2026 Badminton Diaries Day 1: Tales from the Trot Up
Release Date: 05/07/2026
2026 Badminton Diaries Day 1: Tales from the Trot Up
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
Badminton is officially underway, and if day one is anything to go by, this week is going to deliver. From the buzz of the first horse inspection, to honest post-trot-up debriefs in the car with Sam Watson, behind-the-scenes chats with riders, vets, and some of the sport’s biggest names, this first edition of the Badminton Tour Diaries has a bit of everything. There’s a special catch-up with Cassie Sanger on her rise through the five-star ranks, insight into the cross-country from Piggy March and Tina Cook, plus a special live moment with defending champion Ros Canter, balancing life with...
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Holland Cooper at Badminton Special
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
At Badminton, it’s easy to focus on what happens inside the ropes. But some of the biggest stories this week are happening beyond the start box too. In this special episode of the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast, Nicole and Sam catch up with Laura Collett and Will Rawlin on the Holland Cooper stand, talking Badminton nerves, five-star preparation, dressage expectations, and what it really feels like to arrive at one of the sport’s biggest stages. Plus, Jade Holland Cooper reflects on building a brand that started at Badminton with a tiny stand and has grown into a global luxury business,...
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Eventing Manager Badminton Special
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
Sam Watson sits down with world number three player Ali Barrett, to build their Badminton teams live, debate the biggest calls in the game, and work through the strategy behind building a five-star team that can actually score. From whether you still spend big on Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, to doubling up on Harry Meade, finding value with Caroline Powell and High Time, and uncovering the under-the-radar picks that could separate your team from everyone else, this is full of strategy, second guesses, and a few picks Ali maybe shouldn’t have shared. Play Eventing Manager here: ...
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Rosalent is Out: The Reaction Show
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
One of the biggest contenders is out and suddenly this year’s Badminton looks very different with the spotlight now firmly on Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Nicole Brown is joined by Diarmuid Byrne, Sam Watson, and Ali Barrett to react to the late withdrawal of Oliver Townend’s Cooley Rosalent. They dig into what this means for the competition, from Graffalo’s win chances to the unpredictability of five-star sport, and why this still isn’t a foregone conclusion. From pressure and performance to the reality of flags, pins, and fine margins, the team explore how quickly everything...
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2026 Badminton Preview Show
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
A shot at history. A rival ready to challenge it. And one of the deepest Badminton fields in years. Can Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo become the first horse-and-rider combination to win Badminton three times? Or is this the year Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent go one better after leading Badminton for almost all of last year’s competition? Nicole Brown, Diarmuid Byrne, Sam Watson, Catherine Austen, and special guest Adam Short break down the head-to-head everyone is talking about, the horses building behind them, and the names that could blow this wide open, from Harry...
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When Nicole Met: Amy Parks
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
From a $50 pony in Australia to the heart of Badminton coverage, Amy Parks has taken anything but a conventional route into the sport. In this episode of When Nicole Met, brought to you by Bedmax, Nicole Brown sits down with Amy for a conversation that goes well beyond television. From growing up in Melbourne with big dreams of performing, to building a career in journalism, breakfast TV, and entertainment, to interviewing everyone from Tom Cruise to Daniel Craig, Amy shares the unexpected path that eventually led her to equestrian sport, and why she believes horse sport can dream much bigger....
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Red Mills Special: Joseph Murphy & the build to Badminton
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
Badminton is around the corner, and for Joseph Murphy, it feels personal. Nicole Brown sits down with one of Ireland’s most experienced championship riders to talk about Belline Fighting Spirit, going back to Badminton with unfinished business, and the mindset shifts that have shaped the last few years of his career. From rider mistakes and hard lessons, to equalling his best ever five-star dressage score at Burghley, Joseph opens up about what it really takes to keep evolving at the top of the sport. The conversation goes far beyond one horse or one event. Joseph reflects on missing...
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Inside Burghley 2026: Behind The Scenes at HQ
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
The Inside Burghley series returns for 2026, and this first episode goes behind the scenes at one of the sport’s most iconic events. Nicole Brown heads to Burghley HQ in Stamford to sit down with Event Director Martyn Johnson and get a look at what it really takes to build a five-star. From the day after one event finishes to planning years ahead, this is a full-time operation, shaped by feedback, detail, and constant evolution. They talk through what’s been happening over the winter, how the team balances tradition with change, and what’s new for 2026, including a significant shift to...
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Inside Kentucky 2026: The Review Show
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
There is nothing quite like the Monday morning after a five-star, and this one had plenty to talk about. Nicole Brown is joined by Diarmuid Byrne and Annie Bishop, fresh from Kentucky, to bring the raw reaction to a weekend that felt special from start to finish. From a dressage leaderboard packed tighter than usual, to a cross-country day that looked one way early and then quickly showed its teeth, this was a five-star that kept unfolding. At the centre of it all, Will Coleman and Diabolo. A first five-star win, delivered across all three phases, and a performance that answered the biggest...
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Inside Kentucky: Cross Country Preview
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
Diarmuid Byrne, Annie Bishop, and Spike the Vet live on Friday night, as dressage wraps up and the leaderboard looks wide open going into cross-country day. With no dominant force in the field, up to 12 combinations could still win - from the leading Kiwis to Tom McEwen and the strength in depth just behind. They break down a more intense cross-country track, a tighter time, and why the winning score could land around 30 - setting up a Sunday where everything could change. Check out the Defender Kentucky Fan Guide: Highlights Friday Night Lights: live from Kentucky Why this is one of the...
info_outlineBadminton is officially underway, and if day one is anything to go by, this week is going to deliver.
From the buzz of the first horse inspection, to honest post-trot-up debriefs in the car with Sam Watson, behind-the-scenes chats with riders, vets, and some of the sport’s biggest names, this first edition of the Badminton Tour Diaries has a bit of everything.
There’s a special catch-up with Cassie Sanger on her rise through the five-star ranks, insight into the cross-country from Piggy March and Tina Cook, plus a special live moment with defending champion Ros Canter, balancing life with three-and-a-half-month-old while preparing for another shot at history aboard Lordships Graffalo.
Add in Spike’s take on the field, Sam’s first impressions of Eric Winter’s track, and the usual behind-the-scenes chaos of Badminton week, and we are officially up and running.
Highlights
- Sam Watson’s first reaction to the Badminton cross-country track
- Ros Canter on motherhood, pressure, and Lordships Graffalo’s title defence
- Cassie Sanger on Kentucky, Burghley, and what comes next
- Piggy March and Tina Cook break down the course
- Spike the Vet’s take on the favourites, dark horses, and the week ahead
- Trot-up fashion, sponsor stories, and the authentic chaos of day one
Guests
- Sam Watson
- Cassie Sanger
- Ros Canter
- Piggy March
- Tina Cook
- Spike the Vet
This year's Badminton Diaries are brought to you by:
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