The Badminton Horse Trials is one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and is widely known as the “Olympics of Eventing”. The event is held annually in the grounds of Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England and consists of a three-day event including dressage, cross-country and show-jumping.
History of the Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials began in 1949 as a way to celebrate the 70th birthday of the 10th Duke of Beaufort. The first event was held over two days and included just dressage and show-jumping. The cross-country section was added in the early 1950s, and the event has been held ever since.
The Badminton Horse Trials has become one of the most sought-after events in the world of eventing. It draws riders from all around the world, and is considered one of the toughest competitions in the sport.
The 2021 Badminton Horse Trials
The 2021 Badminton Horse Trials was held from the 5th – 9th May. The event was the first since 2019, as the 2020 edition had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event saw a star-studded line-up of riders competing for the prestigious title, with many of the sport’s biggest names taking to the course. In the end, it was Great Britain’s Piggy French who emerged victorious, riding her horse Vanir Kamira.
The Dressage Competition
The dressage competition at the 2021 Badminton Horse Trials was held on the 5th and 6th of May. This was the first phase of the competition, and the results would determine the standings for the cross-country and show-jumping phases.
The competition saw riders from all over the world competing for the top spot. In the end, it was Piggy French and her horse Vanir Kamira who finished in first place with a score of 30.5. Great Britain’s Oliver Townend and his horse Ballaghmor Class finished in second place with a score of 32.7.
The Cross-Country Competition
The cross-country competition was held on the 7th of May and saw riders tackling one of the toughest cross-country courses in the eventing world. The course was filled with challenging obstacles and tight turns, and riders had to be at the top of their game to complete the course in the quickest time.
In the end, it was Piggy French and Vanir Kamira who finished in first place with a time of 8 minutes and 44 seconds. Great Britain’s Tom McEwen and his horse Toledo de Kerser finished in second place with a time of 9 minutes and 1 second.
The Show-Jumping Competition
The show-jumping competition was held on the 8th and 9th of May, and was the final phase of the event. Riders had to navigate a course of 13 fences in the quickest time possible, and any faults would be added to their overall score.
Piggy French and Vanir Kamira once again emerged victorious, finishing the course with a faultless round in a time of 43.63 seconds. Great Britain’s Tim Price and his horse Xavier Faer finished in second place with a score of 4 faults in a time of 43.96 seconds.
Conclusion
The 2021 Badminton Horse Trials was an exciting event that saw some of the world’s best riders competing for the prestigious title. In the end, it was Piggy French and her horse Vanir Kamira who emerged victorious, taking home the title of Badminton Horse Trials Champions.