Three additional riders have withdrawn from the Mars Badminton Horse Trials ahead of the event scheduled for 6-10 May in Gloucestershire. The latest pullouts include two Irish competitors and a US rider. Competitors are beginning to arrive at the park for the competition.
Susie Berry has withdrawn Clever Trick, co-owned with Anne Marling and Sue Wilkinson, after recent falls at Thoresby and Kelsall Hill. The pair finished 29th at Badminton last year. “Absolutely gutted for ‘Owl’, her owners and my team that we’ve sadly had to withdraw from Badminton,” Berry said. “The start of the season just hasn’t gone the way we wanted.” She plans to support partner Max Warburton, riding Deerpairc Revelry, from the sidelines. Berry added that Clever Trick is special to her and needs to feel 110% for such an event, hoping to return in better form soon. Joseph Murphy, another Irish rider, pulled out Belline Fighting Spirit, owned by Richard and Tanya Ames, Alan Bell, and Annette O’Callaghan. “After having a setback during the spring, Spirit hasn’t had the preparation time he needed to be ready, so we’ve decided to save him for another day,” Murphy stated. He thanked the owners for prioritizing the horse’s welfare and plans to regroup for later in the summer. US rider Cosby Green, based in Dorset, withdrew Highly Suspicious, owned by her parents Clay and Eddie, but will compete on Heather Morris’s Jos Ufo De Quidam. These last-minute withdrawals come as riders arrive for the Badminton Horse Trials, set for 6-10 May.
