Susan Bill, a new EHOA member, will write a blog for us up to and including the LeMieux Grassroots Championships. Follow their journey with us.
Princess and I are two events in to the start of the 2026 season, and dare I say things are going pretty well so far with a win at Moreton in Dorset and a fourth at Tweseldown. Most importantly preparation for Badminton Grassroots in May is on track too. Moreton was especially good as the EHOA provided additional sponsorship to the tune of a further £200 to the winner resulting in total prize money of nearly £300 – absolutely brilliant when everything is feeling so expensive and regular training is essential. After a busy and long season last year she had a good 6 weeks off during November and into December and fittening started work in earnest once the New Year hangover had eased a bit.
We do pure Dressage ‘on the side’ at Medium level and its a balance to get this right with a fresh horse going in to spring. So the aims for 2026 are Badminton as the priority of course, and then once that is complete, to move up to BE100 – she also has the Petplan Dressage Championships at Addington mid-April so its a busy time.
I did Badminton Grassroots for the first time last year and it was honestly the most magical experience I think I have had eventing (I joke to my husband that it was a better two days than our wedding, but I admit here I’m not really joking). We ended up coming third in the BE90 Championship and that not only involves the iconic prize giving in front of ‘the House’ but the top three go into the house and meet Robert Lemieux and the Duke and Duchess – its hugely surreal. I was kicking myself I hadn’t joined the EHOA prior to the Event as the additional sponsorship for the highest placed member (and rosette!) was fabulous – something I have put right this year of course.
Getting to Badminton Grassroots does become a bit of an obsession, and I know many riders feel the same – but its worth every second of the those wet windy rides in January and February. Driving in and setting up your pitch and pinching yourself that you are actually there with your horse on the hallowed turf is something I’ll never forget that first time. We arrived Monday and settled in and then did that first course walk – which was so amazing. The track often goes alongside the main 5 star track and at one point you gallop straight towards the house – I think I got quite emotional at that point, and again when we walked the fence out of the lake which was part of the 5 star fence – and not insubstantial either!
Once the event gets going it starts to feel a bit more normal and you do relax a bit, although I wasn’t quite prepared for the amount of people round the show jumping arena – its a big atmosphere. Walking down to the Cross Country start was special – I really tried to take a step back and enjoy the moment and remember where I was and that it was nearly over. I think I have watched my round well over 200 times since – she was foot perfect and happily made the time very comfortably, so all those trips to the gallops paid off. I had been so focused I don’t think I was even aware of the scores and because I do everything myself I was busy sorting her out after we’d finished, so when I started to hear I was moving up the leader board I started to dream I might a) get a rosette and b) actually get to do the prize giving.
We qualified for this years event at the first regional at Bicton with a win and so we’ve known we were going back for this year since August which has felt like a long time. My plan this year is to do the same prep (three events finishing with Larkhill early in April, and then a break to keep her fresh until Badminton) but most importantly I’d like to try and relax a bit more and enjoy the event – lets see anyway. The run up hasn’t been without its challenges – she has been pulling shoes (and hoof) off with alarming regularity with all the wet ground, and I’m starting a new job in early April, which has nothing to do with horses but having the Badminton week off was genuinely part of my negotiation. I told them it was a non-negotiable.
I’ve no idea how the five star riders cope mentally leading up to their event – I’ve never stared at lumps and bumps for so long before, and ridden along feeling like every ride matters – and this is at my level, never mind competing at the absolute pinnacle of the sport.
Anyway, we will hopefully have a nice run at Larkhill and then can settle down in the final few weeks. I’ll let you know (good or bad) how things have gone in the next newsletter. I’m really excited to be part of the EHOA now and am looking to visiting the members area at Badders!
Sue and Princess (I’m afraid she is still ‘unnamed 818097’ in BE’s systems currently – but I’ve yet to pluck up the courage to send her passport away and like a proper superstitious Eventer I’m starting to worry if I change her name properly it might jinx my luck.
Until next time,
Sue