‘He’s ready for his crack at Badminton’: one to watch as Olympic rider returns to British five-star after nine-year gap with ‘no fuss’ gelding

It’s nine years since China’s Alex Hua Tian last competed at Mars Badminton Horse Trials (7 to 11 May) and the Olympic rider has set his 2025 campaign off to a solid start aboard Chicko.

The gap is explained by Alex prioritising championships – important as five-stars are to top riders, major championships mean they do not always fit neatly into a horse’s plan. Pau 2024, where Alex finished fourth with Chicko, marked the 35-year-old’s first CCI5* since Badminton 2016 (where he rode Harbour Pilot C) and a happy return to the level with his best-ever five-star placing.

Alex, who has competed at four Olympic Games and three worlds, plus regional and young horse championships, spoke at Pau of his faith in the horse and his hopes that the gelding’s performance would give connections confidence for a Badminton entry.

That faith was rewarded with the pair’s dressage score of 31.6 putting them in provisional fifth at Thursday’s lunchbreak, just 2.3pen adrift of leaders Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class.

“He’s 15 now and has spent his life at four–star – he’s ready for his crack at Badminton,” says Alex, who rides Chicko for Kate and Peter Willis, adding he is “so happy to be back”.

“I thought that he actually did a better test today than he did at Pau (28.9), but it is Badminton, so you don’t come here expecting to be given anything. I think it’ll be a big week for him, but he’s got a lot of heart, so hopefully we will go well.”

The “no fuss” gelding was previously ridden by Polly Stockton and joined Alex in 2023. They won Ballindenisk CCI4*-S last year, before the horse’s impressive five-star debut at Pau.

“He would have been very happy as a Pony Club pony, or coming to Badminton. He loves his job – all he wants to do is please,” he says.

He adds that the age of Chicko and Paris 2024 ride 16-year-old Jilsonne van Bareelhof (“Chocs”), the latter of which was withdrawn from Badminton 2025 owing to a minor injury, means neither will really be horses for the next Olympic cycle “and both deserved their chance here”.

“I’m really pleased that Chicko does have his chance, and he’s very sad that Chocs hasn’t,” he says, adding the Chocs is fine and “would have been delighted to gallop around here”, but it just “wasn’t meant to be”.

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