Social-media threats, grisly accidents, untimely deaths. It sounds like the plot of a thriller, but it’s the life of Laura Collett, the 33-year-old British equestrian, who has shown that the seemingly genteel sport of eventing can be quite the opposite. From a humble background, Collett has risen to become the defending champion of the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials, long billed as “the most important horse event in Britain,” and is proof that class and money are no longer deciding factors in a sport more usually thought of as the preserve of royalty and aristocrats.
While it’s also the birthplace of the modern racket sport that shares its name, Badminton House is hallowed turf for equestrians. Over four days each year, it hosts an eventing competition during which the world’s best horses and riders compete against one another in three distinct tests.
