Will the weather and Badminton's famous cross country course suit locals Jonelle and Tim Price?
Tim Price with 7-year-old novice DaisyAll eyes will be on the weather forecast for Wednesday's (May 6) start of Europe's first four star eventing competition of the season: the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.
New Zealander Tim Price, based at Mere Farm, Mildenhall and just back from his second place with Wesko in the Kentucky competition, is one of those hoping for some dry weather. He's riding 12-year-old gelding Ringwood Sky Boy: "He's ready for a good performance. I'm hoping it'll be dry so he won't have to jump out of the mud."
Ringwood Sky Boy hit four star standard two years ago. And at last year's Badminton Tim rode him for the fastest cross country time - putting them in second place. But he had four rails down in the show jumping and they finished in ninth place. Then at Burghley in September they fell.
Tim got back from the United States on Monday and Wesko got back on Tuesday. Tim is really pleased with Wesko's Kentucky performance - but pretty cross not to make first place: "We so nearly made it - one rail down."
But second place was a handsome result. Kentucky is an expensive trip for eventers based in Europe. It costs about £20,000 to get horse and rider to the Kentucky arena: "You have to win or come second to pay for the trip."
Tim wanted to give Wesko "a bit of mileage in the sky" - if a horse shows it can cope with a long flight they will have put down a marker for the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Jonelle Price takes a break from teachingTim's wife Jonelle Price is currently ranked second in the International Federation rankings as the world's leading lady rider. She is taking two horses to Badminton: "They're both fully experienced four star horses."
It was with twelve year-old mare Classic Moet - known to all at Mere Farm as Molly - that Jonelle took fourth place at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy last year.
Her other horse at Badminton will be the 13-year-old The Deputy - aka 'Hero'. They have done well at Burghley for the past two years - coming sixth and ninth. Last year at Badminton they retired.
Hero is one of Jonelle's favourite horses. He went to Kentucky in 2013 and then last year gave a fantastic performance at Burghley with a double clear for ninth place. He is certainly an experienced campaigner. As Jonelle puts it: "He's not a classical dressage horse, but excels at show jumping. We should be there or thereabouts."
This year entries for Badminton are a little down. 104 horses have been entered, which is 37 below last year's number of entries. And with some notable withdrawals, all the 'wait list' entries have got places in the draw - for the first time since 2008.
Several pairs have withdrawn as they were entered for both Kentucky and Badminton - in case their horses were not ready or fit for the earlier competition. However, Zara Phillips who had to withdraw High Kingdom in Kentucky after the horse got a knock, has also withdrawn from Badminton.