Dickie Waygood reflects on the way forward after Badminton’s cancellation
There was the inevitable knee-jerk reaction of shock among riders, owners and staff when we heard Badminton was cancelled; people naturally dislike change. Then the dust settles – these guys are competitors and we soon start looking at the new options and finding what positives they can and a way forward.
We have 17 event riders on the World Class programme and then there are lots more I work with closely. You have to walk in everybody’s shoes, with horses and riders at different stages of their careers.
At the time of writing, the options aren’t fully clear – hopefully we’ll know more next week or the week after. One of my key sayings at the moment is that what’s right today is not right tomorrow – the news of Bramham’s cancellation came in as this column was on the verge of going to press in the magazine on Monday (8 March). Things are changing so rapidly that the best advice is to remain as flexible as possible.
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H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.