Badminton Horse Trials organizers announced March 1 that the 2021 event, which was supposed to be held “behind closed doors” May 5-9 in South Gloucestershire, England, will not run. This cancellation also includes the BE90 and BE100 Championships (May 4-5).

Despite the encouraging government announcements and rollout of the vaccine, the situation still remains fragile and unpredictable at this time.

Following consultation between Badminton, Public Health England and South Gloucestershire Council they decided that due to the scale and location of the horse trials it is not possible to secure the surrounding area in the proximity of the event site. The health and safety of all those involved in the event and the local community remains Badminton’s priority and the level of operational and public health risk posed by the horse trials was agreed by all concerned to be unacceptable.

“The announcement of last October to run behind closed doors was with the optimism that it would be possible, so the decision that we are not in a position to continue to plan to run the event at the beginning of May has not been taken without significant thought and consideration,” said Badminton Director Jane Tuckwell. “I am sorry that the 2021 event has become unworkable despite our best efforts, but I am so grateful to all those that have offered support and encouragement over the past few months.”

The Duke of Beaufort said, “Everyone at Badminton is desperately disappointed to have to cancel for the second year in a row as it is so much a feature of the year here, but I am confident that the 2022 event will be very much part of the spirit of optimism we will all once again be feeling by then.”