Olympian Tiana Coudray returns to Badminton with her pint-sized partner Cancaras Girl—“Cara”—who proved she belongs at this level with a classy 25th-place finish here last year. This will mark the pair’s fourth 5* start, though their most recent attempt at Maryland ended early with a retirement after some trouble on cross country. Still, Cara has shown she’s got the guts and heart to be competitive, and her tidy 29.8 dressage score at Badminton last year showcased the kind of polish she can bring to the first phase.
Though still developing at the level, the tenacious mare has flashes of real brilliance—like her top-ten finish at Bramham in 2022—and benefits greatly from Olmypian Tiana’s deep well of experience. If the pair can string together three solid phases, they’ve got all the makings of a true dark horse this week. Plus, who doesn’t love a scrappy Facebook find turned 5* contender?
<aside> <img src="/icons/chart_blue.svg" alt="/icons/chart_blue.svg" width="40px" />
Last 3 Results:
</aside>
<aside> <img src="/icons/stars_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/stars_yellow.svg" width="40px" />
Fun Fact:
</aside>
Before discovering eventing, Tiana Coudray spent a decade as a competitive Irish dancer, finishing 8th in the world at the Irish Dancing World Championships.
<aside> <img src="/icons/brain_red.svg" alt="/icons/brain_red.svg" width="40px" />
Did You Know?
</aside>
Cancaras Girl was originally purchased via a social media ad with the intent to sell—until she “hung around” and turned into Tiana’s 5* partner.
<aside> <img src="/icons/view_green.svg" alt="/icons/view_green.svg" width="40px" />
Watch For:
</aside>
We’d love to see this pair improve on their impressive start here at Badminton in 2024, and while they’ve certainly had their share of growing pains, this feels like the beginning of a real affirming weekend for a horse that’s shown some true flashes of brilliance.