We are the champions
GREAT BRITAIN are the triple champions in eventing, holding Olympic, world and European team gold medals, plus two out of three individual titles. There aren’t too many sports one can say that about and it’s taken 50 years, since the late Richard Meade spearheaded this country’s double gold at the Munich Olympic Games, that British eventing has been able to make those claims.
Badminton Horse Trials was founded in 1949 precisely to give British riders the edge, the idea being that the cross-country there (and at Burghley, founded in 1961) would be more difficult than anything they would find at an Olympics. This is certainly true of the 21st century, with the downgrading of the cross-country phase at championships to four-star level (Badminton is one of seven events worldwide run at the highest, five-star level).
Badminton has long been) will remain here, which would have quietly pleased Badminton’s sporting founder, the 10th Duke of Beaufort.
