They say good things come to those that wait – and boy was it a long wait to drive back through the stone-walled entrance of Badminton Horse Trials once again. Three long years since I was there and to say I was giddy to be back was a monumental understatement.
Badminton Champions: Laura Collett & London 52 on their victory lap after landing the 2022 Badminton Horse Trials presented by Mars Equestrian
The story begins on a chilly late January afternoon, sitting in front of the fire, typing out my press accreditation application. (Yes we do enter before the competitors and find out the result after the entries are announced!) Three long months of wondering whether they’ll recall who I am. Three long months of deciding if my application wass strong enough to get a place in the hallowed media centre.
But it was worth the wait when the postman delivered the logo-embossed envelope at the end of April. I was in. I hadn’t realised how anxious I had got, till I let out a massive sigh of relief when I ripped open the envelope to read the acceptance letter.
Badminton this year for me was hectic – I have been so lucky that I didn’t just have my publication work to keep me busy, but plenty of commercial clients and sponsors too. I did spend the first hour just rushing around like a kid at Christmas. But then after a deep breath and sense-check, it was time to say hi to some familiar faces and faces I hadn’t seen in a good while and get our course-walk under way.
We had arranged the week before, for a few friendly press faces to meet early on Wednesday and walk the 5* course, to enable us all to form a plan for the onslaught of Saturday. Checking views, angles, planning to move about amongst the sell-out crowd. Oh and enjoy the twenty degree sunshine and blue skies. Course walk done, just chance to grab the camera to get some tradestand photos and catch up with a couple of clients ahead of the horse inspection and suddenly we are down to business.
All smiles during the Event Horse Owners Syndicate Course Walk with Emily King & Ben Hobday
It felt in some ways, as if the week disappeared in a rushed blur. I had spent so long waiting for this week, for it to then fly by in a cacophony of Mars sweet wrappers, full memory cards and a constant feeling of chasing my tail all week but never quite catching it. It was so good to catch up with familiar faces, to see clients and sponsors rocking it with bustling tradestands again and seeing so many people enjoying the sport.
Such a comedian - Vendredi Biats found the first horse inspection rather amusing!
It was also however sprinkled with exhaustion, disappointments and a wish that I had a clone so I could capture more. Don’t get me wrong, most events for me end like this, I always want to have covered more and captured more. Maybe half a dozen steroid injections in both wrists a few days before I arrived also maybe wasn’t the best prep either. Or maybe that’s what kept me going, who knows. It did however teach me a few life lessons and make me appreciate who are the people to run around for.
Best view in the house: Guests of Horsequest were treated to Lakeside Hospitality
I also didn’t get any shopping time – disaster, or not if you are my bank manager reading this!! Don’t panic shopaholics, I did make up for it with a trip back to Cheltenham last week!
Badminton 2022 Memories - Massive thanks to everyone who made this event so special
Ever wondered what a tog gets up to on the Saturday of Badminton. Here is a little Saturday snapshot of the life of a Badminton ‘tographer…
5.30am alarm call
6.30am Breakfast cooked by Super Bob – I am very lucky to have found the most wonderful B&B hosts, who not only get up each day early to get me breakfast for a busy day ahead, Bob cooked me a full English to fuel me scurrying around the xc all day. Quite frankly Bob without you, this wouldn’t have been possible. (See you next year!)
7am Arrive at Badminton gates, missing all the local traffic thanks to a hand written route from my B&B hosts. Quick cuppa in the media centre before finalising my plan for the day.
8am Out into the tradestands to catch a few more photos for commercial clients of their busy stands. Catch up with some sponsors and then retreat back to the media centre for the XC briefing
9.45am Photographer briefing in the media centre. Badminton legend and stalwart, Kit Houghton delivers the Photographer Health & Safety briefing and we can collect our uber-fashionable luminous orange hi-vis vests, learnt of the photo pens and general do’s and don’ts for the day ahead.
10.15am Lets go! Hi-vis on, kit loaded up, bag packed with essentials – marked up rider list and its go-go-go. About 100 photographers disperse from the media centre into the Badminton park, ready to meet the challenge of the day.
11.15am After stopping by a sponsor’s hospitality marquee for some further photos, it was down to the lake to find the assigned Photographer’s pen – which was in a prime spot to capture the action and enjoy the view of 100,000 people enjoying the lakeside hospitality, bar and views. Time for a few souvenir photos of our own (well it has been 3 years since I could have my photo in front of that lake!)
11.30am The first whistle blows into the crowd and before we know it the first 5* campaigner is galloping towards us. I felt like I’d rehearsed that moment so many times over the last 3 years. Showtime. Nerve-wracking first half an hour, first horse out unfortunately is eliminated, then Tom has a heart-breaking passage through the Lightsource BP Solar Panels and Toledo’s Badminton dream is over for this year. Then the tragic fall of Nicola. I watched it with everyone else on the big screen at the Lake. I’ve sadly seen enough falls now with my front row seat that Photography allows to know that was bad. I would say even was shocked by how many people stopped me after (maybe it was the hi-vis??) to ask could I tell them what happened and did I know anything. Firstly, it is event protocol to only go by the official updates, so no I can’t give you an update even if I had one. And secondly, just no, privacy folks.
Despite the early drama of the course, I decided to stick to my original plan for the day and move around the course as planned. 110,000 spectators plus campers, trade, sponsors and tradestand pass holders made for an extremely busy park. It was so wonderful to see that people had kept interest in the sport and still wanted to enjoy these big days out. But I can’t help but notice that we are all out of practice of walking in a crowd. Two ladies on separate occasions walked straight into my face. The seemingly luminous orange hi-vis vest, big camera lens and polite shouts of excuse me didn’t seem to prevent the collision.
By 1.20pm I had swam through the crowds up to the Horsequest Quarry at Fence 4 to watch the crowd cheer as Ben Hobday galloped through. Then comes the mad-dash. Treading through the slow meandering crowds back to fence 30 before Ben and Fidgy reached that point. Despite feeling like I needed an oxygen tank, I made it. Exhausted. Only to hear the disappointment in the commentary as Ben and Fidgy part ways at the Mars M fence at 25. Gutted.
1.40pm No time to think though, as I had seven minutes to get back down to the Lakeside for Kitty and Froggy to come through. Off my little legs went again, its hard to jog with almost 10kg of camera equipment on your shoulders. Only one sore ankle at this point. Made it. Snapped Kitty and Froggy, as Froggy launches into the Lake, this handsome grey had his ears pricked the whole way. I managed to scurry through the crowd to catch them at the Mars M fence at 24/25 again as they galloped past. Good boy Froggy.
2.10pm Back again to the Lake to repeat that plan for Emily and Valmy Biats. Dear Valmy looked awesome and was making light work of the course. It has been an amazing journey working with EHOS, supporting Emily & Valmy, along with Ben and Fidgy, to make their 5* debuts. Whilst both didn’t have the ending we all dreamed of, positive rounds to that point and they showed they are true 5* horses that day.
Massive shout out to Event Horse Owners Syndicate. Whilst others have dithered through Covid, these guys bravely forged ahead with their business plan. They got things up and running, they have grown an awesome team of riders, horses and most importantly syndicate members. It was so wonderful to see so many of them all week, to see their excitement at reaching Badminton and supporting each other through the week. Jack and Meg are a true inspiration. Have a dream and make it happen. We should all be more Jack and Meg.
2.45pm Once Emily had galloped past on Valmy, it was time to continue the master plan. Engage my little feet and off into the Vicarage Field I trekked. Stopping at the Ford Broken Bridge first off, then onto the KBIS Brushes.
The big imposing brushes jumped well on the whole whilst I was sat there. As always trying out a couple of different angles to see how I could get the splendour of Badminton House in the background.
3.00pm Once Laura Collett & London 52 had jumped through effortlessly, I decided to make a quick dash (well as quick as you can make that dash through the crowds) down to see them pass through the Vicarage Vees. Made it. A sticky jump at the second Vicarage Vee, with some audible words of encouragement from Laura got them through. Then we hear they are held on course after the course has gone red. I decided to use the short hold to walk back to the KBIS Brushes and after some debate over angles and checking with the fence judge, myself and another local newspaper photographer sat down with our backs onto the ropes near the final element.
3.50pm Once the course was back up and running, the extraordinary Nicky Hill came through with MGH Bingo Boy. Bing as he is known seemed very keen to get on with the job and he sailed past the middle element. Nicky took a long route to re-take the alternative and then came around the tree, not a route I had seen others take. Whispering under my breath to the local newspaper photographer ‘Stay very still’ I managed to mutter. Nicky thankfully saw us and given she didn’t flinch, I hoped that this meant that Bing was unlikely to spook at us and true to that, he stayed straight and galloped past us without incident. The local newspaper photographer to my left appeared to have turned white given that Bing had galloped past within a foot of our legs. Near misses can happen and that is why we carry the insurance we do and have the briefings at events before we go on course. Definitely the closest encounter I have had on course and one sure to be re-told at the dinner table by the photographer I was with, who remained pale for several minutes. It’s the risk we take on course and goes with the territory.
4.55pm Drama aside and back to the plan. The final batch of multiple riders were about to come on course. Back to the Vicarage Vee, which offered three photo opportunities this year, with the footbridge before they go up to Giuseppe’s pond then back to the two Vicarage Vee’s. Some near misses witnessed, the gaggle of photographers ebbed and flowed around the course between the three fences in some sort of synchronised wave movement. Time to say hello to a couple of friendly faces in the crowd.
Oliver Townend & Ballaghmor Class fly the Vicarage See en route to another Top 5 CCI5*L finish
It was a shear delight to watch dear Walter fly the Vicarage Vee’s like they were small logs at Shelford. I did it somewhat satisfying when all the chatter was of Ros’ next top horse. I have enjoyed following dear Walter since he popped around Shelford Manor as a green 5-year-old, five summers ago. I love that now everyone loves Walter.
5.25pm A sad ending as Kylie Roddy retires on SRS Kan Do before the second Vicarage Vee after a lost shoe. Suddenly that is it. ‘The day is done’ as said a voice in the crowd. I didn’t know whether to smile or cry at that point, as the photographer’s day was just getting going. Time for a quick pit stop at the ice-cream van (Thanks Jason, that ice-cream was much-needed) before myself and the other photographers started the long walk back to the media centre. We walked back, past the lake with several half-naked spectators had jumped in, followed closely by every dog on the site.
6.00pm Back into the media centre, time to download photos from the memory cards, batteries on charge and then time to get sorting through the couple of thousand photos I had taken. Consume a warm sandwich from my pack lunch bag with one hand, whilst sifting through the successes and failures of the day from my cameras
8.30pm Mars bar number 17 consumed from the seemingly self-refilling basket of Mars confectionary on the welcome desk… I am not joking either. Any ounce of energy has long since deserted me. I am running on sugary fumes.
9.45pm Finally, all images sent to publications, clients, sponsors, riders. Time for a few photos to go on my social channels to show I have at least captured something today.
10.15pm Last few dedicated souls remain in the media centre. Time to pack up and get going back to my B&B.
10.30pm Walk in the door to be greeted by a glass of wine and the cheese is out. Bob & Sarah my hosts were having a debrief of the day from the other guests staying, so I catch up with them and discuss the drama of the day with them for a fee minutes
11.10pm Up to bed, to go through some more edits, check all batteries charged, cameras cleaned and ready to go the following morning. Double-check all clients have had images. Answer a few emails. Partially pack the suitcase so I can be ready to leave early doors for the final horse inspection.
12.30am Set the alarm ready for tomorrow’s final horse inspection, then lights out, time to re-charge my batteries ahead of the final day
Best foot & hooves forward at the final Horse Inspection
Sunday delivered a memorable British Top Seven, not a raindrop in sight and plenty of photo opportunities. Standing in the middle of the main arena (massive thanks to Kirsty Pasto for her help on this, I owe you when you come back to Burghley!) I did have a moment to savour the moment. Little old me, standing there with legends of Equestrian Photography, just about holding my own (holding on by my fingertips more like haha). It has taken serious hard work to get here and the support of some amazing people. Thank you all.
Winners’ photos captured and images edited and sent out, it was time to pack up the kit bag (and stash a few more peanut butter snickers bars) for another year.
Badminton 2022 Champion: Laura Collett
Badminton, we waited long and hard for you, and you delivered; in bucket loads. Driving down the dusty drive to exit the park, I tried to be proud of all the work done and not think about all the shots I’d wanted and missed.
A massive thank you to the publications, sponsors, clients and riders for making Badminton 2022 a hugely enjoyable and successful event for me. Your support is very much appreciated.
Sponsored Rider Ben Hobday during a ‘Meet & Greet’ at Horsequest Stand, Badminton Horse Trials, May 2022
A second but equally as large thank you to the loyal band of press tent friends that shared the week with me – your banter, motivation, coaching, giggles and laughter made the long days possible and kept me going all week. So great also to see Kirsty Pasto, who I met in Pau last summer make her first trip to Badminton, hope you enjoyed it – come back over here soon!
Supergroup Sarah Charnley & Walter aka Lordships Graffalo share a moment during the Prizegiving on Sunday
Onwards to the remainder of ‘Mad May’ with Chatsworth and Rockingham done & Houghton still to enjoy before I thought I was having whole weekend off – having now changed to half a weekend off. Some sleep to be caught up on. Oh and Peanut Snickers still to be found at the bottom of every bag I own.
Until next time…