EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

VOTE HERE: https://equiratings.typeform.com/ERHOTY-QF

There's something wonderfully chaotic about Horse of the Year season. Everyone arrives certain they know exactly who should make the list… right up until the episode actually starts. Then the memories flood back, the numbers begin to nudge opinions, and suddenly even the panel isn't quite as sure as they thought.

fischerChipmunk FRH. Lordships Graffalo. London 52. The heavyweights are here, the tactics are real, and the rules… well, let's just say they evolve by the minute. Nicole is joined by Diarm, Catherine, Spike and Annie for a full house and as they try to whittle the season down to eight. There are stats, strong opinions, rogue nominations, and one or two tactical plays that nobody is pretending to be subtle about. Settle in.

Highlights

• The five automatic selections and why the top three were never really in doubt
• Annie's case for fischerChipmunk FRH and the moment in Kentucky that changed her mind
• Catherine's pitch for Lordships Graffalo and why no one even bothered to argue
• Spike's "not tonight, I'm saving the spice" approach… until he wasn't
• D's fully tactical masterstroke that blindsided the rest of the panel
• The wildcard chaos: Cartania, Cavalier Crystal, Kiarado d'Arville, Commando 3, Qantas R
• The tightest tally we've ever had on the show, with three horses tied until the final vote
• The official quarter-final draw

Guests

• Diarmuid Byrne
• Catherine Austen
• Spike Milligan
• Annie Bishop

Vote now for your EquiRatings Horse of the Year🐴

The Feed Room is open and Spike has questions. Louise Jones from Red Mills is back and this time we are getting into the real nuts and bolts of feeding. Balancers, complete feeds, how they actually work, and when each one makes sense. If you've ever wondered whether a scoop of chaff and a balancer is really enough, or why some yards swear by mixes while others live by cubes, this is the episode that clears the fog.

Louise breaks down what a complete feed technically is, how the equine world uses the term differently, and why protein and amino acids matter more than people realise. There is even a moment where Spike learns feeds are cooked, and it changes his entire worldview.

A genuinely useful conversation with plenty you can take straight back to the yard.

Highlights

• What a complete feed actually is
• When a balancer works and when it simply does not
• Why protein and key amino acids often get overlooked
• The hidden calorie gap in low bucket feeds
• Mixes versus cubes and how they are made

Guest

• Louise Jones, Red Mills Senior Nutritionist, here to make feeding horses make sense.

📲 Stay Connected This episode is brought to you by Connolly's Red Mills. For expert advice, forage analysis, and feeding support, visit redmills.com or connect with their nutrition team directly. Proud partners of the podcast, Red Mills are here to help you feed your horse with confidence.

The end of a season always brings that odd mix of relief, exhaustion, and the moments you can't quite shake. And 2025 gave us plenty of those. The highs that made you grin. The heartbreaks that stopped you in your tracks. And then the moments that shifted the sport itself.

It's the washing machine of emotions you only get in eventing, and we're diving straight into the ones that defined the year.

Settle in. There's plenty to talk about.

Highlights

• The Kentucky win that became Annie's moment of the year, and the Morven Park rail that broke half the media tent.
• Badminton's razor-thin margins and how Cooley Rosalent nearly rewrote the script.
• The cross-country moment that convinced Dee that Lordships Graffalo is something we haven't really seen before.
• Boyd Martin's world number one milestone and why that 26.0 in the rain changed everything.
• Harry Meade, inside the time, and the long road to the top spot.
• The emotional backdrop of Ros Canter's season and why Badminton meant more than just another title.

Guests

• Diarmuid Byrne, EquiRatings Co-Founder
• Annie Bishop, fresh from the US Open circuit with the stories you didn't see on camera.

In this special episode, Nicole is joined by Dr. Jim Chiappetta, equine vet, inventor and president of Achieve Equine, for a look at the story and science behind Flair Strips. Jim shares how the idea began, why nasal support matters for every horse and what decades of research have taught him about airflow, recovery and performance.

They talk through the early testing, the disciplines now using the strip, the welfare focus behind the product and the new innovations Achieve Equine are working on.

Highlights:

• How Flair Strips first came to life
• Why nasal collapse affects performance and recovery
• What riders notice across jumping, eventing and western
• The research behind the strip and its welfare benefits
• New product developments in the pipeline

Guest:

• Dr. Jim Chiappetta, president of Achieve Equine.

Flair Strips support healthy breathing, reduce airway resistance and help horses perform and recover more comfortably. Learn more or explore the full range at flairstrips.com.

In this episode of When Nicole Met, Nicole catches up with a rider who has enjoyed one of the most memorable breakthrough seasons of the year. Katie Magee reflects on her Badminton debut, two British National Championship titles and the partnership with Treworra that has grown into a genuine five star force. From rebuilding after injury to the steady guidance of Nicola Wilson and the realities of running a busy yard in the North, it is an open look at what it takes to keep moving forward.

Highlights:

• Badminton first timer experience and a top twelve finish
• Producing Treworra into a confident, consistent five star campaigner
• Returning from a heavy fall with renewed focus
• How Nicola Wilson has shaped her programme and mindset
• Life in the North with a full yard and family in the mix
• British Open victory and standing alongside world class combinations
• Early thoughts on 2026 with Badminton and Burghley on the horizon

Guests:

• Katie Magee, a British five star rider based in the North of England, winner of two British National Championship titles and best first timer at Badminton 2025.

This show is kindly supported by Bedmax, purpose-made, natural horse bedding designed to protect respiratory health, support hooves, and provide a clean, comfortable stable environment.

The 2025 season gave us new champions, new pressure points and a European Championships on home soil that delivered every emotion going. In this British Eventing Show, we look back at the moments that shaped the year and look ahead to what 2026 now demands.

We're joined by European Champion Laura Collett, Team GB Performance Manager Dickie Waygood, and Rosie Williams, CEO of British Eventing, for a conversation that moves from Blenheim celebrations to winter planning and everything in between.

Highlights

• Laura on chasing, earning and finally claiming individual European gold
• Dickie on pressure, pathway planning and the reset towards LA 2028
• Rosie on volunteers, legacy, and the BETF's role in the future of the sport
• Inside Team GB's 2026 strategy and why next year's Worlds matter so much
• What riders, organisers and members most need heading into a new season

Guests

• Laura Collett, European Champion and Olympic gold medallist
• Richard "Dickie" Waygood, Performance Manager for Team GB Eventing
• Rosie Williams, Chief Executive of British Eventing

Follow @britisheventing on Instagram to stay up to date with all the action.

Inspired to get more involved? Find out how you can support training, education and the eventing community: 👉 British Eventing Training Foundation 👉 Volunteer with British Eventing

Winter might mean mud, dark nights, and frozen fingers, but it's also your biggest opportunity to make real progress. In this Grassroots Show presented by Foran Equine, Nicole Brown is joined by Grand Prix rider, coach, and judge in training Charlie Ward to talk all things winter dressage.

From sharpening up your basics to finding easy wins without an arena, Charlie shares smart, practical ways to build rhythm, suppleness, and confidence so you can head into 2026 feeling ready to impress between the boards.

Highlights:

• Turning the winter months into your secret weapon
• What judges really want to see at each level
• Small changes that make a big difference in rhythm and suppleness
• How to make every session count (even when daylight is short)
• Keeping it fun, focused, and full of purpose all winter long

Guests:

• Charlie Ward - Grand Prix dressage rider, coach, and judge in training with experience across racing, eventing, and top level dressage.

Presented by Foran Equine, part of the Connolly's RED MILLS family.

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast: Follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

Irish event rider Ian Cassells closes out 2025 with a season that reads like a milestone list. A top 15 on his Badminton debut, a team silver at the European Championships, and two World Championship medals at Le Lion d'Angers. In this Red Mills Special, Nicole Brown catches up with Ian to look back at the highs, the turning points and the young horses now shaping his future.

From the aura of Badminton to the pressure of anchoring the Irish team, Ian talks about how his system has evolved, what he has learned in the last two years and how he manages the expectations that come with big moments.

Looking ahead to 2026, he reflects on his ambitions for the World Championships in Aachen and a string that is stronger than ever.

Highlights

• Badminton debut and breaking into the top 15
• The Irish team silver at the 2025 European Championships
• Anchoring the team, handling pressure and keeping perspective
• The double medal weekend at Le Lion D'Angers
• Producing young horses and building a system that works
• Early thoughts on the 2026 World Championships
• One to watch for next season

Guests

Ian Cassells, Irish event rider and 2025 European team silver medallist

Sponsors:

Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to Eventing Podcast listeners! Use the code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. View the full collection here.

Note this does not apply to the already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs.

If you have any other questions regarding feeding click here to ask the Connolly's RED MILLS experts.

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast:

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From Burghley to Boekelo and even the London Olympic Games, course designer and builder Adrian Ditcham has shaped some of the most iconic tracks in modern eventing. In this Nicole Met episode, he joins Nicole to talk creativity, pressure, and the art behind building a fair but influential test.

Adrian shares how he went from Pony Club to Burghley's long-time build team, the story behind the London 2012 cross-country course, and why Boekelo is one of the most fascinating challenges in the sport. He also lifts the curtain on planning at Belsay as it steps up to four-star status and reflects on watching Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo deliver one of the great modern rounds.

Highlights

• How Adrian fell into course building and design
• Inside the Burghley build team and working alongside Derek di Grazia
• The story of designing and delivering the London Olympics course
• What makes Boekelo such a specific and strategic test
• Belsay's pathway to four-star and how designers collaborate with Bramham
• The round he still thinks about (hint: Ros & "Walter")
• Why watching horses at three-star tells you almost everything

Guests

• Adrian Ditcham: International course designer and builder, Burghley assistant designer, Boekelo designer, London 2012 build team

This episode of When Nicole Met is kindly supported by Bedmax, purpose-made, natural horse bedding designed to protect respiratory health, support hooves, and provide a clean, comfortable stable environment.

It is always a good day when Simon Grieve joins the show. Fresh from a brilliant Burghley, he pops into the Strawmax Stable for a fun, honest and very feel-good chat. From secret musical talents to climbing Mont Blanc, we talk confidence, saying yes to opportunities and surrounding yourself with the right people.

]Highlights

• The chocolate ban before Burghley
• His hidden talent you might not expect
• The best advice he has ever been given
• How saying yes shaped his career
• Why the right people make all the difference
• A simple mindset habit that keeps him on track

Guests

Simon Grieve Five-star rider, producer and co-host of Shut Up and Ride

Why not check out other episodes of Strawmax Stable Chat? Strawmax Stable Chat: Sam Watson Strawmax Stable Chat: Diarm Byrne Strawmax Stable Chat: Piggy March