Biography

New Zealander Caroline Powell is one of the most longstanding competitors at Badminton, having first competed here in 2000. She has 18 completions to her name, the most of any rider here this year, and won the 75th-anniversary running in 2024 on Greenacres Special Cavalier, who she rides again this time, plus High Time. 

Greenacres Special Cavalier was bought as a three-year-old from breeder Michael Callery of Greenacres Stud, Co Meath, Ireland, and has been produced through the grades by Caroline, who started her in international competition in 2019. Last year they won the CCI4*-L at Ballindenisk, Ireland.

This spring they finished fourth in the CCI4*-S at Kronenberg, Netherlands.

High Time (‘Henry’) was bred by Annie Allen who sent him to Caroline to compete at the end of 2022, the horse having been previously ridden by Daniel Scott and Steven Renton. High Time and Caroline finished 21st at Badminton last year and eighth at Burghley.

Caroline’s first CCI5*-L victory was Burghley in 2010 on Lenamore. She has represented New Zealand at four championships, winning team bronze at the 2010 World Equestrian Games at Kentucky, USA, on Mac Macdonald and at the London Olympic Games in 2012 on Lenamore. 

Caroline, a BE-accredited trainer, moved from her native New Zealand to Britain in 1992 to ride at Clive Storey’s point-to-point yard, and started eventing on his horse Caliber. She then worked for three-time Badminton winner Ian Stark, grooming for him at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. She set up her own yard in Scotland, before relocating to East Anglia. 

She lives in Cowlinge, Suffolk, with partner Greg Kinsella.