The Olympic gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin lit up the arena at MARS Badminton Horse Trials with a stunning performance and took the lead after the first day of dressage with the excellent mark of 22.4. They have almost five penalties over second-placed Emily King and Valmy Biats on 27.3.

A new face burst onto the scene in third, first-timer Tom Woodward who, at 23 is the youngest rider in the field of 81. He scored 27.9 on the 18-year-old Low Moor Lucky, a result he described as “surreal”.

The world champion Yasmin Ingham, also making her MARS Badminton debut, is fourth on Rehy DJ on 29.1. Oliver Townend, the early leader on Ballaghmor Class, is now in fifth place and Gemma Stevens is sixth with Chilli Knight.

JL Dublin sprang to prominence with Nicola Wilson, who is commentating for Badminton TV this weekend, winning the 2021 European title. Following Nicola’s serious fall in 2022, Tom took over the ride on Jamie and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s bay Holsteiner gelding; they have twice been placed at Kentucky and won Olympic gold in Paris last year.

“Dubs is a great personality and, thanks to my groom Adam, he was so relaxed today,” said Tom. “I was going for it and made that one mistake [when the horse broke in the extended trot], but I have done as much as I can today to stay ahead of Ros [Canter] tomorrow. He is an unbelievably talented horse and has pulled out performance after performance.”

Emily, whose mother, Mary, is a dual Badminton winner, had her best result last year, fourth on Valmy Biats. “He is a powerful horse who can get tense, but he kept it together today and the test rode very smoothly. He is a cross-country machine, but I will need to be on my A game.”

Tom Woodward, who is contesting his first five-star competition, is on the World Class Podium Potential scheme and is based near Hartpury in Gloucestershire. The 18-year-old Low Moor Lucky was his first horse after ponies and wasn’t backed until he was nine. “Basically, he was in the last-chance saloon – he was pretty feral,” explained Tom. “He has very low mileage and didn’t do his first event until he was 11. He didn’t make any mistakes today, he doesn’t get wound up and he goes back to his stable for a nap.”

Dressage re-commences again tomorrow at 9am when Wills Oakden riding A Class Cooley will be first into the arena. The 2023 winners, Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, are due into the arena at 9.28am.

Tom’s winning dressage round can be watched here.