Eric Winter’s course design

Speed: 570m/min
Optimum Time: 11.45 minutes
Official length: 6697m
Time Limit: 23.30 minutes

Download the course before you head to Badminton with the free CrossCountry Lite iPhone app. Use it anywhere on course; no internet required. Or take advantage of the free WiFi in the Food Courts and Trade Stand area.

THE COURSE DESIGNER – Eric Winter (GBR)

2019 is Eric’s third year as course designer at Badminton. He likes to change things around and describes this as a different course to what we’ve previously seen from here. One of old fashioned questions but with lots of things for the riders to do!

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1. ASX Starter

Rider’s jump the first fence in the atmosphere of the main arena. The ASX Starter is highly decorated to stand out for the horses and help to focus them on the job inhand.

2. Keepers Question

A big table with a ditch towards. Eric has brought the front of this fence down in front slightly to give a kinder profile and filled the ditch with trees but it’s still an imposing sight this early in the course at 1.16m high with a base spread of 2m.

3. Little Badminton Gate

Approaching up a steep little bank, riders can choose to jump either left or right handed over one of these very upright gates. Their positioning and profile make this quite a tricky little fence and means competitors will need to be on their game early in this course.

4abc/5. Savills Staircase

Element a is an imposing 1.20m spread before riders tackle the staircase. With fresh horses having a tendency to run on down the slope the fence will test the riders’ control and their ability to have them back in time to jump the second only slightly smaller spread of fence 5 at the bottom of the hill.

6. Worcester Avenue Table

A birch table set in trees challenges riders to select their approach line. Taking it on the inside at an angle will help the riders to flow along the course track, saving vital seconds. Others will choose to go wide around the trees for a more direct approach and take a twistier route.

7/8. Joules Corners

Two sizeable corners to take on a straight or curving line.

9ab. Countryside Log Piles

Riders have a choice here of whether to take the direct route over a single daunting 1.20m x 2m fence or two much smaller ones.

10ab. Shogun Sport Hollow

After riding through the pergoda riders negotiate a ditch into the hollow before choosing their line to an open offset log to the left or right.

11/12. KBIS Bridge

Old school Badminton at its best, this big question is made more difficult by being on a slightly downhill run, meaning riders will really have to hold their line to take the direct route.

13ab. Outlander PHEV Bank

A new challenge at the Outlander bank sees it jumped cross ways for the first time. Combinations step up across the narrow profile of the bank and down to a narrow brush with a drop on landing. Rewarding sympathetic riding, adjustability and clever footwork, there is a slower alternative for those who need a bit more time.

14. Rolex Grand Slam Trakehner

A big ditch and a proper rider frightener but for experienced horses and riders this shouldn’t pose a problem.

15 ab. Hildon Water Pond

The first element here might only be 70cm high but with a 1.8m drop into the water the riders will have to be on their game to prepare them for the cascading waterfall of element B.

16. James’s Brush

A beautiful big run and jump fence to give the horses a boost after the water and muster confidence before the very big question to come.

17abc/18. Mirage Water

Horses must come back from the gallop to focus on this tricky combination of a right angle corner over an old fashioned ditch to a second big right angle corner.

19. Nyetimber Heights

It will be fascinating to see how riders take this fence. From a blind drop over the birch brush into the hollow, they must find their line out and choose one of four brush fences to jump.

20. Feedmark Haywain

A traditional sight on the Badminton course, this fence is a welcome breather for horse and rider.

21, 22, 23. YoungMinds Brushes

The three related brushes sweep competitors down towards the lake and are a bold question if taken on the direct route.

24. World Horse Welfare Lakeside

A new fence on the course, horses approach this spectacular table from a steep turn which interrupts their rhythm to jump this fence with a maximum top spread of 1.8m.

25abcd. The Lake with L200s

Riders jump in over the fallen tree and then can choose either a quick route out with a sharp right hand turn up the bank and over the L200 brush, or a longer more flowing route with an extra jumping effort.

26. Wadworth Lower Lake

An unusual triple bar coming out of the lake should ride well but is not to be disrespected with a sizeable drop on landing.

27. Trade Stands Hedge

A big brush fence to keep the horse’s attention in the long gallop towards Huntsmans Close.

28ab. Voltaire Design Huntsmans Close

Riders must navigate their way between the trees and birch rails to choose their line over two oxers.

29ab. Eclipse Cross Chicane

Two angled brush fences with ditches in front are a test of accuracy and control to keep the riders thinking and focused on the job.

30ab. HorseQuest Quarry

Element A is a big drop fence down the bank of this iconic Badminton landmark. The challenge here is to rebalance the horses and have enough in the tank to see them out over element B at the top of the slope.

31ab. Hayracks

Riders must stay respectful of what should be a straightforward enough combination fence on their homeward leg.

32. Rolex Trunk

A run up the bank should put the horses in great shape to jump this big carved treetrunk and see them on to the final fence.

33. Shogun Sport Saddle

The final fence comes in the main arena with the roar of the crowd to see our brave competitors home.