Andrew Nicholson has been presented with the most Armada dishes (given for completing Badminton five times) – he has seven and has completed the event 38 times. In 2017, after competing here for 33 years and breaking his neck in 2015, Andrew Nicholson finally bagged his Badminton title riding the 17-year-old Nereo.
Sir Mark Todd has six Armada Dishes and this year William Fox-Pitt will be presented with his fifth for 25 completions. Last year’s champion, Ros Canter, will receive her first.
Frank Weldon and Kilbarry were the first back-to-back winners (1955-56) before leading GB to Olympic eventing team gold in Stockholm.
Sheila Willcox holds the record for winning three times on the trot, 1957-1959, twice on High and Mighty, and then Airs and Graces.
Richard Walker remains the youngest ever winner at 18 years old in 1969, riding Pasha.
Pippa Funnell is a three time winner and took the last long-format Badminton, in 2005 on Primmore’s Pride.
William Fox-Pitt is the longest-standing Badminton competitor in 2024, having first competed here 35 years ago
Chris Bartle, now the British team trainer, won in 1998 on Word Perfect II
Nicolas Touzaint is the only Frenchman to win, in 2008 on Hildago de L’Ile.
Michael Jung is the only German to win, in 2016 on his prolific gold medal winner La Biosthetique Sam FBW. He also became the second Rolex Grand Slam winner that year.
Swiss rider Capt Hans Schwarzenbach won the third event back in 1951, riding Vae Victus.
Jonelle Price first competed here 20 years ago, winning in 2018 on the little mare Classic Moet.
Caroline Powell has 15 completions.
Harry Meade has 12 completions.
Tim Price has nine completions to date, but ahead of today’s showjumping, has yet to win.
Four horses have completed seven times; Ballycotton (Andrew Harris and Sarah Longshaw), Comanche (James Robinson), Lenamore (Caroline Powell), and Over To You (Jeanette Brakewell).
There were 22 competitors the first year
Badminton hosted the first ever European Championship in 1953, won by Britain and Major Laurence Rook on Starlight XV.
The late Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed her only win as an owner when son-in-law Capt Mark Phillips rode Columbus to victory.
In 1994, Mark Todd won Badminton on Horton Point, a catch ride he had never sat on, leading from the front as the pathfinder.
2024-05-12 13:59:31
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