There are eight previous winners in the field – surprisingly both Pippa Funnell and William Fox-Pitt are on the Wait List, but with a slightly smaller total entry than in recent years they are very likely to get a run. Paul Tapner and Sam Griffiths are back for Australia and who can ignore Mark Todd, the great New Zealander, another double Olympic Champion, 4th here last year and a four time Badminton champion.
Credit: The Gaitpost
Olympic bronze medallist Philip Dutton comes across the Atlantic to represent the USA while there are representatives of 13 overseas nations to take on the host country’s finest. Attention will undoubtedly focus once more on Yoshi Oiwa from Japan, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games on the horizon, while a change of nationality has come for Lissa Green, daughter of 6 time champion Lucinda and now riding for her father David’s native Australia.
Gates open at Badminton on Wednesday 3rd May, when the 500 plus shops will all be open for business and the amateurs’ Mitsubishi Motors Cup takes place. The international event then runs Thursday to Sunday. Advance tickets have been selling in record numbers but there is still some availability via www.badminton-horse.co.uk. The full list of horses and riders entered may be found here.
