EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

Eight-year-old Oliver Barrett watched Chris Burton win at Aachen and fell in love with the sport. Fourteen years later, he's heading back to the iconic venue himself, with a horse his family bred, started under saddle and produced every step of the way.
In this episode of the Future Star series, Nicole catches up with Oliver ahead of his first senior World Championships. Sandhills Briar was backed at home in New South Wales, carried Oliver to a CCI5* victory at Adelaide earlier this year, and now the pair are bound for Germany as one of Australia's most exciting combinations.
They talk about growing up on a breeding property, what it's like having two Olympic event riders as parents, and why they've chosen to stay based in Australia rather than following the more traditional path to Europe.
Oh, and Oliver's dad built him a mini Aachen in the back paddock using a tractor. You'll definitely want to hear that story in full.
Highlights
Sandhills Briar's journey from foal to five-star winner
Growing up with Olympic event riders for parents
Preparing for Aachen from Australia
The pressure riders put on themselves
A home Olympics on the horizon in 2032
Guest
Oliver Barrett – Australian event rider heading to his first senior World Championships with Sandhills Briar.
This series is brought to you by Littlemax, part of the Bedmax family. Their dust-extracted pine shavings are designed to give horses a cleaner, more comfortable bed. Find out more at bedmaxshavings.com/littlemax.

Topspin used to spook at dandelions. Alice Casburn spent more time catching him in the collecting ring than riding him. Now, at 18, he's heading to the first-ever FEI Under 25 Eventing World Championships as the favourite.
Nicole sits down with Alice to look back on the remarkable partnership that's taken them from a quirky homebred nobody else wanted to ride, to five-star success and a Bramham title that secured their place on the British team. They also talk about the pressure of arriving as the favourite, why she'd happily take a big, tough track at Millstreet, and the exciting reserve mare waiting in the wings.
Oh... and there's a tiny dog looking for a boyfriend. You'll have to listen for that one.
Highlights
Topspin's journey from spooky youngster to championship favourite
Learning to handle the pressure of expectation
Bramham, British titles and celebrating the big moments
LSS Ile De Re and the future beyond Topspin
The "rivalry" with Germany's Calvin Böckmann
Guest
Alice Casburn – five-star event rider and British team member for the FEI Under 25 Eventing World Championships.
Supported by Carr & Day & Martin, trusted equine care since 1765 and part of the Connolly's Red Mills group.

The first ever FEI Under 25 Eventing World Championships are here.
Nicole is joined by Diarmuid Byrne, Spike Milligan and Annie Bishop to look ahead to Millstreet, where a world title is on the line.
Topspin against Altair de la Cense. Alice Casburn against Calvin Böckmann. They've already gone head-to-head twice before, and now they meet again with the biggest prize yet. The Prediction Centre has them well clear of the rest of the field, but is it really that straightforward?
The team also looks at the strength of the American and Irish squads, which horses could shake up the podium, and where the championship might be won and lost.
Highlights
Topspin vs Altair de la Cense
Team medal predictions
The jump from three-star to four-star
Reading the Prediction Centre
Dark horses to watch
Guests
Diarmuid Byrne – EquiRatings co-founder and data analyst
Spike Milligan – FEI team vet with decades of championship experience
Annie Bishop – US eventing broadcaster and co-host of the US Equestrian Open Podcast
Connolly's Red Mills are offering 15% off Foran Equine products to Eventing Podcast listeners! Use the code EquiRatingsPodcast15 to receive your discount. View the full collection here.
Note this does not apply to the already discounted Pre-Fuel & Refuel combo packs.
If you have any other questions regarding feeding click here to ask the Connolly's RED MILLS experts.
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast:
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Is a horse's route to a championship as important as its destination? As we build towards Aachen, Sam Watson joins Nicole for one of these deep-dive overview shows, and this one gets right to the heart of how the modern event horse is made and managed.
The days of one road to a championship are gone. Now riders are picking their own paths, saving legs, choosing four-star over five-star, and building form lines that don't always line up neatly against each other. Sam has the EquiRatings numbers to prove it, and they tell a story that goes well beyond selection headaches.
Because underneath the championship talk sits a bigger question. Has the type of horse we're producing actually changed? And if it has, what does that mean for the long format, for injury risk, and for the future shape of the sport?
Highlights
Five-star starts on the decline
Rethinking the championship form line
The 33% drop in long-format numbers
What a "Horse of the Year" ranking could look like
Cost, ownership and the lorry park economy
Should young horses get their own showcase at the biggest venues?
Guests
Sam Watson – EquiRatings co-founder and 5-Star eventer, bringing the data behind the sport's biggest trends
This episode is supported by FLAIR Strips, the vet-developed, drug-free nasal strips proven to help horses breathe more easily and recover faster, worn by riders across disciplines.
 Find out more at flairstrips.com.

Sixty-five years in, and Burghley still gives its own team goosebumps.
In this episode of Inside Burghley 2026, Nicole heads to Burghley HQ to sit down with Miranda Rock, Executive Chair of the Burghley House Preservation Trust, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to preserve one of the world's most iconic five-stars.
From protecting Capability Brown's historic parkland and centuries-old trees to redesigning the shopping village, improving visitor flow and planning for the future, Miranda explains the work that goes on long before the first horse arrives.
Along the way, she shares stories from Burghley's remarkable history, her family's connection to the estate, the Olympic legacy that still lives inside the house, and why Ros Canter's unforgettable walk down Winners' Avenue with baby Seneh is one of her favourite Burghley memories.
Highlights
Burghley's Cecil family history
The retail and wayfinding changes for 2026
Protecting Capability Brown's historic parkland
Ros Canter's memorable Burghley victory
What the next chapter looks like for Burghley
Guest
Miranda Rock – Executive Chair of the Burghley House Preservation Trust and 16th-generation descendant of William Cecil.
🎥 Watch every moment on Burghley TV: exclusive live coverage, replays, and behind-the-scenes access all week.
EquiRatings Eventing Podcast:
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