By Michael Tucker
BBC Show jumping commentator |
 | Badminton on the BBC:
Grandstand, BBC Two, 1350 |
Situated in the heart of the west-country, the Badminton horse trials is without doubt the premiere event of its kind in the year.
Over the three days it takes place, the course turns into a giant shopping gala, with its own main street and big screens dominating your surroundings.
People come from all over the world, with more than 150,000 packing the course on the Saturday - and that's just spectators - there are nearly as many dogs too.
The atmosphere may not compare to the Twickenham's and Old Trafford's of the world, but it is unique, and something that should come across in our coverage.
When the cross-country part of the tournament takes place, you can hear the gasps and cries from fans all around the course.
The spectators may not be quite as loud as their counterparts at the Kentucky horse trials, but they have their own way of making themselves heard!
Winning Badminton is something every eventer dreams about - a comparison might be Cheltenham in the National Hunt - it's the unofficial world title.
Last year the course changed slightly, with the introduction of a number of new fences.
Vicarage Vee was rebuilt, and there was a new and rather odd obstacle at the end of the course named the Carisma Puzzle - which is now no longer.
This year course designer Hugh Thomas has built 15 new fences on the course, ensuring that the cross-country will be a challenge even for experienced Badminton hands.
Shogun Hollow (7) and the Colt Pond (12) are both fences that will test horse and rider to the limit.
Most competitors should find the course more tactically challenging than in previous years - big fences on their own are not that tricky.
The key to any successful combination - and a good example of this was Pippa Funnell with Supreme Rock last year - is temperament.
It's a windy course, and it takes a lot out of both horse and rider, so they have to be mentally ready for all the obstacles.
Most of all, it is a test of the team's all round ability from start to finish - and just when you think you've made it the water jump looms, which always proves tricky for some.
MMIX
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