runner-up spot on the second of his three rides, Annaghmor Valoner, and Sarah Bullimore leapt 16 places to third on her home-bred 10-year-old, Corimiro.In addition, Britains Katie Magee, last years best first-timer, is lying fourth on Treworra; Irelands Lucy Latta is fifth on RCA Patron Saint; and New Zealander Tim Price, the world number two, is sixth on Falco, despite battling with a injury to his clavicle.Switzerlands Nadja Minder, riding the 19-year-old Toblerone, was the only first-timer to get around and she is now in 14th place.After a thrilling and successful days sport, there were 45 completions from the 59 cross-country starters, with 34 clear rounds and seven inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 30 seconds.Harry Meade, who has now clocked up 17 cross-country rounds at Badminton, is also lying 22nd on his cross-country pathfinder Et Hop Du Matz, but he tipped off his third ride, Cavalier Crystal, when she trod on herself at fence 22, having been up on the clock.Ive had quite a busy day, he admitted. Annaghmor Valoner is a lovely mare. She has historically lacked self-belief and, because of that, I have always had a soft spot for her.Harry paid tribute to Sarah Bullimores achievement in producing a home-bred horse to Badminton level. Corimiro is a phenomenal horse, she said. He is the horse I get up for in the morning and the reason I am still competing. Every phase is a pleasure. He just wants to do the job.The final horse inspection takes place at 8.30am tomorrow, with the lower placed horses jumping at 11.45am and the top 20 at 2.45pm for what promises to be a thrilling finale.Ros Canter explained she and her family were planning to enjoy their evening. What will be will be tomorrow, she said. You have to remember that I am only human and Walter is only a horse.Follow the competition on Badminton TV and Radio Badminton. The cross-country highlights and top 10 riders show jumping will be shown on BBC 2 at 1.45pm tomorrow.

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First out on course today was the current World number one, Harry Meade, on the first of three rides, Et Hop du Matz. The pair will have settled the nerves of many less experienced competitors, jumping a lovely clear 11 seconds over the optimum time.He loved it, said an elated Harry. We set off in the spirit we meant to go on, with his ears pricked, and he finished full of running.Cosby Green and Tom Jackson also jumped clear with Jos Ufo de Quidam and United 36 (34 and eight seconds over respectively, but the 2024 winner Caroline Powell on High Time suffered a horse fall towards the end of the course, at fence 28, the Rathbones Curve, ending their competition.Holly Richardson was the first to make it home inside the time with Ballyneety Silver Service, explaining afterwards that she puts a lot of pressure on herself and went out thinking, come on, lets do it. The horse is incredibly fast and very polite, so doesnt need much setting up I dont think I have ever sat on such a fast horse.Unfortunately one of the serious contenders for the title, Gemma Stevens, retired before the Vicarage Vee perhaps due to a shoeing issue.

If I had a fiver for everyone who reminded me that I havent ridden at Badminton for 16 years, Id be rich, said British Olympian Daisy Berkeley who, at 54, is the senior rider this year.She is currently in equal 23rd place after dressage on the 13-year-old Selle Francais chestnut gelding Diese du Figuier on a mark of 32.9.I expect that by the time cross-country day comes, I will be wishing I am in my usual spot in the Radio Badminton commentary box.Last time I was riding at Badminton, I was riding [my team horse] Springalong and wearing a top hat. We finished third and I didnt think I needed to come back, but here I am.When you have a good ride at Badminton, there is no feeling like it in the world, and I am looking forward to it. Ive ridden a lot of horses in my time. This one [Diese du Figuier] is the sweetest, kindest horse Ive ever had and I couldnt be more proud of him.Daisys first ride at Badminton was in 1997 on her Young Rider medallist, Headley Bravo, and they finished seventh. Her British team career includes a team bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, team gold at the 2007 European Championships and team silver at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, all with Springalong.

Ros Canters defence of her MARS Badminton Horse Trials title has got off to a brilliant start. The world number four and her charismatic horse Lordships Graffalo are in the lead after the dressage phase on a mark of 23.7, with a 4.4-penalty lead over the first day leader, the USAs Tiana Coudray on Cancaras Girl.They head a stellar international line-up: leading Belgian rider Lara de Liedekerke-Meier is in third place on the home-bred mare Hooney dArville; Swiss star Felix Vogg is fourth on Cartania; New Zealander Caroline Powell, is lying fifth on the 2024 winner Greenacres Special Cavalier; and Brazilian doctor Marcio Carvalho Jorge, a three-time Olympian, is in sixth on Royal Encounter.Archie and Michele Sauls 14-year-old bay gelding Lordships Graffalo known universally as Walter is the only horse to have won two Badmintons (2023 and 2025) and two Burghleys (2024 and 2025). Now there is the tantalising prospect of him making history by adding a third Badminton victory to his extraordinary CV, which includes a European title (2023) and an Olympic team gold medal (2024).He is an amazing character, said Ros, who gave birth to her second daughter, Seneh, only in January. I have never met a horse that enjoys people and atmosphere like he does. Most horses that have had the international mileage he has would become nervous, but he just loves it.He is a busy chap in the stables at an event and likes to be the big I am. Youre lucky if you come out of the stable without him treading on you or covering you with slobber. At events, I literally just get on him and leave everything else to Sarah [Charnley, groom].Tiana Coudray admitted to surprise at still being on the podium at the end of the second day of dressage: It is beyond my wildest dreams, she said, describing tomorrows cross-country course as beautiful and very jumpable.Lara, who is ranked eighth in the world, is the first Belgian rider to have won a five-star, Luhmuhlen (Germany) in 2024 on the 13-year-old grey mare, Hooney dArville, whose dam Nooney dArville she also competed.Hooney is getting better and better with age, said Lara. She owes me nothing and has now given me the privilege of sitting on a podium next to Ros.Tomorrows cross-country day is a sell-out, but all the action, which starts at 11.30am, will be shown on Badminton TV and can also be followed on Badminton Radio.

First-timer Tom Strawson, 37, has plenty of experience of cross-country riding, albeit more in the hunting and point-to-point fields than in eventing. He has 47 point-to-point wins under his belt, including three Midlands Area titles, he is master of the Brocklesby hunt and this spring he won the Harborough Ride, plus he has a day job as a farmer and chartered surveyor.His hunting and team chasing friend Rowan Cope bet him 1,000 he wouldnt get around Burghley, but he finished 21st there last year on his five-star debut on the ex-racehorse Public Address, known as Brian at home.Tom, who scored 38.5 for 48th place after dressage, has walked the Badminton cross-country course with Chris Bartle, Ros Canter and Aunty Ginny [former event rider Ginny Rose], who is acting as my chef dequipe. Theres a lot to jump and its intense in the middle. As Im late to go, I plan to watch but I dont know if that will be a good thing or not. It might make me even more nervous!

Swiss rider Nadja Minder had a great start to her Badminton debut, scoring three nines in her dressage test, across her first and last halts for a final mark of 30.3.Its unreal to be here, she said. Badminton has been my dream since childhood.Her horse, Toblerone, is the only 19-year-old in the field and looked wonderfully fresh and supple. He is a legend, she said. He was lively in the warm-up but is such a professional. He feels better now than when I got him six years ago.He hasnt had the mileage of other 19-year-old horses and we just go from show to show. Hes a machine.Toblerone is by the British-bred Yarlands Summer Song, a stallion that was eighth at Badminton in 1995 with French team rider Marie-Christine Duroy. He and Nadja were cross-country pathfinders at the European championships last year and members of the fourth-placed Swiss team.Nadja, whose mother is acting as her groom this weekend, has had training from two former Badminton winners, Piggy French (2019) and Swiss team trainer Andrew Nicholson (2017).She lives on the family farm in the Swiss Oberland. Among her hobbies is acting as groom to Swiss World Cup carriage driver Jerome Voutaz.