Laura Collett and DACAPO trot up during the first vets inspection at the Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian 2023. The inspection saw most of the seasons of the year, including bright sunshine, heavy rain and even a short spell of hail.
All combinations who trotted up were accepted but there were late withdrawals from both Harry Mutch and HD BRONZE and Australian entry Sarah Clark and LV BALOU JEANZ.
Gender: Gelding
Foaled: 2009
Height: 16.32
Sire: DIARADO
Dam: TOSCA VII
Sire of Dam: CANTURO
Owner: Gilliam Morris-Adams, Diana Chappell, Carolyn Taylor and Mr and Mrs M. Smedley.
Breeder:
Groom: Tilly Hughes
Laura Collett began her riding career in the showing ring, and won the Supreme Pony of the Year at Horse of the Year Show in 2003 when she was 13.
She went on to win nine medals during her youth career, including three individual gold medals.
Following a heavy fall from her horse in 2013, Laura suffered many serious internal injuries and had to be put into an induced coma. A fragment of her shoulder bone detached and travelled to her right eye through her blood stream and damaged the optic nerve, affecting her sight in one eye.
Laura has been selected for three European Eventing Championships as an individual. She was eliminated on the cross-country on her senior championship debut at Luhmühlen in 2011, but finished 13th at the 2015 championships at Blair Castle on Grand Manoeuvre.
Collett was second at Luhmühlen five-star in 2018 on Mr Bass, but she achieved her first five-star win in October 2020 when she took the title at the Pau Horse Trials, France, riding her own, Keith Scott and Karen Bartlett's horse LONDON 52 and therefore has the honour of winning the only five-star of 2020 as a result of COVID.
Collett was given an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to equestrianism.
In 2022, Collett won the Badminton Horse Trials. Riding LONDON 52, she led from start to finish, setting an all time Badminton record finishing score of 21.4.
2023
Burnham Market CCI-S 4* - 1st
2022
Boekelo CCIO4*-NC-L - 3rd
Millstreet CCI-L 4* - 1st
Thoresby CCI-S 4* - 5th
2021
Aachen CCI-S 4* - 2nd
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