With just a week to go until the start of this year's Badminton Horse Trials (3-7 May 2017), excitement is building at Horse & Hound HQ. We've dug into the archives to find some of the event's biggest rider frighteners through history. Nerves of steel would be an understatement...
1962
In 1962, Anneli Drummond-Hay sailed around the sizeable cross-country course to take the title, having won the inaugural Burghley with Merely-A-Monarch the previous year. Two years earlier Anneli had finished third at Badminton with Perhaps — a horse that she had saved from the slaughterhouse, paying just £15 for him.
1967
In 1967 a clear showjumping round moved Celia Ross-Taylor and Johnathan up from third place to victory, after this hairy-looking cross-country round.
1969
Caroline Bradley and Alpaca sail over the 1969 elephant trap in style.
1974
Captain Mark Phillips records a third victory at Badminton in 1974, this time riding The Queen’s striking grey gelding Columbus. The plan had been for Princess Anne to ride Columbus, but he had proved too strong for her.
1977
Crowds of spectators watch Captain Mark Phillips as he flies over the tiger trap in 1977. Lucinda Green (née Prior-Palmer) took the title that year with the 16.2hh George.
1978
Lucinda Green (née Prior-Palmer) and Village Gossip secure second place to Jane Holderness-Roddam in 1978.
1979
Jane Starkey and Topper Too go clear cross-country in 1979. The pair had finished third in 1978 and Topper-Too completed Badminton a total of five times. His last Badminton was in 1982, when he was 15 years old. The title in 1979 was won by Lucinda Green (née Prior-Palmer) on Killaire — bringing her Badminton tally up to four.
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1979
Previous Badminton winners Captain Mark Phillips and Columbus in 1979.
1984
Lucinda Green and Village Gossip finished fifth in 1984 and she went on to win that year’s title with the part-Welsh pony Beagle Bay, which was her sixth Badminton win.
1985
Mark Todd and Charisma IV at the footbridge in 1985. Ginny Elliot (née Holgate) took the title that year with Priceless, and was also third on Nightcap.
