Ros Canter Makes History with Third Badminton Victory
Ros Canter has once again rewritten the history books at the Badminton Horse Trials, securing a third title with the exceptional Lordships Graffalo and becoming the first horse-and-rider combination ever to win Badminton three times together.
The British pair arrived at Badminton as defending champions and firm favourites, but expectations only intensified after an extraordinary dressage performance left them leading the field on a score of 23.7 - a margin that broke a record which had stood for 16 years.
Across the week, Canter and “Walter” delivered the kind of championship performance that has become synonymous with their partnership: composed in the dressage, authoritative across country, and clinical under pressure.
"We are just so lucky to have Walter in our lives"
- Ros Canter
On cross-country day, they underlined their dominance with the fastest round of the day, finishing comfortably inside the optimum time and making Eric Winter’s demanding track appear almost effortless.
The result marks another remarkable chapter in a partnership already considered one of the defining combinations of modern eventing. Together, Canter and Lordships Graffalo have now won:
- Badminton — 2023, 2025, 2026
- Burghley — 2024, 2025
making them the only horse-and-rider partnership to achieve multiple victories at both Badminton and Burghley.
"Probably one the best rounds he has every jumped"
The achievement is made even more notable by the timing. Canter gave birth to her second daughter, Seneh, in January and returned to elite competition just weeks later. Throughout the week, she spoke openly about balancing top-level sport with early motherhood - a reality rarely visible in conversations around elite equestrian performance.
Canter’s career has already included World Championship gold, European titles, Olympic team gold, and victories at the sport’s biggest events. Yet this Badminton win feels distinct. Not because it was unexpected, but because sustaining excellence over multiple seasons, championships, and life changes is perhaps the greatest challenge of all.
