As I write it is pouring with rain, but the work in the Park has been enabled by the good weather that we enjoyed up to last weekend.   The cross-country course, show jumping arena and practice areas have now had their Autumn programme of works completed, i.e. vertidrained, compost & sand applied and dressed with slow release fertiliser.  Therefore, on this occasion the arrival of the rain is perfect!

Last weekend was the annual inaugural course walk with Eric Winter (Course Designer), Mathias Otto-Erley (Technical Delegate), Kai-Steffen Meier (Assistant Course Designer), both of whom we welcome on board for Badminton 2026. Mike Etherington-Smith joined the walk as Course Advisor. It has to be said the ground was perfect, as was the weather – unlike 2024 when the walk took place on the weekend of the storms and gales.  It is always the moment when the following year’s event becomes real as Eric shares his enthusiastic thoughts about the course.  Of course, there will still be some interesting tweaks to the route of the course as we get nearer to the day!  This was followed yesterday by the visit of the TV production team led by Chris Lewis and Michael Cole. The morning being spent on the course, working out in principle the best TV camera positions, which will be confirmed when the team return in March.

Last month we also had the first of the traffic management meetings with Tracsis, the police, AA and the home team.  This meeting is an opportunity for all to discuss any issues from the previous event, which are then fed into the planning for 2026 to ensure the same does not happen again.  Luckily there were few issues from 2025 but one must never be complacent.

An essential overhead main electric cable that feeds not only the Event but also half the village has been put underground in a 3m deep trench, this will ensure there is no longer the risk of the cable being hit by high lorries as they enter the Park.

Andrew (Tucker) has now put a number of the major contractors in place, which is a good position to be in by mid November.  Alex (Harbottle) and Rosie (Latter) have been busy and the tradestand invitations have now gone out.  This is just one of the tasks that need to be completed by this time to ensure we are in a good place come the new year.

My grateful thanks to Simon Dring, who has retired after many years as The Duke of Beaufort’s Agent, for his wonderful support of the Event.  We welcome Jasper Hasell who is at the helm as Estate Director.

That’s all for now – be back next month.