Badminton Horse Trials gets underway on its 75th birthday

A total of 69 riders representing eight countries will contest the MARS Badminton Horse Trials on the eventing showpiece's 75th anniversary.
 
Badminton was started in 1949 by the 10th Duke of Beaufort with the aim of preparing British riders for the Olympic Games.

Great Britain are the reigning Olympic champions going into this summer's Games in Paris and British riders currently comprise eight of the top 10 in the FEI World Eventing Rankings.
 
The highly-competitive field includes the defending Badminton champion Rosalind Canter, who is the world number two. EquiRatings, the data analysts, rank the European champion on her young horse Izilot DHI the as having the best chance of victory.

Boyd Martin from the USA (number 3), Harry Meade (5), who will compete three horses this weekend, New Zealander Tim Price (6), Wills Oakden (9) and Laura Collett (10), the 2022 winner, are also among the leading contenders.
 
Other distinguished riders competing for a record £117,600 first prize include former winners Pippa Funnell, William Fox-Pitt and Jonelle Price alongside 16 first-time riders fulfilling a lifetime's ambition by riding at the world's oldest and best known horse trials.
 
The first rider into the arena at 9am on Thursday will be Britain's Tom Jackson on Farndon. Follow the live scoring at www.badminton-horse.co.uk
 
Former European eventing champion Nicola Wilson will be a member of the commentary team on Badminton TV.