You might expect the entry list for Mars Badminton Horse Trials to be filled with professional riders who make a living from riding horses — but you’d be wrong.
There is a smattering of riders in the field who are employed in other industries, inspiring equestrians everywhere that with dedication and commitment, it is possible to compete at the top level.
Shop worker
French rider Arthur Marx works in a stationary shop every morning, as well as running a yard in Bleury Saint Symphorien, south west of Paris.
The married father of two, aged 31, rides Church’lle at Badminton and is looking for his first completion on his third time of trying.
Farmer
Portugal’s Manuel Grave is a farmer and he events as a hobby. He made his Badminton debut 12 years ago on a home-bred horse, but didn’t complete.
Manuel is back this year for a second attempt riding Carat de Bremoy, the horse he campaigned at the Olympic Games in Paris last year.
“I am a farmer back in Portugal. We have bulls and some cereals and vineyards,” said Manuel, who lives in the southern region of Alentejo.
“We have four horses [competing] and a few more young ones. We try to get the work done as soon as possible and in the afternoon find some time to ride.”
Ice cream company
David Doel is first and foremost an event rider, with multiple five-star placings under his belt. He has risen through the ranks from Pony Club level and has a great competition CV.
His Reybridge Eventing business operates out of his family’s farm near Lacock in Wiltshire. David is also in partnership with his father on the Lacock Dairy ice cream company.
Functional consultant
Belgium’s Seppe Vilain, who is contesting his first Badminton, is a full-time functional consultant.
I didn’t know what this was, so I asked Google, which summarises the role as being “experts who help others implement the latest technology solutions to meet their needs”.
The 25-year-old rider is a civil engineer graduate and he also has a masters degree in mobility and supply chain engineering.
Council
Also making his Badminton debut is German rider Arne Bergendahl aboard Luthien NRW.
The 34-year-old rider works for the city council of Wesel in Germany.
Arne’s father, Helmut, evented at the top level in the 1980s and now runs an eventing-focused breeding programme.
Arne said that he has never been to Badminton before, even as a spectator.
“My father breeds horses so I come from a horse farm,” he said. “I studied environmental technologies and I’m working 35 hours per week, so [riding] is more or less a hobby.
Medical devices
Libby Seed is a full-time business development specialist selling medical devices for US company Boston Scientific.
She has five horses at home in Chippenham, three to compete and two youngsters who are about to start their ridden careers.
“It’s a juggling act and my mum’s very supportive,” said Libby, who studied medical sciences at Exeter University. “It’s tough trying to balance time and everything is always difficult, but if you want to do it, you do it.”
Libby is riding Heartbreaker Star Quality, who is owned by her parents, Lesley and Jonathan Seed, at Badminton.
Construction
Wouter De Cleene, who hails from Belgium, is a manager for the Belgian road construction company VMB Aannemingen and he is contesting his first Badminton aboard Quinteram.
The 37-year-old’s uncle, Dirk van Mieghem, was the first Belgian rider to finish Badminton with his horse Nancledra.
While Wouter has several cousins who also event at a high level, he is the first of the family to emulate their uncle’s success by riding at Badminton.
Dentist
Austria’s Harald Ambros is a full-time dentist and he has been riding Vitorio Du Montet before work at 5.30am in order to prepare for Badminton.
“The last six weeks have been really hard, because I did the training in the morning at half past five before starting work at half past seven,” said the 45-year-old father of two.
“Some days [I work] up to five o’clock in the evening and then start training again.”
Accountant
Although she was born in Britain and is based near Hook in Hampshire, Lauren Innes switched nationalities to begin riding for New Zealand three years ago.
The 34-year-old is a full-time chartered accountant for KPMG and comes from a non-horsey background.
She says she has always juggled riding with studying and working, and acquired a degree in biological sciences from Oxford University, as well as a masters in investment banking.
This is Lauren’s fourth Badminton with Global Fision M, the horse on whom she finished 24th at Burghley last year.
