IRELAND'S Austin O'Connor has climbed from 20th after dressage to claim third place at Badminton Horse Trials 2025 thanks to two clear jumping phase performances. He added just 0.4 show jumping time penalties to his dressage score of 30.8 to finish on 31.2.

Victory went to Britain's Ros Canter on her 2023 Badminton and 2024 Burghley winner Lordships Graffalo. Canter clinched the win when her fellow countryman Oliver Townend and the Irish Sport Horse Cooley Rosalent, the leaders after Saturday's cross country, had a costly pole down in the main arena on Sunday. Canter finished on her dressage score of 25.3 and Townend added just 1.2 cross country time penalties to his leading dressage score of 21.1. Cooley Rosalent is by Valent and was bred by J W Rosbotham.

Speaking to The Irish Field immediately after learning of his third place finish an elated O'Connor was full of praise for his mount, known as 'Salty', on whom he had his personal best dressage score at the event.

"He's just an amazing horse, and today was important because my jumping record while it hasn't been bad, it's not quite up to scratch," he said. "It's not that he's a bad jumper, we've just had an unlucky rail here and there but I knew in my heart the fact that he was still as good a jumper as ever so it's nice to get that straight.

"I've said this spring the horse, you know, he's 16, and he's just getting better and better in his body. I'm very lucky, I've got great help and great trainers like Tracy Robinson, Jill Watson and Amy my wife doing the show jumping, which has made a big difference. To be on the podium here is a dream. To come here with a top 10 you'd be happy, but to be in the top three is wonderful."

"We've had an unbelievable week, sadly if these two (Canter and Townend) weren't around we might have won! Someone said earlier where are you going in the Autumn and I said wherever these two aren't going!"

Asked if he thought Salty was one of the best Irish event horses he said: "I think he's one of the best horses eventing in the world. Like the others on the podium, we are talking about unbelievable, consistent horses. He's never jumped a round like that in his life and I couldn't be happier with him.

"This is the event I grew up dreaming about and I'm just so lucky to have a horse like him to be here with."

Colorado Blue is by Jaguar Mail and was bred by Ireland's Kate Jarvey. He is owned by the Salty Syndicate who O'Connor credits for having given him the time to produce the horse slowly and carefully.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo are the 2025 Badminton Horse Trials winners \ Kit Houghton Photography and Sally Newcomb

Emotional win

Speaking after her win, Canter was clearly emotional and said she felt the loss of her coach and mentor Caroline Moore, who died in March of this year, deeply.

"He (Lordships Graffalo) is just the most amazing horse, he just runs with it and he absolutely loves it in there. He loves anywhere there's people watching him. With most horses as they get older, the crowds get trickier because the anticipation is always there but with 'Walter' he rises up to that environment in a nice, bubbly way which helps me out a lot, he just really enjoys himself.

"It was a long day without Caroline because she was always talking and moving but today, I was sat by myself a lot thinking about my life choices!

"Even when she wasn't there like at the Olympics she was on the end of the phone and I just really think about what it would have meant to her, because she might not have achieved such great things when she was riding, but she put her life and soul into her career and was so selfless with everything she gave. Me winning was like her winning so I hope she's looking down with a smile on her face."

Townend was full of praise for his ten-year-old mare who he said is "unreal".

"She's unbelievable, she's been first, second and third at five-star level," he said. “She proves herself every time, she learns every time and I couldn't be happier with her. I'm the luckiest rider in the world to have both her and Ballaghmor Class."

Ian Cassells and Master Point during cross country at the 2025 MARS Badminton Horse Trials \ Nigel Goddard

The next best placed Irish rider was Ian Cassells who started the day in ninth position with Master Point but their show jumping round didn't quite go to plan. They added 12 jumping and 2.4 time penalties to their day two score and finished on 48.7 for 13th place.

"It's my first Badminton, so coming here with a completion I’m really, really happy," he said.

"Obviously, we'd like to be a little bit more competitive, but it's a phase we've worked on a lot and it's really come through in his short format events, but riding these size tracks after galloping 12 minutes is like sitting on a completely different horse so I'm really happy that he's come out fresh and feels well. He's given me his all. There are so many positives to take away from this and hopefully we'll get another chance to come out here again."

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal were fourth after finishing on their dressage score of 33.8, Meade was also sixth on Superstition on 39.8 after rolling two poles in the show jumping phase. In fifth place was Emily King with Valmy Biats on 38.5.