Ros Center is Badminton Champion. Austin O’Connor takes 3rd

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo were pure class in the final, tense moments of the 2025 MARS Badminton Horse Trials, jumping faultlessly to regain the title they won two years ago by just one penalty.

Their clear show jumping round left Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent, the overnight leaders after cross-country, with no margin for error.

Oliver had Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s lovely grey mare jumping beautifully and it looked as if they would pull off the win, but the dream evaporated in a split second with the tap of one fence, leaving him a frustrated runner-up at Badminton for the fifth time.

It was a repeat of the top three riders from 2023, with Ireland’s Austin O’Connor in third place on the ever-popular grey, Colorado Blue. Like Ros, he finished on his dressage score. “If it wasn’t for these two, I’d have won two Badmintons by now,” he quipped.

“It’s very special sitting here with these guys [Ros and Oliver]. We have got three of the best event horses in the world and it’s a magical feeling, a great privilege.”

Ros was emotional at her moment of triumph, saying: “This is for Caroline”, a tribute to her long-term mentor, trainer and friend Caroline Moore, who died earlier this year, and who has very much been part of her previous great moments including world and European titles, Olympic gold and victory at Burghley.

“It is the first time I have done anything big without her – she would normally have been with me, keeping me occupied and confident, and I was really nervous today,” said Ros. “And the owners, Michele and Archie Saul, deserve it as much.”

Ros, 39, is the fifth rider in history to win Badminton twice on the same horse (following Frank Weldon/Kilbarry, Mark Phillips/Great Ovation, Ian Stark/Sir Wattie and Pippa Funnell/Supreme Rock). She has produced the 13-year-old gelding by Grafenstolz, who was bred by Pennie Wallace and the Lordship Stud (stable name Walter), since he was a three-year-old.

The 11-year-old Cooley Rosalent has been first, second and third at five-star level. “She improves every time, and learns every time,” said Oliver. “She’s unbelievable. I thought her performance was as good as any horse’s and she will come on for the run. She’s had a good experience.”

A brilliant performance from Irish Olympian Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, bred by Kate Jarvey at Mellon Stud in Co Limerick, saw them take third place on the podium after they jumped clear in the final jumping phase with just 0.4 time penalties to score 31.2. The pair had put in an outstanding clear Cross Country round on the penultimate day to climb 16 places on the leaderboard.

Harry Meade added no further penalties on Cavalier Crystal to finish fourth and survived a near unseating on the sixth-placed Superstition when the horse shuffled in a stride and crashed through a fence. Harry’s horses were split by Emily King on Valmy Biats in fifth place.

Gemma Stevens suffered an unexpected disaster when Chilli Knight hit five rails and dropped from third to 15th place.

It was a vintage Badminton that gripped the imagination right until the very end, with all its twists and turns – the fluffed flying changes for Ros, the 1.2 of a time penalty for Oliver after his father advised him to take the slower route at Huntsman’s Close, the tension over flag penalties for both riders, and the inexorable rise of Austin from 20th place after dressage – and above all, some superbly talented horses and riders.