World champion set to make Badminton debut – and others first-timers to watch in 2025

World champion Yasmin Ingham will make her Mars Badminton Horse Trials debut in 2025 with one of the horses who helped launch her career.

Yas is entered with her long-term campaigner Rehy DJ, who she partnered at the 2018 young rider Europeans and has since finished on the podium at two CCI5*s. The pair were third at Luhmühlen in 2023 and 2024, and finished 10th at Pau five-star last autumn.

Yas said that “couldn’t be more excited to be preparing Piglet for our joint Badminton debut”. The 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, owned by Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund, has 34 international double clears to his name.

Other British riders set to take on Badminton (8 to 11 May) for the first time this spring include Katie Magee aboard Trewora (13th at Pau CCI5* 2024), and Jack Mantel, who will ride Jack Daniels. The latter pair finished third at Blair CCI4*-L in 2024 and were also 18th in the long-format four-star at Bramham earlier in the summer.

Storm Straker and Fever Pitch, winners of the CCI4*-L at Ballindenisk in April 2024 and who went on to finish 21st at Pau CCI5* with a sub-30 dressage and clear cross-country jumping round, are also among the British debutants.

The 2025 Badminton entries also feature an exciting clutch of international partnerships set to have their first tilt at the Gloucestershire CCI5*.

Germany is sending three Badminton rookies in their four-strong contingent. Jérôme Robiné and Black Ice had a happy trip to Britain last autumn, finishing third at Blenheim CCI4*-L. They were seventh individually at the 2023 Europeans and finished 10th at their home five-star, Luhmühlen, in 2023.

They are joined by a pair of experienced greys – the mare Luthien NRW, ridden by Arne Bergendahl, and Timmo, with Nicolai Aldinger.

Austria’s Lea Siegl and DSP Fighting Line, 15th at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 and sixth at Pau 2024, are among these – as is Switzerland’s Nadja Minder and Toblerone, who impressed on their Burghley debut last year (20th). Like Yas, these two are both partnerships who have come up the levels from young riders to CCI5*.

Ryuzo Kitijama and Feroza Nieuwmoed for Japan are a well-established combination and will be first-timers to watch, following their 15th place at Burghley 2024.

Ireland’s Jennifer Kuehnle and Sammy Davis Junior target their first Badminton after two solid CCI5* performances at Lumühlen and Pau last year. Their compatriots Daragh Byrne and Kilcannon Ramiro, the 2022 Ballindenisk CCI4*-L winners, are also on the list

Australia’s Samantha Cesnik and Graftango made their five-star and European competition debut at Pau 2024, and now head to Badminton.

Portugal’s Manuel Grave (Carat De Bremoy) and three Belgian combinations – Wouter De Cleene (Quintera), Senne Vervaecke (Google Van Alsingen) and Seppe Vilain (Kawa De La Cour Z) – are also among the first-timers.

Several first-timers also feature on the 2025 Badminton Horse Trials wait list.

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