EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

The final five-star of 2026 is here, and the whole team is back together for one last big preview of the season.

Nicole is joined by Diarm, Sam and Spike to look ahead to Les 5 Étoiles de Pau, where defending champion Tim Price returns with Jarillo, Bubby Upton heads the EquiRatings Prediction Centre with Cola, and a strong field of established stars and exciting newcomers prepares for the final five-star title of the year.

Can Tim Price make it back-to-back victories? Could Bubby Upton finally land that elusive five-star win? Or will one of the younger horses upset the established contenders?

From the riders with something to prove to the combinations who could thrive if the ground turns soft, the team digs into the form, the numbers and their own predictions for the weekend.

Highlights:

• Defending Champion: Tim Price and Jarillo return to Pau looking for a second consecutive victory.
• The Favourites: Bubby Upton and Cola lead the Prediction Centre, but does their five-star form tell a different story?
• Rising Stars: Tom McEwen and Quintus, Yasmin Ingham and Gypsy du Loir, and the young horses stepping up to five-star level.
• Contenders to Watch: Melody Johner and Erin, Felix Vogg and Cartania, and the combinations who could challenge the favourites.
• The Pau Factor: How the course, conditions and cross-country time could influence the final result.
• Final Predictions: The team's picks for the title, plus their last Eventing Manager selections of 2026.

Guests:

• Diarmuid Byrne: EquiRatings co-founder and analyst.
• Sam Watson: Olympic event rider and EquiRatings co-founder.
• Spike Milligan: Equine veterinarian and regular Eventing Podcast contributor.

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

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What's life like behind the scenes at one of eventing's busiest yards?

Travelling Head Girl for Tom Jackson, Chloe Whitelam, joins us in the Strawmax Stable to talk about life on the road, the horses behind a brilliant season and her journey from a non-horsey childhood to working at the top of the sport.

With Pau just around the corner, Chloe shares her hopes for Plot Twist B, reflects on some standout results and gives us an insight into the personalities that make Tom's string so special.

Highlights:

• Chloe's journey from racing to becoming Travelling Head Girl for Tom Jackson.
• Reflecting on Hawkeye's fourth place at Burghley and a successful season across the yard.
• The preparation for Pau and hopes of going one better with Plot Twist B.
• Managing a busy string of horses and building relationships with each of them.
• Chloe's Olympic ambitions and her advice for anyone hoping to build a career with horses.
• Life outside the yard, dream sporting events and the lucky blue nails making a return for Pau.

A great chance to get to know one of the people working behind the scenes to help make top-level eventing happen.

Guest: Chloe Whitelam

This episode is kindly supported by Strawmax, the natural straw pellet bedding designed with horses and busy yards in mind. Made from 100% British straw, Strawmax is dust-extracted, highly absorbent and easy to maintain, helping keep horses comfortable while making stable management simpler.

Discover the benefits of Strawmax at www.strawmax.co.uk.

Want your horse looking its best at your next event? We've got you covered!

Cameron Beer is joined by experienced five-star freelance groom Kirsten Poulsom for a grooming and turnout masterclass packed with practical tips to help you prepare for competition, whether you're heading to your first event or a major championship.

From getting those perfect plaits and quarter marks to managing studs, packing your competition essentials and looking after your horse following cross country, Kirsten shares the tricks of the trade she's picked up working at the top of the sport.

Plus, Kirsten sets listeners a challenge to put their quarter-marking skills to the test!

Highlights:

• The daily grooming habits that make competition preparation easier.
• Tips for bathing, clipping, trimming and keeping grey horses clean.
• How to perfect your plaits and quarter marks.
• Making studs less stressful and what to pack in your grooming kit.
• Cooling down and caring for your horse after cross country.
• Why having a freelance groom can make such a difference at a big event.

Guest: Kirsten Poulsom, five-star freelance eventing groom

The Grassroots Show is proudly supported by Foran Equine, providing scientifically formulated supplements and nutritional solutions to support your horse's health, wellbeing and performance.

Discover the Foran Equine range at www.foranequine.com.

A record-breaking British win at Boekelo, young horses making their mark at Cornbury and a look at what's next for British Eventing.

Nicole is joined by British Eventing CEO Rosie Williams to reflect on another Nations Cup success and look ahead to the 2027 fixtures calendar. Mollie Summerland and Lizzie Baugh also join the show to talk young horse championships, the pathways helping develop the next generation and the horses they're excited about for the future.

Highlights

• Team GB's record-breaking Nations Cup Final win at Boekelo
• What's behind Britain's strength and depth
• The 2027 British Eventing fixtures calendar
• Why championships like Cornbury matter for young horses, riders and owners
• Mollie Summerland on Don Alfredo and developing her next generation
• Lizzie Baugh on her Cornbury success, Nations Cup debut and stepping up to five-star

Guests

• Rosie Williams – CEO of British Eventing
• Mollie Summerland – Five-star winner and British Eventing National Young Horse Champion
• Lizzie Baugh – British event rider and Howden Way Young Horse Academy rider

This episode is brought to you by Zebra Products, the UK and Ireland's leading distributor of premium equestrian brands including Sprenger and Veredus, and title partner of the British Eventing Podcast for 2026. Find out more at: zebraproducts.co.uk

The grass has gone brown, but has the vitamin E gone with it?

Spike is back with Louise Jones for a bite-sized Feed Room, answering a great listener question prompted by the hot weather: when fresh green pasture turns dry and scorched, do we need to start supplementing vitamin E?

Louise explains what happens to vitamin E as grass dries out, whether a normal balanced diet is enough to cover the difference, and which horses might actually benefit from additional supplementation.

Highlights

• Why fresh grass is such a good source of vitamin E
• What happens when pasture becomes dry and scorched
• Whether most horses need extra vitamin E
• When supplementation may be worthwhile
• Vitamin E for horses prone to tying up
• Why feeding additional oil can change requirements

Guest Louise Jones – Equine nutritionist with Connolly's RED MILLS, answering your real-world feeding questions with Spike.

🎧 A quick one, but a very useful one. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is supported by Connolly's RED MILLS. For more expert nutrition advice and to explore their range of equine feeds and supplements, visit RED MILLS.

The US Equestrian Open Final is here, and we've got a special bonus from the US Equestrian Open Podcast to get you ready for Morven Park.

Annie Bishop, Diarmuid Byrne and Ali Barrett look at the storylines heading into the Final, with Will Coleman and Off The Record returning after coming agonisingly close 12 months ago. Can they go one better this time?

This is just the first 10 minutes of the conversation. For the full Morven Park Preview Show, including the team's predictions, contenders and everything to watch this week, head over to the US Equestrian Open Podcast.

Boekelo delivered.

Nicole and Catherine debrief a brilliant Nations Cup final, where Great Britain and Germany went head-to-head right to the final phase, while Ireland and the USA battled for the podium.

They celebrate Julia Krajewski and Ero de Cantraie's wire-to-wire win, another huge result for Katie Magee and the young horses that made a serious impression with 2027 and LA on the horizon.

Highlights

• Great Britain take the Nations Cup final
• Julia Krajewski leads from start to finish
• Another second place for Katie Magee
• The young horses to remember for 2027
• Ireland win the battle for the Nations Cup podium
• Nicole's under-the-radar horse to watch

All that, plus plenty more from a seriously competitive week at Boekelo.

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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.

Discover more and find your nearest stockist at bedmaxshavings.com/littlemax.

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.