EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

Thoresby is done and dusted, and it delivered.
A big win, a few messy moments, and a proper reminder that even the best riders have to fight for it. Gemma Stevens did exactly that, bouncing back from a tough start to take the Grantham Cup with Cooley Park Muse.
Elsewhere, the form is starting to show. Tom Jackson looks full of confidence, and Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo had the kind of run that just ticks the box.
It wasn't straightforward. The cross country asked questions, there were a few issues, and plenty to take away heading into the next few weeks.
Highlights
Gemma Stevens regroups and delivers to win with Cooley Park Muse
Tom Jackson on form with a strong weekend, including a win with United 36
Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo back out and looking right on track
Cross country proves influential across the divisions
Early Badminton form lines starting to take shape
Guests
Nicole Brown
Catherine Austen
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Lucienne Bellissimo begins the 2026 season with a new flag beside her name, now officially representing the United States.
It is a change that reflects where life and sport have taken her. From riding ponies in the New Forest to building businesses, surviving serious injuries, and returning to the top level of eventing, Lucienne's journey has been anything but straightforward.
In this episode she reflects on the resilience behind that journey, the decision to build her life in the US, and the horses she believes could carry her towards five-star success.
Highlights
Lucienne Bellissimo's move to represent the United States in 2026
Growing up in the New Forest and finding her path into eventing
Launching the Horse Scout platform and balancing business with riding
Recovering from multiple serious injuries and returning to competition
The US eventing landscape and the impact of the US Equestrian Open
Five-star ambitions and the horses leading her 2026 season
Guest
Lucienne Bellissimo – International event rider now competing for the United States.
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 Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby Park brings together one of the strongest early-season fields, with Badminton entries, returning champions, and a mix of horses at very different stages of their spring campaigns.
This episode previews the Grantham Cup and the wider four-star divisions, looking at who could win, who's likely using it as a prep run, and which combinations are starting to show form ahead of the five-stars. From established names to rising talent, it's a first proper look at how the season is shaping up.
Highlights
Grantham Cup contenders and podium predictions
Who's running to win vs. who's prepping for five-star
Key horses to watch ahead of Badminton and Kentucky
Standout names across both four-star divisions
Guests
Nicole Brown – Host and analyst
Spike Milligan – FEI team vet with decades of championship experience
Catherine Austen – Eventing journalist
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast:
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Buying a horse is one of the hardest things to get right in this sport.
Not because there aren't options, but because the right ones aren't always visible. The best horses are often off-market, spread across global networks, and difficult to compare without real context.
This episode breaks down how the EquiRatings Horse Sourcing process actually works, building a global pool of horses, filtering that pool using performance data, and narrowing it down through experience, insight, and real conversations with riders and owners. From first search to final shortlist, it's about giving buyers a clearer view of the market and the confidence to make the right call.
Highlights
Why the best horses are often not publicly available
How EquiRatings builds and filters a global pool of horses
The role of data alongside rider feel and experience
How shortlists are created and decisions are made
The difference between the Complete and Light search models
How the portal gives buyers a live view of the market
Guests
Sam Watson – Irish international event rider and co-founder of EquiRatings
Samantha Lissington – Horse Sourcing Analyst: Evaluates talent and potential in horses, helping buyers understand value and opportunity. Combines real-world experience with a data-informed perspective.
Rozzie Bainbridge – Horse Sourcing Client Communications: Supports communication across the EquiRatings horse sourcing service. Ensures clients feel informed, understood, and connected through every step of the journey.
📩 Contact Rozzie Bainbridge (Horse Sourcing Enquiries) Email: [email protected]
🌐 EquiRatings Horse Sourcing Learn more about the process, services, and current offerings: https://www.equiratings.com
📊 Free Horse Performance Metrics Screenshot Get in touch with Rozzie to share your horse's status (for sale, not for sale, or future plans) and receive a personalised EquiRatings performance metrics snapshot
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 2026 season on Instagram and Facebook.

The 2026 Defender Kentucky entries are out… and suddenly, everything feels very real.
There's something about seeing the list in black and white. The names, the horses, the matchups. The ones who have come close before, the ones building toward something bigger, and the ones who might just change the story this year. At the top, Tom McEwen and Brookfield Quality arrive as the standout favourite. The American challenge is strong, with Will Coleman and Boyd Martin both bringing serious contenders, while Harry Meade is once again searching for that elusive five-star win.
Beyond the favourites, it's a seriously deep field. Horses that have been there and done it, horses stepping up, and plenty that feel like they're right on the edge of something big. And behind it all, Kentucky itself is already taking shape. The build-up, the pressure, and the feeling that when the week arrives, it will move fast.
Highlights
First reaction to the 2026 Kentucky entry list
Why Tom McEwen leads the field, and what could stop him
The strength of the US challenge on home soil
Key storylines across the five-star contenders
A look inside the Kentucky build-up and what's new for this year
Guests
Diarmuid Byrne – EquiRatings co-founder 
Annie – EquiRatings podcast host and client liason
Lillian Dobat – Sponsorship Manager, Kentucky Three-Day Event
Cavan Allen – Event Secretary, Kentucky Three-Day Event
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 2026 season on Instagram and Facebook.