The leaderboard underwent a shuffle on Friday afternoon (9 May) at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials after long-time leaders Tom McEwen and JL Dublin were usurped by Oliver Townend riding Cooley Rosalent.

New leaders weren’t the only change to the order, with Gemma Stevens producing a stylish test aboard Jalapeño to slot into third and an impressive performance from Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Haar placing them seventh in what is an all-British top 10.

The latter combination only came off the waiting list on Saturday (3 May) and the rider realised she had been practising the wrong test.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who were fifth into the arena this morning, are also at the business end despite errors in the flying changes and now lie fourth overnight.

Both Oliver and Gemma have two horses in the top 10 heading into Saturday’s cross-country, while Badminton first timers Tom Woodward (Low Moor Lucky) and Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ) are also well-placed in sixth and eighth respectively.

1. Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent (pictured above), an 11-year-old Irish Sports Horse mare, shot to the head of the leaderboard on Friday afternoon, overtaking long-time leaders Tom McEwen and JL Dublin.

The pair, who are no strangers to success at CCI5* level having won Kentucky last year, produced a mistake-free test for a score of 21.1.

“I took a risk coming out the first corner and actually just let go and she did go in the right direction. It would have been very easy for her to stick her head up and goggle round and that would have probably been the end of the test. I just liked how she came to hand more than anything,” said Oliver about the mare’s test.

“She went in and brightened up with the crowd. She’s still relatively babyish, despite doing what she’s done, and one of her last memories is galloping around with me clapping with the crowd in Kentucky. So it’s a big atmosphere and a big day for her but she’s coped brilliantly.”

2. Tom McEwen and JL Dublin

Overnight leaders Tom McEwen and JL Dublin impressed the dressage judges the most on Thursday, receiving a score of 22.4 for their test which was marred by just one mistake in the extended trot.

“[It’s] a shame that our highlight piece, being the medium extended trot, broke. I just let him get too long, but you know what he was absolutely awesome,” said the two-time Olympic team gold medallist.

“He was relaxed and to show all that power and rhythm and the extended walk and his pirouettes. I mean he pulled together a super test. He got a mark that he definitely deserves even with a mistake.”

It is a first Badminton appearance together for this pair and they have a strong record at CCI5* level to date, having finished second at both Kentucky and Luhmuhlen, as well as third at Pau.

3. Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno 

Gemma Stevens piloted her second ride, Jalapeno, into third place on Friday, giving her two horses in the top 10 going into tomorrow’s cross-country.

“It hasn’t been an easy preparation with her. She’s been quite on edge, which is slightly new territory for me because normally she’s very relaxed and almost lazy, but she’s been seriously hot to trot the last few days and so I had to ride slightly tentatively,” said Gemma. 

Jalapeno, who finished sixth here in 2023, is now 17.

“She knows exactly what she wants out of life and most of the time it’s not really working that hard. She only goes into school once a week [at home], because otherwise I irritate her. She’s a funny old stick.”

4. Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo

Mistakes in the flying changes proved costly for reigning Burghley and former Badminton champions Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who sit in third on 25.3.

The pair received several 4s from the judges for errors in two flying changes, which are worth double marks, but also scored the first 10 of the competition for their final halt.

“I was really pleased with it actually,” said Ros of her test. “I got a little bit distracted at the beginning because he started sneezing, which isn’t always a good sign, but he then settled and he was great. 

“The changes have always been something he’s struggled with and I probably didn’t help him quite enough in those. I think I thought he was more established than he is, so that’s my fault, hands in the air for that one — he was amazing.”

Ros added that Walter enjoys competing in front of a big crowd. They won here in 2023 and were second in 2022.

“He loves it. He never really gets rattled by noise and the clapping and things like that,” she said. “It’s just a hard movement [the flying changes] for me to practice with him because once he knows they’re there he almost drops the contact and I can’t ride him up.”

5. Emily King and Valmy Biats 

Emily King and Valmy Biats produced their usual consistent first-phase performance despite the 16-year-old French gelding getting slightly tense as he felt the atmosphere in the main arena. 
 
“He went in there and held his breath a bit,” said Emily. 

“He still felt amazing, but he lifted and got a bit tight so I had to adapt to how he was in a certain place in the arena. The fact he did take a step and stayed so with me in the crunch movements, I was very proud of.”
 
Emily secured her first Badminton completion last year after she piloted ‘Val’ into fourth place.

6. Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky

Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky had a dream debut on the hallowed turf of Badminton, producing the test of their life on Thursday afternoon for a score of 27.9 to briefly hold the lead.

“It’s pretty surreal [to take the lead],” said Tom. “We’re local, in Hartpury, and I used to come here every year to watch as a kid and we’d stay in the old campsite as a family. I used to look at the jumps out there on the course and think, ‘how do you ever do that?’ 

“I was probably 13 when I decided I wanted to try and do it. I’ve just been incredibly lucky to find a partner like [Lucky] because he’s just immense. I can’t thank the horse enough. He’s put me on the map and allowed me to pursue a career in the sport.”

Tom revealed Lucky is revelling in the atmosphere at the Gloucestershire five-star. 

“He’s actually quite lazy and I normally never ride him more than once before his test and it’s normally for 25 minutes,” continued Tom.

“He was quite wild last night and I thought, well, I’ve got to do a bit with him this morning and he was backwards, I was kicking him along Pony Club style and I was thinking oh no, but he loves the crowd, he loves the atmosphere. It lifts him — it gives him that bit more. 

“Equally, he’s never seen a crowd like that, but he just takes everything in. He’s Mr Cool. He walked out at the trot up yesterday and didn’t bat an eyelid, had a look at the crowd and trotted up and down, went back to his stable and had a sleep.

“He’s just a super cool horse and nothing fazes him.”

7. Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Hair

Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Haar — who only found out they had moved off the wait list and would be competing at Badminton this year on Saturday — produced an impressive test on Friday afternoon to sit seventh after the first phase.

The feat was made all the more remarkable given Fiona learnt the wrong dressage.

“I’m going to blame my mother, who does all my scheduling,” said Fiona with a smile, after she received a text from her at the beginning of the year stating which test she needed to learn.

“On January 28th — I did screenshot her text to show it to her — her answer was 2024B,” added the 43-year-old rider.

“So I’ve had a lesson every two weeks [riding test] 2024B and on Friday night I see Kirsty Chabert doing a Facebook run through of her test and [it’s] not the one I’ve been going through. 

“I looked at the schedule and it’s 2025c. I thought it doesn’t matter because I’m not in. I’m not even going to say anything to my mum. And then I get the phone call on Saturday — I’m in.”

Fiona stated that she owes her 28.4 score — a personal best — to her trainer Damian Hallam. 

“Damien drove up from the New Forest on Monday night — because I was at Bovington on Sunday so I couldn’t run through it then and [the horse had] already galloped on Saturday. He drove two hours to come and run through my test,” said Fiona. 

“I’m just pleased I didn’t go wrong. I think my mother’s pleased I didn’t go wrong as well.”

8. Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ

Despite being a world champion and having been around the top echelons of the sport for several years, this is Yasmin Ingham’s first time competing at Badminton.

The Isle of Man native, who was Britain’s travelling reserve rider for the Paris Olympic Games last year, was thrilled with the performance of Rehy DJ, the 14-year-old Irish gelding she has brought through the grades since 2017 and who is known at home as Piglet. 

“He’s not naturally the most big moving horse, but when he’s accurate and he does things correctly then that’s when he’s with the marks, so I’m really pleased that the judges did reward him where he was good today,” said Yasmin.

“It’s such an atmosphere in there. It’s just electric to be honest, so I’m delighted with him and how he’s coped because he would react to noise.

“Going in behind Tom [McEwen] is probably not ideal for me but I’m pleased with how it turned out.”

9. Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class

Second to go on Thursday morning, Oliver Townend and his seasoned campaigner Ballaghmor Class were the leaders at the lunch break on day one but ended the first phase in ninth.

They are 8.2 penalties behind Oliver’s overnight leader, Cooley Rosalent.

“I’m happy with the horse. A couple of things that could have been better but he’s getting quite clever,” said Oliver, who has finished second here twice with the now 18-year-old Irish gelding.

“He’s wild at the trot up and wild everywhere and then goes in and says ‘I’ve done enough now’ so got a little bit quiet maybe.

“He’s unreal. He’s somehow getting better and better and still improving. It just shows that if you stay doing the same things as you’ve done all their lives and they don’t have a change in the system it feels better than ever and it looks better than ever.”

10. Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight

Tenth position was occupied by Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight, the 2021 Bicton CCI5* winners who were very pleased to score 29.5, and give Gemma two horses in the top 10 at the end of day two.

“It was an absolute dream to get a sub 30. When I heard the first few scores I thought, well, there’s no chance, I’m going to be on a 38, but that horse just honestly did his best shuffling ever. 

“We rode every blade of grass and he tried his best. He is what he is — you can’t make him into London 52 or Lordships Graffalo, he’s not that, but he tries his best.”

The cross-country gets underway tomorrow at 11:30am. First out on the course will be Kirsty Chabert on Classic VI.

Top 10 after dressage

An all-British top 10! The standings at the end of the dressage phase are:

  1. Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent on 21.1 penalties
  2. Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, 22.4
  3. Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno, 24.7
  4. Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, 25.3
  5. Emily King and Valmy Biats, 27.3
  6. Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky, 27.9
  7. Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Haar, 28.4
  8. Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ, 29.1
  9. Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, 29.3
  10. Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight, 29.5

Images by Tim Wilkinson