We’re used to Friday afternoon dressage sessions stealing the spotlight at Badminton, but this year, the competition burst into life from the very start.
The day began with shocking news: defending champion Caroline Powell announced that her mare, Greenacres Special Cavalier, would be withdrawing from the event before even entering the dressage arena.
“We’re devastated to have to withdraw Cav ahead of Dressage today. Following her final piece of work before the start of the competition, she’s not feeling quite right and having discussed this with her owners, we’ve taken the difficult decision to save her for another day.
Naturally we were so excited to be defending our title, but Cav’s welfare is our first priority and we are enormously grateful to everyone who has helped and supported us on our journey to Badminton.
In the meantime, we are very much looking forward to High Time’s first time at this fantastic event.”
It was a bitter blow for Powell, who had been preparing to defend her title with high hopes. But as always in equestrian sport, horse welfare comes first and Cav will have her day again.
With the emotional shock still settling, the competition itself got underway – and fast. Before many spectators had even reached for their first coffee, two sub-thirty dressage scores had already lit up the leaderboard.
In typically composed fashion, Oliver Townend opened proceedings with a polished test aboard Ballaghmor Class, scoring 29.3. Not to be outdone, Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight delivered an elegant performance close on his heels with a 29.5.
But the biggest early headline came courtesy of Badminton first-timer Tom Woodward. Riding the 18-year-old Low Moor Lucky, the 23-year-old rider posted an impressive 27.9. The combination turned heads not only for their score, but for their remarkable backstory.
“Basically, he was in the last-chance saloon—he was pretty feral,” explained Tom. “He has very low mileage and didn’t do his first event until he was 11. He didn’t make any mistakes today, he doesn’t get wound up and he goes back to his stable for a nap.”
Woodward, the youngest competitor in this year’s field, is part of the World Class Podium Potential programme and clearly has a bright future ahead.
Then came a truly dazzling performance from JL Dublin and Olympic gold medallist Tom McEwen. With a commanding score of 22.4, the pair surged to the top of the leaderboard, laying down a clear challenge to the rest of the field.
“Dubs is a great personality and, thanks to my groom Adam, he was so relaxed today,” said Tom. “I was going for it and made that one mistake [when the horse broke in the extended trot], but I have done as much as I can today to stay ahead of Ros [Canter] tomorrow. He is an unbelievably talented horse and has pulled out performance after performance.”
Emily King, another strong contender, kept her campaign on solid footing with a smooth and accurate test aboard Valmy Biats. Their 27.3 score was enough to put them in second place, with King cautiously optimistic.
“He is a powerful horse who can get tense, but he kept it together today and the test rode very smoothly. He is a cross-country machine, but I will need to be on my A game.”
World Champion Yasmin Ingham also made her long-awaited MARS Badminton debut, impressing judges and fans alike with her reliable partner Rehy DJ. Their graceful test earned a 29.1, securing a spot in the top five and setting them up nicely for the next phase.
“He’s very consistent,” Yasmin has said in previous interviews. “He just loves his job.”
With day one behind us and the sun rising on day two, we look forward to even more exciting action ahead. Dressage resumes at 9:00 a.m., when Scotland’s Wills Oakden and A Class Cooley make their way down the centre line. With heavy-hitters like Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, Tim Price and Vitali, and Oliver Townend with Cooley Rosalent still to come, Friday promises to be a blockbuster.
To watch a replay of today’s leading dressage test from Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, click HERE.
IMAGE: COURTESY OF BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS
