Haven’t seen this posted yet: https://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/2025-cross-country-course
Here I thought a coffin at fence 6 was early for Kentucky, here at Badminton they have a bounce drop at fence 4! Also noticed 2 coffins on course plus 2 sunken road variations. Badminton isn’t a course for the faint of heart, that’s for sure!
Eric Winter has a genius for designing fences that puzzle riders but horses read well. He always rewards forward-thinking riding. I’ve watched riders striding and measuring and looking and striding and looking again at his fences but then, during the competition, they jumped really well and no one had penalties.
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Thanks for posting. I’m traveling there from the US (leaving on Friday). I’m joining a group on Tuesday (Eventing Breaks) and staying in Bath. After tying my brain in a knot trying to figure out my own transportation, lodging, and tickets, I decided I’m too old for this 
and decided to let someone else manage the details. A friend is also coming over for the event, but arriving later.
So excited 
. Anyone else joining the Eventing Breaks group?
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@ It is a good way to see everything. Are you going every day or are you having a day off? Personally, I find 2 days of dressage is more than I can tolerate. Bath is a very walkable city with much to see and do.
Not doing the Eventing Breaks group but heading over from the USA on Tuesday as well. We’re staying at a hotel about 20 scary minutes drive from Badminton. Planning to see some of the YEH on Wednesday, course walk on Thursday, start looking at what i might want to buy and then do most of my major shopping on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be hardcore spectating.
FallbrookFarm - where are you leaving from? Airline. I’m on British Air leaving from Dulles/ Washington DC
You’ll have to let us know how the eventing breaks trip goes! I may need to plan doing an overseas 5* that way, I think I would enjoy that.
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@ Baybear, Wednesday is a great day to visit Badminton as it is Grassroots Championship day, 90 and 100cm amateur riders who have qualified for the finals over the previous 12 months. The courses are set close to the 5* jumps and there are iconic photo ops in the lake and in front of the house. The atmosphere is joyous. Such fun.
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I’ll have a good bit of free time, but I’m a bit of a freak when it comes to dressage and can watch it all day. 🤷. We start with the 1st inspection, and there are some arranged events, such as a course walk, breakfast with some riders, etc…. They take care of everything.
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I’m leaving from Raleigh-Durham, bouncing in Reyjkavic and then on to Heathrow. I really wanted to avoid driving at all costs. A few years ago I drove all over New Zealand in a motorhome. That first day of right side of the car/right side of the road was terrifying. Fortunately, my daughter was there to scream “wrong lane, wrong lane!” at me.
I can’t wait to do some shopping.
11:50 optimum time? Are we considering one or 2 (harry meade) will make the time, which leaves most horses running and jumping for 13+ minutes like at kentucky. That might be fair for the horses under top ranked riders, but what about the majority who will be taking long routes? The course looks old school and fantastic, but the last minute seems quite unnecessary.
Yeah I didn’t mind most of it until those upright gates at the end. Seems like an unfair trap that is relying on safety devices to prevent an accident. I don’t like using the 11 as an intentional part of course design.
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People are qualified to run 5* and the strength of the course is well recognised and understood by all the participants. It is the ultimate test. Completing Badminton confers lifelong bragging rights: winning isn’t everything. Those gates will slow people towards the end when they might otherwise be tempted to push their horse too hard.
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The shopping is amazing. Check out Rydale as that has “country” clothing at a more palatable price. And my goodness the chutneys, jams and mustards. The weather looks pretty good so far, on the chilly side but I prefer that over too warm (or too wet). They have a shop and drop area where you can leave your bags until you’re ready to leave.
According to the Badminton website the first horse inspection begins on Wed. May 7th at 16:30-18:00 BST . Clip my Horse has it beginning at 9:30. The military time conversion is stumping me even with google help (my non math brain shuts down easily when numbers are concerned.)
I’m guessing that the CMH times are BST so it will begin for me at 2:30 am MDT?
In American, the inspection is 4.30 - 6.00 p.m.
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Thanks. So where’s CMH getting the 9:30 from, is that BST?
The 4:30pm to 6 pm in America must be EDT. Since I’m on MDT it’s 2:30 p.m to 4:00 pm for me.
The time conversion chart I’m looking at, https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/bst-to-mdt-converter has 9am BST as 2am MDT. I’m confused.
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16:30 BST = 4:30 pm in Britain.
In the US that is
11:30 AM Eastern DT
10:30 AM Central DT
9:30 AM Mountain DT
8:30 AM Pacific DT
@Willesdon - there isn’t ONE “American” time. There are a total of 9 separate time zones for the US, with 4 for the 48 “contiguous” states, plus others for Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii-Aleutian Islands, Samoa, and Chamorro (I don’t even know where that is).
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Clip my horse automatically does the time zone conversion for you, no need to do extra
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