Badminton Horse Trials

What a day, I am exhausted, and am having trouble picking some pictures to go up tonight.
My eyes are so tired and I can hardly see the pictures to select - of course I took so many.
We have been on the go for just over 12 hours.
I am talking about our day at the above. Belinda had us up at 6 am, porridge on the table for us, and we left Bristol at 7am, as we had planned. We did not want to be stuck in lots of traffic. It was worth while, as we were in the car park by 7.30am, and we sat and ate the rest of our breakfast. We wandered in to the venue, and the stalls and tents were opening for business. Lots of shopping could be done, but I was restrained! We walked out on the course to look it over. Same as a lot of other people, and their dogs. Dogs every where, and often people had pairs of dogs. I think I took more pictures of dogs than anything else.
We stopped at the different jumps on the Cross Country, and found a good position so we could photograph. Amazing to just be there and absorb it all. Just so wonderful to see the elite riders and horses of the world, not that I know much about them.
I had a lot of good photos at very interesting jumps, but I wanted to show you our own country men, Mark Todd int the top left, and Andrew Nicholson in the top right. I also photographed Caroline Powell and Lucy Jackson, but too hard to find at this time of the night. When we left the results were not on the board, so I cannot tell you who was the winner.
As I said there were dogs every where, and owners were sitting on the ground with their dogs, sleeping together, or cuddling and smooching. Very cared for dogs, and well behaved.
The bottom image is of Badminton House, which is owned by the Duke of Gloucester.
Right I am off to bed!!!