Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo re-wrote eventing history and smashed records with an extraordinarily smooth third MARS Badminton Horse Trials victory, the first combination to achieve this accolade in the event’s 77-year history.
In the final, tense moments of the competition, Ros was left with a luxurious 10.2 penalty lead in the show jumping arena to clinch the richest prize in eventing, £125,000.
Ros and Walter. (Badminton Horse Trials Media photo)
She used up just two of those penalties in excess time in an admirably composed, harmonious performance, the 14-year-old Lordships Graffalo (‘Walter’) giving each fence plenty of air for the coolest of clear rounds, his ears pricked intelligently throughout.
Harry Meade and the mare Annaghmore Valoner, the cross-country runners-up, had given Ros a little more breathing space with a fence down which dropped them to third place.
New Zealander Tim Price, whose previous best Badminton result was a third place in 2017, rose to the runner-up spot with an outstanding clear show jumping round on Falco, a horse owned by a previous Badminton runner-up from 1979, Sue Benson.
‘Falco is a fantastic little horse, all head and heart,’ said Tim. ‘If he’s enjoying it and his confidence is there, he gives me everything.’
Tom Jackson jumped clear for just 0.4 of a time penalty with the 10-year-old United 36 for fourth place, his best Badminton result. Katie Magee scored a career best with fifth place on Treworra and another Kiwi, Tayla Mason, was sixth on Centennial with a clean jumping round.
An international top 10 was completed by French riders Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza, seventh) and Benjamin Massie (Filao de Perle, ninth), with Felix Vogg eighth for Switzerland on Cartania and Sarah Bullimore in 10th on the exciting prospect Corimiro, who dropped seven places to 10th with two rails down.
‘It’s hard to put into words how I feel right now, but when it sinks in it will be incredible,’ said Ros in the aftermath of her historic win.
‘I hope this result makes Walter the greatest in the world. And for all the young people out there, you really can learn to be good under pressure. If you have the dream, it is possible.’
Ros, 40, and Lordships Graffalo (by Grafenstolz out of Cornish Queen, bred by Pennie Wallace and the Lordships Stud and owned by Michele and Archie Saul) have contested Badminton four times, finishing second in 2022 and first in 2023, 2025 and 2026. They have also won two Burghleys, in 2024 and 2025, plus the double European gold in 2023 and an Olympic team gold medal in 2024. Ros lives on the family farm near Louth, Lincolnshire, and is married to Chris McAleese; they have two daughters, Ziggy, six, and Seneh, born in January.
Watch a video recap of Ros and Walter’s weekend here.
Harry Meade, whose own achievements in the sport are remarkable, generously summed up: ‘It is difficult enough to get a horse to the start line, and to get it to the start line and deliver in the style Ros has done is something every horseman would recognise. Her technical ability and coolness under pressure will stand the test of time and that is her great legacy.’
Most Badminton wins:
6 – Lucinda Green
4 – Capt Mark Phillips, Sir Mark Todd
3 – Sheila Willcox, Ginny Eliot, Ian Stark, Pippa Funnell, Ros Canter
Dual winning horses:
Kilbarry (1955-56)
High and Mighty (1957-58)
Great Ovation (1971-72)
Sir Wattie (1986, 1988)
Supreme Rock (2002, 2003)
Final results here.
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