Andy Heffernan didn't grow up in horses, and he didn't have an obvious path into the sport. What started with a riding school in England quickly turned into something more, and from there he built a career the hard way, riding whatever horses he could, learning on the job, and figuring out how to make it work.

That journey has taken him to the Olympics, into coaching the Dutch team, and now into course design at some of the biggest events in the world.

In this episode, he reflects on building a business, balancing multiple roles at the top of the sport, and what it takes to keep progressing in an ever-changing landscape.

Highlights

• A non-horsey start and the path into eventing
• Building a career through producing and selling horses
• Coaching the Dutch team and preparing for championships
• The realities of course design and managing pressure
• The future of five-star and the pathway through the sport

Guests

• Andy Heffernan - Dutch team coach, Olympic event rider, and international cross-country course designer.

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 overview show is back, and this time it's all about the big picture.

Which nation is actually in the strongest position heading towards Aachen 2026? We talk about it all the time, but this is putting numbers behind it. Strength, depth, and what the data is really saying at the top of the sport.

While there's a lot of movement across the board, one thing is clear. Great Britain isn't going anywhere. The depth is still there, the results are still coming, and they remain the toughest team to beat. New Zealand bouncing back, Japan showing what's possible, and a number of nations who will feel like there's an opportunity if they can get three good performances on the board when it counts.

Highlights

• Breaking down HPR and what it actually tells us about squad depth
• Why Great Britain still dominates, and just how far ahead they are
• Which nations are trending up, and which ones have work to do
• Why championship eventing feels more open than ever
• The bigger picture, participation, five-star numbers, and what comes next

Guests

• Sam Watson - Irish five-star rider and EquiRatings co-founder bringing a data-led view of performance at the top of the sport

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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.

• 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

• 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

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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: rozzie@equiratings.com

🌐 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
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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.

• 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

• 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.

The first real marker of the 2026 season has been laid down.

The Setters' Run Farm Carolina International always brings a good field, but this year it was stacked. Margins tight from the first phase, no one making the time, and a track that kept shifting the leaderboard right to the end.

Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 didn't lead it from the front, but when it mattered, they were the ones who delivered. Fastest cross-country round of the day, the only sub-30 finish, and suddenly a horse a lot of people hadn't seen much of is right in the conversation.

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake put down a serious marker. Jennie Brannigan's FE Lifestyle does what he always does at Carolina. And further down, horses like Diabolo and Miks Master C ran exactly the rounds they needed to, with bigger plans clearly in mind.

Highlights

• Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 take the four-star win with the fastest cross-country round
• Margins tight after dressage, the top five separated by less than a penalty
• No one makes the time, across both jumping phases
• Caroline Pamukcu moves to the top of the US Open standings
• FE Lifestyle delivers again at Carolina
• Big names execute controlled runs with Kentucky in mind

• Holly Hudspeth

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast
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