Eliminations for wrongly fitted bits, a first look at the Badminton course and other things the horse world is talking about

Championship eliminations

Riders are reminded to check – and double-check – their tack after a raft of competitors were eliminated for having their horses’ bits on incorrectly at the Winter Dressage Championships. By Saturday (22 April) evening, seven competitors at Hartpury for the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and Petplan Equine Area Festival finals had been eliminated.

Find out what the issue was

A first look

With just over a week to go till the action kicks off at Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, we bring you a sneaky preview of the obstacles horses and riders will be tackling on cross-country day (7 May). Horse & Hound sent 2019 Badminton winner Piggy March on a mission to Gloucestershire to review Eric Winter’s track. You can read her thoughts on every fence in this week’s magazine (dated 27 April).

For now, check out these pictures…

An incredible score

British Olympic rider Gemma Stevens had a good weekend at Horseheath. Gemma won three BE100 sections at Horseheath on her dressage marks – taking one on a finishing score of 9.8.

Gemma won section G on Chris Stone’s Chilli Morning IV, a clone of Chilli Morning, on 23, and section I on Mr Stone and Chris and Clare Mathias’s Chilli’s Jester, a son of Chilli Morning, on 27.3. She also won section H on Cooley Park Muze, jumping double clear to finish on an incredible 9.8 dressage score at his second ever event.

Find out more about this special horse

You might also be interested in:

At least seven competitors eliminated at championships for incorrectly fitted bits

Sneak peek! Check out photos of Piggy March walking the 2023 Badminton cross-country course…

British Olympic rider wins on 9.8 score at horse’s second event

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Eleanor Jones

H&H news editor

Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.