Tom McEwen and JL Dublin head the leaderboard after the opening day’s dressage at this year’s Mars Badminton Horse Trials on a score of 22.4, almost five penalties clear of nearest rivals Emily King and Valmy Biats.

It’s a Brit-heavy top 10, which sees the first nine riders all represent the host country. Two Badminton first timers feature in the top four, just ahead of a brace of five-star winning riders. A Frenchman rounds out the top 10.

1. Tom McEwen and JL Dublin

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin impressed the dressage judges the most today (8 May), 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 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.

2. Emily King and Valmy Biats

One of the last competitors of the day, 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.

3. 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 for a score of 27.9 to briefly hold the lead and end the day in third. 

“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.”

4. 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 was thrilled with the performance of Rehy DJ, the 14-year-old Irish gelding she has brought through the grades since 2017 and whom 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.”

5. 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.

“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.”

6. Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight 

Sixth position was occupied by Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight, the 2021 Bicton CCI5* winners who were very pleased to score 29.5.

“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.”

Chilli Knight is the son of Chilli Morning, the stallion who lifted the trophy at Badminton in 2015 under William Fox-Pitt. 

7. Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do

Kylie Roddy and SRS Kan Do, who are making their third appearance here but have yet to complete, wound up in seventh place after changing their training regime over the winter and in the run up to the event.

“I don’t think it’s anything to do with Badminton or George but he’s always been an autumn campaigner,” explained Kylie, who has twice finished in the top 10 with George at Pau as well as occupying sixth place at Luhmuhlen.

“His best results have always been in the autumn, so I didn’t give him long off this winter and I kept him in work to see whether it’s like a body conditioning type of thing rather than a seasonal thing.

“We’ve changed a few things at home and it’s made him a bit stronger,” continued Kylie. 

“I’ve got these raised sleepers and he does 100 of them a day so that he’s worked smarter, not harder, hopefully for all the right reasons.” 

SRS Kan Do is a 15-year-old Irish gelding who is owned by Downton Abbey actor, Michael Fox.

8. Bubby Upton and Cola

Bubby Upton and Cola, who were 10th here last year, ended day one in eighth on a mark of 30.2.

“I just had a debrief with my coach Amy Woodhead and you don’t want to have her on the mic, she’s quite angry with the mark, but regardless I’ve never been one to focus on that,” said Bubby.

“I’m thrilled with how the system is working and how he went. He’s become really consistent at this level now. Ever since Badminton last year when for the first time we got him into the right frame and place and then he repeated that at Maryland [five-star] and throughout the season as well at Hartpury. He came out this year feeling very fit and well.”

Bubby suffered a serious accident in August 2023 after falling from a horse while schooling. The 26-year-old broke several vertebrae in her back and there was a fear she would never walk again.

She underwent a seven-hour operation and has made a remarkable recovery, but revealed she had a further operation following Maryland last year. 

“It [her recovery] was a lot tougher than I had anticipated. I thought I would just bounce back and be absolutely fine, but mentally going straight back to square one — I didn’t have to learn to walk again and things like that — but I had zero strength, zero muscles left in me, so it was quite demoralising,” said Bubby.

“It took a lot longer than we thought [to recover]. It wasn’t until February time that we managed to get on top of the pain. I’m back to riding like nine horses a day now which is so nice.”

9. Will Rawlin and Ballycoog Breaker Boy

Occupying ninth spot on a score of 30.6 are Will Rawlin and the 13-year-old Irish gelding Ballycoog Breaker Boy.

“I was surprised at how they were marking today. I thought I’ve got to put that behind me and just go in and do what I know the horse and myself can do and we did that.

“I’ve had very good training sessions with Tracie [Robinson] for the last couple of days,” said Will.  

“There was a lot of walk and he tensed which he didn’t last year so that’s something to think about for the future, maybe put some padded ears on or something just to dull that atmosphere. 

“There is definitely a lot of atmosphere today. He was really rideable. He’s a big, long horse, so I do find it difficult sometimes to get him connected and engaged in the test, but I feel we got that today.”

The pair finished 24th here last year. 

10. Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza

Rounding out the top 10 and breaking the British dominance are France’s Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza on 30.7. 

The pair entered the arena straight after Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky had produced their impressive test and were affected by the ambiance.

“I’m delighted with her. I know she can do a bit better than that, it’s a big atmosphere and Tom before just wound my horse up a little bit, but she was very serious in the work,” said Gaspard.

“It’s a mistake free test, a couple of little things can tune up to get it better, but I’m delighted with it.”

Images by Tim Wilkinson

The dressage continues tomorrow, with another 41 riders due into the main arena. First out will be Wills Oakden on A Class Cooley at 9am.