EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

Over 100 horses, the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Final and one of the most competitive four-star longs of the year. It's Boekelo time.

Nicole is joined by Catherine Austen and Ali Barrett to look through a huge field, pick out the combinations that could make their mark and, of course, build their Eventing Manager teams.

Gemma Stevens and Cooley Park Muze head up the conversation after a brilliant season, while Zara Tindall, Katie Magee, Tom McEwen, Kitty King and plenty more give the British challenge serious depth. There are exciting young horses from across Europe, a strong US contingent and a few combinations flying firmly under the radar.

Plus, could Tom McEwen make a little bit of history? And who are Nicole, Catherine and Ali backing for the podium?

Highlights

• The leading contenders in a field of more than 100 combinations
• Gemma Stevens and Cooley Park Muze's chances at Boekelo
• Tom McEwen's opportunity to add another major win to an extraordinary season
• The Nations Cup Final and the teams to watch
• Exciting combinations from Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and the USA
• Eventing Manager picks, bargains and dark horses
• Nicole, Catherine and Ali make their podium predictions

Get your Eventing Manager team locked in at manager.equiratings.com and play along throughout Boekelo.

Eventing Manager is powered by EquiRatings Horse Sourcing.

Jess Rimmer didn't always want to be an event rider. In fact, as a child, she'd have chosen her Barbie Dream House over a muddy yard any day.

Fast forward to Blenheim, and Jess has just jumped double clear with The Spice Merchant as part of the Rising Lions. Nicole catches up with her while the smile is still firmly on her face to talk about the journey from reluctant pony rider to one of Britain's rising eventing talents.

From studying biochemistry while competing a string of horses to finding her place at William Fox-Pitt's yard, Jess shares the people, horses and opportunities that have shaped her career so far. There's plenty about Basil, the horse who keeps saying yes, and the ambitions Jess is working towards.

Highlights

• The pony that changed Jess's mind about riding.
• Growing up with a five-star event rider for a mum and the support that came without pressure.
• Balancing a biochemistry degree with competing seven or eight horses.
• Learning from William Fox-Pitt and Jackie Potts.
• Why you don't have to follow the traditional youth team pathway to succeed.
• The £1 pony who helped Jess reach the Young Rider Championships.
• How The Spice Merchant, better known as Basil, became her four-star partner.
• What representing Great Britain and riding for the Rising Lions means to Jess.
• Her ambitions for five-star success and the two horses she thinks could help her get there.

Guest

Jess Rimmer – British event rider and Rising Lions team member, joining Nicole fresh from a double clear at Blenheim with The Spice Merchant.

This episode is brought to you by Littlemax, part of the Bedmax family. Their dust-extracted pine shavings are designed to provide a clean, comfortable bed for horses and ponies.

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Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more from across the sport.

Two four-star titles, one rider and a pair of horses with exciting futures ahead. Blenheim belonged to Tom McEwen.

Nicole Brown and Catherine Austen are back to review the action from Agria Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, where Tom McEwen completed a remarkable double with The Fieldmaster in the CCI4*-L and Brookfield Danny De Muze in the CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-olds.

From The Fieldmaster's hunting background and rapid rise through the levels to Brookfield Danny De Muze adding another major young horse title to his record, there is plenty to discuss about two very different horses and what might come next.

Highlights

• Tom McEwen's Blenheim double and the strength of his team across both divisions.
• The Fieldmaster's journey from the hunting field to a CCI4*-L victory.
• Brookfield Danny De Muze's remarkable record and his progression from Le Lion d'Angers to Blenheim.
• Sam Ecroyd's standout weekend with Jackpot and Bloomfield Manuscript.
• Oliver Townend's cross-country performance.
• Katie Magee, Bubby Upton and the young horses making their mark in the eight- and nine-year-old class.
• Why Blenheim's young horse results are worth revisiting when looking for future five-star stars.

Plus, Nicole and Catherine share their personal connections to Blenheim, reflect on the atmosphere at this year's event and look ahead to Boekelo.

Guest

Catherine Austen – Equestrian journalist and former Blenheim press officer, joining Nicole to review the weekend's sport and the stories behind the results.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Connolly's RED MILLS, proud supporters of our Blenheim preview and review shows. Discover their range of equine feeds and nutrition solutions at redmillshorse.com .

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more previews, reviews and analysis from across the sport.

Fresh from a CCI4*-L win at Scone Palace, Piggy March joins Nicole Brown to reflect on a season of ups and downs, a special victory with Truly Anything, and a big new chapter on the horizon for Team March.

Piggy shares the story of bringing Truly Anything back into her string after his time with Harry Meade, the emotions behind their Scone win, and why sometimes getting the job done means adapting your riding to the horse in front of you.

With a yard move on the horizon and a coaching trip with Team Hong Kong ahead, there's plenty to catch up on!

Highlights

• The story behind Piggy and Truly Anything's CCI4*-L victory at Scone.
• Why not every horse needs to fit the textbook picture.
• The emotions, pressure and people behind a special win.
• A new yard, new opportunities and what could be next for Team March.
• Why good stable management starts with understanding your horse's environment.

Guest

Piggy March is one of Britain's leading event riders, a Badminton and Burghley winner, and a Bedmax Education Ambassador.

Back to School with Bedmax

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• Back to School with Bedmax: Horse Health and Hygiene in the Stable Environment
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Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the Eventing Podcast for more conversations from across the sport.

The first-ever Blenheim Challenge is in the books, and the Stars & Stripes have plenty to celebrate!

Nicole, Diarmuid and Annie are back to unpack a weekend that saw the Stars & Stripes defeat the Rising Lions 12.5–4, with head-to-head battles, Joker tactics and £50,000 in prize money bringing a whole new dimension to Blenheim.

From Oliver Barrett's brilliant week with Sandhills Briar to the pressure of jumping for £5,000 on the final day, the team reflects on the performances, personalities and moments that made the inaugural Challenge such a success.

Highlights

• How the Stars & Stripes secured their Blenheim Challenge victory.
• Oliver Barrett's career-best dressage and top-10 finish.
• The £5,000 show jumping head-to-heads and the pressure of delivering a clear.
• The young horses and riders who caught the team's attention.
• Jess Rimmer's Team Spirit Award and what the Challenge meant beyond the scoreboard.
• Why the team format, prize money and involvement of the grooms made this weekend feel different.

Plus, Nicole shares a few stories from behind the scenes, including Philip Dutton's Joker discussions, Tom McEwen's involvement with the Rising Lions and the live draws that kept everyone guessing.

Was this the start of something special for eventing?

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more from across the sport.

The Blenheim Challenge is well and truly underway, and after dressage, the Stars & Stripes have the early advantage.

Nicole and Annie break down a brilliant first phase, with 21-year-old Oliver Barrett producing a career-best test to lead both the Stars & Stripes and the entire CCI4*-L aboard Sandhills Briar.

With £50,000 on the line, attention now turns to cross country and four head-to-head matchups that could completely change the scoreboard.

Highlights

• Oliver Barrett's career-best dressage test puts him at the top of Blenheim.
• The Stars & Stripes lead the Rising Lions 5–2 after the opening phase.
• The cross-country head-to-heads and where the key points could be won.
• Why the Rising Lions have played their final Joker on Izzy Cook.
• The numbers behind the combinations who could make the difference on Saturday.

Plus, we hear from Oliver Barrett and Barnie Brotherton ahead of cross country as both teams prepare for the next round of the Blenheim Challenge.

Can the Rising Lions fight their way back, or will the Stars & Stripes extend their lead? Game on at Blenheim

Two four-star classes, some serious names and plenty of decisions to make as we head to Blenheim.

Nicole, Diarm and Sam preview both the CCI4*-L and the eight and nine-year-old CCI4*-S, digging into the favourites, the form and the combinations they think could make their mark this week.

Brookfield Quality heads the Prediction Centre in the four-star long, but with Jesse Campbell, Oliver Barrett, Gemma Stevens and plenty more in the mix, there is a lot to consider. Then it's onto the future stars of the eight and nine-year-old class, a division with a pretty impressive record of producing horses we hear a lot more from. And, of course, they're building their Eventing Manager teams along the way.

Highlights

• Why Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality set such a high standard in the CCI4*-L
• The riders and horses who could challenge at the top
• Where the Eventing Manager value might be hiding
• Gemma Stevens looking to continue a brilliant run of form
• Oliver Townend and an intriguing catch ride
• The young horses to know in the eight and nine-year-old class
• Who makes the team when £10 million suddenly doesn't feel like very much
• A few under-the-radar combinations worth keeping an eye on

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Connolly's RED MILLS. If you're heading to Blenheim this week, make sure you stop by the RED MILLS trade stand and chat to their team. Whether you have a feeding question, want to learn more about their range or just want some expert advice, they'll be there to help throughout the event.

Find out more about Connolly's RED MILLS and their equine nutrition range at redmillshorse.com.

Rising Lions vs Stars and Stripes. The first ever Blenheim Challenge is here, and things are already getting competitive.

Nicole is firmly flying the flag for Britain, while Diarm and Annie are backing the US team, with a very handy Australian thrown into the mix. With head-to-head matchups in every phase, joker cards to play and £50,000 in prize money on the line, there is plenty to get stuck into.

Who has the strongest team on paper? Where could the points be won and lost? And, most importantly, who are we backing to come out on top?

Highlights

• How the new Blenheim Challenge actually works
• Rising Lions vs Stars and Stripes across all three phases
• Why Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar could be the pair to beat
• The joker cards we would play and when
• Why Saturday could be the Rising Lions' chance to take control
• The serious show jumping strength on the Stars and Stripes side
• Our picks to win the first ever Blenheim Challenge

Guests

Nicole Brown Nicole takes up the Rising Lions cause and makes the case for why a big Saturday could put the British team in the driving seat.

Diarmuid Byrne Diarm is very firmly Team Stars and Stripes and is already putting himself forward for the team manager job.

Annie Bishop Annie brings the US perspective, digging into the form of the Stars and Stripes combinations and where they could have the edge.

The Blenheim Challenge gets underway this week. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Nicole is joined by Catherine Austen from Cornbury House International for a look at a week that feels like an important one for the event's future.

The brand-new Advanced Under 25 class brings together an international field as Cornbury starts learning, testing and preparing ahead of hosting the FEI Eventing World Championships for Under 25s in 2027. And they'll face a new challenge, with the courses reversed for the first time and a brand-new Advanced track ready to be tested.

There's plenty happening beyond the U25s too. The British Eventing Young Horse Championships bring some of the country's best five, six and seven-year-olds together, the £45,000 Racehorse to Eventer Challenge Cup returns, and there are seriously good horses and riders to follow right across the sections.

Highlights

• Cornbury's first step towards the 2027 U25 World Championships
• The international names to watch in the Advanced U25
• A brand-new Advanced cross-country track
• Five, six and seven-year-olds chasing national titles
• £45,000 on the line for the Thoroughbreds
• The combinations to follow across a packed week

Guest Catherine Austen – on site at Cornbury with the inside track on the competition, the horses and what's ahead.

Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight are your 2026 Defender Burghley champions, and they did it in some style.

Nicole, Diarm and Ali are back to debrief a brilliant weekend of sport, from Gemma's record-breaking performance and Katie Magee's superb second place to the stories, surprises and standout performances across the leaderboard.

Plus, the HPRs land mid-recording, giving us the first chance to put some numbers around what we just watched.

Highlights

• Gemma and Chilli Knight finishing on their dressage score and joining Burghley's 1% Club
• Putting that huge winning margin into context
• How Katie Magee and Treworra climbed from 19th after dressage to second
• The HPRs are in, and we find out how Gemma's performance stacks up against the other big five-star performances of 2026
• Global Quest, Hawk Eye and the combinations who exceeded expectations
• The moments that completely changed the shape of the competition
• A very deserved Nicola Wilson appreciation moment

Guests

Nicole Brown Nicole looks back at the performances, people and stories that made Burghley 2026 one to remember.

Diarm Byrne Diarm gets into the numbers and what they tell us about how this year's Burghley was won and lost.

Ali Barrett Ali brings the freshly landed HPRs, her standout performances and plenty from a busy week on the ground at Burghley. Katie Magee show: https://open.spotify.com/episode/03oBSF12G8beXOa1ow1DJr

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.