Now in its 73rd year, Badminton Horse Trials (BHT) was founded in 1949 by the 10th Duke of Beaufort and has since grown to become one of the world’s greatest equestrian events. After two years of cancellation due to the pandemic, this weekend BHT made its welcome return and my goodness it was crazy busy with the tweed and Schöffel community in full attendance. But what surprised me more than ever was the sheer volume of Labradors present.
What’s probably heightened my awareness is that I am now the very proud owner of my own Labrador (slipping nicely into the stereotype of horsey/Labrador owner) Winnie Cross (pictured below). Despite the opportunity for her to be amongst her kind, I decided the day would be more enjoyable for me if I had her taken care of by my mother. There is only so much restraint one can deliver to an over-excited 30kg beast who has already broken one of my fingers in her eagerness to speak to another dog.
Dogs aside, as is usual at such a large event being held in a tiny village, traffic was always going to be an issue, so we left at stupid o’clock to beat the crowds and were seated in the main arena by 9.15am waiting for the Shetland Grand National (never fails to make me smile so hard). By 11am we had started walking the cross-country course and I had paid £19 for two Proseccos (small bottles – yes shocking but needed). With four miles of course to walk we were fortunate enough to be admitted into our Vet’s stand which welcomed us with free Pimm’s and a sit down by the popular water jump. Feeling refreshed it was back at it with feet feeling increasingly hot and tired. One of the fantastic things about the Badminton cross country is how close you can get to the horses and one of my favourite places to watch them is in the warm-up arena where you can lie back on the grass and watch the practice fences and jumps (aka resting not walking).
Notwithstanding the aforementioned nod to Schöffel, there was a variety of fashions on display including more country boots than you could shake a stick at, a pair of pink fluffy slippers (?), a mini skirt so short I saw butt cheeks (as did many of the other passers-by), many many trilbies and of course cords for the old guard. It seems impossible to walk past the Duke of Beaufort’s polo tent without being drowned in corduroy and tweed.
This year BHT has ramped up its efforts towards sustainability and the competition was “plastic bottle free’, there were even water stations where you could refill your own reusable water bottle. Shoppers were also actively encouraged to bring their own reusable shopping bags rather than generate more waste although I think that failed as it seemed to be part of the badge of honour to be carrying a branded Badminton high-end bag. That said, great to see this as a start to making the toughest eventing competition more sustainable. As one of the few five-star equestrian events showing leadership on sustainability certainly ups its green credentials.
…. and talking of green credentials, what could be more sustainable than bringing your own picnic? Dining by the boot of our cars has been a tradition for many years when we go to Badminton and this year it was just lovely to be able to meet up with friends and do this again.
Lightly tacked to the Earth (on most days) 