Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh (pictured) return to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this year (7-10 May) to defend their title.
Eight other riders who have previously won the event are also among the entries released today, but only one, Jock Paget, is riding the horse on which he won (Clifton Promise).
The other past winners entered are Mary King (Kings Temptress), Pippa Funnell (Redesigned and Second Supreme), Andrew Hoy (Rutherglen and Lanfranco), Mark Todd (Leonidas II and Oloa), Paul Tapner (Kilronan and Indian Mill), Oliver Townend (2014 runner-up Armada) and William Fox-Pitt.
William has four horses on the list, but his first choices are Parklane Hawk and Chilli Morning, who many will consider the ante-post favourite.
Parklane Hawk is one of 10 horses entered who have previously won four-stars. The others are Kings Temptress (2011 Kentucky), Clifton Promise (Badminton 2013), Wesko (Luhmühlen 2014), Nereo (Pau 2012), Avebury (Burghley 2012, 2013 and 2014), Cool Mountain (Kentucky 2010), TS Jamaimo (Adelaide 2013) and Paulank Brockagh (Badminton 2014).
Six British first-timers have thrown their hat in the ring: Rose Carnegie (Landine), Tom Crisp (Coolys Luxury), Nana Dalton (Absolut Opposition), Matthew Heath (The Lion), Michael Jackson (Kangasong) and Ben Way (Galley Light). Ben competed in the Grassroots Championship at Badminton in 2011.
Reigning Olympic champion Michael Jung — whose plans were up in the air between Kentucky and Badminton — has not entered. But four Germans do appear on the list, headed by Pau winners Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob.
The following horses appear on the Badminton entries list, but are more likely to compete at Kentucky: Bay My Hero (William Fox-Pitt), High Kingdom (Zara Phillips), Wesko (Tim Price), Easy Target (Francis Whittington) and Annie Clover (Nicola Wilson).
Small entry
A total of 104 horses from 12 nationalities were entered for Badminton this year, considerably fewer than the 141 who were originally in the mix last year. This is Badminton’s smallest entry for some years, perhaps because the tough cross-country set last year by new course-designer Giuseppe della Chiesa has made riders consider whether they are really ready for the test.
Fourteen horses are on the wait list. 90 horses have been accepted, but a maximum of 85 will start — the extras take into account that four riders have more than two horses accepted, but they can only start on two.
Horses are accepted into Badminton on the basis of which have won the most FEI points at three- and four-star level in the past two years, so the horses with most points are accepted and then the others are wait listed in points order.
Since this system was brought in in 2008, between 15 (in 2013) and 43 horses (in 2009) have been accepted from the wait list into the competition, so it is likely that this year all those who have entered will be able to compete. Last year 19 horses made it into the event from the wait list.
Curiously, the 2011 Kentucky winner Kings Temptress is 13th on the wait-list initially as she has been out of the competitive fray due to injury. She had her first run since the middle of 2013 at Aldon last weekend, jumping a double clear.
The wait-listed entries will replace horses which are withdrawn up until 2pm on Sunday, 3 May.
View the full list of entries here: www.badminton-horse.co.uk/2015-entries/
Keep up-to-date with all of H&H’s Badminton news here: www.horseandhound/badminton
