BADMINTON Horse Trials has the biggest spectator attendance of any annual sporting event in the UK, attracting over 250,000 visitors. This year eight Irish riders have been accepted for the event, with five more on a short list. The event takes place from April 21st to 25th. It is one of only six four-star events held globally each year.

Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance Manager Ginny Elliot said today (Thursday): "Over the last number of years we've been trying to get more horses to the highest level (four-star) which Badminton is. I am delighted to see today that eight Irish combinations have been accepted for Badminton, with five on the waiting list".

Gaining entry to the event is based on the combinations ranking points.

Ginny Elliot continued: "The riders have worked very hard to bring younger horses up to this level, and of course we already have some more established horses with the required experience. I'm delighted with this news and I would be very confident that a number of the five combinations on the list will also get in as they are high up the list."

Last year saw nine Irish combinations start the event with three finishing in the top 20.

"The results last year were very encouraging and it would be great to do better that this year, " said Ms. Elliot, who won Badminton three times in her own career, which also included four Olympic medals.

Of the 13 horses listed, a total of twelve are Irish-bred.

The Irish combinations already accepted for this year's Badminton Three-Day Event are:

Aoife Clark: Master Crusoe (ISH) [Master Imp (TB) x Slaney Cruise
Diamond (ISH)]
Capt. Geoff Curran: The Jump Jet (ISH) [Cavalier Royale (HOLST) x Sea
Water (ISH)]
Mark Kyle: Step in Time (ISH) [Step Together (TB) x Festival Time (ISH)]
Joseph Murphy: Electric Cruise (ISH) [Cruising (ISH) x Kilnamac Sally
(ISH)]
Elizabeth Power: Kilpatrick River (TB) [Petardia (TB) x Secret Sensation
(TB)]
Michael Ryan: Old Road (ISH) [Puissance (ISH) x Fairy Fort (ISH)]
Camilla Spiers: Portersize Just a Jiff (ISH) [Crosskeys Rebel (CP) x
Mizen Talent (ISH)]
Sam Watson: Horseware Bushman (ISH) [Puissance (ISH) x Clear Conscience
(ISH)]

The Irish combinations on the Badminton waiting list are:
1st Aoife Clark: Vaguely North  
9th Louise Lyons: Murphy's Miracle (ISH) [Cavalier Royale (HOLST) x Fair
Weather Girl (TB)]
12th Sarah Wardell: Killeenduff Boy (ISH) [Rantis Diamond (ISH) x
Sheeaun Lady (ISH)]
21st Mark Kyle: Nitetime Cavalier (ISH) [Cavalier Royale (HOLST)x Opium
Dream VII (WNTR)]
28th Louise Lyons: Watership Down (ISH) [Andretti (TB) x Blonde (ISH)]

Ginny Elliot