It’s finally here – the official start of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials 2025. After months of planning and predicting, today will see the competition start with the First Horse Inspection taking place in front of Badminton House at 4.30pm. The sun is shining and the excitement is building ahead of seeing the competitors walk through the arch from the stable yard out onto the trot up strip and the eyes of both the ground jury and the spectators.

The second day of the LeMieux Grassroots Championships is taking place on both sides of the road with dressage and show jumping taking place throughout the day. Competitors will be taking on James Willis’ cross country course and gallop in front of the iconic Badminton House. The winners of both the BE90 and BE100 will be crowned in front of the main house after the first horse inspection takes place.

The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Class also begins this morning with 100 horses competing in the Four and Five Year Old classes. They will be hoping to impress judges Sue Baxter, Helen West and Nick Collins to qualify for the final which takes place at Burghley Horse Trials in September.

Elsewhere on the site the shopping village is open from 9.00am this morning and will remain open until 6.00pm.