Mares – the minority with a big personality

In 60 years just three mares have won at Badminton. In 2007 the little feisty chestnut Headley Britannia was the first mare to win the event for 53 years. Her predecessors were Emily Little (1952) and Bambi (1954). 

This year nine mares contest The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and four of them are ridden by Badminton first-timers. Twenty-five-year-old German Kai-Steffan Meier is attempting Badminton for the first time with TSF Karascada M.

Karascada, a not-quite-16.hh, pure-bred Trakehner was bred by Kai-Steffan’s father who still owns the attractive little black mare. She is by the influential Czech-bred Thoroughbred show jumping stallion Heraldik, currently second, behind Cavalier Royale, in the World Breeding Federation stallion rankings that are based on progeny success. Her dam, by the Trakehner dressage grand prix sire Anduc, has bred three other event horses all ridden by Kai. “Karascada is the first to get to this level. She can do a good test if she stays calm but she has a big personality,” said Kai who was eighth with the mare on their four-star debut at Luhmuhlen last year and is looking forward to the challenge here. “I visited Badminton 10-years ago but never dreamt that I would be back here riding.”

Currently the leading mare is Ava ridden by Italian Susanna Bordone. Other mares are; Valentina II (no 12) ridden by Richard Jones (GBR), Little Tiger (no 21) who also has the honour of being the smallest in the field and is ridden by Phoebe Buckley (GBR), Axia II (no. 39) ridden by Luisa Palli (ITA), Wulstan Rock On (no 41) ridden by British first-timer Laura Shears, Desert Island (72) – Louisa Lockwood (GBR), Star Prospect (no 87) ridden by British first-timer Sara Squires and Gazelle de la Brassiere (109) – Karin Donkers (BEL).

The highest placed British-owned mare will receive a voucher for £500 towards a future stud fee.