Sarah Bullimore and her home-bred gelding Corimiro delivered a clear round inside the optimum time to take the lead at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase on 9 May 2026. Holly Richardson and Ballyneety Silver Service were the first pair to complete the course fault-free and inside the 11min 30sec target. Several top riders incurred penalties or suffered falls, reshaping the leaderboard.
Sarah Bullimore praised Corimiro after the pair stopped the clock with a second to spare. “He’s phenomenal. He’s the reason I’m still doing this,” she said. The 10-year-old completed his first Badminton cross-country without jumping faults despite the demanding track designed by Eric Winter.
